Reviews of Yamaha YZF R15 [2011-2018]

This bike have been tremendous for the last few years but now after v3 have rise up it seems like people are looking forward for v3 to launch in india .Yamaha has been one of the best production and manufacturers which gave a superb engine and excessive happiness to people with their price that they have paid for. So thanks to yamaha once again,i hope we will see the new upgraded bike as soon as possible as people are very eager to ride the new version 3.

About the Reviewer

I have purchased this bike when i was in 11th class. Waited till 11 pm at showroom to take the delivery cause next day was Sunday. So i haven't much patient that time. Next morning when i drove it was amazing feeling this bike is a perfect example of love. She need care ,love and support. If you keep caring her she will never disappoint you. Comfort is amazing, easy to handle. Riding since 7 years and 4 months many times tried to modify but natural look is always amazed me. Pros-glamorous look reliable cons- no till now as i love her a lot.

About the Reviewer

Best to buy in this price range

Riding posture is very nice but for a pillion it not very comfortable.

Looks are outstanding performance , pickup, throttle response is excellent.

Maintenance is not very much

But the prices of accessories are high.

Pros:: excellent design

Attractive looks

Cons::service cost is little high

And parts in service centers are not available all time.

About the Reviewer

This bike is a complete package in driving balancing as well as mileage. Although the pillion seat is little uncomfortable. The riding experience of this bike is one of the best experiences in comparison to other companies. Servicing and maintenance charge is quiet nominal. One of the greatest cons is that if your mother or father are old in age they will find great difficulty in sitting.

About the Reviewer

Style undoubtedly one of the best looking bikes on indian roads, even after almost a decade of its launch.

Engine performance, fuel economy and gearbox its a 150cc bike, and rides like a 150cc bike. Not a super-sport, but pretty decent for the price tag (0 to 100kmph in about 12 seconds, top speed 135-140kmph on a straight level track).

It's been about 14 months that i've had this bike, and i have constantly got around 40 kmpl in city, and around 50 kmpl on highways.

Gearbox is smooth, although initially i faced a problem of stuck gears. The servicing guys patched that up really well.

Ride quality & handling this is both, the best and worst part of this bike. Superb handling in general. Feels light as a bicycle on corners. You will feel very confident in taking high speed corners. Although i feel it's not really made for the indian roads. Does not handle potholes on roads really well. The plastic quality used on the body is bad, and you'll start getting vibrations all over the bike if you ride it on rough roads for a long time.

For long smooth highway rides, it's perfect. You can cruise at 80-100 kmph on long rides without tiring yourself or the bike. Very often i ride at 80+ kmph constantly for 30+ kms and till now i haven't had any problems.

Final words value for money. Buy it if you're looking for an entry level sports bike which you can take on long tours (500+ kms). Dont buy it if you are expecting a true sports bike performance, or if you have someone that'll be sitting on that excuse of a pillion rider seat very often, or if you'll be riding on rough roads all the time.

Areas of improvement the headlamps. I literally feel blind on unlit roads at night.

The battery. Dies out if the headlamps and radiator are on for about 20 minutes. Also very unreliable recharging unit.

Pillion seat. You'll need a model for a girlfriend to sit on that. And she won't be your girlfriend for long if you make her sit on that everyday.

Pros

style, fuel economy, handling, reliability

cons

performance, headlamps, build quality

I am using yamaha fzs for 3 years my brother who like to buy yamaha r15 i all most completed 80k km on my fz, finally r15 has arrived i like the pick up of r15 top speed but braking is less comfort and also over all riding range... Is not comfortable its useful for local riding if you ride this bike long time back pain and headlight is so poor but its yamaha product it s nice machine style... Good quality and mileage go for it if you love sports bikes

About the Reviewer

Introduction

Anaya. That’s what i named by 2012 yamaha yzf-r15 v2.0 in red-white color. I first saw her in a blog post during my first year of college in 2012. Oh, how i begged my parents for one, but sadly it didn’t happen. I saw my friend get one, though not the same colour. The red-white 2012 model always remained in my head as the most beautiful small capacity sports bike. Finally, in 2017 i found myself in the hands of a 2012 model with the red-white colour scheme i saw in 2012. It was as if god saw my wish and kept aside a really good one for me (the one i bought only had 8500km on the odometer and it looked as good as new), hence the name anaya, meaning “god answers”. Now onto the bike

Design

Well there is nothing much i can tell you, because an r15 on the street will catch lot of eyes on the street, even after so many years since it started hitting the Indian tarmac. When the v2.0 came out it was an amazing design, something never before seen in the Indian small capacity motorbike segment. We can say yamaha really changed the Indian motorcycling scene when they brought out this beauty. With the twin headlamps, sports bike fairings inspired from its bigger sibling at that time, the r6, and that sweet flowing rear end, it was safe to say anyone who owned one would feel on top of the world. It was truly striking from every angle, and it was safe to say it’s a proper little sports bike.

