Yamaha has launched the MT-15 sports bike in India, with prices starting from Rs 1.36 lakh (ex-showroom). The MT-15 is seen by many as the naked bike version of the popular R15 v3.0, which sports a full fairing.
But everybody knows that the 150cc segment in India, is mostly a commuter market, with options like the Bajaj Pulsar 180, TVS Apache 200 sprinkled between bikes from other manufacturers like Honda and Hero MotoCorp among others. And it also has Yamaha’s F25 and the R15 to compete against.
So, where exactly does the MT-15 feature, what it does offer for its price tag, and what’s the competition like in this segment. Here’s everything you’d want to know.
But first, let’s make one thing clear, the Indian variant of MT-15 misses out on some premium features, mostly to cut costs. Yamaha is offering standard twin forks, instead of USD forks on the MT-15. In India, they have also decided to equip the bike with single-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS), again, to bring the costs down.
Yamaha clearly sees the MT-15 as the daily-riding alternative version of the sportier R15 v3.0, therefore pricing it Rs 3,000 less than its sibling.
Having said that, the looks of the MT-15 are similar to that of the global variant. The design elements, having borrowed from the global variant of the MT-15 means the bike sports an aggressive posture, sharp styling and split LED headlamps. We aren’t quite sure about the power of light the slim LEDs offer.
The MT-15 gets the same 155cc liquid-cooled SOHC engine as on the R15 v3.0, paired to a 6-speed gear box. This unit offers 19BHP of power and 14.7Nm of torque. But with a 10-litre fuel tank (and mileage not mentioned), not sure how Yamaha plans to ensure fuel-efficiency conscious buyers in the 150cc segment will take to it.
Yamaha claims to have tweaked the ECU setting of the MT-15 to churn out faster speed than the R15 v3.0.
The bike does have a striking presence, compared to its competition, but this segment is more mileage conscious rather than worried about how their bike looks on the road.
According to an ICRA Research report on two-wheelers in 2018, volumes of the 125-150cc sub-segment have been shrinking, owing to growing preference for 160-cc and 180-cc offerings of bike makers. This change in trend has accounted for 7 percent of the total bike sales volumes going to higher cc offerings in FY2018 as against 2 percent in FY2014.
Which is why, it’ll be interesting to see if the buyers, nowadays aspiring for bikes with more than 180cc engines, can find the MT-15 appealing enough to look for something more affordable. Even though they can choose from other options like the Pulsar 200NS, or Apache RTR 200 4V, both costing below the Rs 1.20 lakh in the Indian market.
Hopefully, this doesn’t turn into another missed opportunity, like the Honda CB300R, which gets features that are already available on bikes for under Rs 2 lakh in the country.
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