Yamaha sold more than 13,000 units of R15 V3 in September-Oct. At a time when the RTO department is actually registering a slow down in vehicle registration, the sales figure of R15 V3 are soaring high. As a result, it is our duty to ask ourselves, ‘why this is happening?’. Why a 150cc sportbike is selling more than other 200cc fully faired motorcycles. Well, I may have an answer. The exquisite design:
The Yamaha R15 V3 may have poor quality but its design is certainly outstanding. The bike looks big, mean and capable of almost every task. It has a fresh look which the Indian motorcycling industry hasn’t seen since a long time, especially on a fully faired motorcycle. The fairing, the engine cowl, the lifted tail section may have some quality issues but they look damn good from every angle. It is the kind of bike you’d want to make as your wallpaper. So it is safe to say that Yamaha nailed the styling of this bike.
The ‘Affordable tech’:
Yamaha knew that USD forks would increase the cost of R15 V3 by a respectable amount. So they decided to go for regular telescopic forks. It gave the bike a decent price tag, which justified other upgrades on it, like the VVA and the Slipper clutch. Both of them made riding the R15 V3 a joy, especially in city traffic. The engine size remained the same but the power output increased to 19 HP, resulting in almost 140 km/h of top speed. Despite all this, the bike returns a fuel economy of 45 km/l. That’s why all the upgraded ‘tech’ makes the bike more affordable rather than expensive.
The Dedication:
Yamaha was always clear about the purpose of R15. It was and still is a supersport, as a result, the seating position on it has only been getting sportier as the generations pass. Fans expected R15 V3 to have a purely dedicated racing ergonomics and their expectations were clearly met. This fan service overcame the initial quality issues and resulted in massive growth for the bike.
These are the main reasons that, I think led to the huge success of the bike. Do you agree with these points? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to BikesMedia.
By: Yetnesh Dubey