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!