[R15M_Rider]

Hi All!

Having been an silent observer of this esteemed forum for years, I finally found the right time to share something from my side. Apologies if I miss certain details, but I have tried including everything that came to my mind, as per guidelines shared by mods for reviews.

A little bit about me, till I got to experience R15, I was mostly a introverty rail enthusiast, particularly Indian Railways, and on the automobile side, I was more of a JDM fanatic- the Supras, Skyline GT-Rs and even some interest on sporty hatchbacks- VW Polo TSI in particular.

On the two-wheeler side, until 2022, I have only driven a 2017 Honda Dio scooter, right from my college days. We still own it and as usual this being a Honda, true to the reputation was as reliable as anything 5 years + of ownership.

Booking , Delivery & Into The World Of Motorcycles:

Fast forward to 2022, the need for a motorcycle for my younger brother grew for college commutes. As I mentioned earlier, I was never in the run to get one as I never felt the appeal even till this point. Both of us were new to geared motorcycle riding, having only driven scooters till this point. My brother had some practice on one of our neighbour's commuter bikes for a few weeks before the exploration for a new bike.

Options explored :

1. Suzuki Gixxer 155 SF / 250 SF- Found it decent, lack of power was evident (but being a new rider, and not experienced much can't really comment much on this). 250 SF was too fast it seems

2. Honda Hornet 160- Brakes were comparatively weaker compared to others.

3. Bajaj Pulsar NS200- Not sure about the flaws as I was only there for the above two test rides, probably my brother being a new rider, might have something to do with the clutch release and engine cut off.

4. TVS Apache 160 4V- This was one amongst the considerations to get, no particular flaws to report on test ride.

5. KTM Duke 200- Almost settled on this except for ground clearance, where he told me, he scrapped the bottom on a speed hump. Apart from this, he didn't like the exhaust note

6. Yamaha MT15, R15- Here is the interesting stuff, we went to Yamaha first itself, before even the 155 SF test ride, And as you would imagine, they didn't have a test ride vehicle at that time for the MT-15 (we weren't even considering the R15 at this point). We got a call later on after a couple of days that a test bike was available NOT for the MT-15, but one was available for the R15. And this call, probably changed the decision entirely from the KTM Duke.

On test ride, one very, very important factor came into picture and today after being fairly been experienced, it seems silly, but the major reason my bro opted for Yamaha was that the engine never cut off once despite the possibly improper clutch release due to lack of experience. I believe since the R15 was the only motorcycle in the segment that came with a slipper clutch at that point, which probably aided a little and made up for the lack of clutch control.

Soon we made our decision and decided to book the R15. Even now there was an argument amongst ourselves whether to pick MT-15 or the R15, mainly with the committed riding posture coming into the picture of the latter vs the relaxed riding posture of the former. My bro was definitely having falling for the absolutely beautiful R15 V4's design and who can blame him! But practically, one more safety feature on the R15 was the dual channel ABS compared to single channel ABS on the MT-15 (I guess currently MT-15 also gets dual channel ABS and TCS on par with the R15). We booked the racing blue color for the R15 V4 and since the bike was readily available, registration and delivery only took 3-4 days since booking.

Upon delivery, my dad asked my bro to thoroughly do practice runs on the bikes for few weeks before taking it for college commutes. Now this is where my first experience on a geared motorcycle comes into the picture. Yes, a guy who has never ridden / touched a single geared bike and was not enthusiastic about motorbikes before (all the test rides before were done by my younger bro and my dad) was going to start his motorcycling journey on an YZF R15 V4. As expected, on the very first day, there were number of cutoffs on clutch release. But soon as the days pass, I got the hang of it. Gradually I was starting to see the light. The reason why so many people get hooked onto such tremendous machines, why people are so obsessed and passionate about motorcycles.

My brother's R15 V4 in racing Blue:



Few months pass, and having raked up enough funds, it was time for me to own one for myself. On my birthday, 13th Oct 2022, I booked an Yamaha YZF-R15M in the beautiful metallic silver shade with the design borrowed from the R1M superbike from Bikerz Yamaha, Nandanam, Chennai. I was in a bit of a dilemma between the 60th Anniversary of Yamaha in MotorSports edition versus the silver R15M, but eventually settled for classy silver. Once again, with the bike being readily available, got the delivery within 2-3 days of booking. Delivery Experience was decent, nothing much to note. Both the bikes being available readily was indeed a bonus as there wasn't an abnormal waiting time. That would've made things a bit harder.

