[motor_breathing]

So far I have see only Blue and Black R15's on Bangalore roads. Red one is a welcome change and looks really nice.
Congrats Sriram.

[sriramv.iyer]

Thanks @motor!

I know my review comparing the three bikes I have driven earlier is long due - Got terribly busy, and currently not satisfied with my write up :-( - I'll get it out in a couple of days (I promise )

[Nitin]

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

Thanks @motor!

I know my review comparing the three bikes I have driven earlier is long due - Got terribly busy, and currently not satisfied with my write up :-( - I'll get it out in a couple of days (I promise )

And please do add more pics.
Have you had a chance to go on a long ride,out of town?

[TheARUN]

First thing. Pray that Mr. Iyer get some spare time off so that he can post his ownership experience which will be an education.

The YAMAHA R15 is simply amazing

1. DIASIL cylinder
2. Sticky tyres
3. Linked mono suspension
4. Liquid cooled
5. Fuel injected
6. Read disks
7. Full fairing
8. Double headlights
9. Bike does a self check at start up
10. 150cc pocket friendly mileage

can simply go on and on.

Spoke to a friend yesterday who dove another friend's R15. In his own words. "YAMAHA are lying when they say that the bike is 150cc. The way it goes, its much much more than that. It does 140 Kmph easily, on any gaps you get on city roads. When you sit on it for the first time, you get the feeling that it would be a pain to ride long distance, but its so comfortable that you can keep going on and on in that position"

Same friend also says that the FZ-16 engine is terrible and it has nothing going for it. He says nice muscle, but no strength

As the cliche goes,(last but not the least) congrats on the awesome puchase

Did'nt mean to steal your thunder, but just to elicit different opinions. This is how a blue R15 looks

The things keeping me away from a R15 are

• I'm married to an ENFIELD BULLET
• The TATA NANO I thought would cost as much as a R15 (stand corrected now), and people would think what a fool to get 2 wheels when he could have got 4 for the same price!

A bit of advice, I think anyone going for a R15 now much hold back the reins. I have a gut feeling that a refresh is in the offing. If they could get a FZ-S so quickly, then imagine what they could do to the R15. They could make it more affordable because of parts localisation and recession, they could get add-ons from Thailand to soup up the performance, and then the R15 has a cousin brother, the R125. Gives me goose bumps all over.

[sriramv.iyer]

@ Nitin - I'll sure add more pics! I went on a trip to Nandi Hills - About 140 km total ride - Haven't taken it for a longer ride. A Mysore trip is in the offing!

@ Arun - Thanks! I already have a draft of my review in my google docs, but I am not satisfied with the write up at all - I'll do some tweaks, get it right and post it! Glad to know some people are interested in reading it!

I'll try and get it done by today!

[sammyboy]

sriram, please post what you have written and you can have version control added later come on dude. You do realize your comparo report is wayyyyyyy overdue.

[Ricci]

hey R-15 owners ( Joel esp ),

I'm looking for your feedback on how you did the runin ( hard or by the manual ) and what kind of runin do you recommend, and any particular problems that seem to be common on the One5 . Orkut communities seem to have rust and wheels cracking on the R15 as common issues.

[PatienceWins]

Sriram, nice writeup!!

I am looking forward to the comparison report.

[rider60]

Originally Posted by Ricci

hey R-15 owners ( Joel esp ),

I'm looking for your feedback on how you did the runin ( hard or by the manual ) and what kind of runin do you recommend, and any particular problems that seem to be common on the One5 . Orkut communities seem to have rust and wheels cracking on the R15 as common issues.

Ricci, i dont know about the rust part, but i can assure you one thing, those alloys are TRACK spec ones, the lightest available 17" alloys in the country AFAIK.

see the Karizma's alloys with the same tyres say 2.75X18 front and 100/90-R18 Rear, when compared with the same tyres on the spoked wheel rims to the Karizma's alloys, is by a considerable percent lighter and way harder(one of the toughest afaik in the country) than spoked wheel rims.

and R-15's alloys are atleast 25%(actually way more) lighter than the Karizma's alloys with those spec tyres. These alloys being that light Weight and TRACK spec ones come with only that much strength/sturdiness.

the reason for comparing this way SPOKED wheel rims >(heavier than) Karizma's alloys >>(way way heavier than) R-15 alloys, is that the only other 17" alloys in the market are the pulsar's and Stunners but these are either heavier or equal to Karizma's alloy's weight ( where the Stunner's alloys are almost equal to Karizma's and pulsar's any model's being way heavier than Zma's).

Man look at the bright side, the R-15's alloys being that light weight and very reasonably STURDY, Track spec and being offered at as much as 5000 bucks(approx) a pair, is very acceptable IMO.

Its only when the bike R-15 is subjected to huge pot holes offered by our roads at the speeds that bike is capable of the alloys get damaged. Man on such pot holes the spoke wheels and pulsar's alloys bend real bad. and causes the rider a fall, even here the R-15's alloys manage to hold up atleast the minimum balance.( i know this for this was an incident that happened to one of my friends)

I am not a real fan or totally baised, let the gurus confirm the same which i know they will.

man joel used his Drag Karizma with stock ALLOYS and not spoked wheels in the Deccan Quater mile drag that took place in Hyderabad this Jan. the reason being they are by a considerable percentage lighter with those thin tyres used in the drag race.

