New Yamaha R15M Spotted, Looks Production-ready

The R15M will be a more premium and better-specced variant of the R15 

[Update: Yamaha YZF-R15 Version 4.0, R15M Launched, Prices Start At Rs 1.68 Lakh]

Yamaha had recently filed approval documents for the 2021 R15 and R15M. Now, the new R15M has been spotted hinting at an imminent launch. The bike gets an R7-inspired fascia, new styling, and more premium suspension. 

While we’re still wrapping our heads around Yamaha Motor India’s document filing for the new R15 and the R15M, the latter has been spotted in the flesh. Or that’s what our surmise is. We’ll tell you why.

The leaked image seems to be from a dealer preview event as the motorcycle stands tall in the spotlight, revealing quite a lot, really. The first thing that catches your eye here is the all-new Yamaha R7-inspired front fascia with a single LED projector and sleek LED DRLs. And complementing it is a gleaming golden USD fork and more muscular fairings. 

Now, to why we think this bike could be the R15M. Well, first, there’s the swanky Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP-inspired paint job, similar to what we have on the FZ 25 and the MT-15. In addition, we feel the standard R15 could come with either a telescopic fork or a black USD instead of a golden one, thus helping differentiate between the standard and the ‘M’ variant.

Of course, there’s also the possibility of Yamaha only launching this new design as the R15M for now, keeping the YZF R15 V3 as the more accessible model. This makes sense, considering the bike maker had previously done so by launching the YZF R15S as a more affordable alternative to the R15 V2. Similarly, the R15 V3 could serve as the relatively inexpensive alternative here as we expect the R15M to have a premium price tag, thanks to its premium components. Now, if the R15M is well-received, then Yamaha could stick with this fascia and introduce an R15 V4 in the future. Whatever the case, we will find out soon as from the image, the motorcycle seems all set for the road. 

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Styling aside, another talking point will be the bike’s power. You see, the approval documents revealed that the new R15s will employ the same 155cc single-cylinder motor but putting 18.35PS and 0.27PS less than before. Less power for more money isn’t really ideal, but we do hope Yamaha has changed the mapping or torque curve to make the new R15 feel more lively so you can look past the drop in power. 

However, the new R15 has the same wheelbase, length, width, and height as the current model, and will also come with the same MRF tyres and split-seat setup, as revealed in the leaked photo.

Taking all this into account, we expect the new R15M to be priced at about Rs 6,000 - Rs 7,000 more than the R15 V3. For reference, the R15 V3 currently retails at Rs 1.56 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Considering Yamaha might also equip it with Bluetooth connectivity, this price point seems justified for the new R15.