This marks a start of a continuing journey of my "baby R1" as many on this forum refer to. Over a year and still feels like its the first time everyday I go for a ride.

The first photograph taken of the beast right of delivery and reaching home.



On-Road Pricing came around 2.34 L, which I believe is a pretty premium price tag for a 155cc motorcycle. But We will come to the pricing argument once we go through the other details.

Service Schedules:

1. 1st service is at 1000 km, and thereafter 5000km, 7500km, 10,000km and the next one for me scheduled as of now is at 14,000km / 9th Feb , whichever comes first.

2. First 3 services are free with only labor costs included. I am going to have my 4th service soon which will be paid one, will comment on the costs once done.

3. Overall the service cost ranged roughly from 2k to max of 4.6k. The 3rd service involved a brake-pad replacement and a chain replacement due to worn out and rusting issues which pushed the price quite a bit.

4. Additionally, over almost two years of ownership, the radiator fans required replacing twice due to failure. I heard this is a common problem in R15 V4 generation, if anyone of you has idea about this, please let me know.

So, coming to the Pros and Cons over a year of ownership:

Pros:

1. An absolute gem of an engine. 155cc doesn't seem like a world of power, but the engineering that has gone into this, the refinement and when the VVA kicks in, that feel is in another league! Dual nature of the engine is a treat to experience and gives the best of both worlds- mileage and power. 18.4 BHP at 10K RPM and surge of power is best to be felt rather than explained.



2. The quick shifter is beautifully integrated. Its for up shift only, but it does the job well. I found myself using more often than I thought I would. Slip & Assist clutch really helps new riders a lot as well. Butter smooth and easy to operate.

3. The Design : Need I say more! Just look at it! I am damn sure this won't get old for a decade atleast.



4. Handling : This above all is the biggest pro for this machine. The nimbleness, the forgiving nature, and the absolute razor sharp precision on offer, definietely nothing to complain about. The committed riding posture with clip on handle bars though was painful initially, actually adds a world of value in the handling aspect. USD forks must be having a role too, but since I have never ridden a geared motorcycle apart from an R15M / R15 V4, I can't comment on this. High speed stability is evident, have pushed upto 120 kph on empty stretch of ECR for brief period and no sign of strain / discomfort was observed.

5. Exhaust Note : IMO, this has one of the sweetest exhaust notes in this segment. Combined with the refinement, even at low speeds I love it so much!

6. Safety Features: Dual Channel ABS (I believe this is the most important feature on our roads of unpredictability) is always welcome. Coming to TCS, while it does seem unnecessary on such a low cc bike, safety features are always welcome any day.

7. Build Quality: Its solid as expected. Quality of plastics used and overall fit and finish is good. While I have heard of rusting issues, personally while there are some areas of rust, namely in the tool section under the seat, I didn't face a huge problem despite being around 500m from the beach.


Cons:

1. Service has been a hit / miss. Quality of service varies from one location to another. Bikerz Nandanam seem to be good having expeirenced past 2 services compared to others in Sky Motors Besant Nagar and Samyukth Motors, Mylapore

2. The radiator fan failure seems to be an issue with R15s. I have had it fail 2 times both in my and my bro's bike and required replacement. Stocks aren't always readily available so this can be an issue.

The dreaded light showing the inevitable thanks to a non-functional fan



3. Stock indicators are halogen and are pretty weak and seem out of place from the rest of the motorcycle.

4. Battery drain if kept idle for more than a week happened once. Apparently this was caused by Yamaha Bluetooth Y-Connect. Once it was removed. issue hasn't occurred so far. I never cared for this feature anyway.

5. Pillion sits on another floor compared to the rider but this is a sports bike. It is typical of its character. But an important point to note considering whether you ride alone most of the time or not.

Gauge Cluster:

1.It is an LCD unit (currently the R15M alone comes with a juicy TFT display, which looks amazing). It has probably all the information you require apart from speedometer and rev-meter - Gear position, Coolant temp, average fuel economy, battery voltage etc.

