Yamaha will be launching the MT-15 in India in a month and we cannot wait to get our hands on it. The motorcycle will share a lot of its parts with the YZF-R15 V3.0 albeit in a naked-bike avatar.
The bike was showcased in Thailand recently and looks very similar in styling to its bigger-displacement sibling, the MT-09, with the alien-like front headlamp design, chiseled tank, and rear bodywork. The instrument cluster is the same as the faired R15, an all-digital unit. That said, it is an aggressive looking machine.
The Yamaha MT-15 will share the same engine as the R15 V3: the liquid-cooled, SOHC four-valve single-cylinder, 155-cc engine that delivers 19.3 PS at 10,000 rpm and 15 Nm of torque at 8,500 rpm. But, the Indian variant will have a few differences from its Thai counterpart. These are quite apparent with the dimensions of this motorcycle, with the Indian MT-15 being longer and slightly higher too, 2020mm and 1070mm compared to 1965mm and 1065mm on the Thai model.
In addition, other changes include a box-section steel swingarm instead of the aluminium unit and regular front telescopic forks rather than an upside down unit. It is believed that this move is due to Yamaha trying to keep costs down to a minimum. The wheels are similar to what we find on the R15 V3.0 wrapped in MRF tubeless tyres.
Pricing can be expected to around the area of the YZF-R15, albeit a little less. The R15 is priced in India at 1.39 lakh (ex-showroom). The good news is that the motorcycle will be launched in March and you can book one for Rs 5,000 at select Yamaha dealerships. The MT-15 will go up against higher-displacement competition such as the TVS Apache RTR200, Bajaj Pulsar NS200, among others, thanks to its power output.
Story: Zal Cursetji
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