Yamaha R15 V3.0 Review - autoX

Posted by Daniel Gibson on June 22nd, 2018

Yamaha R15 V3.0 launched in India. Read the full Yamaha R15 V3.0 review below to find out more…

One usually does not associate terms like ‘exciting’ with the 150cc motorcycle segment in India, but the Yamaha R15, when it was launched in India 10 years ago, created a massive uproar in the Indian motorcycle industry and turned all convention upside down as it was the first mini-sports bike in the market, that too, in the 150cc segment. Also, it had been adapted from Yamaha’s global legend, the YZF R1. So, there were plenty of reasons for aspiring youngsters to go mad over this drool-worthy bike, which was evident from the way it sold like hotcakes.

The second generation R15 also did well with Yamaha enthusiasts but the original R15 will remain a special affair for the likes of me. Now, however, Yamaha has launched the third generation, the V3.0 of the R15 and it is certainly a looker. While the original R15 was a bit too skinny for a sports bike and the V2.0 was not well-proportioned, the new bike has resolved all those issues.

There’s no odd angle, and every element on its body sits in perfect harmony. On the upside, there are some clever design updates that work in its favour. For example, the full LED headlamp looks really sharp and the R1-inspired LED taillight looks sleek. The tyres are wider too – 100/80-17 (front) and 140/70-17 (rear). There are a few things which can still be improved, like the paint quality and the plastics around a few switches, but overall, it’s a very good package.

While the previous two generations shared almost the same components, the new bike features an all-new 155cc engine that’s bigger and features a lot of improvements – lighter connecting rods, a 10-hole fuel injector and so on. Power output is up by around 2.5bhp to 19bhp, while torque is more or less unchanged at 15Nm.

In terms of equipment, V3.0 gets an all-digital instrument cluster that has the usual tell-tale lights. Additionally, there’s a gear position indicator and gear-shift light on top of the instrument cluster. It also has a USB mobile phone connector.

On the track, the ride is quite forgiving but make no mistake, it is still sprightly and eager to change direction at the slightest of leans. This nimble performance is also aided by good brakes which now feature bigger disks, both in the front and rear. However, the main highlight here is the Variable Valve Timing, or VVA, which features two different cam profiles for the inlet valve. The profiles are switched through a solenoid for either the low range torque or the high range based on the RPM level. This feature, in all honesty, can only be described after some day-to-day usage.

Overall, the R15 V3.0 is certainly a new level above its predecessor. It looks fresh, is well-proportioned and gets you the proper sports bike thrills for a whole lot less. However, missing features like the ABS should have been there now since it’s the third revision of the R15 in 10 years. Read the in-depth Yamaha R15 V3.0 review to find out more.

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