Engine

I learnt to ride on a bajaj platina (100cc) and then my first bike was a 2006 yamaha fz16 (153cc). After an 153cc i was not expecting too much from a 150cc engine. I read about how it’s a true sports engine with features like liquid cooling, diesel cylinders and fuel injection, but i did not have too much expectations. When i first rode the bike the first thing i noticed was how much the engine loved to be revved. Yes, you can ride the bike through the city keeping the rpms at 4000-5000, but the engine also has another face. My old fz would feel topped out at 7000-8000 and i seeing the red-line of the r15 at 10000 rpm i thought it would still top out at same range as the fz. Oh boy i was proved wrong. When i gave the bike its first taste of extreme throttle under me, the engine kept pulling all the way up to the red-line. Even while nearing the red-line, it would not stop pulling. It was as if the engine wanted to stay around the red-line all day long. Let me tell you something, when you really get to know the engine, you start to wonder whether it’s just a 150cc. By feeling the true nature of the engine, you would think the people at yamaha created this engine using something mystical, something out of this world.

Riding posture

Many would know that the bike comes with a delta-box frame. Just reading about it will not do justice to its capabilities. Once you sit on the bike you instantly feel you are sitting inside the bike, as if you are also a part of the bike. Once you really start moving you will be so surprised at how easy the bike is to manoeuvre. Most bikes will make you feel like you are sitting on top of something and while riding it you won’t have the confident to push it. Ride an r15 once and you would really understand how a bike should behave. For me i knew the limits of the fz but even after so many months of ownership i am yet to find the limits of the chassis. Every time i push the bike, it is as if it is asking me “seriously, you have no trust in me? you have no idea what i am capable of”. After riding an r15, riding on other bikes becomes scary to the point you won’t push it at all. You will feel right at home on the r15.

Touring

For long distance touring i can’t give much info because i haven’t done any really long tours. From the many hours i spent on the saddle i can say it is comfortable. Yes, there are much more comfortable bikes out there, like cruisers, but they will not offer you the control over the bike this one does. I did feel some wrist pains after a whole day of riding, but then i found out i was not sitting properly. On sports bikes you should hug the tank with your legs. Once i started to do that, all is well. The seats can be bit more comfortable, but there are solutions like gel seats or adding cushion. By the way i am 6 foot 1 so all tall riders out there, initially if you feel you are cramped, just move about and you can find a really good sweet spot on it. Something to keep in mind are the brakes. The front brakes work just fine, it’s the rear that i faced couple of issues. For me under hard braking the rear has a tendency to lock up. I do not know if it’s an issue with the old tires but i faced many instances of rear wheel lockups. I have a work around by balancing it with the front brakes, which i guess is the proper way to brake. Anyway a word of caution, don’t solely depend on the rear brakes.

Commuting

I use my r15 for daily commuting, and well it brings a smile to my face every day. Each morning when i see her waiting for me, i can’t help but smile. She always starts with a single press of the starter, even if she was idle for weeks. As i said earlier managing through traffic will be a piece of cake. Look out for pot holes though. The bike does provide amazing control, but due to that it lost some amount of softness in the suspension. Pot holes will pain your wrists. The seats not being the most comfortable will not help too. All i can say is, she is an amazing machine for commuting, and will bring smiles and colours in your otherwise ordinary day. In the city i got around 36-37 kmpl while on highway she gave 39kmpl.

Pillion

Just by looking at the rear seat most people, especially girls will get frightened. To be honest it won’t be ideal for long distance touring. For city commuting it works just fine. Just remember those speed breakers in India, which can be called hills, will need more care with a pillion. One good thing about having a pillion is that the rear brake performance massively improves with a pillion.

