- Will be the first made-in-India bike from the MT portfolio.
- Gets LED headlamp and tail lamp.
- Bodywork and seat appear to be the same as the one sold in Thailand.
- Expected to be launched by mid-2019.
We had earlier reported that Yamaha will be introducing the MT-15 for the Indian market. Now, the motorcycle has been spotted testing for the first time on Indian soil. The nu🐻mber plate is registered in Uttar Prad𒊎esh, which is where Yamaha has one of its manufacturing plants.
Going by the spy sho𝓀ts, it’s apparent that Yamaha has done some cost-cutting so that the motorcycle can be priced competitively, presumably below the YZF-R15 v3.0 to make it more alluring. For starters, the brand has equipped the India-bound MT-15 with conventional telescopic forks instead of the USDs on the Thai-spec bike. Another major change is the inclusion of a box-section swingarm instead of the aluminium one as seen on the India-spec R15. Though these two changes should result in a considerable price reduction, we just hope they don’t affect the dynamics of the motorcycle. Even the alloy wheels appear to have been taken from the YZF-R15 version 3.0.
What’s not changed are the bodywork and the single-piece seat. The silhouette of the headlamp also appears to be the same as the Thai-spec model. We expect the Yamaha MT-15 to sport the R15 v3.0’s engine with the same tune. The faired motorcycle makes 19.3PS at 10,000rpm and 14.7Nm at 8500rpm from the 155cc VVA-equipped single-cylinder liquid-cooled motor. I💜t is paired with a 6-speed transmission with assist and slipper clutch. Brakes on the test mule include discs on both ends and should feature dual-channel ABS as well, a la the R15 v3.0.
Expect Yamaha to launch the MT-15 in mid-2019, with a price tag likely a🐎round Rs 1.2 lakh-1.3 lakh (ex-showroo🤡m). When launched, it would be the only 150cc naked motorcycle with a liquid-cooled engine. If our guesstimated price becomes a reality, it would lock horns with the KTM 125 Duke, which costs Rs 1.18 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi.
Image Source: TeamBHP member Mehuel
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