Could Yamaha RX100 Make A Comeback As An RX150 Based On The MT-15?

Considering the Yamaha XSR155 never made it here, this could be the perfect way for the Japanese brand to make up for it

It has been confirmed that the Yamaha RX100 is making a comeback, albeit in a modern avatar. However, Yamaha has plans to bring the icon back only after 2026. Bringing a 100cc performance-oriented motorcycle so late wouldn’t be a great idea considering how stringent emissions restrictions would be in four years’ time. And what made the original RX100 so loveable was the fact that it was a 2-stroke. So you can just forget about it now!

So if you think about it, the Yamaha MT-15 platform is ripe for the picking if the Japanese bike maker had to bring the icon soon. Of course,  in an even more performance-oriented package. 

Why do we think that way? Here are the reasons:

Standing apart from the crowd:

Back when the Yamaha RX100 was catering to the market in the 1980s and 90s, it always stood apart  from the sea of 100cc commuters. That’s because most of the motorcycles back then were designed to be affordable and frugal. On the other hand, the Yamaha RX100 was a hooligan of a motorcycle, offering best-in-class performance thanks to its punchy motor and light weight. 

Similarly, in the current motorcycle segment, the 150-160cc space is dominated by three kinds of motorcycles. At the bottom tier lie the no-nonsense commuter offerings like the Honda Unicorn, and Bajaj Pulsar 150, whereas bikes like the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Bajaj Pulsar N160 offer a balance of frugality, affordability and performance. The upper echelon of this segment is dominated by the performance-packed Yamaha MT-15. This makes it the perfect candidate for Yamaha to make use of to bring out the modern avatar of the RX100, which could be named the Yamaha RX150.

Could also be the XSR155’s desi sibling:

The Yamaha R15 platform is versatile enough to be used to make bikes that cater to different genres and enthusiasts went nuts when the bikemaker introduced the gorgeous, neo-retro, performance-oriented Yamaha XSR155 in the Southeast Asian markets. We also waited, all starry-eyed, for the bike to be launched here but instead, the Japanese brand gave us the FZ-X based on the already-dated and anaemic Yamaha FZ. Now, the company has a great opportunity to make use of the RX100’s legacy and launch it in a 150cc avatar, based on the Yamaha MT-15.

While the XSR155 is more of a neo-retro motorcycle, Yamaha can go full retro mode with the RX150 and give it spoke wheels, triple pod analogue instrument cluster and perhaps chrome fenders too. That said, the RX150 could still have modern chassis and powertrain borrowed straight from the streetfighter. If Yamaha goes with this approach, it would be acting in a similar fashion to Bajaj, which is expected to launch the Pulsar Classic in the future.

Launching the Yamaha RX150 will offer enthusiasts a great balance of practicality, bragging rights and the motorcycle has the potential to become an instant hit for Yamaha. We hope our prayers come true!