Maintenance

A typical oil change, chain lube and wash costed me around 800 which seems okay. My bike has now 13000km on the odometer after 5 years (yeah, i know, what actually happened was the previous owner managed only 8500km in 4 years, not complaining though because i got a bike engine which is almost as good as new) and faced zero issues. Something you expect from a yamaha.

Conclusion

To summarise, if you are coming from a non-sports bike history, an r15 will be a really good bike for you. Considering our Indian roads where in most cases we won’t be able to do really high speeds, an r15 is a perfect sports bike. She is good at commuting, gives good fuel economy and when you want, she can surely bring a smile to your face at the twist of your right hand. She still keeps my hands full under spirited riding. I know every person has different limits, but from my own experience, the r15 offers lot more than what we expect from a 150cc bike. To me she is the ideal Indian small capacity sports bike, not too little and not too much, just the right amount.

About the Reviewer

Hi guys, i am a bike enthusiast and particularly a big fan of yamaha. I've been using yamaha r15 for the last 4 years and have driven around 50000 kms.

I am here to share my experience with you guys, hope this review helps some of you to make a decision before purchasing a bike.

1. The price in which the yamaha offers the r15 is pretty reasonable like you can get many other bikes in this price range for eg. Cbr150; pulsar rs200; etc. But the feedback this bike gives to the rider is unmatched. So if you are looking in this price range and displacement section then the yamaha r15 is the best option.

2. Now talking about the riding comfort and position of the bike, yes the position is little bit more on the aggressive side but if you are more of a solo rider then you will find this bike comfortable even for long rides although with pillion there is very less comfort for the rider. The strain on the hands and pillion coming on your back again and again as you brake is one major drawback.

3. This is one of the best looking motorcycle to the hit the Indian market until now. The edgy look taken from its yzf family makes it look more like a super sport bike. The sharpness of the tail is very mean. And for a 150cc engine this bike out stands its competitions. The performance is unparalleled the throttle response it good, great traction at the corners, an average of 45 kms per liter is more than enough. Rear radial tyre provide you good grip on the wet and slippery roads whereas the double disc is ideal for stopping even at high speed. An abs would have been better but regardless the braking is pretty neat. You don't have to worry about the engine and its performance because it is yamaha and this is what they are good at. I have driven it for 50k kms and have never got even a single trouble with the engine.

4. Servicing and maintenance is on the higher side as the spares of yamaha are pretty expensive compared to other Indian manufacturers.

Hope you find this review helpful.

About the Reviewer

This is an amazing bike. You can blindly trust the engine it will never betray you but the condition is you have to service it regularly in authorised yamaha service centre.

I think everyone knows the positive part of this bike so i will write the things which i hate about this bike.

1) service centre :staff behaviour is very poor. They don't know how to talk with customers. Sometimes mechanic forgot to change or clean or repair some parts but they added that things in bill.

2) maintenance cost is high

About the Reviewer

This bike have been tremendous for the last few years but now after v3 have rise up it seems like people are looking forward for v3 to launch in india .Yamaha has been one of the best production and manufacturers which gave a superb engine and excessive happiness to people with their price that they have paid for. So thanks to yamaha once again,i hope we will see the new upgraded bike as soon as possible as people are very eager to ride the new version 3.

About the Reviewer

I have purchased this bike when i was in 11th class. Waited till 11 pm at showroom to take the delivery cause next day was Sunday. So i haven't much patient that time. Next morning when i drove it was amazing feeling this bike is a perfect example of love. She need care ,love and support. If you keep caring her she will never disappoint you. Comfort is amazing, easy to handle. Riding since 7 years and 4 months many times tried to modify but natural look is always amazed me. Pros-glamorous look reliable cons- no till now as i love her a lot.

About the Reviewer

Best to buy in this price range

Riding posture is very nice but for a pillion it not very comfortable.

Looks are outstanding performance , pickup, throttle response is excellent.

Maintenance is not very much

But the prices of accessories are high.

Pros:: excellent design

Attractive looks

Cons::service cost is little high

And parts in service centers are not available all time.

About the Reviewer

This bike is a complete package in driving balancing as well as mileage. Although the pillion seat is little uncomfortable. The riding experience of this bike is one of the best experiences in comparison to other companies. Servicing and maintenance charge is quiet nominal. One of the greatest cons is that if your mother or father are old in age they will find great difficulty in sitting.

