Lets start with a bit of recent History.

Back in the year 2011, when young Indians (by age and at heart) had just started getting tired of the old YZF R15, Yamaha released yet another bombshell, the subsequent successor to the older R15, the YZF R15 Version 2.0. And boy did it live up-to its mark, rather it actually was way better than anyone had ever expected it to be. The way it looked was a class apart. The ergonomics were different, or simply said, better. This motorcycle pretty much managed to outshine any of the competitions – any it may have had in the Indian market back then. It looked meaner, faster and way advanced than its predecessor in every way. Even though the front looked pretty much the same, Yamaha had completely refurbished the side cowls and pretty much everything else.

The new split seats gave it a way sportier look along with the LED tail lamps, wider tires, specially the rear one which had been replaced with 130/70 R17 compared to the thinner 100/80 that the earlier ones were provided with. The new lighter aluminum swing-arm was a great addition to the motorcycle along with the elevated exhaust outlet. The more aggressive seating position was meant to give you the feel of an all round sports motorcycle. It was every adrenaline junkie’s wildest dream back then.

So Anyway….

Today I’ll be telling you all about owning the YZF R15 Version 2 and I’ll let you into a couple of insider secrets too. On one fine evening in the month of July in 2013, after a lot of research and survey I had finally set my mind on the fact that I wanted to upgrade to the new YZF R15 (Invincible Black). Me being a passionate rider, who has always cared about the adrenaline rush rather than the comfort, have never quite regretted that decision since then. I’ve rode it for 7761 kilometers since then and I could say that I have enjoyed each and every kilometer of it. Simply put, it’s a mad man’s apprentice.

It’s unbelievably quick, it has the looks to kill for, it’s pretty fuel efficient and it can go almost anywhere. It has the same engine and torque specifications as the earlier version which I also used to own, the same 149.8 cc. engine that produces 16.8 Bhp of raw power that is more than enough to blow a sane person’s mind away. It also has the same output figures as the older one and can go upto almost 147 kmph if it’s in the right hands.

Starting off at the looks, well, it has the looks which can even make your first crush go gaga over it and make your best friend jealous of you. I never liked the black side cowl so I colored them a bright orange which people seemed to like instantly.

Technical Review:

The dual headlights don’t seem to work as good as they look though. Personally speaking, they could have been brighter and you might face problems if you’re riding at night specially in highways where there is almost no light whatsoever. Same goes for the seat – If you’re looking for comfort with a pillion in the back, you’ll have to shake that dream off. The motorcycle can be a real pain if you’ve got a pillion behind you specially if he/she is a bit on the heavier side. The acceleration seems to drastically lower if you’ve got someone heavy on the backseat. Plus the hard backseat can be a pain in the arse (literally).

But riding alone is a breeze, I’d actually say that this motorcycle is supposed to be ridden alone if you want to savor what lies within all that expensive bodywork. This bike will give you the feeling of going fast, where you’re riding at 40kmph or 140kmph if you know how to ride it properly. Though if you want to wade through traffic, it’s wide body can be a problem and the motorcycle tends to heat up if you’ve been using the wet multiplate clutch constantly for prolonged periods of time. The open chain seems to attract a lot of dirt and gravels always. I try to clean it from time to time since it effects performance noticeably if there’s too much dirt or mud on it which tends to be such a hectic process since there is no double stand. I’ve always used Motul Chain Lubricant but I don’t think other brands would be bad either.
Engine Maintenance:

If we’re talking about engine oils I’d say the factory assigned Yamaha Lube should be best but, me, I use Valvoline 4 Stroke Motorcycle Oil, but that’s just me. It just gives the motorcycle a crisp feel which can be pretty addictive. But I used Motul 3000 4T plus earlier on the version one and it worked like a charm too. The air filter hasn’t needed to be changed yet and has been running perfectly normal for the past year. The engine oil filter which seems really costly at around 145 bucks a pop also needs replacement with every subsequent oil change which I’ve done every 800 kilometers or so. The spark plugs are also running nice and smooth though I feel that after 10,000 kilometers a change might just be necessary. Keeping atleast half a tank of gas is also recommended. These things kept in mind, I’d say, for an average rider, it’ll provide a mileage of about 28 kmpl in city roads and about 40 kmpl plus on the open highways. That’s about all you need to know about maintaining a YZF R15 Version 2 I believe.

Strictly as an Enthusiastic Owner:

I know it might not be the most comfortable ride ever, or the most pocket friendly ride of all times but you have to keep this in mind that the reason behind buying this bike was neither one of those, it was about the fun, thrill, looks and border-lining that you’ve always dreamt of, and this bike seems to be performing more than good at those. The wider tires give you so much more confidence while going into a corner at high speeds. I’ve done a lot of highway riding on it and I don’t think there is a single complaint I might have. The latest front Telescopic suspension and rear Linked type Mono-cross suspension is such a comfort whilst riding within cities and on the highway. The 6-speed gearbox can make highway riding as smooth as it gets. There will probably be no moment during a ride when you might be asking it for anything more than it’s already doing.

The YZF R15 is the classic story of The Beauty and The Beast except the fact that here, both have combined into this screamer of a motorcycle.

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