Yamaha R15 V3, see why it's the gold standard of entry level performance biking

Styling

It is all about the 'R' DNA. The design is heavily inspired from the elder siblings. The front section is wider and sharper than the previous model. The headlamp unit is now replaced by an all LED unit, which looks cool. The fairing is much wider than before, which gives the bike much more road presence. The side profile is all about sharper lines. The sculpted tank and sharper fairing dominates the side profile of the bike. The exhaust is now redesigned and it looks good. The tail section now gets a new sleeker looking LED tail lamp. The bike looks sportier than before. Overall, the build quality of the bike is not so good when compared to the older model. Some of the body parts feel flimsy, especially on the tank and one which holds the windshield.

Aggressive front with wider fairing and all LED headlight

Sharper side profile with sculpted tank and split seat layout

Full LED tail light and 140 section rear tyre

Equipment and features

          The bike gets,

• Full LED headlight and tail light
• Dual channel ABS
• Slipper clutch
• Fully digital instrument console
• 
  

         The instrument console consists of,

• Speedometer
• Tachometer
• Odometer
• Fuel gauge
• Gear position indicator
• Rev-limiter indicator 
• VVA ticker
• Average fuel consumption

  

  Fully digital instrument console.

  
  

Engine and Transmission

Powering the bike is a 155.1 cc fuel injected, liquid cooled, four valve engine which puts out 19.3 bhp of max power at 10000 rpm and a max torque of 14.7NM at 8500 rpm.  The bike gets a six speed gear box with a slipper clutch on board. The engine gets VVA (variable valve actuation) technology as well. The engine is a gem. It just likes to rev. The low end is adequate, bike starts pulling from about the 5000rpm mark. After that, there is a continuous serge of power. 8000rpm is when the VVA activates, then it is like a second wind. The acceleration from  8000rpm to 12000rpm redline  is very strong.  This flexibility of the engine makes it stand out for me. It has enough power throughout the rev band. The slipper clutch makes sure that the rear tyre does not lock up even while shifting down aggressively. The gearbox is smooth with precise shift. The clutch is also light and easy to use. Refinement levels are good. There is some vibration at the top end of the power band, which is expected from a high revving single cylinder engine. The throttle response is so nice and precise. This is a machine, which begs you to ride hard like an absolute hooligan.

155.1 cc four valve, liquid cooled, fuel injected motor

Handling

A telescopic fork up front and a monoshock at the rear carry out suspension duties. Handling wise, it is still a gold standard. The bike tips into corners with ease. We can maintain a good line while cornering hard. The suspension is well tuned. It is not so stiff when compared to an RC 125, but it is well damped. So, mid corner bumps does not unsettle the bike. The riding position is aggressive, so we feel very much connected to the bike. The top end power helps to blast out of corners. The tyres offer good grip while cornering. We get a 100/80-17M/C 52P section up front and a 140/70-17M/C 66H at the back. The wet grip is not so good. The footrest is rear set, so they will not scrap while cornering hard.

 

Practicality and ride comfort

It is not a comfortable machine. Because as mentioned the riding position is aggressive, which may cause back pain and wrist pain when spending longer hours on the bike. If you are carrying a heavy backpack, it is even more painful. If this is not a problem for you, then it is a good city bike as well. The engine has enough punch in the low rpms as well. The bike can do about 40km/h in sixth gear without any knocking. Suspension is bit on the stiffer side as expected. However, it is well damped, so ride quality is overall good. It is not painful to ride on bad roads. Liquid cooling always help to keep the engine temperature low. I didn't face any major heating issues even in heavy traffic. The pillion seat is useless, because it is placed quite high and the integrated flimsy grab handle is not useful at all. The seat is angled downwards, which makes it worst. Even though the ground clearance is good, the coolant tank is placed at the bottom of the fairing, which can be damaged easily. The rear side mirrors are somewhat ok.

Split seat layout

coolant reservoir placed at the bottom of the fairing

Brakes

Braking duties are carried out by a 282mm-Single Disc up front and a 220mm-Single Disc at the rear. We get dual channel ABS as standard. Brakes are very good. The front brake offers good feel and feedback. The stopping power is also very good. I also like the fact that the ABS does not intervene too much. It kicks in only when needed in a smooth manner. Rear brake does have good stopping power, but there is not much feedback from the pedal. There is not much  front-end dive even when braking hard. The stability of the front end while braking hard is very impressive.

282 mm front disc with ABS

                                                                            

220 mm disc with ABS

 

Fuel efficiency

The bike returns about 45-48 Km/L on city riding conditions and about 50-55 Km/L on highways, if ridden sensibly. The fuel tank capacity is 11 L. This should give a decent tank range for long distance riding.

Price

The range kicks from about 1.5 lakh* for the base variant and 1.53 lakh* for the top end variant.  At this price point the bike is a bit expensive. But the bike offers many class leading features and a power packed engine. Do take a proper test drive before buying.  If you are considering an entry level performance bike with good power and riding dynamics this will be the best choice till date. If comfort and practicality is your priority, this isn't the bike for you.

*ex-showroom kochi