About the Reviewer

Style undoubtedly one of the best looking bikes on indian roads, even after almost a decade of its launch.

Engine performance, fuel economy and gearbox its a 150cc bike, and rides like a 150cc bike. Not a super-sport, but pretty decent for the price tag (0 to 100kmph in about 12 seconds, top speed 135-140kmph on a straight level track).

It's been about 14 months that i've had this bike, and i have constantly got around 40 kmpl in city, and around 50 kmpl on highways.

Gearbox is smooth, although initially i faced a problem of stuck gears. The servicing guys patched that up really well.

Ride quality & handling this is both, the best and worst part of this bike. Superb handling in general. Feels light as a bicycle on corners. You will feel very confident in taking high speed corners. Although i feel it's not really made for the indian roads. Does not handle potholes on roads really well. The plastic quality used on the body is bad, and you'll start getting vibrations all over the bike if you ride it on rough roads for a long time.

For long smooth highway rides, it's perfect. You can cruise at 80-100 kmph on long rides without tiring yourself or the bike. Very often i ride at 80+ kmph constantly for 30+ kms and till now i haven't had any problems.

Final words value for money. Buy it if you're looking for an entry level sports bike which you can take on long tours (500+ kms). Dont buy it if you are expecting a true sports bike performance, or if you have someone that'll be sitting on that excuse of a pillion rider seat very often, or if you'll be riding on rough roads all the time.

Areas of improvement the headlamps. I literally feel blind on unlit roads at night.

The battery. Dies out if the headlamps and radiator are on for about 20 minutes. Also very unreliable recharging unit.

Pillion seat. You'll need a model for a girlfriend to sit on that. And she won't be your girlfriend for long if you make her sit on that everyday.

Pros

style, fuel economy, handling, reliability

cons

performance, headlamps, build quality

I am using yamaha fzs for 3 years my brother who like to buy yamaha r15 i all most completed 80k km on my fz, finally r15 has arrived i like the pick up of r15 top speed but braking is less comfort and also over all riding range... Is not comfortable its useful for local riding if you ride this bike long time back pain and headlight is so poor but its yamaha product it s nice machine style... Good quality and mileage go for it if you love sports bikes

About the Reviewer

Introduction

Anaya. That’s what i named by 2012 yamaha yzf-r15 v2.0 in red-white color. I first saw her in a blog post during my first year of college in 2012. Oh, how i begged my parents for one, but sadly it didn’t happen. I saw my friend get one, though not the same colour. The red-white 2012 model always remained in my head as the most beautiful small capacity sports bike. Finally, in 2017 i found myself in the hands of a 2012 model with the red-white colour scheme i saw in 2012. It was as if god saw my wish and kept aside a really good one for me (the one i bought only had 8500km on the odometer and it looked as good as new), hence the name anaya, meaning “god answers”. Now onto the bike

Design

Well there is nothing much i can tell you, because an r15 on the street will catch lot of eyes on the street, even after so many years since it started hitting the Indian tarmac. When the v2.0 came out it was an amazing design, something never before seen in the Indian small capacity motorbike segment. We can say yamaha really changed the Indian motorcycling scene when they brought out this beauty. With the twin headlamps, sports bike fairings inspired from its bigger sibling at that time, the r6, and that sweet flowing rear end, it was safe to say anyone who owned one would feel on top of the world. It was truly striking from every angle, and it was safe to say it’s a proper little sports bike.

Engine

I learnt to ride on a bajaj platina (100cc) and then my first bike was a 2006 yamaha fz16 (153cc). After an 153cc i was not expecting too much from a 150cc engine. I read about how it’s a true sports engine with features like liquid cooling, diesel cylinders and fuel injection, but i did not have too much expectations. When i first rode the bike the first thing i noticed was how much the engine loved to be revved. Yes, you can ride the bike through the city keeping the rpms at 4000-5000, but the engine also has another face. My old fz would feel topped out at 7000-8000 and i seeing the red-line of the r15 at 10000 rpm i thought it would still top out at same range as the fz. Oh boy i was proved wrong. When i gave the bike its first taste of extreme throttle under me, the engine kept pulling all the way up to the red-line. Even while nearing the red-line, it would not stop pulling. It was as if the engine wanted to stay around the red-line all day long. Let me tell you something, when you really get to know the engine, you start to wonder whether it’s just a 150cc. By feeling the true nature of the engine, you would think the people at yamaha created this engine using something mystical, something out of this world.