2. Visibility is good too, under sunlight, nothing much to complain.

3.It even has a track-mode(just display, mechanically nothing changes) where RPM starts at 6000RPM, maybe one-day, would drive on a track with this.

Riding Gear :

1. Helmet : I used to use a generic Vega Helmet for a year, until I got myself an MT Hummer MIR :



2. Riding Gloves : Used a pair of Rynox Gravel Dualsport Gloves



until I switched to Dainese X-Moto Gloves image attached below. A bit overkill and expensive, but I tend to try and get the best wherever possible. With helmet and gloves being something I daily use.



Riding Jacket- Rynox Helium GT 2 Jacket :



My General Usage Pattern:

1. My daily usage consists of office commute of 44 km of commute considering both to and fro. Committed riding position was indeed a bit uncomfortable at the beginning, but I soon got used to it and I don't feel the pain I used to have initially.

2. As far as long rides are concerned, I have done Chennai-Marakannam(Near Puducherry)-Chennai, a total of 246 km roughly and it was an absolute bliss of a ride. So long rides, totally possible once you get used to it.

Night & Rain Riding :

1. While I do return from office after the sun goes down, and most of my commutes are within the city limits with street lights, and on some occasions when they are off, I found the headlight range to be decent. For the size of the projector like LED in the middle, I felt it does well.

2. Stability of the bike while riding in a medium-heavy downpour is amazing. Thanks to the dual channel ABS and other electronic aids, adding to the already forgiving and friendly nature of the R15, rain riding is a breeze as long as you stay within reasonable limits.

After a wet downpour ride in the monsoon:



Accessories added :

Nothing much, only indicators have been changed to LED after one of the halogen indicators got damaged. Personally, not a huge fan of modifications apart from the indicators. Would like to keep it as stock as possible. I guess the present R15M comes with LED indicators as standard and a TFT display too.



Also, coming to modifications, I know there are people who use handle-bar raisers to make things more comfortable. My Honest Opinion: DON'T, don't ruin the character of the bike. It is a sports bike. Treat it as such. So much engineering has gone into it to make this so friendly, forgiving and at the same time engaging and fun! It really is not a big deal to get used to the committed ergonomics. Just requires sometime, persistence and you won't regret it. Same goes for exhausts, though this is subjective, for me atleast stock exhausts sound the sweetest and especially for a single cylinder bike, louder exhausts really don't make things better.

Conclusion:

All things considered, I am so grateful to have experienced this machine and it truly has changed my perspective on motorcycles and truly turned me into an enthusiast. In India atleast, high performance motorcycles make a bit more sense than a high end car, so that's an additional bonus.

With over 12K on the odometer, honestly, the more I ride, the more I get the feeling that this is a keeper for life. I know, its the only motorcycle I have ever ridden and I am very young in the motorcycle scene, but maybe its the magic of Yamaha. The last Yamaha in my family was the legendary RX100 in the early 2000s, and its no surprise the R15s are considered to be next great legend from Yamaha's stable. I honestly don't see myself ever moving on unless its something really special- R3 maybe one day ? Definitely Japanese for sure.

Finally I want to round off this review by saying, what Shumi from MotorInc described quite a few times. You don't ride the spec sheet. Who cares that it doesn't have a so called feature a competitor has, who cares that the bike produces only 18.4 BHP and comes at almost 2.3 L on-road (I know pricing doesn't always make sense and it is not for everyone, but it must not be considered a dealbreaker always, if you can afford it, take a test ride and decide), what matters in the end is the experience. The grin on your face matters so much more than what reviews / opinions of others say, including mine. It applies for everything.

Hope you had fun going through my first ever automobile / motorcycle review! Signing off with few more photographs of this incredible machine below.

Thanks & Safe Riding!

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Castro Gunner]

Hi R15M Rider, a nice and detailed review.

Your words "changed my perspective on motorcycles" has cause a Deja Vu moment for me.

In 2019, I owned a Yamaha Saluto (125cc). Being in my early 20s I was so obsessed about motorcycles that i used to check "Bikes news" from Autocar / Motorbeam atleast 20 times a day! Being in that crazy state I craved every motorcycle and one lucky day I got the opportunity to use my senior's R15 V2 (68,000 kms on odo) for a week. And the rest is history. It literally changed my perspective inside out: from being a "Royal Enfield lover" to a hater.

