Hi its Arvind here. It’s my pleasure to write a review for BikeAdvice. Friends I belong to Himachal. I am working in a company after completing my MBA. Before this I was in the business of second hand bikes. All these things just made me a maniac and now I think, learn and earn for bikes. I wish to join Raid De Himalyan Rally.
I have gone through every bike starting from Kawasaki Boxer to Pulsars and Hondas to Ninja 250 also (driven my friends one). Really all this experience through these bikes just made me to write a review to my latest Legendry machine the Yamaha YZF R15 (Blue).
Why R15?
As I was always in search of a bike who can fulfill my need of racing instinct, with a great handling and of course an Indian quote of “ Kitna Deti Hai” means a decent mileage. In the back history of bike there were some machines which I always rode Legendry CBZ 2002 Model. This made revolution at that time and of course was a 5 speed machine.
After that the Legendry Karizma 2006 model and rode it for a lot of time but if truly saying As my perfection level increased I was in search of a track machine and very soon got my hands on Bajaj pulsar 220cc for two months what it could not outshine the handling level of Karizma and left it soon with Apache RTR 160.
Definitely a good bike for initially racing throttles as to its name “RTR”(Racing Throttle Response) but as I rode it to the upper red lines of RPM, Oh my God it’s horrible! vibrations and lose confidence level as you push it harder and harder feeling somewhere as it will rollover me, shorter in dimensions it feels so, as a very powerful engine on a small chassis (my 80% experience on ghat roads and 20% on straight highways) I would like to say.
It’s not the matter of Bhp of the machines or a top end of bikes but it’s the matter of how this power is distributed over the machine to make a Sports Bike. Dear friends before leaving the business of second hand bikes I finally decided to go for one more Legend a Purely Street Fighter the Legendry Yamaha FZ16.
A bike as short to its name inversely a lot to describe. A machine, which broke all the records of lean and mean machines in its segment and of course changed the definition of machines who are the track king and of course carrying the heritage of Legendary Yamahas. Done over 26000 Km before I just concluded this bike as I was lacking somewhere with the brakes at the rear end and of course low mileage if you are continuously topping the red lines.
A worst average of 28 km/L. The huge mid torque with a fast and aggressive first 80 km/h but after that it lacks and so on. It is a legend who just confirmed me the message of its next legends like R15. Truly made me to think over the next bike update as this was the time when I was searching a bike with a great top end.
And a perfect track machine. And of course a decent mileage which was lacking in Yamaha FZ 16. After searching, studying and begging friends for short spin of 1km ride I finally shifted to this Lean and Mean machine The Legendry R15. My all time favourite machine.
Let us talk about the Machine. I purchased the machine in Jan 2011 and till now the ODO is going for 12000 km covering every part of north of course my dream Highway where Raid De Himalayan moves through (Starts from PeterHoff shimla (Himachal Pradesh).
First Appearance
I had gone through the bike so many times but being owner makes you a life time feelings. Was looking the bike and thinking of all the roads I have to test the bike. Bike looks super from front side and makes you happy enough, good enough from every side as I accept this model the best one for racing as it has passed the all wind tunnels in the test. (The test taken for checking the behavior of machine at very high speed by keeping the bike in a tunnel like cell). A very fresh model with twin lamps. All in all good one.
First Ride
My first ride was good one as it was a least ride of 60km. A very smooth ride the conclusion was. I planned my first long drive from my home to Shimla a 160 km aside up n down 320 km. Totally roads like test tracks. With least of 30 km straight highway a good test ride I thought so.
As I was ready to check the bike from all aspect of my previous bikes from Pulsars to Honda to Yamaha FZ16. Got my Yamaha jacket on, with gloves and put the studds helmet, got a puncture kit under the seat and lets go. Here is the first feeling and overall review upto 12000 km.
As I was riding the FZ16 previously and of course have sensed the power of 21 bhp (Pulsar 220cc) also. I got the bike to my best experience level. In the form of power the initial thrust is not that good as its lowmid torque takes some sec to reach to the respected level of 60s and 80s.
As I check every bike to ghat roads. Every time you brake you need to get the machine to its power band by shifting 1 down or 2 also. Took some time to understand the exact importance of shifting down and keeping the bike in Powerband. Once you understand the gear shift ratio of this machine I bet to every rival about the handling of this machine.
More you throttle more you feel confident (the aerodynamics of machine, the side flaps, the front head passes the air in such a way as more you speed more the air pressure is there on the machine so it sticks to the road making you a feel of confidence and one body ride, much like racing spoilers in sports cars).
Even having a curve at 60 to 70 km/h at very deep curve and tight roads. (Quick Attack At Corners) A very good power to weight ratio for this machine makes it quiet fast and aggressive. Really you feel the beauty of machine when you are swallowing the curves like 5 to 10 in every minute.