Riding posture

Many would know that the bike comes with a delta-box frame. Just reading about it will not do justice to its capabilities. Once you sit on the bike you instantly feel you are sitting inside the bike, as if you are also a part of the bike. Once you really start moving you will be so surprised at how easy the bike is to manoeuvre. Most bikes will make you feel like you are sitting on top of something and while riding it you won’t have the confident to push it. Ride an r15 once and you would really understand how a bike should behave. For me i knew the limits of the fz but even after so many months of ownership i am yet to find the limits of the chassis. Every time i push the bike, it is as if it is asking me “seriously, you have no trust in me? you have no idea what i am capable of”. After riding an r15, riding on other bikes becomes scary to the point you won’t push it at all. You will feel right at home on the r15.

Touring

For long distance touring i can’t give much info because i haven’t done any really long tours. From the many hours i spent on the saddle i can say it is comfortable. Yes, there are much more comfortable bikes out there, like cruisers, but they will not offer you the control over the bike this one does. I did feel some wrist pains after a whole day of riding, but then i found out i was not sitting properly. On sports bikes you should hug the tank with your legs. Once i started to do that, all is well. The seats can be bit more comfortable, but there are solutions like gel seats or adding cushion. By the way i am 6 foot 1 so all tall riders out there, initially if you feel you are cramped, just move about and you can find a really good sweet spot on it. Something to keep in mind are the brakes. The front brakes work just fine, it’s the rear that i faced couple of issues. For me under hard braking the rear has a tendency to lock up. I do not know if it’s an issue with the old tires but i faced many instances of rear wheel lockups. I have a work around by balancing it with the front brakes, which i guess is the proper way to brake. Anyway a word of caution, don’t solely depend on the rear brakes.

Commuting

I use my r15 for daily commuting, and well it brings a smile to my face every day. Each morning when i see her waiting for me, i can’t help but smile. She always starts with a single press of the starter, even if she was idle for weeks. As i said earlier managing through traffic will be a piece of cake. Look out for pot holes though. The bike does provide amazing control, but due to that it lost some amount of softness in the suspension. Pot holes will pain your wrists. The seats not being the most comfortable will not help too. All i can say is, she is an amazing machine for commuting, and will bring smiles and colours in your otherwise ordinary day. In the city i got around 36-37 kmpl while on highway she gave 39kmpl.

Pillion

Just by looking at the rear seat most people, especially girls will get frightened. To be honest it won’t be ideal for long distance touring. For city commuting it works just fine. Just remember those speed breakers in India, which can be called hills, will need more care with a pillion. One good thing about having a pillion is that the rear brake performance massively improves with a pillion.

Maintenance

A typical oil change, chain lube and wash costed me around 800 which seems okay. My bike has now 13000km on the odometer after 5 years (yeah, i know, what actually happened was the previous owner managed only 8500km in 4 years, not complaining though because i got a bike engine which is almost as good as new) and faced zero issues. Something you expect from a yamaha.

Conclusion

To summarise, if you are coming from a non-sports bike history, an r15 will be a really good bike for you. Considering our Indian roads where in most cases we won’t be able to do really high speeds, an r15 is a perfect sports bike. She is good at commuting, gives good fuel economy and when you want, she can surely bring a smile to your face at the twist of your right hand. She still keeps my hands full under spirited riding. I know every person has different limits, but from my own experience, the r15 offers lot more than what we expect from a 150cc bike. To me she is the ideal Indian small capacity sports bike, not too little and not too much, just the right amount.

About the Reviewer

Hi guys, i am a bike enthusiast and particularly a big fan of yamaha. I've been using yamaha r15 for the last 4 years and have driven around 50000 kms.

I am here to share my experience with you guys, hope this review helps some of you to make a decision before purchasing a bike.

1. The price in which the yamaha offers the r15 is pretty reasonable like you can get many other bikes in this price range for eg. Cbr150; pulsar rs200; etc. But the feedback this bike gives to the rider is unmatched. So if you are looking in this price range and displacement section then the yamaha r15 is the best option.

