The Yamaha MT-15 has become a threat to three motorcycles, namely the Yamaha YZF-R15 V 3.0, the Yamaha FZ25 and the KTM 125 Duke.
The Yamaha MT-15 had beat the sales of the KTM 125 Duke in March by almost 2,000 units. April sales figures tell us that the Yamaha MT-15 has yet again beat the sales of the KTM 125 Duke. It has also overtaken Yamaha’s YZF-R15 V 3.0 and FZ25. The MT-15 costs Rs 1.36 lakh and the KTM 125 Duke costs Rs 1.25 lakh making the MT-15 Rs 11,000 more expensive than the 125 Duke; all prices are ex-showroom. Meanwhile, the Yamaha YZF-R15 V 3.0 is sold for 1.33 lakh (ex-showroom) making it Rs 3,000 more expensive than its naked sibling. The Yamaha FZ25 falls in the 250-cc segment and costs 1.33 lakh (ex-showroom) which is Rs 3,000 cheaper than the MT-15, making it an interesting value-for-money proposition.
Recent reports state that the Yamaha MT-15 has sold 3,823 units in April. Meanwhile, there has been a 24 per cent decline in the sales of the FZ25; selling only 989 units as compared to the 1,508 units sold in March. The Yamaha YZF-R15 V 3.0, on the other hand, sold 4,975 units in April 2019 and saw an 18 per cent decline in sales as compared to the 6,034 units sold in the same month in 2018. The KTM 125 Duke that is being offered in India is not the international-spec model and the MT-15 that borrows its looks from the MT-09 is proving to be a more attractive motorcycle for buyers. The KTM 125 Duke sold 2,199 units last month, which is around 1,600 units less than the Yamaha MT-15.
The Yamaha MT-15 is powered by the same 155-cc, liquid cooled, four-stroke, SOHC, four-valve engine from the YZF-R15 V3.0 that produces 19.3 PS at 10,000 rpm and a peak torque of 14.7 Nm at 8,500 rpm. The motor is mated to a six-speed gearbox that comes with a slipper clutch as standard. The Yamaha offers a slightly more powerful engine and more features such as a slip-and-assist-clutch. These, along with the sharp and futuristic design, give the Yamaha MT-15 a major advantage over the KTM 125 Duke. Perhaps, one of the reasons why buyers don’t mind spending more to get their hands on the MT-15. The things that the MT-15 misses out on are dual-channel ABS and the gold anodized USD forks that we see in the international-spec model.
The Yamaha MT-15 is proving to be a game-changer with its launch in India and is taking on many motorcycles head-on in the sales department. The MT range internationally offers the MT-15, MT-25, MT-03, MT-07, MT-09 and MT-10. In India, Yamaha are offering the MT-15 and the MT-09. We hope to see some new bikes from the MT range launching in India in the near future.
Also Read: First ride review of the Yamaha MT-15
Story: Azaman Chothia
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