How does this look?

Hey guys, thinking about a new paint scheme for the R15, I made the R15 look like this in red and white. What do you guys think about this paint scheme? I loved it, some might not... So just comment on it and lemme noe how it is!

A new paint scheme

Some days ago, I mentioned that a new chapter will begin which will be a long episode for all R15 lovers. Just to begin with that, I was thinking of a custom paint scheme for the R15. My imaginations were going wild. I tried many things. But nothing really appealed. I have made a paint scheme for the bike. But dunno if it will appeal to you guys or not. I'll upload it soon on the blog. Till then keep your imaginations running and let me know if you guys have any suggestions.

Words of wisdom

Guys, this is a friend of mine who has his views on the R15 jotted down on his blog. And well, I felt that those were words of wisdom.
Have a look at this link. He has it perfect...
Click HERE to read.

Start of a new chapter....

I might have ended the chapter in which the R15 came for testing, was tested and went back. But the story doesn't end there. The R15 is a bike which deserves much more than just a few rides here and there. So here comes the new chapter. The one which is much bigger an episode than the earlier one. This one episode is here to stay. And it will have many more sub-episodes. So keep checking this space to know more...

Repsol Yamaha Honda?

I can understand people re-painting their bikes to look sportier and stuff. But why would any one want to change the colours to some other brand. In case of bikes like Bajaj, I can understand people wanting to write Honda or Ducati on their Pulsars. But why would one paint an R15, a Yamaha bike, into a Honda one? Here are the images of the R15 which has been re-painted into a Repsol Honda!
(Pictures have been taking from the web)

Gud bye baby...

The Yamaha YZF-R15 came for testing. I rode her. Became friends with her. Fell in love with her. But then it was time for her to leave. And she left. But then the story doesn't end here. Just have a look at this picture....

Accessorised bike

Now that we know that know that the accessories will soon hit the showrooms and will be available for sale, let us look at how the bike will look once its completely accessorised! And fellas, the accessory which is red in colour with YAMAHA written on it in black won't be available under any circumstances! ;)

Custom Colours!

Now that Yamaha has launched the red and black combo of the R15, lets have a look at what people have been doing to their bikes. I have seen this bike somewhere on the internet. I feel that this is a custom painted bike and not released officially by Yamaha.
The painter seems to have painted the side fairing of the black bike in the glossy paint and done the blue bike's graphics on it. In the following image you can also see the tail of yellow R15. Even that one is custom paint. The dealer is from Banglore it seems and he charges about 20k for the yellow paint scheme.

Here is the image of a guy who has converted his visor into a black one. This is looking way too sporty. But the problem is going to be when u duck down to go fast. The black visor might hamper the visibility of the rider.

Where have the helmets gone guys?

I, being a hardcore bike enthusiast, advocate safe riding first! I completely hate people who don't follow safety. If you guys have seen my biking photos on this blog, then you guys might have noticed that I am in complete riding gear always. A complete race suit is definitely not necessary every time you go out to ride a bike. But a proper riding jacket and a helmet is definitely a must for every biker.
Why am I talking about this right now? The reason is the bikers. And especially the ones that I have seen in the recent times. And I am specifically talking about the R15 riders that I have seen. I stay in Pune. And in the past few days, I have seen many (R15) bikers roaming around the city without helmets. I don't want to target the R15 owners here. There are many more innumberable people who are riding bikes in the city and who don't use helmets. But we know that these are the stupid commuters who don't really understand the need of the safety gear. But since I consider the R15 riders as true blue bikers, atleast they should wear the helmets. Is it that these bikers just want to show off? Maybe. But then aren't they portraying themselves as stupid bikers?
I just want to make a request to all the bikers to wear proper riding gear while riding any kind of bike. A good helmet and a good jacket should be enough for day-to-day city riding. Invest a little on the riding gear and you guys will definitely reap the benefits sometime in your life!

More Colours?

Well, the current hot topic is the new colour of the R15. The new red and black colour has started arriving in the showrooms. Personally I didn't like the new colour of the bike. But then this is a very personal opnion topic. What I don't like might appeal to some one to a great extent.
After this red colour, I have heard that Yamaha are also planning to bring one more colour. I am not very sure of the colour that Yamaha will introduce next. But what I would love to see on the R15 is the 50th Anniversay paint job that Yamaha offered in 2006 on their complete line up. This was the yellow and back scheme with racing graphics. Even a paint scheme in the actual motogp colours of M1 would be a superhit for the bike.
Lets see what Yamaha has in stores next.
Till then...ride safe and keep reading R15exclusive!

New Colour Has Arrived!

The new red-black colour that I scooped few days back has finally made it to showrooms. The bike is on display at some showrooms and I guess Yamaha will make an official announcement of the colour soon. Till then have a look at the images taken at one of the showrooms where the red and black bike is standing. Pics taken from xbhp.com.

Colour Confirmed?

The new red and black colour is confirmed. A friend of mine has spotted some bikes in that colour being camouflaged and ridden by Yamaha people in Bangalore. Will get the actual bike pics soon.

New Colour SCOOPED!

The new colour of the R15 might come out soon. The bike will be mostly in red and black combination. I think I have a leaked out image from Yamaha. Lets hope, Yamaha gets this bike to market. The bike isnt looking awesome in the image but lets hope that it looks better in flesh!

New Colour

There is a possibility that Yamaha might come out with a new colour for the R15. But no confirmed news has yet come to me. I am just hoping that whatever they get, is good. Actually Yamaha should come up with a motogp paint scheme. That will be one rocking bike!

Photos

Click on photos to see enlarged images



The R15 stands at couple of those closed tapris.



The white backlit console is just too awesome and looks brilliant in the darkness of night



The bike in action....