2. Now talking about the riding comfort and position of the bike, yes the position is little bit more on the aggressive side but if you are more of a solo rider then you will find this bike comfortable even for long rides although with pillion there is very less comfort for the rider. The strain on the hands and pillion coming on your back again and again as you brake is one major drawback.

3. This is one of the best looking motorcycle to the hit the Indian market until now. The edgy look taken from its yzf family makes it look more like a super sport bike. The sharpness of the tail is very mean. And for a 150cc engine this bike out stands its competitions. The performance is unparalleled the throttle response it good, great traction at the corners, an average of 45 kms per liter is more than enough. Rear radial tyre provide you good grip on the wet and slippery roads whereas the double disc is ideal for stopping even at high speed. An abs would have been better but regardless the braking is pretty neat. You don't have to worry about the engine and its performance because it is yamaha and this is what they are good at. I have driven it for 50k kms and have never got even a single trouble with the engine.

4. Servicing and maintenance is on the higher side as the spares of yamaha are pretty expensive compared to other Indian manufacturers.

Hope you find this review helpful.

About the Reviewer

This is an amazing bike. You can blindly trust the engine it will never betray you but the condition is you have to service it regularly in authorised yamaha service centre.

I think everyone knows the positive part of this bike so i will write the things which i hate about this bike.

1) service centre :staff behaviour is very poor. They don't know how to talk with customers. Sometimes mechanic forgot to change or clean or repair some parts but they added that things in bill.

2) maintenance cost is high

About the Reviewer

This bike have been tremendous for the last few years but now after v3 have rise up it seems like people are looking forward for v3 to launch in india .Yamaha has been one of the best production and manufacturers which gave a superb engine and excessive happiness to people with their price that they have paid for. So thanks to yamaha once again,i hope we will see the new upgraded bike as soon as possible as people are very eager to ride the new version 3.

About the Reviewer

I have purchased this bike when i was in 11th class. Waited till 11 pm at showroom to take the delivery cause next day was Sunday. So i haven't much patient that time. Next morning when i drove it was amazing feeling this bike is a perfect example of love. She need care ,love and support. If you keep caring her she will never disappoint you. Comfort is amazing, easy to handle. Riding since 7 years and 4 months many times tried to modify but natural look is always amazed me. Pros-glamorous look reliable cons- no till now as i love her a lot.

About the Reviewer

Best to buy in this price range

Riding posture is very nice but for a pillion it not very comfortable.

Looks are outstanding performance , pickup, throttle response is excellent.

Maintenance is not very much

But the prices of accessories are high.

Pros:: excellent design

Attractive looks

Cons::service cost is little high

And parts in service centers are not available all time.

About the Reviewer

This bike is a complete package in driving balancing as well as mileage. Although the pillion seat is little uncomfortable. The riding experience of this bike is one of the best experiences in comparison to other companies. Servicing and maintenance charge is quiet nominal. One of the greatest cons is that if your mother or father are old in age they will find great difficulty in sitting.

About the Reviewer

Style undoubtedly one of the best looking bikes on indian roads, even after almost a decade of its launch.

Engine performance, fuel economy and gearbox its a 150cc bike, and rides like a 150cc bike. Not a super-sport, but pretty decent for the price tag (0 to 100kmph in about 12 seconds, top speed 135-140kmph on a straight level track).

It's been about 14 months that i've had this bike, and i have constantly got around 40 kmpl in city, and around 50 kmpl on highways.

Gearbox is smooth, although initially i faced a problem of stuck gears. The servicing guys patched that up really well.

Ride quality & handling this is both, the best and worst part of this bike. Superb handling in general. Feels light as a bicycle on corners. You will feel very confident in taking high speed corners. Although i feel it's not really made for the indian roads. Does not handle potholes on roads really well. The plastic quality used on the body is bad, and you'll start getting vibrations all over the bike if you ride it on rough roads for a long time.

For long smooth highway rides, it's perfect. You can cruise at 80-100 kmph on long rides without tiring yourself or the bike. Very often i ride at 80+ kmph constantly for 30+ kms and till now i haven't had any problems.

Final words value for money. Buy it if you're looking for an entry level sports bike which you can take on long tours (500+ kms). Dont buy it if you are expecting a true sports bike performance, or if you have someone that'll be sitting on that excuse of a pillion rider seat very often, or if you'll be riding on rough roads all the time.

