Yamaha MT-15-based ADV In The Works?

If the rumours are true, this motorcycle will be Yamaha’s smallest adventure tourer

• The upcoming bike could bear the Tracer, Yamaha’s product family of sport tourers, moniker.
• The render is based on the Yamaha MT-15.
• Yamaha could unveil a concept model at this year’s EICMA show in November.

Rumours are running rife that Yamaha is working on a small-capacity ADV. It is reported that this motorcycle will be based on the MT-15, and it could bear the Tracer moniker. For the uninitiated, the Tracer range comes under Yamaha's sport touring lineup, based on the MT-09. And if the rumours are true, this motorcycle would be the smallest road-biased ADV from Yamaha. Expect Yamaha to unveil the concept at this year’s EICMA show in November.

This rendering by Cxrider draws inspiration from both the international-spec MT-15 and the Tracer. It features long-travel inverted forks with muscular Tracer-like tank extensions and headlamp, and the handlebars get knuckle guards as well. The rear seems to remain unchanged.

Also Read: Yamaha YZF-R15 V3.0: Same Price, Other Options

However, the displacement is unknown so far. Reports are that it would either be a 125cc or 150cc motorcycle. Interestingly, Honda dabbled in the small-capacity ADV segment last year by unveiling a 125cc ADV concept. Commissioned by Honda’s R&D centre in Rome, it was intended for beginner riders. We could see the production version at this year’s EICMA and a 125cc ADV from Yamaha seems to be the perfect answer as far as the competition goes. While Honda’s concept is an off-road-centric ADV, we don’t know what kind of approach Yamaha would take. However, if Yamaha plonks a 125cc engine, it would restrict the bike’s availability to the European market, and it doesn’t exactly makes sound business sense.

If Yamaha makes a 150cc ADV based on the MT-15, it could do really well in regions like South East Asia and even Latin America. That’s because there’s a huge demand for such bikes in these developing markets. Moreover, thanks to VVA (Variable Valve Actuation) technology, the 155cc powerplant is adequately powerful. To give you a perspective, the MT-15 makes slightly more power than the Hero Xtreme 200R which comes with a bigger 199.6cc engine.

Yamaha is unlikely to launch such a motorcycle in India as the ADV segment is still in its nascent stages. Hero already offers the XPulse 200, a potent machine in the entry-level ADV space, at a competitive price of just Rs 97,000 (ex-showroom Delhi).

Source: tmcblog.com