I currently ride a SF 250 and till date I can't name a motorcycle that is as premium/Reliable/Smooth/Power per cc as R15.

I wish you a very long, safe and enjoyable ownership.

[R15M_Rider]

Hi Castro Gunner,
Glad you liked the review. To be honest, Royal Enfield cater to an entirely different audience of motorcycle enthusiasts, while certainly they aren’t my taste, I guess they have their own sense of charisma that has built up over the years with a cult like following.

SF250, is also a very solid choice, highly underrated I feel, but I guess in dire need of refresh and good marketing from Suzuki.

[sgmuser]

That's some cleanly and nicely written soulful review. This color finish is one of the best and I would want one, if I am allowed.

[R15M_Rider]

Originally Posted by sgmuser

That's some cleanly and nicely written soulful review. This color finish is one of the best and I would want one, if I am allowed.

Thanks! Glad you liked the review. I hope you will experience it one day too

[SaurAswale]

Hi R15M_Rider,
Nice review!! No doubt the R15 is one of the best bikes being sold in India and that Silver Black-R15M is the best looking bike IMO. Nice to see two R15s in the garage. Kudos to both of you.
I would like to suggest you to keep an eye on YamahaIndia events. If they're planning a track day near your city- don't miss it!!
I'm sure you'll love your R15 even more.

[R15M_Rider]

Originally Posted by SaurAswale

Hi R15M_Rider,
Nice review!! No doubt the R15 is one of the best bikes being sold in India and that Silver Black-R15M is the best looking bike IMO. Nice to see two R15s in the garage. Kudos to both of you.
I would like to suggest you to keep an eye on YamahaIndia events. If they're planning a track day near your city- don't miss it!!
I'm sure you'll love your R15 even more.

Thanks SaurAswale, Glad you liked the review. Yes, I too wish to experience the track one day, the natural habitat for this pocket rocket. MMRT is my option, hopefully, I get a chance

[100Kmphormore]

Beautiful looking bike. Had I not already been accustomed to my Himalayan which was bought to tour and became my daily due to previous L4/L5 disc issues, this would have been it. I rode one recently and also the Gen 2, which was more forgiving. It also is more exciting than the Gixxer 250SF though lesser power, where the delivery of power is linear and handling suffers due to telescopic forks.

One friendly word - please do use shumis tips of highway riding that can be used in city too that he mentioned to avoid back pain and wrist pain - back straight, wrists straight and free, while your thighs grip the tank

[R15M_Rider]

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

Beautiful looking bike. Had I not already been accustomed to my Himalayan which was bought to tour and became my daily due to previous L4/L5 disc issues, this would have been it. I rode one recently and also the Gen 2, which was more forgiving. It also is more exciting than the Gixxer 250SF though lesser power, where the delivery of power is linear and handling suffers due to telescopic forks.

One friendly word - please do use shumis tips of highway riding that can be used in city too that he mentioned to avoid back pain and wrist pain - back straight, wrists straight and free, while your thighs grip the tank

Thanks 100kmphormore, Yes, for long distance riding, will need to use that technique of gripping the tank with the thighs. Already tried on my Chennai-Marakanam ride, it does help. Similar to you, I have been accustomed to the clip on handle bars on the R15 so much that not only is it no longer painful, but also it feels weird to ride the Honda Dio with normal handlebars

[Harsh_sharma]

Nicely summed up review of the baby R1. There are not much reviews of the V4 on the T-Bhp. Thanks for sharing!
Although you have covered all aspects of the bike, when someone talks R15 along with performance i am always curious about the mileage numbers. Because the 155c mills delivers some amazing numbers, i have heard upwards of 55kmpl also! What are you getting?
Also you can check with the dealer if the new TFT screen can be retrofitted as it looks amazing compared to the LCD.