At the bridge, when the R15 and me had some silent talks with the peaceful night



Just ear my house. Suddenly, the street lights here have become white!

Of dark night and slow ride

Month ends are bad. There is no money left. All the money that you get in your first week of the month gets spent by the end of the month. If at all you have anything saved in your account, you can afford to think of using the ATM card. But I am not talking about the monetary part of the month. My month end was bad because it was monthly closing time. Late nights in office had started.
I had to sit in the office till late the other night. And when I say late night, I mean it. It was about 3 in the night. I had come to office with a friend and didn't have my bike. My friend had some work to take care of and so I had to leave on my own. Now that I didn't have any other option, I took up the R15 that was standing in the office parking. Usually, I take the shortest or the quickest route back home from office. Shortest or quickest depends on the time of day at which I am commuting. If its traffic time, I take little longer but quicker route. If its not such a traffic time then I prefer the shorter route. With the R15 with me and the hands in my wrist watch showing 3 o'clock at night, I decided to do something different. I decided to take a longer route home.
I turned the key to on in the key slot. The fuel pump made a slight buzz in the silent night. The FI check was done and I ignited the bike. I came to the road and started off for home. Today I was in the mood of going slow. I hardly touched 50 km/h in my complete commute from office to home. A little away from my office is long fly-over. I decided to take it. When I reached the top, I halted for a photo. The night was peaceful and no one on the road to bother me. I started taking some shots in the darkness under the street lights. A man approached me. He was walking and wanted a lift till the next bus stop. I packed up my camera and and went ahead to help him. A little ahead I dropped him off and started hunting for a loction for getting a nice shot of the bike. All the tapris (small road side shops) were closed. I parked my bike next to coupe of such tapris and started taking some shots. To my surprise, this man, whom I had dropped sometime back again came to me walking all the way from the bus stop. I guess he wanted to go somewhere further. But this time he didn't ask me for a lift. He just smiled at me, asked me if it was new bike and walked off. I still wonder where he went and why he didn't ask for a lift again. Somethings are really weird.
I took some shots there and moved ahead. I realised that the roads were becoming a bit wet as I was moving towards my home. Maybe it had rained in that section. As I moved ahead, it started drizzling. I just zipped up my jacket and readied myself to get wet if rains. Everything was so quite around. It was just the engine of my R15 which was buzzing at 4000rpm. I was changing my route with every turn. I just didn't want to end that ride. The R15 has so much of a racing gene and character to it. But I what I was exploring was the other side of the bike. At that time I realised that going fast is not the ultimate ecstasy. You can enjoy the ride on a slow go as well. It was the comfort of the bike's seat which was asking me to ride the bike more and more. The digital console of the bike, as everyone knows, is beautiful. But in that night it felt even better. That white backlit LCD was brilliant in the dark night.
I was going on a bridge which runs over a river. I stopped there and killed the engine. The flowing water of river was the only source of the sound. I enjoyed that location for almost 15 min before I left. As I approached my area, the drizzles went on to become rains. I was loving it. Riding the R15 in rains wasn't any difficult. And it immediately reminded me of all the posers. These posers have been cribbing about the slim tyres which were lending great grip even in the wet conditions.
There have been so many things about this bike that have impressed me. And with every ride, there is something new to the bike that I get to appreciate. After a long time, I have got to ride a bike which is made in India and which has so much in it which deserves and appreciation. Anyways, the night was all about slow riding and taking photos in the street lights. The photos will find space on this blog soon....

One more day with her...

I got her once again. And this time I roamed about the city at evening, just after it got dark. And once again she didn't fail to impress me. The R15 with its sporty looks, definitely attracts many on the road. And it doesn't just impress the youth but people from all age groups. I had some brilliant questions being popped at me from many curious people.
Anyways, so when I was riding the small bike around the city in daylight, she impressed me by gathering a lot of attention from many. Once it started getting dark, I put on the headlight. Once again, the bike made me happy. The beam from that headlight is fantastic. It illuminates exactly the section of road which you want to be illuminated. The low beam is quite impressive. But the high beam disappointed me a little. I guess there should be a setting for that but currently on the default setting, the beam is shooting somewhere in the sky. Actually the spectrum of the headlight is quite large and it illuminates from the road till the branches of trees above you!
One more thing that I noticed was that if the rider is able to ride the bike in high revs in the city, then the R15 is a great street racer as well! More on this soon....

Something apart from the R15

Those who are interested in reading some stuff apart from the R15, I have a blog dedicated for the Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India...
Its www.tricolorwings.blogspot.com

R15 upgrades

I have hearing a lot of stuff about upgrading R15 to higher bhp and stuff. I'll now do some research on the upgrade kits that can be put in the bike to make it even more powerful. But very frankly what i feel is that whatever the bike can deliver right now is not being completely used by everyone. Then why do they want more? And if ppl think that by upgrading the bhp, the power in the lower rpms is going to increase, then let me tell you guys that this not going to happen...
Anyways, more details will come soon!

People felt insulted…. Humiliated!

