There are a few motorcycles, small or big, that you just connect with instantly. For me it is not the way it looks, or what color it shows off, but the way it feels riding it.
The Yamaha MT-15 is one such machine and it could connect with you the same way it did with me and if you are familiar with how good of a machine the Yamaha R15 is, the MT15 will not disappoint.
How different does it look?
Appealing! The Yamaha MT15 is a mean looking naked street machine sporting its twin LED, projector headlamp setup similar to its elder sibling, the MT09. The MT15 looks the best when you look at it from the side and you notice the tail sticking out, exposing a compact design. With a small tank, minimal body panels, fluorescent racing stickers on the rims and minimal body stickering, it looks just enough for anyone to adore the MT for its street fighter looks.
The Indian version does not come with golden USD forks and fluorescent wheels. I wouldn’t mind not having the flashy wheels, but the USD is something I would’ve welcomed. Yamaha could’ve improved the quality of switch gear and installed a wider pillion seat. While the pillion seat is compact, it is still not a bad place to be for shorter city rides. Overall, the design is neat and compact which will appeal more to a younger crowd and calls for attention while riding in the city.
Why did I say it wouldn’t disappoint?
It has the same meat as the R15 does. The MT15 comes with the same engine as on the R15, a single cylinder, 155cc, liquid cooled, 4 valve engine, producing 19.3PS of power and 14.7NM of torque. When you crank it up, its sounds similar to the R15 and when the revs climb high is when you feel the difference in the way they ride.
The MT15 is hungry to be quick off the line and it does that so well. The final drive on the MT15 is changed to make way for its quick acceleration, while compromising on the top end, which in my opinion is not a bad idea for a street naked at all.
The refinement of the engine remains and Yamaha being Yamaha cannot go wrong in this aspect. The riding position is commanding yet confidence inspiring to zip through city traffic. Remember how I mentioned the connection with the MT15? Well, this is where it comes alive.
Quick acceleration combined with a machine this nimble, makes it a true street fighter. It is quick to change direction and the Deltabox chassis sure does a great job. The front feels light which makes it that much more sharp in every gap you take on our ever busy streets.
The MT15 comes with telescopic front suspension, which is tuned well to take on the streets and feels planted at high speeds as well. The rear is a mono shock unit and does have good feedback while pushing hard or relaxed riding. The brakes on this motorcycle is my only concern as the rear lacks initial bite. A dual channel ABS would be much appreciated, but I would personally settle for the single channel unit the MT15 offers.
Out on the highway, the MT15 did impress with fewer vibrations up until the 110kmph mark and the vibrations did slightly increase post that. It is quite impressive for a motorcycle to show such caliber and I am not complaining.
Talking about the dimensions, Yamaha MT-15 motorcycle weighs 138 Kgs (Kerb weight) and has a wheelbase of 1335mm. The seat height is 810mm, has a ground clearance of 155mm.
So then?
The MT15 is a fun motorcycle and a machine you would have fun with riding everyday returning an ARAI claimed fuel economy of 48.75 km per litre. We found the motorcycle was very fuel-efficient when compared to others in this segment. At Rs. 1.36 Lakhs (Ex-Showroom Bangalore), it is just about 4,000 cheaper than the R15 and that makes me think. But the MT15 is much more comfortable to ride in the city, it is a little more fun than the R15 in the city and it looks the part for a naked motorcycle.
Also check: More Yamaha MT-15 Photos
The MT will be really kind with me on a long weekend ride and would allow me to take it to places the R15 cannot, but it will lack in giving me the experience where the R15 shines bright, the Racetrack.
As long as owning one goes, if Yamaha had priced it closer to the Bajaj Pulsar 200NS or the TVS Apache RTR 2004V, the MT15 would be hard to miss.
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