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Got to ride the Yamaha YZF R One Five tonight for around 4 kms around my home. It is brand new and still in the running period, having less than 300kms on the clock. So, do not expect to hear what top speeds it can do, or if I got my knee down around the block. Sitting on the R15, reminded me (again!) of how small the bike was. Kavitha wanted to hitch a ride behind me but I wanted to check it out alone first. The bike is quiet and when you hit the self starter the Liquid Cooled engine settles into a steady idle. I was asked to keep it below 5000rpm, as that's what has been prescribed for the first 500kms. 7,000rpm up until 750kms and then you can open up. But, then I am a bit skeptical about opening it up without atleast 1000kms on the odometer. So, getting back, what I can tell you is, its absolutely difficult to curtail the tempatation to not exceed 5k becuase the engine starts pulling slightly at 4k. Below 3k rpm, the engine has nothing and you'll be better off shifting down to avoid embarassing stalls. 5k on the meter corresponds to about 60-65 in 5th gear (there's one more gear to go). You can do a comfortable 70kmph in 6th gear at the bottom of the powerband, which is great for just cruising around.  Yamaha YZF R15, it sure would look good at home... The braking and handling of this is just top notch. I did hit the front brake hard once to just see the stability of the bike and I was impressed. Not skittish or noodly feeling. It was very composed and shed speed with amazing confidence. Even at 60kmph, it is really easy to cut through late evening traffic without having to think about the bike not going where you point it. The tyres seem to be upto the job, and underheavy braking, I didn't get any skip or skid. I went no where near the limits, so, cannot imagine how it would be on the race track. But that said, the tread pattern is a near identical copy of the Bridgestone Battlax BT 031ss which has been the staple tyre for the guys who could afford it (read as Factory TVS and Yamaha teams and a few rich/ guys with contacts in South East Asia) in the National Championship scene. Comfort on the bike is something I will not delve into in detail, because 4-5kms is nothing to gauge comfort. I must have looked a bit ridiculous doing a full tucked position at only 60kmph on Bannerghatta road, but due to the small nature of the bike, it did feel a bit cramped. For normal city riding (in which you won't be fully tucked in all the time) it should not be a problem at all, even for 6 footers. You can also change the position of the handlebars probably for more comfort. The seat is firm and relatively comfortable. Almost every single bike rider I went past did a double take at it and rode up next to it to look at it. When I pulled up into a signal, there were vehicles already, and given its almost no sound, it took a while for the others to realise that I had pulled in. But once they say it, they just couldn't take their eyes off it. So, whatever Yamaha's Marketing department wants us to beleive (about this being an all out performance machine), this is going to be a big hit as a poser and it is full paisa vasool on that front. So, that's what I have to say after a lazy ride on the R15 with me in office formals and my wife in her home wear chappals! But hey, don't be surprised, thats how most people are going to be riding it, most of the time. Kavitha's told me that she'll add what she has to say about her her pillion ride on the bike. I'll keep updating this as I get to ride the R-15 more and probably more aggressively. Keep checking! |
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