Some of you guys might have read a lot if you have been reading my blog. I have put down my thoughts about the bike; and these thoughts had come from the bottom of my heart. Today I am writing about what others had to say about this bike.
As I told you guys, I had been to this road which is a self-proclaimed race-track. I had put some laps there and I was returning. On my way back I met four friends. They were on four bike– Honda Dio, Honda CBR400RR, Yamaha R6 (prepped up) and a wonderful MV Agusta F4 750. Guys, trust me, I am not kidding. There were these four bikes riding to that same track. I can understand that people who feel MV Agusta is impossible, for them, I shall post some pics of the MV Agusta in which I am myself riding that bike.
Anyways, coming back to the point. These guys saw the R15 and asked me to join them for one more lap. They wanted to see the capabilities of the bike. And I was more than happy to show them what the bike was capable of.
We started off from the start of the track. I let the MV and the R6 go first. Initially, there are straights where obviously the big bikes flew off. I took a proper launch, the one where I burnt the clutch and let the bike off at 8000rpm. Couple of corners and I was at the tail of the MV. Next corner and I had taken the MV. I tried to push my bike further. There was a straight and obviously the MV took me once again. Next was a hairpin and I could go in the corner way quicker than the Italian. From there, there was no looking back. Next left hander and I had caught up with the R6. Couple more corners and I was leading!
This might read to many as an exaggeration. But fellas, believe me, the small size of the R15 makes it much more controllable and tractable. It was easy to maneuver the small bike. Again, it had the right amount of power. On the bigger bikes, the power is too much and scares the shit out of inexperienced riders. That’s where the R15 scored a lot. I raced away till the end. I stopped at the finish and waited for the R6 to arrive. My friend on the R6 came, parked his bike and came and said to me, “Dude, you flew!” That’s all he had to say. We waited for like 10 min for the MV Agusta guy to come. He didn’t arrive. So went back the route searching for him and hoping nothing had gone wrong in any one of those corners. We reached the mid-point of the route and there he was standing, enjoying the scene around. When asked why he didn’t come to the finish, he replied (disgustedly) “This guy (myself) doesn’t even respect an MV on a puny 150cc bike. Why should I race with him???” I was flattered! The MV Agusta rider was actually humiliated and he didn’t intend to ride along with me! Ha ha! I was delighted.
Anyways, this is bound to happen if that’s a race between a small bike and an uncontrollably fast bike on a race track. In no ways I want to claim that the R6 or the MV Agusta is slower than the R15. I just want to put down that sometimes, lesser power and smaller size of the bike helps it. And I would like to point it out to those guys who have been cribbing about the small size of the bike that this is how the small size helps!
Anyways, I’ll be back with more fun soon….
Expect some dramatic photo shoots later this month!
Till then, Ride safe!

Here I am....

No words to describe her....

Finally I got to ride the R15 where I actually wanted to ride her. Yamaha launched the bike on a race-track and made the image of the bike very clear. The bike was made for the race track. And has been promoted as track tool itself. Yes, track tool! I wont really call it a track bike. Cause its more than a bike. Its a tool, a weapon. A weapon with which you are assured to win on the track. And here I am considering all the present Indian bikes.
I stay in Pune and there is not a single track around here. Well, there are only two tracks in the complete nation and both of them are quite far away from here. So practically it wasnt possible for me to ride down to the actual race-tracks. On the outskirts of Pune, there is a ghat section (a tarmac road which goes up and down a mountain with twists throughout the road). It is called the Mutha Ghat and that is our "illegal" track. Its a section of 6 km. The road is quite wide and the surface is fantastic. Apart from a couple of bumps, the road is just wonderful. A bike's handling capabilities can be easily judged here.
The other day my friend called me up and told me that his R15 had done its initial 500 km and he was ready to rip his bike. But well, as a matter of fact, he is quite new to biking or rather sportbiking. So he wanted me to come along with him to the muthas. I was more than happy to help him out. We went there and he started off with the laps on the track. After a couple of laps, he was overwhelmed with the handling and asked me to check out the bike and handed over the keys to me. The time had come when I was about to ride my dream on my dream track.
We have our start lines and finish lines marked here. As i took off from the start line, I had some markers in my mind. I have done over 150 laps there. My lines are set. My corner speeds are set. Infact, my timings for the laps are also on my mind. I have done about a 4:09 min on Unicorn on this track and about 4:02 min on a Pulsar 200. Iwas keen on breaking this 4 min barrier with the R15. And I knew that the bike had the soul for this. As i started taking the corners, it immediately became evident what everyone had always been talking about; the handling of the bike! It was sharp. The bike just went where the rider wanted it to. It was leaning just about how much the rider wanted it to! The bike never wanted to leave her line. The bike never was nervous in the corners. The bike was just fantabulous!
The first lap was a warm-up lap for me. And believe me, I managed 3:58 in my warm up lap!!! The bike was bang on target in any corner. The riding posture of the bike is so sporty and so much for the track, that I could feel that I was riding something that had a standard, a racing pedegree. The foot-pegs of the bike are quite high. This gives you more room for leaning. Also, they help in getting the rider's butt out, knee down posture. I was totally impressed. I have ridden many Indian bikes and some international sportsbikes here as well. The R15's handling and behaviour can be compared to those international bikes. It was way ahead of the Indian bikes.
I went for couple more laps and my fastest timing came down to 3:50 min. This was it. It was unbelievable. I had been struggling for months at stretch to get my timing below 4 min and with just couple of laps here and there with the R15, I was like 10 seconds faster than my goal! While taking the corners, I could feel that I was going too near to the tarmac. I was hanging off the bike a lot. While riding the P200, I have always scrapped my toes in the corners, but that was not the case with the R15. I never scrapped my toes but I could still feel that I was much closer to the road than any other bike in those corners. So why was this happening? Why wasnt I scrapping my toes? I asked my friend to take some pictures of mine. We stopped at one of my favourite corners. Its a fast corner if you can hang off the bike. And this exactly is what I wanted. A couple of more rounds around the corner and I became quite fast. The third time I went through that corner, I felt something.... something scrapped!!! No, it wasnt my toe slidder! No, it wasnt the foot peg slider as well! Guys, it was my knee slider!!! I had scrapped my knee. All through the corner I could feel my knee going scrapping on the tarmac. I was delighted. I went straight to my friend and asked him to show me the pictures he had taken. It was evident. The bike was made for the track. My posture was just perfect. My knee was slidding on the road. The foot pegs are high up giving me more lean angle.
Sighhhh.... Enough said. I guess, you people must be now more excited to see my pictures than reading anything. My pictures will follow... probably in the next post!