[R15M_Rider]

Originally Posted by Harsh_sharma

Nicely summed up review of the baby R1. There are not much reviews of the V4 on the T-Bhp. Thanks for sharing!
Although you have covered all aspects of the bike, when someone talks R15 along with performance i am always curious about the mileage numbers. Because the 155c mills delivers some amazing numbers, i have heard upwards of 55kmpl also! What are you getting?
Also you can check with the dealer if the new TFT screen can be retrofitted as it looks amazing compared to the LCD.

Thanks Harsh_sharma, You’re right, the main reason, I came up with this review was due to the lack of reviews on this machine. I found only one presented by sasta_rider who owns a blue R15 V4, and it kind of pushed me to post my experience too.

Coming to mileage, when I got the bike, I did indeed get 50kmpl, this must be due to the fact that I was a new rider on my first geared motorcycle and I rarely touched the VVA band until first service that is at 1000 km. But gradually I gained confidence and now I hit the VVA band more often that is above 7500 RPM on empty and wide roads of OMR and ECR in Chennai. As a result, now my average mileage has dropped to 43 kmpl, still an amazing number for a bike capable of hitting 120-130 kph with ease. Totally depends on your driving style in the end.

While mileage is indeed an important factor for a daily user, this as you said is a baby R1 and it deserves to be revved after all wherever conditions are supportive and safe, it does rev your heart after all.

[sasta_rider]

Firstly, congratulations @R15M_Rider on your possession!

Originally Posted by R15M_Rider

3. Overall the service cost ranged roughly from 2k to max of 4.6k. The 3rd service involved a brake-pad replacement and a chain replacement due to worn out and rusting issues which pushed the price quite a bit.

4. Additionally, over almost two years of ownership, the radiator fans required replacing twice due to failure. I heard this is a common problem in R15 V4 generation, if anyone of you has idea about this, please let me know.

- Glad that your first set of brake pads lasted upto 3rd service. My R15 v4's brake pads were replaced during the first service itself. I was unaware that I used to rest (unknowlingly) my foot on the rear brake pedal. The second set of brake pads are still giving me the much required bite!

- The radiator failure is totally new for me and that too on a brand new R15. I never encountered this issue, thankfully!

Originally Posted by R15M_Rider

Pros:

1. An absolute gem of an engine. 155cc doesn't seem like a world of power, but the engineering that has gone into this, the refinement and when the VVA kicks in, that feel is in another league! Dual nature of the engine is a treat to experience and gives the best of both worlds- mileage and power. 18.4 BHP at 10K RPM and surge of power is best to be felt rather than explained.

4. Handling : This above all is the biggest pro for this machine. The nimbleness, the forgiving nature, and the absolute razor sharp precision on offer, definietely nothing to complain about. The committed riding posture with clip on handle bars though was painful initially, actually adds a world of value in the handling aspect. USD forks must be having a role too, but since I have never ridden a geared motorcycle apart from an R15M / R15 V4, I can't comment on this. High speed stability is evident, have pushed upto 120 kph on empty stretch of ECR for brief period and no sign of strain / discomfort was observed.

5. Exhaust Note : IMO, this has one of the sweetest exhaust notes in this segment. Combined with the refinement, even at low speeds I love it so much!

7. Build Quality: Its solid as expected. Quality of plastics used and overall fit and finish is good. While I have heard of rusting issues, personally while there are some areas of rust, namely in the tool section under the seat, I didn't face a huge problem despite being around 500m from the beach.

- This 155 cc engine is a beast in the segment (subjective). Not saying this because I own one but the legacy R15 (v1 to v4) has retained in the market is the answer to this.

- Like you mentioned, R15 can enter/exit narrowest of the gaps like water flowing out of any path it finds. Be it during back-to-back city traffic or high-speed highway cruise. Manoeuvrability and the way it handles the handlebar feedback is what makes me fall in love more with this machine!

- When buying an R15, I felt the exhaust note is not that good. I was wrong until recently when I brought a GoPro and after I listened the exhaust note of the POV riding video, man, exhaust sounds like music to ears. Also, people do notice a roaring R15 on highways: for the looks and the exhaust note!

- No comments on the build comment. But, the bike I own had few rust spots near to the chassis joint on either sides. Neither I could point this out during the delivery due to my excitement. But, this can be corrected either professionally from outside or maybe using a Spray Paint of same color.

