Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Yamaha R15 2010

Turn the ignition on and the engine emanates the most refined The new Yamaha is leaps and bounds ahead of its competition; it's like chalk and cheese, if I maybe allowed to be a little cliched. On the track, all it would take for even the most inexperienced rider to find the humongous difference between the R15 and the rest of the bikes is one lap. Full points to Yamaha boffins for bringing out the most uncompromising track oriented motorcycle without trading off any of the virtues that a street rider desires. It's sporty but not uncomfortably so, revvy but not torquelessly so, small and light but not powerlessly so and its suspension is tuned for great dynamics but not stiffly so.

The footpeg-bar-saddle geometry, the height of the handlebar, the feel of the clutch and brake levers; this bike is extraordinarily well put together in every perceptible way. All the components of the Yamaha R15 work in harmonious unison and right from the time you get astride the bike, it feels 'just right'. It's so technologically advanced, so technically correct, so confidence inspiring, so smooth in its power delivery, so planted with its vice-like grip around corners and so stable with the Deltabox frame working its magic all through that even the clumsiest of riders; the ones who are so slow that they're considering committing suicide; will get hope once they ride it.  The Yamaha R15 is just the right bike for the most horrendous of riders amongst us to hit the racetrack and learn how to ride fast.It also has all the elements that today's youth want including a full-faired body kit, twin cat-eyed headlights, clip-on handlebars, a digital console, a grunty exhaust note and brag rights in terms of acceleration and top speed. So easy that the rider can point and shoot the bike into corners, make an error and still manage to get away with it. It is not only the fastest bike among the lot but the easiest to ride as well. But after the track test, the R15 answered all questions with the most honest explanation any performance bike can give lap time.