Ahem!

"The bike has disappointed me, a lot! The bike is shit. It loses in drag with karizma and Pulsar220. The bike doesnt do a great top speed as well. It has a big speedo error."
This is all that people were saying about the R15. And I am totally disappointed with these "bikers". Its about time, these "bikers" learn to ride bikes the way they have to be ridden. Every bike has different characteristics and every bike has to be ridden in a particular way. Its just not going to work if you try to launch every bike in the same rev range. Its just not going to work the way these bikers are treating the babes!
I was standing at the signal the other day with R15. There was a Karizma right next to me. The Karizma guy got excited by seeing the R15 and he decided to go for a race. As the signal went green, he shot off. He took the holeshot. I didnt have any idea of his intentions. I decided to check the capabilities of the R15. Even I launched the bike and within couple of seconds, the Karizma was behind me. The R15 proved its point. The R15 has its powerband higher up in the rev range. If you launch the bike at say 8000 rpm, the bike will shoot off. Dont let the bike fall below 7000rpm and you will be flying. Have these guys who have dragged their brand new bikes ever tried to shoot at 8000 rpm? I dont think so. And if anyone has done it with his brand new bike then please go and teach them to do running-in first for the engine to settle down.
Anyways, this was about staright line spped of the bike. There are many more aspects to the bike which need to be talked about. I'll be back with much more. And yeah guys, the wait for my pictures will be over soon... its just that I am yet unsure whether I should reveal my identity here or not? Lolz... I am not a great person or anything... its just that i always wanted to be in this secret identity!

Phew!

Has anybody really read all that I wrote? I doubt. People have this tendancy of reading only short stuff and are not interested much in those long reviews and reports. And ofcourse I dont expect any special treatment for my article. But well, the whole report was written by me and I would love if people comment on my work, be it good or be it bad.
Anyways, I have got the R15 once again with me. Rode it a lot yesterday evening. And all that riding was in the city chaos. As I mentioned in my review, the bike lacks that punch in the lower RPM. Because of this, the bike bcomes a bit boring in the city. When you decide to overtake some vehicle quickly, its quite tough since the bike starts pulling so slowly in the beginning. This sometimes scares you since the bike takes more time than your calculations to overtake the ther vehicle in traffic and on-coming traffic just come even closer to you in opposite direction at high speeds.
I took the bike to some nice twists as well. Just a couple of them, but the kind of confidence that the bike showed while taking those corners was incredible. She was rock steady. The riding posture is just too good! I'll take her to my "track" today; hehehe! And then I shall provide the perfect views in corners! Some photography will definitey follow. So expect an eye-treat today!
Good bye, and Ride Safe!

Finally ridden!!

Hey fellas,
After talking so much and for so long, I finally got to ride the R15. And I did get it for a long time. I rode it in the city; I rode it on the highways. And now I have my complete experience with me here!
When I put the key in the slot, and turned it on, the white backlit console came to life. The self-check was done and bike was ready to be ignited. I started the bike and the engine came to life with a slight sound. Immediately I understood that there was no great exhaust note on this bike. But then who cares about the exhaust note? And this is not a 4-cylinder engine which would have the exhaust note which could blow you off! I heated up the engine a bit and was ready to hit the roads.
As I came to the main road, the first thing that happened was that the bike started gathering a lot of attention from everybody. People who are not even remotely connected to biking started wondering about the bike. The bike's full fairing, twin headlamps and a different and sporty riding posture definitely attracts many people.
After a while, I decided to concentrate on the bike more and less on the people around who had their eyes fixed at me. It didn't feel as if the bike had that punch, the punch that everyone always expected from this bike. I could understand that there was something that was lacking in the bike. And this is what I felt. There have been so many reports all over the internet, the magazines. But I haven't read a single out of them. The reason being, I wanted to completely judge the bike by myself. Reading reviews of a vehicle and then judging it is not really a true judgment. You tend to relate the vehicle with the reviews that you have read. So, this was a completely independent review. Anyways, coming back to the point, I found that the punch was missing in the bike. But as I was flicking through the traffic, I could feel how awesome handling capabilities the bike had. The bike, without any grudge, was cutting through the traffic effortlessly. I was happy with its handling and road grip.
Soon I came to an open straight and obviously I down-shifted one gear and pulled the throttle. The throttle response of the bike is fantastic. The way the engine revs with slightest throttle wring is fantastic. And this made me play with the throttle all the time through traffic. Anyways, as I twisted the throttle completely and pushed the bike in higher revs, I could feel that the R15 had something special in store for me. As the engine crossed about 7500 rpm, the bike started flying. It was just awesome the way the bike was gathering speed. As I crossed the 10000rpm mark, I could feel that the bike had started dying out. The red line was at 10.5k. But the way the bike responded in that final rev range was mind blowing.
While riding the bike, you can feel that the bike has a different feel. The tank is slim and the side fairing is wide. Even the front nose is so wide that it gives a weird look to the whole thing. The small console sits under the visor comfortably. The clip-ons are off a high quality and the overall fit and finish of the bike is of international standards.
Coming back to riding, the bike proved to be a good commuter in the city. The braking was awesome, the pick-up was not that great and the flickable characteristic of the bike will definitely make every street-racer happy.
Now it was time for taking the bike to the highways. I took the nearest exit from the city and hit the highway. As soon as I reached the highway, I once again did a down-shift and twisted the throttle. Red-lined the bike in every gear, and yeah, the bike did impress me with its top end. The 2nd gear red-line took me to about 67 km/h. I haven’t tried it much with p220, but the P200 can do about 55km/h when you red-line in 2nd gear. So, this 150cc bike was better than the 200cc Pulsar. Definitely! As I went shifting up through the gears, I could feel the bike becoming very fast. I managed to hit a top speed of 138km/h indicated on speedometer. Fortunately, I was carrying a GPS device with me which gave me the exact top speed that I had managed and it was a good 130 km/h. I was riding on an almost flat road. There might be a little bit of gradient but not much. This top speed was definitely an impressive one. I wonder if any other Indian bike can do this kind of top speed so effortlessly. And here I am talking about all those 200+ cc bikes.
While coming back to my starting point, I took a less crowded road to check some different abilities of the bike. I have heard people talking about the bike's handling and top speed and pick-up. But I haven’t heard anyone talking about stunting on this bike. As I came to this lonely road, I went down in 1st gear and pulled a wheelie. Man, this bike comes up so effortlessly! I was stunned. A few wheelies here and there and I was carrying them for few meters! It was time for stoppies. The bike impressed me once again with its brilliant front disc brake! The bike lifted her ass as soon as I hinted at doing a stoppie. I just had to pull the brake lever a bit and a little bit of weight transfer to the front. The bike would just come up. And it was a totally controllable thing. I was totally impressed with its stunting capabilities.
The bike impressed me in almost all factors. Except the power delivery in the initial rpm range, everything on that bike is just perfect. The looks are awesome. People have complained about the rear tyre, but well, it has one of the best grips I have ever felt. The quality of materials used on the bike is awesome. The high technologies like liquid cooled engine and deltabox frame make the bike worth its price. The top end is killer; it kills even the higher cubic capacity bikes. The handling is just perfect! I hardly have anything to crib about. I haven’t taken it to track yet. But that will happen soon. And the pictures of the bike taken by me will also follow soon.