[Sankar]

OT:
rider60, is stunner's rear alloy wheel compatible compatible with karizma swingarm, axle and sprocket carrier? was the karizma wheel swap a bolt on affair in the unicorn? Unicorn and stunner may have similar axles and stuff thus the question. Both alloys of my karizma are bent, so i thought why not replace it with a 17 incher. Replacing front alloys would be tough since karizma disk wouldn't fit on most 17" alloys.

[rider60]

Originally Posted by Sankar

OT:
rider60, is stunner's rear alloy wheel compatible compatible with karizma swingarm, axle and sprocket carrier? was the karizma wheel swap a bolt on affair in the unicorn? Unicorn and stunner may have similar axles and stuff thus the question. Both alloys of my karizma are bent, so i thought why not replace it with a 17 incher. Replacing front alloys would be tough since karizma disk wouldn't fit on most 17" alloys.

yes stunner's rear alloy on Zma and uni both is a retrofit.

yes the zma's alloy is a direct retro fit, the disc calliper will need modification to accomodate the 276mm diameter disc, other wise every thing else is retro fit on Unicorn

[Sankar]

Originally Posted by rider60

yes stunner's rear alloy on Zma and uni both is a retrofit.

yes the zma's alloy is a direct retro fit, the disc calliper will need modification to accomodate the 276mm diameter disc, other wise every thing else is retro fit on Unicorn

Thanks man and thanks again for giving me all other ideas too

[sriramv.iyer]

A big SORRY to everyone for the delay in my posting. I am not happy yet with what I've got, but as sammy said, I'll do the version control later :-)

I was very busy of late - Really sorry!

My first cut of the comparo...

_________________________________________


As mentioned in my first post, I'll review YZF-R15 from the point of view of the bikes I have driven so far - Karizma, Fiero, Bullet Machismo 350.

Looks
I was planning to buy R15 on the day it was launched. Unfortunately, I met with an accident and couldn't drive for a few months. It happened to be good because, red R15 was not offered during launch. Though blue and black R15 look great on Yamaha website, I felt that they lose their sheen very quickly. The red color one is a real looker. I am not a big fan of the front view of R15 (I feel, the headlamps should have been made a little more sharper, with lesser width) the bike really is a stunner in the side profile. The rear is nothing great, but not bad either. I'd rate it above the Karizma and Fiero. We should really not be talking about the looks of the Bullet Machismo here. The look is a classic!

R15 is a real eye-grabber on the road, and I get questions from everyone around in any traffic signal that I stop. I really would love to be discreet, but a Red R15 really does not help me keep a low profile - Btw, I read that the fairing in R15 is extremely functional for engine cooling and is not just a made up 'dress'. Also, it helps perfect engine cooling that is yet to be achieved in R6 or R1! There is a general opinion floating around that R125 is superior (though it has less displacement and power output) - I feel R15 is a honest attempt by Yamaha India and they have not skimped in anything while building R15.

I would have rated R15 even higher but for it functional but skinny tyres.

R15 - 4/5
Karizma - 3.5/5

Build Quality
R15's build quality is top notch! The bike feels well built. No rattling, loose fittings what so ever. (I have been riding it for the past 6 months). I bought my Karizma in 2004. I think that was before the cost cutting happened. I feel I had one of the best batches of Karizmas :-) - The bike felt solid. Bullet on the other hand, sucks in build quality (for the price you pay!) - I think they truly expect (and the owners/fans agree) that the guy who drives should know about the bike internals. Overrall, R15 scores slightly better than older Karis and definitely better the current ones.

R15 - 4 / 5
Kar - 3.5 /5
Bull - 2 / 5

Handling
R15 handles like a dream. I thought terms like 'Deltabox' were jargon used to milk the customer dry. I am truly surprised by how well the bike handles in high speeds! The bike exactly goes where you want it to go. I almost fell off Nandi hills about 6 years ago when I tried to take a very sharp turn at a very good speed. From then on, I thoroughly evaluate a bike before trying fancy tricks :-) - I have done the same trip with Karizma, and recently with R15 too. R15 simply eats up the curves you throw at it. (I'll talk about gearing a little later) - And, on Bangalore outer ring road, I could take some winding corners at 110 kmph without pressing the brakes or requiring to slow down. (I do it only when the entire road is visible - I truly do not advise people to try the same in blind curves) - Karizma handles well too. It was miles ahead of the Fiero that I had. I really don't want to talk about handling in a bull. (It is the Bull that handles you )

Apart from the 'Delta Box' chassi, the tyres also contribute to the handling. The tires really stick to the ground and even on wet ones! But, the tyres skid dangerously on roads with even little sand / gravel on them. I fell down twice because of some sand on the road. I really felt Kari could handle such surface conditions better. But, on regular roads, and wet roads, Kari cannot hold a candle to the R15. (in terms of handling)

I truly believe R15's dynamics is the outcome of a well planned and well executed design and engineering teams.

