Yamaha R15 V 1.0 Ownership Review by Rhythm Rana

To Be honest it all started with looks, its always said every love story starts with a attraction. For me it happened with my bike Yamaha R15 V 1.0. I had a Hero Honda Karizma Before Yamaha R15, I was all satisfied with Karizma It had power, it looks great handles also good.

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But some how it is less sportier than R15. the full fairing and aggressive seating position was all enough for Yamaha to Sell it to me. So once I had decided days of Karizma Is over I sold it and headed to Yamaha Showroom but Luck played trick at that time with me a new limited edition White color came at that time which was not available anywhere at that time.

I waited for almost 3 months for it (Yes I became too patient for that color and rode my mighty Honda Activa for these months). And when my patience was over I just bought Sunset Red color and guess what after 1 week of buying Red color White was available. Hard Luck. Anyways that’s how life goes.

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So the day had arrived I enquired about the Red color from Dealer he said they have it I can come and get it. They had Few pieces in Red color I just saw for scratches checked Brakes. Looked at engine and chassis no. I have a superstition to look for no. 7 in chassis and engine no. so I choose bike after my inspections.

They put petrol in it, fitted battery as they keep bikes without batteries in raw condition as they come from factory. (My bike’s ODO was 0 Kms when I bought it.) and did washing polishing and teflon coating I got three times teflon coating free with bike at 2nd 4th and 6th service by dealer.

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While all this was done my dad paid for the bike I signed the papers’s and the bike was mine. I did a Tankfull with premium Fuel (I till now use premium fuel to keep my injectors clean and keep bike smooth) I was instructed to not to Rev it hard for first 1000KMS.

So that was the hard period riding bike on low RPM’s for so many Km’s but that period was not that long I did first 1000 Kms in first 10 Days. All day with my friend we used to roam unnecessarily in whole chandigarh and panchkula. To do our 100+ kms in the day.

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After 1st service I rode it hard, had uphills trips and enjoyed it a lot. The bike Just Loved Corners and loves to get Revved hard. R15’s power band starts from 6000 RPM below it its just feels under powered another 150CC bike but when it crosses that 6000RPM mark it starts showing its true character. A True Yamaha in every aspect its smooth and has Power in upper RPM’s. Touched a ODO top speed of 142 Km/hr.

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The main Adavantage of R15 is its handaling is Truly was Light years ahead of the bike’s back then. (Even now but that’s all together a different debate). I just didn’t Felt nervous on corners like I used to feel on karizma. And on top speeds it just keeps planted while karizma used to feel nervous.

And then came Brakes R15’s Brakes are so intact lot better than karizma. Karizma used to do Fish tails if breaked hard at high speeds but in R15 nothing it just Stops without much effort. So it proved much more Fun to Ride a R15. But it had its own negative points also like low torque. One has to keep working with gears in R15 to keep it in power band (its different thing I am starting to love this aggressive style of riding).

Seating posture is also very aggressive and gives you back ache on Long Rides But R15 was never a Tourer. And lats but not the least Skinny Tyres. It destroys the Rear looks + in muddy and wet Asphalt. I also had a bad experience with Skiny Rear Tyre a Thick around 2 inch thick wood piece just Puncutured my rear Tyre it was not like a nail it was proper wood stick don’t know how it managed to get in.

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I just did not used that tyre again and replaced it with MRF Zapper C 120/80/17. and it geled up well with the bike no Big effect on handaling its still easy on corners lil bit accelration and top speed is suffered but we are in real world not on track so its ok. After 3000Km’s I was Boored with the low exhaust note.

The Yamaha SVC adviced me to Put K’N RC 1060 and I had gone for it they installed it in my bike. And now it Roars I won’t say a great improvement in performance but yes lower RPM’s were lil bit better now but nothing to say a performace upgrade I still consider a K’N a exhaust note upgrade. I service it with K’N cleaner and Oil. And bike gave me No problem what so ever I had done 15000+ KMS with K’N and its Perfect.

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In reliability also its Great never had any repairs needed on it, now its around 18000 kms and no clutch plates changed I changed my first set of cluch plates on Karizma at 10000Kms. I just changed chain set. 2 sets of front disc pads and one set of rear disc pads.Rest just Engine Oil. That’s all it used in Last 2.5 yrs. No Rattling of fairing nothing. Paint quality is also not detiorated in all these years.

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I enjoy My R15 a Lot I Go for Rides atleast twice a Month the ownership of it is quite sweet till now and now I look forward for Yamaha R 250 or a R15 with more Power (2.0 is all looks no more power).

Regards,
Rhythm Rana