Its finally here!!!

I have been promising for so long that I'll give the ride report of the bike of here. But the time came pretty late. I couldnt lay my hands on the R15 really. I got a chance of riding the bike but I didnt accept it since it was a brand new bike of a customer. Didnt want to rip it apart. Now I have got a proper running in done bike and I am all set to ride it and test it. Lets see how it comes through.
The first impressions of the bike are mixed. The initial is too low and the top end is too high. The bike feels small and big at the same time. For an in detail report, let me get out of this internet and ride it over few kms. Here i go....

No time, No Luck :(

I have been saying that you guys will get the exclusives and stuff from my side. But I havent ket my word. And I apologise for the same. Have been keeping too busy with work for past few days. Havent go time to breath. So R15 thing has got a bit side tracked.
But no worries fellas. I'll be back and this time with my first ride of the R15. It seems that some of the sowrooms have started giving the test rides while some arent. I have to get back to searching this damn bike. But now next time i come here, i will be here with the ride report!
Cheers!

More!

Wallpapers!

Liquid Cooled Engine

Some stuff that Yamaha has to say about their Liquid Cooled Engine on the YZF-R15 engine!

Liquid-cooled
First India-made model with cooling method in the Indian market! Liquid-cooled engines provide stable performance, reduce vibrations, and offer a high quality ride.
One characteristic of YZF-R15’s new engine is that it is liquid-cooled. The engine is surrounded by a water jacket in which coolant liquid circulates to cool the engine. While this method is widely used in automobiles and large capacity motorcycles, there are very few examples of motorcycles of this class due to increased weight from components such as radiators. YZF-R15 uses a special compact and lightweight aluminum radiator and a body design that utilizes airflow for heat dissipation. This has enabled us to create a lightweight, compact body while retaining its stable performance.
The benefits of using this method include stable performance during long-distance, high-speed riding and hill climbing. A liquid-cooled engine does not need heat-dissipating fins and therefore the engine is able to deliver its best performance without being affected by temperature. Additionally, because the head and cylinder are enclosed in a water jacket, mechanical noise from the engine is reduced dramatically.
The newly developed engine delivers agile riding performance, and excellent performance on straight stretches of road as well as on winding roads. YZF-R15 also delivers excellent environmental performance. These traits are a must for an “urban supersport.” The ride is unprecedented in terms of both excitement and quality.

No luck yet...

I came to know about the test rides being given in Chennai on race tracks! But I aint as lucky as the guys in Chennai :( I havent got to ride the bike yet. Tried my luck at couple of showrooms, but with no luck. One showroom guy has promised to get me a proper test rideby tomorrow or day after. Hoping for the best...

The R15 has arrived, now what?

The most awaited bike has finally come to the market. The bike was launched few days ago on the Chennai Race track. According to what the people who have ridden the bike, it seems that the bike is one fantastic bike. But many others are cribbing about many things such as the cost, tyres, bhp figures, crash guards and such innumerable stupid things.
The Indian customer has to now start thinking beyond these things. There are many factors to the bike. A bike should not be judged based on the bhp figures submitted by the company. The bhp figure submitted by a company is the peak power attained at the crank. The power that we actually utilise is the amount which is transmitted to the rear wheel. In transmission of power from crank to rear wheel, there are some losses. A bad gear box can account for some heavy loses of power. Plus, a wide rear tyre can eat up your power. So the figures of bhp at crank are way lesser than what are actually utilised. When we compare that the R15 has just 16.8bhp against 19 bhp of p220, are we actually making a fair comparison? With such a wide tyre on P220, it loses a lot of power. This also puts forward the reason why the R15 comes with a slimmer tyre. The bike, with a wider tyre, has a disadvantage on handling.
Talking about the absence of crash guards, how many sportsbikes have crash guards? Which track bike has crash guards? CBR1000rr?, R1? Which one? None! We can put frame sliders though.
And the price is one thing that everyone is complaining about. But the kind of technologies that are going into the bike, how can anyone expect it to be priced low? The bike has some of the best technologies in India. A proper 4 valve, liquid cooled engine, deltabox frame, front/rear disc brake, forged piston, awesome aerodynamics and so many more!
Anyways, lets get out of paper facts now. Its time, I personally ride the bike and get the first hand reports. I am hoping to ride the bike today. Lets see whats in my luck today :)