R15 - 4.5 / 5
Karizma - 4 / 5

Braking
I expected better braking with R15 because of its dual disc brakes. Not that the brakes are bad, but the expectation was higher! And, the rear only braking is not good at all - I expected it to be way better. Tyres also contribute to good braking. As I said earlier, it is good on regular roads, and plain bad on tarmac + gravel. Kari's braking capabilities were very good for its times. Dual disc brakes give a slight advantage to R15, but not much.

Bull, on the other hand had some decent brakes for regular speeds (<70 - 80 kmph) - I rarely pushed it beyond that!

R15 - 4 / 5
Karizma - 3.8 / 5
Bull - 3 / 5


Mileage
R15 currently gives me about 35-40 kmpl. That's AWESOME! Kari used to give me sub 30 almost always! When pushed DAMN hard, R15 gave me 32 kmpl. With an occasional speed ride, and mostly in city, I get a mind boggling 35+ kmpl and last time I got 40+! ZMA used to give the same 28 - 32. I never measured the mileage of Bull

R15 - 4.5 / 5
Karizma - 3 / 5

Power
On paper, R15 produces 17 PS @ 8500 RPM, and peak torque of 15 NM @ 7500 RPM. As everyone can see, it is truly a high revving machine. The power band starts only after 4000 RPM. Once you hit the power band, the bike is in bliss zone - I have really begun to enjoy the bike at this zone - So much that it puts a smile on my face! I feel that the away from the power band, the engine is sluggish. It is pretty annoying how much you need to downshift when you hit one of those ubiquitous speed-breaker on the road, a moronic auto driver or plain bad patches in traffic. It can really be a pain in the wrong place if you forget to down shift, and get that sinking feeling when you release the clutch. Experience is the best teacher, but, I still find myself stupidly trying to accelerate after a speed breaker, and the bike doesn't move a bit :-) (I furiously downshift and zip later).

I have started believing there is no replacement for displacement. Kari, produces identical 17 PS peak power, but that is available at 5K RPM and has higher torque (18.35NM @ 6K RPM) - And the power band is uniform! You get power in all the gears and all revs and so you are never left wanting for power. I dont remember requiring to downshift so much with Karizma! Unless you hit a road that is very curvy, it is difficult to beat a Kari. Also, I feel, that the engine in Kari accelerates effortlessly. (May be my imagination)

But, in the 6th gear, R15 feels like it can cruise all day long @ 110 - 120 kmph. (The max speed I've hit so far is 124 kmph) - I was pretty surprised because I am seriously overweight )

R15 - 3.8 / 5
ZMA - 4 / 5


Overrall Impressions and Conclusion
I really love the ZMA. It was a great bike, and it was sad to see it go (though only to my good friend!). The ZMA is a solid bike, that is no-nonsense, smooth and powerful. It was the king of its days. I would see kids on the road waving and cheering whenever they would see a ZMA. My niece' friends would drool over it - 'That's the Hrithik Roshan's bike!' (Though I would be sitting on top of it like Prem Chopra in his later days)

But, R15 is the king now - Esp, it has the looks! (makes up for mine , or the lack of it) - In my apartment, I have seen another one in blue, but, without any offense, that helped me rule out blue color - Even black does lose its shine, and some of them I have seen on roads were pedestrian. The red R15 is a killer in looks department, and is a sure eye candy for the owner and also the rest of the guys on the road!

It is real 'Technological tour de force' - It brims with technologies that are not found in many Indian bikes (at least, not all of them) - Electronic Fuel Injection, Liquid Cooled Engine, Aero dynamic chassis (Delta box), Diasil Cylinder, Dual Disk brakes, forged pistons, Single axis balancer, four valve combustion chamber, six speed transmission etc. (I'll try and write about each of these features atleast in installments... )

ZMA costs 87K OTR Bangalore and R15 costs 1.13L OTR. Is R15 worth the 25K premium? If you are in for a powerful bike with decent handling, and can bear with the slightly antiquated looks (ZMA has been around for a while), then go for ZMA and use the 25K for petrol! You'll surely have fun with the ZMA! But, If you like exclusivity, like supporting new technologies with your hard earned money, you love great handling and can live with power band starting at 4K RPM, then go for the R15. It is truly worth the 25K for the technologies that are packed in it. You'll definitely not regret your decision!

PS: - I overshot my smiley quote by two - But, I hope the mods will forgive me since the post is more than twice as long as regular posts!

[sriramv.iyer]

@sammyboy:
I finally got my comparo out - Thanks to you for the final push

@ricci
I did a regular run in - I didnt want to take risks with my hard earned money! I prefer to go the way recommended by Yamaha - I did not cross 4K for the first 500 kms, and 7K for the next 500 kms.

@PatienceWins
Thanks! Hope you like the comparo too!

@rider60
Thanks for the info on alloys - I didnt know that the ones on R15 were significantly lighter.

[bblost]

PS: - I overshot my smiley quote by two - But, I hope the mods will forgive me since the post is more than twice as long as regular posts!

and very well written.
This is one of the best reviews I have read.

So happy to see a guy who is so happy with his bike.