OD Garage: Yamaha R15 Version 2.0 completes 15,000km
Somethings in life leave an indelible impression. Things that leave you reminiscing long after they are done. For me, one such life event was my time spent with our long term Yamaha . Ever since I first rode it at the BIC, there was a certain curiosity on how it would behave on the road. And I was anything but disappointed. You see the little Yam is quick, eager to change directions and at the same time reasonably stingy at the pumps. It made mincemeat of my torturous 120km (I recently shifted to a new address, hence the 20km increase for those of you keeping track) daily commute. The R15 actually made me look forward to hitting the road every morning. As regular readers are aware, the MRF Revz tyres are super grippy but prone to punctures. After plenty of hunting I had to settle for stock MRFs, and after 3,000km they've already picked up four punctures. A regular maintenance schedule will set you back by around Rs 1,500. But my issue was that you don't get any 'premium attention' despite shelling out nearly Rs 1.4 lakh on the bike. But then I have noticed that bigger service centres tend to give better customer care.
When I first rode the bike, the track-oriented riding position, which was not to everyone's liking for commuting, instantly proved to be a hit with me. You see am 6'4 in boots and while the R15 does look a bit puny, it doesn't however have me in a forward stance. This way my forearms are in a relaxed mode than stressed and I can endure my daily trek to office and back without a sore back or aching arms.
However, the niggles discussed before are easily forgotten thanks to the bike's dynamic and grin-inducing abilities. The R15 has been by far the best long term biking experience I've had. And while I feel bad to let her go, the prospect of the upcoming 250 is mouth watering. I'm already calling dibs on it!
Starts Rs 1,02,700
149cc
5-Speed
12.40
13.60
-NA-
-NA-
150cc
6-Speed
17.00
15.00
-NA-