Official Tech Specs of the R15

The official technical specifications of the bike are now out. ets have a look at these:
Length x Width x Height : 1995 x 670 x 1070 (mm)
Seat height : 790 mm
Wheelbase : 1290 mm
Min Ground Clearance : 160 mm
Dry Wt/ Kerb Wt : 120kg/ 131kg
Engine : 149.8cc Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4-valve, Single Cylinder
Bore x Stroke : 57 x 58.7 mm
Compression Ratio : 10.4:1
Max power : 17PS @ 8500rpm
Max torque : 15Nm @ 7500rpm
Lubrication : Wet Sump
Fuel Tank Capacity : 12 lit
Fuel Supply System : Electronic Fuel Injection
Clutch Type : Constant-mesh wet multi-plate
Transmission : 6-speed manual
Frame Type : Delta-box Frame
Tyre Size : F80/90-17 R100/80-17
Brake Type : Hydraulic, Single Disc (Front and Rear)
Suspension : Front: Telescopic Rear: Link Type Monocross

The R15 is finally here!

One of the most awaited bikes of India is just launched! The YZF-R15 has hit the tarmac and is ready to be on sale soon. The bookings have begun and the deliveries will soon start. The media people got a chance to ride laps on that bike at the Chennai track yesterday. From what they have to say, I can surely comment that this is the best bike that Indian market has seen till now.
The R15 is one hell of an awesome handler. And it’s much quicker through the corners than any other bike available in India. I am not considering the Yamaha R1 here. That might be the fastest bike (legally) available in India, but it’s not in the competition. The R15 is supposedly the fastest bike of the lot as well. Here I am also considering the bigger engine bikes like the 200 and 220 cc bikes.
We can truly judge the bike against others when we have all the competitors together. A proper shootout between the R15, RTR160, P200, P220 and Karizma would do for a great fight! The fact that 150 cc bike will be better performing than higher capacity bikes sounds a bit tough, but it is going to be the outcome of a brilliantly engineered R15.
I am just waiting for getting astride the bike and getting some first hand experience with the YZF-R15. Let’s hope this happens soon. Till then keep reading what others have to say!!!

The wait is almost over!

Hey you all, the wait is almost over. Its hardly a day and half to go for the launch of the Yamaha YZF-R15. The bike will be out on the 12th June. Soon after its launch, all of us might be able to get ride at the nearest showrooms!

Price Correction

Fellas, the price that i had got was i guess a bit wrong. The price that Yamaha has quoted for their YZF-R15 is 97,425 INR ex-showroom throughout India. The price will come to around 1 lakh 8000 on road in Pune.

Price

The Yamaha R15 is a 150cc bike and so naturally people expected the bike to be priced competitively in that range. The regular 150cc bikes i the Indian market are available at around 60k to 65k. So, the R15, with its all performance and special stuff on it, should not cost more than 75k-80k was the speculation. Just after the Auto Expo in Delhi, everyone was talking of this bike having a price tag of around 85k. With time, this price tag went on increasing.
Last week, when the company owned Yamaha showroom opened in India, the Yamaha guys declared that the bike would be priced around Rs. 1 lakh ex-showroom. This price has come as a shock to many. A 150cc bike having a 6 digit price tag is something not very comfortable for the Indian customer.
And now finally, the actual price of the bike has been disclosed. The price is not actually disclosed to the market. But a source from Yamaha has revealed to me that the bike will be priced at around Rs. 1, 01,500. I am saying around because i dont know the exact price. But it will not vary by more than Rs. 500 than the price mentioned above. At this price, the bike seems to be a bit over priced. When asked the marketing chief of Yamaha, he said that the company was targetting annual sales of 2000 units in case of the R15. This figure seems to be far too less. The market is much bigger. In the first year of its launch, the Karizma sold more than 20k units. At that time, the market was not even ready for such a performance bike. And still it did such sales figure. With the kind of hype that the R15 has done, it can definitely sell more than their "revealed" target sales. But at the same time, the price tag will conflict the sales figures
The price tag seems to be a lot too much for a 150cc bike. Agreed that the bike is going to be one hell of a performer. but still, is the Indian customer ready to pay that amount for a 150cc bike? Well, this will be clear once the bike is rolled out and ridden. Will the customers love it or hate it will be soon out... till then ride safe and keep in touch!

Countdown has begun ....

After writing abut forged pistons, I was not much active on the blog. The reason being my work. Had been keeping prett busy for quite some time. but now I am back. Will be putting up some data on the deltabox frame soon. But before that, let me say one thing, its finally happening. The time is approaching. Yamaha will soon launch the R15 in the Indian market. The launch is scheduled for 12th June. Its just 20 days to go. And then, we all will get a chance to ride the most anticipated bike in India, the R15.

And we will soon see images like this one :)

This one is from the Auto Expo. It feels as if theres road ahead, but its actually a screen which displaying some video!