You need to steer at the seat. A freedom level we see in motoGP (The movement of riders leaning right and left on racing tracks). A very good Humachine Technology (Behavior of machine when the actual rider on it) I appreciate. Of course very good brakes, feel somewhere spongy when you brake frequently but enough to stop this machine.
Thanks to “NISIN” for doing their duty efficiently. One thing that I would say a bike which makes you full of confidence at every curve deep, wide, open, short every time. One thing keep in mind, be in Powerband and see the magic it’s a sports bike not a baba gaadi.
Definitely this machine has guts to beat anyone upto 220cc segment any time every time on ghat roads (the meaning of sports machines have come from test tracks not from highways where every machine can go for its top end. Mind it, you can see how Valentino Rossi is facing worst performance with his Ducati’s, everybody knows Ducati has a name for its very powerful machines.
But it’s the world of sports bikes, I mentioned it to support the fact, so don’t mind my Ducati friends). As Indian roads you can’t guarantee the smooth always, so if sometimes you are facing the sudden pot holes at speeds don’t worry this machine swallow them very confidently (Works very well which is rare in sports bikes because of their very low ground clearance).
Thanks to its rear mono suspension (non adjustable) which does its duty with great firmness and smoothness “Gabriel India” has done a great job. Thanks. The gearbox of the machine is so smooth and of course made for sports bike where the gear up and down are made thousand times in motoGP. I never saw any slickness of gears which I have seen in Pulsars family (Don’t mind). Never missed even a single shift to my till ride.
Most of the guys weep for the poor performance from the skinny tyres which is totally fake. These zappers are really good to their duty assigned and one thing this bike being high performance don’t swallow tires as I have seen in FZ16 in ghat roads. So making the best economy to the tire side.
The fuel injection works very well having the different punches of high to low throttles and of course giving very strange and noticeable mileage of 39-40 km/lt. At highways with full throttle on, it makes a top end punch of 139 km/h which is 134 appx. At these speeds you can feel the confidence level and of course aerodynamics of bike are superb.
You will feel a one body ride as you are also the part of machine. Totally compact and aggressive. A good R&D ever done by any company to Indian bike history, even I have made the custom paint to this bike to make it to my taste. At almost every speed the bike feels vibration free toally. Thanks to Yamaha for making such lightweight and vibration free machine.
I have got some very long journeys from Delhi to Manali and Shimla to Manali, Wrist pain are often initially but once you are habitual it don’t feels. Keep one thing in mind it’s a pure sports bike not a semi sports bike like Karizma and CBR250 (Where seating posture is open chested).
One thing I have felt at night as the twin lamps somewhere lack in their duty. Might it be due to the poor reflecter or something else but it needs little improvement. (Don’t blame directly might be I could not adjust the setting of lamps till date). The rear view mirrors do their duty perfectly and give the bike a mature look as well.
The chain set is quite good and the chain needs lubrication after every 500 km. I recommend to purchase chain lube by Motul (550rs). If you are on bikes day and night you can go for seat cover by Yamaha (850 rs). It works very well in summer (as your jeans don’t wet in summer making you itch free) and of course makes a very good look.
Maintenance wise the bike is quite good. Till now I have changed the front and rear diskpads costing (1100rs appx.). Be regular at service after 3000 km and I think this is the best practical bike till this date with every aspect that any young chap thinks about. Because it’s easy to purchase a bike and tough to maintain it. So keeping everything in mind I suggest this bike.
Overall Conclusion
The Positive Side
Looks, handling, performance, controls, maintenance, practicality of the bike with a very decent mileage that keeps this bike above any rank of No 1. Totally an out of box machine comparative to any machine till 200cc or can say upto 220 cc. It’s a perfect as an overall package.
Impressed and it made me a Superfan of Yamaha. Now I check every sports machine by making ‘Yamaha R15’ the benchmark (Upto 220cc only not with Ninja and other Big Monsters). If you have instinct of racing and have courage to the tag ‘See you at Finish Line”, then this machine is for you. Must have a test ride friends.
The Negative Side
Mid torque should be little high because it’s not possible to be at red line (over 5000 Rpm) always in some very tricky situation of short over takings. Little bit to toil with lamps. Nothing more than this, It’s a sports bike so little bit suffering at wrist I will not mention this as negative. Thanks and enjoy.
“Be Safe, at least Spend 10 percent of Bike’s Cost to Your Safety like Helmet and Jackets and Others. You Have To Drive so many Lean And Mean Machines in Your Life”. “Take Care and Happy Riding”.
Regards,
Arvind kumar