Originally Posted by R15M_Rider

Cons:
4. Battery drain if kept idle for more than a week happened once. Apparently this was caused by Yamaha Bluetooth Y-Connect. Once it was removed. issue hasn't occurred so far. I never cared for this feature anyway.

Riding Gear :

1. Helmet : I used to use a generic Vega Helmet for a year, until I got myself an MT Hummer MIR :

2. Riding Gloves : Used a pair of Rynox Gravel Dualsport Gloves

until I switched to Dainese X-Moto Gloves image attached below. A bit overkill and expensive, but I tend to try and get the best wherever possible. With helmet and gloves being something I daily use.

Riding Jacket- Rynox Helium GT 2 Jacket :

- To the point: service advisor conveyed me to disconnect the bluetooth connectivity located under the pillion seat. This module drains the battery very quick.

- Nice and unique collection of riding gears though.

Originally Posted by R15M_Rider

Thanks Harsh_sharma, You’re right, the main reason, I came up with this review was due to the lack of reviews on this machine. I found only one presented by sasta_rider who owns a blue R15 V4, and it kind of pushed me to post my experience too.

Glad that my review helped you to go with R15. Welcome to the club!

Few questions to you:
- How are the stock tires (MRF Zappers, right) during the city rides during rain/summer? Are you satisfied with the grip those rubbers offer? I did not like them though, changed to Michelin Road 5 recently. Feels great on curves/highway and wet roads!
- By any chance, do you feel any kind of vibrations from the left handlebars? Since few days, my R15 is giving me some bad vibrations, need to get this checked in coming service.

Anyways, it was a good overall review of this beautiful machine!

Ride safe!
Sud.

[R15M_Rider]

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

Firstly, congratulations @R15M_Rider on your possession!

Thanks sasta_rider! Glad to finally get in touch with a fellow R15 V4 rider

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

- Glad that your first set of brake pads lasted upto 3rd service. My R15 v4's brake pads were replaced during the first service itself. I was unaware that I used to rest (unknowlingly) my foot on the rear brake pedal. The second set of brake pads are still giving me the much required bite!

- The radiator failure is totally new for me and that too on a brand new R15. I never encountered this issue, thankfully!

1. I guess brake pads wear is totally dependent on usage. By third service, my front brake pads were totally shot though, so much that I could hear them making a sort of "rubbing" sound as may call it of the brakes struggling to give any kind of reasonable input. Definitely was a nerve wracking experience a couple of days before service.

2. That is interesting, both my R15M and my brother's R15 V4 had the same issue, on mine it failed twice, while on my brother's it has failed once.

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

- When buying an R15, I felt the exhaust note is not that good. I was wrong until recently when I brought a GoPro and after I listened the exhaust note of the POV riding video, man, exhaust sounds like music to ears. Also, people do notice a roaring R15 on highways: for the looks and the exhaust note!

- No comments on the build comment. But, the bike I own had few rust spots near to the chassis joint on either sides. Neither I could point this out during the delivery due to my excitement. But, this can be corrected either professionally from outside or maybe using a Spray Paint of same color.

1. Yes, I noticed that in your review, and I was quite surprised that you didn't like it. Glad you like it now. Refined Japanese masterclass.

2. I noticed the rat infestation issue in your thread where the wirings were bitten off. That is unfortunate. Glad you got it fixed. Rusting is definitely evident, but I largely notice it in the tools section, under the seat. Outside, not able to spot much that caught my eye/bothered me.

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

- To the point: service advisor conveyed me to disconnect the bluetooth connectivity located under the pillion seat. This module drains the battery very quick.

Finally some point we have in common!

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

Glad that my review helped you to go with R15. Welcome to the club!

Thanks! A small correction, your review pushed me to create a TeamBHP account and a post a review of my R15. I had bought it before I saw your review actually. Infact, I closely followed your thread silently and I still do!

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

- How are the stock tires (MRF Zappers, right) during the city rides during rain/summer? Are you satisfied with the grip those rubbers offer? I did not like them though, changed to Michelin Road 5 recently. Feels great on curves/highway and wet roads!
- By any chance, do you feel any kind of vibrations from the left handlebars? Since few days, my R15 is giving me some bad vibrations, need to get this checked in coming service.

