Yamaha R15 V3.0 BS-VI Launched In India At Rs 1.45 Lakh With Lower Power & Torque Figures

Bookings for the new BS-VI motorcycle have already begun and deliveries will commence in the third week of December. The Yamaha R15 is the motorcycle that single-handedly created the low-capacity, high-performance motorcycle segment when it was launched back in 2008.

It was the most-powerful 150cc motorcycle in India back then and it still remains the most powerful 150cc motorcycle. Over the years, yamaha has given the R15 both subtle and significant updates.

In 2011, Yamaha launched the R15 V2.0 and in 2018, the R15 V3.0 was launched. The R15 V3.0 had several significant updates to the engine, chassis and design too. It came with a slipper clutch which was a first-in-segment feature. The digital-analogue instrument cluster gave way to a full-digital instrument cluster.

Now, in December 2019, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer has updated the R15 yet again, in order to comply with BS-VI emissions regulations. The new BS-VI emissions norms come into effect starting April 2020, which means, all vehicles on sale from 01 April 2020 will have to comply with the new regulations.

Well, Yamaha has updated the YZF R15 V3.0 to comply with these regulations, more than three months ahead of the deadline. The new Yamaha R15 V3.0 BS-VI is powered by the same liquid-cooled, 155cc, single-cylinder engine.

However, in order to comply with the new emissions regulations, Yamaha has had to decrease the engine's output. It now produces a maximum power output of 18.3bhp and a peak torque output of 14.1Nm which is 0.7bhp and 0.6Nm lower than the outgoing model. Transmission duties are handled by the same 6-speed gearbox.

In terms of design, the Yamaha R15 BS-VI still has the same iconic styling. Up front, it comes with twin LED headlamps and a faux ram air-intake. The side profile is characterised by the sharp and sporty fairing. The rear-end has an LED tail lamp with a unique cowl.

Instrumentation duties are handled by an LCD screen that displays the tachometer, speedometer, odometer, trip meters, etc. New changes to the BS-VI model include new radial tyres, dual-horn and side-stand activated engine cut-off.

Thoughts On The Yamaha R15 BS-VI Launch In India

Enthusiasts might be a little disappointed by the slight decrease in the power and torque output, but this is necessary for cleaner emissions figures. The new BS-VI Yamaha R15 will continue to sell in good numbers like it always has done and we will continue loving the way the bike handles, be it BS-IV or BS-VI.