Forged Piston

The Yamaha R15 has incorporated many advanced technologies. And now, I would like to throw light on some of these. I would like to start with Forged Pistons.
Talking with a Yamaha engineer, he revealed, "The most common type of piston used on automobile and motorcycle engines are cast aluminium pistons. It is said that most of the motorcycles in India have cast aluminium pistons. Casting is done by melting aluminium at high temperatures and puring the molten aluminium into a mould. The cast aluminium piston is commonly used because of its strength, good heat dissipation rate, light weight and ease of manufacture. Despite the high reliability and proven performance of cast piston, we chose to go for the next higher level of performance and a better ride by developing a technology for mass producing quality forged pistons.
The aluminium forged piston is made by heating the aluminium alloy to a temperature lower than the melting point and pressing (forging) it into a mould. because the aluminium is not actually melted, there is much less effect on the original mettalurgical matrix and therefore the aluminium loses little of its original strength. Due to this increased strength, the forged piston can be made thinner and lighter. This fact also means that the forged piston has a lower reciprocating mass when the engine is running. Ofcourse this also helps reduce the overall weight of the machne. The forged piston is a feature on many luxury cars and on race machines"
Phew, that is some technology! Asking the engineers, why they used such a high tech thing on R15, they said, "In fact the very strength of the aluminium alloy used in forged pistons makes it hard to manufacture. Also, while forging a complex shaped part like a piston, optimising the amount of pressure with which the aluminium alloy is forged into the mould and the temperature of the mould is difficult. The aluminium alloy used for forging has a very narrow temperature range where it is easily forged. That is why it is difficult to makepracticle use of forged pistons in mass production. To solve this problem, we developed an exclusive manufacturing system utilising a 'controlled forging technology'. In this system, the alluminium alloy and the mould are both heated exactly to the optimum temperature and the forging pressure is also optimised. This made it possible to mass produce high quality forged pistons. And these pistons are now being used on the YZF-R and MT-01 sports models made in Japan. And now, in order to achieve the development goals of the YZF-R15, we have set up a forged piston production system in India."
Now that definitely means that Yamaha is keen on getting its international technology in India. For now, thats all. More on forged pistons soon!
Till then, ride safe!
(Source : Bike India)

Launch!!!

The Yamaha R15 is probably India's most anticipated bike. Atleast, this is the most anticipated bike that I have seen or heard about. And there is no reason for it to be not so anticipated. It is going to be the most powerful 150cc bike for India. It might even be the most powerful bike for even the higher capacity class. But anyways, I am not here to talk about that. I am here to tell you guys about the launch that is R15 is going to have!
The Yamaha R15, like most of the superbikes across the globe, will have its launch at a race track. And the selected location is Madras Motor Way in Chennai. Yes, the bike will be launched at this race track. Finally India is looking at some international standard bikes and their launches! I dont have the exact details of the launch, but as far my sources go, this launch will have all the journalists present at the event. They might get to ride the R15s on the track and experience the real potential of the bike.
Till now, I just have this much knowledge. More updates as they come!
Till then, happy dreams of the Yamaha R15!

Aesthetic Appeal

The Yamaha R15 has been in a lot of talks everywhere. I have been on few communities on a social site. There were some who were claiming that the looks of the R15 are the best that Indian market has seen till date. But while many are talking in this fashion, I even came across posts from few people who hate the looks of the bike like anything! Now this comes as shock from a nation where a full fairing is all that it takes for a bike to get converted from its form into a sportsbike! But actually I was happy to read that some people didn't like the looks of the bike.

The Yamaha R15 has been based on the basic design of the R1. Yes, that is what Yamaha claims and that is what we feel. And to some extent, there is nothing wrong in it. I indeed feel that the design of the bike is somewhat based on the R1's design. But highlight the word "somewhat". Cause, the bike doesn't look altogether like the R1. I guess some of you guys might have seen the R125 that is sold in the international market. The design of the R125 is again on the same lines. But if you ask me, I would prefer the design of the R125 way above the R15. The R15 screams everywhere, on every detail, that there has been a lot of cost cutting that has been done. The fineness of the R125 is simply superb. The bike is a feast for your eyes. But that is not exactly the case with the R15.

The R15 has a full fairing. But that doesnt really transform a bike into a superbike. The front of the bike is too wide. The bike overall is very small. I would say it is puny. The full fairing has saved it a bit. If you get a bike of that small a size in India and if it doesn't have a full fairing then that bike is not going to sell at all. People in India go for looks a lot. But anyways, coming back to the point, the bike has a full fairing. The fairing quality is good enough. And it blends well with the overall bike. What doesn't suit on the bike is its tail. And even the tail-light. The tail-light actually looks like some pathetic aftermarket local tail-light. The bike sports clip-ons which are of superior quality. They exhaust is visually appealing. Dunno how it will sound though. The nose of the bike is very wide. It looks so much like the old 2001/02 R1. The lamps are roundish and lack the aggressiveness. The tyres on the bike are quite thin and don't suit the looks of the bike. but then its a performance bike and putting wider tyres would have only ruined its performance.

Well, thats all in short about the looks of the bike. The bike did appeal to me aesthetically, but then its a personal choice. Plus, I would definitely agree with the fact that is not at all meant for a well built body. The bike is very small and will suit only those with less than average height or just about average height and those who are thin. Healthy riders are adviced to stay away from the bike as it is not going to suit them at all.