Areas of improvement the headlamps. I literally feel blind on unlit roads at night.

The battery. Dies out if the headlamps and radiator are on for about 20 minutes. Also very unreliable recharging unit.

Pillion seat. You'll need a model for a girlfriend to sit on that. And she won't be your girlfriend for long if you make her sit on that everyday.

Pros

style, fuel economy, handling, reliability

cons

performance, headlamps, build quality

I am using yamaha fzs for 3 years my brother who like to buy yamaha r15 i all most completed 80k km on my fz, finally r15 has arrived i like the pick up of r15 top speed but braking is less comfort and also over all riding range... Is not comfortable its useful for local riding if you ride this bike long time back pain and headlight is so poor but its yamaha product it s nice machine style... Good quality and mileage go for it if you love sports bikes

About the Reviewer

Introduction

Anaya. That’s what i named by 2012 yamaha yzf-r15 v2.0 in red-white color. I first saw her in a blog post during my first year of college in 2012. Oh, how i begged my parents for one, but sadly it didn’t happen. I saw my friend get one, though not the same colour. The red-white 2012 model always remained in my head as the most beautiful small capacity sports bike. Finally, in 2017 i found myself in the hands of a 2012 model with the red-white colour scheme i saw in 2012. It was as if god saw my wish and kept aside a really good one for me (the one i bought only had 8500km on the odometer and it looked as good as new), hence the name anaya, meaning “god answers”. Now onto the bike

Design

Well there is nothing much i can tell you, because an r15 on the street will catch lot of eyes on the street, even after so many years since it started hitting the Indian tarmac. When the v2.0 came out it was an amazing design, something never before seen in the Indian small capacity motorbike segment. We can say yamaha really changed the Indian motorcycling scene when they brought out this beauty. With the twin headlamps, sports bike fairings inspired from its bigger sibling at that time, the r6, and that sweet flowing rear end, it was safe to say anyone who owned one would feel on top of the world. It was truly striking from every angle, and it was safe to say it’s a proper little sports bike.

Engine

I learnt to ride on a bajaj platina (100cc) and then my first bike was a 2006 yamaha fz16 (153cc). After an 153cc i was not expecting too much from a 150cc engine. I read about how it’s a true sports engine with features like liquid cooling, diesel cylinders and fuel injection, but i did not have too much expectations. When i first rode the bike the first thing i noticed was how much the engine loved to be revved. Yes, you can ride the bike through the city keeping the rpms at 4000-5000, but the engine also has another face. My old fz would feel topped out at 7000-8000 and i seeing the red-line of the r15 at 10000 rpm i thought it would still top out at same range as the fz. Oh boy i was proved wrong. When i gave the bike its first taste of extreme throttle under me, the engine kept pulling all the way up to the red-line. Even while nearing the red-line, it would not stop pulling. It was as if the engine wanted to stay around the red-line all day long. Let me tell you something, when you really get to know the engine, you start to wonder whether it’s just a 150cc. By feeling the true nature of the engine, you would think the people at yamaha created this engine using something mystical, something out of this world.

Riding posture

Many would know that the bike comes with a delta-box frame. Just reading about it will not do justice to its capabilities. Once you sit on the bike you instantly feel you are sitting inside the bike, as if you are also a part of the bike. Once you really start moving you will be so surprised at how easy the bike is to manoeuvre. Most bikes will make you feel like you are sitting on top of something and while riding it you won’t have the confident to push it. Ride an r15 once and you would really understand how a bike should behave. For me i knew the limits of the fz but even after so many months of ownership i am yet to find the limits of the chassis. Every time i push the bike, it is as if it is asking me “seriously, you have no trust in me? you have no idea what i am capable of”. After riding an r15, riding on other bikes becomes scary to the point you won’t push it at all. You will feel right at home on the r15.