1. Yes, MRF Zappers only, Honestly, I didn't find an issue related to grip, I have ridden it in very wet conditions, and I didn't feel any kind of discomfort. But at the same time, I have only done one continuous long distance run of 246 km on ECR at 100-110 kph on some open stretches, with heavy rains along the way too. My daily commutes comprises of wider roads with less curves, so that could be a factor.

2. No, nothing that is noticeable on mine. But, this might sound crazy, but my brother's bike, I always felt it a bit behaved differently. His bike felt more a bit more vibey at times to me atleast, while mine was much smoother. Though I cannot say with 100% certainty. But his pillion seat on his R15 V4 is higher than on my R15M. This point both my brother and my dad agree on. Strange! I tried searching the spec sheet and nowhere does it suggest any kind of height difference between the R15 V4 and the R15M.

Looking forward to your thread updates as always. Loved your report on the IBW 2023 ride as well.

Ride Safe!

[R15M_Rider]

A Short Ride and An Experiment to capture the exhaust note

Hi BHPians!

I took my R15 today for a short ride of around 60 km(round trip of 120), to a location in the outskirts of South Chennai, on the Thiruporur-Guduvanchery Road. I have already done this ride twice in the past, but documenting it for the first time on TBHP.

The route involves a little bit of ECR, then OMR and finally with rural roads connecting OMR with the GST Road. So it is a nice mix of highways and some twisty back roads. For rides outside of city limits, I always wear my riding jacket, apart from the gloves and of course helmet which I wear always.

Thanks to Pongal holidays, the roads were quite empty as most folks have gone to their native places already and the going was smooth. While I was filling up at Shell petrol station on the ECR, I thought of a way to capture the exhaust note of my bike. Now, I only have my smartphone with me, no GoPro or any standalone audio recording equipment. Wind noise is obviously another issue. So the only thing possible, was starting the recording, keep the phone in my jean's pocket and hope for the best. In the end, the audio quality turned out much better than expected! 40 mins of the exhaust note, captured of both spirited and sedate driving. I hope you guys like it and I am really looking forward to your thoughts! Please let me know in case you're facing problems related to access.

Link : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lSC...zTOYQ0Iaz/view

As soon as I filled up, the engine felt alive! The R15 was starving a bit(1 bar on the fuel gauge in display before filling up), and as soon as I filled her up, the engine response was transformed. You can sense this in the audio clip shared below as recording starts after the fill up. On empty stretches, the VVA band was always in business. The true dual nature of the engine is felt here. The soft and sweet note in the low-mid end, the initial grunt of the mid-top range and the raspy scream at the top end post 7500 RPM. Going even on such short rides truly connect you with the bike. The same bike which is capable of smoothly going without complaining at 40 in 3rd-4th gear in traffic, shows the other side of absolutely giving it all when you ask for it. Days like these make you realize as I mentioned in the initial review, 155cc is just a number, the way it is delivered, the drama, the excitement and the satisfaction is all that matters in the end. The proof of a soul within the machine. It is clear, with each km, the more and more attached I am getting with this machine. Can't imagine, how amazing this will be if I get a chance to try on a race track.

While empty highway stretches let me reach speeds of 100-110 kph, the real fun is indeed in the backroads, though at much lower speeds, the corners are where the R15 comes into its own. Really hope to tackle a ghat section with hairpins one day!

After reaching :



After spending around 2 hours, it was time to return in the evening, and for once I got to experience a dimly lit road(previous rides on this route were in the day) with hardly any lights to test out the R15's projector LED. Honestly, not up to the mark. I did have to pay a lot more attention of the road. The single projector headlight looks beautiful for the design, but really it is not adequate for night riding, especially roads without street lights. So, those who do night riding on non-lit highways, I would highly recommend to get additional/auxiliary lights, else avoid riding at night all together.

Overall, it was a nice short trip, with the highlight being of a good audio clip which I am pretty pleased with. Would love to hear your thoughts on this and who knows, for people who consider exhaust note to be a major factor in their purchase decisions, I hope this helps! Frankly, I would love to hear your machine's exhaust notes too, if you're willing to share.

A well deserved rest after 120 km ride of bliss



Wishing you all a very Happy Pongal/Makar Sankranti.

Ride Safe!