The Console

The Yamaha guys have really worked up a great deal for the R15. The R15 will live up to the Yamaha culture. And to make this Indian Superbike, an international standard one, they have got a digital console on the bike. This console is exactly same like the one which is offered on the international bike R125. The R125 is a highly performance oriented bike that Yamaha has on offer in the international market. The only difference in the consoles of R125 and R15 is that the background of the R125 one is white while the Indian counterpart has a dark blue background. The console is blue-backlit. The analogue tachometer in on the right side while the digital speedometer is on left side. This console is probably one of the best looking one in Indian bikes. Why don't you guys have a look at it?

here you go ----->>>

The Competition

The Yamaha R15 has lately been in lot of talks. Mostly it has been in the good sense. But there have been some who have not like the idea of the R15.Maybe they are feeling insecured with the kind of bikes they currently own. And I am saying this because the people who have not been talking good about the bike are those who are the P200, P220 and Karizma owners. Still, while most of them are for this bike, some are not. The bikes, on paper, are equally posed. But the difference is that the R15 is actually competing the 200cc or higher capacity bikes.

This makes all the difference. The smaller the bike, the lesser the weight. And this also means that that it delivers a better power to weight ratio. The R15 is the only fully faired bike of the lot. But that doesnt make it the heaviest. Infact, it is the lightest of all. The weight of the bike is going to be close to 120kg. This is actually a lot less than the other bikes. The lesser weight is one of the main contributors to the performance that the bike will offer. The R15 also sports a 6-speed gearbox which will have a major contribution as regards the top end. The bike, I suppose, will score more than 140 kmph and this credit should go to that 6-speed gearbox. I hope, the bike doesnt loose out on the intial while doing a brilliant top end.

By far, this bike should be the best of the competition. A 1500cc beating the shi* out of the higher capacity bikes would be the real game to watch. but till I lay my hands on the bike, I cant really say anything with 100% garuantee!

So keep watching this space for more updates on the R15!

Yamaha R15 Overview

Yamaha showcased their 150cc offering at the 9th Auto Expo held in Delhi earlier this year. But, Yamaha did not disclose any of the specifications of the bike at the event. Except for showing the bike, Yamaha were not keen on declaring any bit of the bike's performance figures or price tag or any other information.
The bike sports just a 150cc mill. Yeah, that's it. i know its a lot less. But if it is going to compete with the likes of 200cc+, then whats the issue? The bike claims to be having a peak power output of around 18 bhp which is quite a lot for that small an engine. 4 valves per cylinder sounds too good. Though there have been no speculations about its torque, this bike is going to be one hell of an accelerating one. The bike has delta-box frame. This is designed on the same lines as that of the R1. The R15 has a monoshock rear suspension. A digital console which looks exactly same like that R125, is a very sporty one. The digital console is blue-backlit which adds a real chic look to the whole thing. The bike will probably do a top end of more than 140kmph. This figure seems to be very absurd. I can understand. But I have source who has himself had the chance to ride this bike before any one else did and he managed a max speed of more than 145 kmph and that is the only reason why I am so sure about this thing.
I guess this says everything about the bike. Whatever features it carries, or whatever shit has gone in that engine doesn't make for a big difference to the common biker. All he wants is performance and that is being delivered. And that is what satisfies him. I would like to conclude this brief description of the bike with the probable price tag at which the bike will be placed in the market. the bike will cost around 96k to 100k. That might look at like a big figure, why look, it actually is a big figure. But then the kind of stuff that is offered by the bike is just awesome. You don't get that kind of things in that kind of price tag.
So what are the bikers waiting for, get down to save money for this Superbike for India!

The Yamaha for India

Yamaha is one of top bike-makers in the world. This Japanese brand has established themselves everywhere across the globe. They have some of the finest motorcycles that the bikers desire. The Yamaha R1, Yamaha's flagship litre class bike, is the most sought after bike across the world. The sheer raw power of this machine makes almost all bikers go crazy.

Yamaha came to India way back in the last century. In early 1980s, Yamaha launched the RD350 in India. That was probably the best bike that Yamaha ever launched in India till recent. The bike had immense power and awesome capabilities. The bike was the fastest then and still shits the scare out of some present day bikes. But the problem that Yamaha faced at that time was the era. That was a perfect bike in the wrong era that Yamaha got in. They discontinued the bike in the late 80s. After that the bikes that were sold here were the awesome two-strokes. The RX series was fantastic hit. The RX100, 135, RXZ...everything was awesome. Then the emission norms came in and ruined the business of Yamaha. Yamaha had not concentrated on anything else in Indian market. They only had those powerful two-strokes. And once they were ruled out, this Jap didn't have anything to sustain on.

With stupid bikes like the Alba and Gladiator and Crux, Yamaha tried to move on. And they did move on until recent years. Finally they opened their eyes to see that the Indian market has grown a lot. The market has scope for better things than what they had on offer. There was a lot of chance for the biggies to come in and score. Yamaha decided to hit it big time. And they launched their flagship model, the R1 in India. Along with that, they also launched the MT-01. With these 2 bikes, Yamaha declared their big intentions. The R1, priced at 10.5 lakh ex-showroom was an instant hit. It got a good response and great booking were done. The bikes started getting delivered across the country. The MT-01 did not do that well, but it wasn't far behind. Even that bike has its own market and has made itself a place in the market. These two bikes, are still for those who can afford to spend lakhs of rupees on bikes. These are not for the masses who are tight on budget but still demand powerful bikes. These bikes do not cater that part of the market where money is not flowing but enthusiasm is.
And Yamaha has considered these people as well. They decided to make a bike which will be powerful than most available in the India market. But it still be well within reach of the comman man. A bike which will be a rage. A bike which can scare the shit out of the Indian performance bikes. A bike which will look like a 10 lakh rupees machine but still cost just one tenth of that. A bike that will feature international bikes' features and still come at a price tag of an Indian machine. And then Yamaha got down and came up with a new product...... The R15.
The bike is made for India. The bike has high performance. The bike has an affordable price tag. The bike has everything that an Indian biker wants. The bike is the bike that India deserved.
For latest updates and exclusives, keep checking this space!