Touring

For long distance touring i can’t give much info because i haven’t done any really long tours. From the many hours i spent on the saddle i can say it is comfortable. Yes, there are much more comfortable bikes out there, like cruisers, but they will not offer you the control over the bike this one does. I did feel some wrist pains after a whole day of riding, but then i found out i was not sitting properly. On sports bikes you should hug the tank with your legs. Once i started to do that, all is well. The seats can be bit more comfortable, but there are solutions like gel seats or adding cushion. By the way i am 6 foot 1 so all tall riders out there, initially if you feel you are cramped, just move about and you can find a really good sweet spot on it. Something to keep in mind are the brakes. The front brakes work just fine, it’s the rear that i faced couple of issues. For me under hard braking the rear has a tendency to lock up. I do not know if it’s an issue with the old tires but i faced many instances of rear wheel lockups. I have a work around by balancing it with the front brakes, which i guess is the proper way to brake. Anyway a word of caution, don’t solely depend on the rear brakes.

Commuting

I use my r15 for daily commuting, and well it brings a smile to my face every day. Each morning when i see her waiting for me, i can’t help but smile. She always starts with a single press of the starter, even if she was idle for weeks. As i said earlier managing through traffic will be a piece of cake. Look out for pot holes though. The bike does provide amazing control, but due to that it lost some amount of softness in the suspension. Pot holes will pain your wrists. The seats not being the most comfortable will not help too. All i can say is, she is an amazing machine for commuting, and will bring smiles and colours in your otherwise ordinary day. In the city i got around 36-37 kmpl while on highway she gave 39kmpl.

Pillion

Just by looking at the rear seat most people, especially girls will get frightened. To be honest it won’t be ideal for long distance touring. For city commuting it works just fine. Just remember those speed breakers in India, which can be called hills, will need more care with a pillion. One good thing about having a pillion is that the rear brake performance massively improves with a pillion.

Maintenance

A typical oil change, chain lube and wash costed me around 800 which seems okay. My bike has now 13000km on the odometer after 5 years (yeah, i know, what actually happened was the previous owner managed only 8500km in 4 years, not complaining though because i got a bike engine which is almost as good as new) and faced zero issues. Something you expect from a yamaha.

Conclusion

To summarise, if you are coming from a non-sports bike history, an r15 will be a really good bike for you. Considering our Indian roads where in most cases we won’t be able to do really high speeds, an r15 is a perfect sports bike. She is good at commuting, gives good fuel economy and when you want, she can surely bring a smile to your face at the twist of your right hand. She still keeps my hands full under spirited riding. I know every person has different limits, but from my own experience, the r15 offers lot more than what we expect from a 150cc bike. To me she is the ideal Indian small capacity sports bike, not too little and not too much, just the right amount.

About the Reviewer

Hi guys, i am a bike enthusiast and particularly a big fan of yamaha. I've been using yamaha r15 for the last 4 years and have driven around 50000 kms.

I am here to share my experience with you guys, hope this review helps some of you to make a decision before purchasing a bike.

1. The price in which the yamaha offers the r15 is pretty reasonable like you can get many other bikes in this price range for eg. Cbr150; pulsar rs200; etc. But the feedback this bike gives to the rider is unmatched. So if you are looking in this price range and displacement section then the yamaha r15 is the best option.

2. Now talking about the riding comfort and position of the bike, yes the position is little bit more on the aggressive side but if you are more of a solo rider then you will find this bike comfortable even for long rides although with pillion there is very less comfort for the rider. The strain on the hands and pillion coming on your back again and again as you brake is one major drawback.

3. This is one of the best looking motorcycle to the hit the Indian market until now. The edgy look taken from its yzf family makes it look more like a super sport bike. The sharpness of the tail is very mean. And for a 150cc engine this bike out stands its competitions. The performance is unparalleled the throttle response it good, great traction at the corners, an average of 45 kms per liter is more than enough. Rear radial tyre provide you good grip on the wet and slippery roads whereas the double disc is ideal for stopping even at high speed. An abs would have been better but regardless the braking is pretty neat. You don't have to worry about the engine and its performance because it is yamaha and this is what they are good at. I have driven it for 50k kms and have never got even a single trouble with the engine.

4. Servicing and maintenance is on the higher side as the spares of yamaha are pretty expensive compared to other Indian manufacturers.

Hope you find this review helpful.

About the Reviewer

This is an amazing bike. You can blindly trust the engine it will never betray you but the condition is you have to service it regularly in authorised yamaha service centre.

I think everyone knows the positive part of this bike so i will write the things which i hate about this bike.

1) service centre :staff behaviour is very poor. They don't know how to talk with customers. Sometimes mechanic forgot to change or clean or repair some parts but they added that things in bill.

2) maintenance cost is high

About the Reviewer