Yamaha MT-15

The MT-15 features an aggressive street fighter design which is in line with the design language that we have seen on Yamaha’s higher capacity motorcycles in the MT lineup. The headlight consists of an LED projector and twin LED DRLs that gives the bike a very menacing look. The fuel tank comes with large extensions for a sporty look. The stubby rear section is complemented by a sleek LED tail light, a tyre hugger, and a licence plate holder. The pillion grab rail, while being functional, sticks out like a sore thumb.

The MT-15 comes with the same engine as the R15 but with a different tuning to suit the street fighter character of the motorcycle. The engine is a 155cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder motor that produces 18.4PS at 10,000rpm and 14.1Nm at 7500rpm, working alongside a six-speed transmission along with a slip-and-assist clutch.

The MT-15 also comes with Yamaha’s Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) technology which is meant to balance low-end grunt and top-end drive. But in our tests we noticed a lack of bottom end grunt that persists up to 5500rpm. Where the engine shines is above 7000rpm, thanks to VVA. The engine is also very tractable and maintaining speeds as low 24kmph in 6th gear is quite easy.

Engine’s performance is quite impressive and when it comes to rolling acceleration, the bike is quicker than the R15. Vibrations do persist but they are minimal and only noticeable when riding at the top of the rev range.

Thanks to the low kerb weight of 141kg, the Yamaha MT-15 is easily maneuverable and agile, making it ideal for city traffic. The suspension setup is very stiff and this helps keep the bike planted at higher speeds and also inspires a lot of confidence when cornering.

But the same suspension stiffness makes it really hard to ride on poor roads. Even going over smaller potholes feels troublesome. Overall the ride quality is great only on well-paved roads, but once the roads become a bit rough the rider will struggle.

The brakes are not that impressive and the lack of feedback is very apparent. The bike doesn't get dual-channel ABS and this results in situations where the rear wheel locks up and starts sliding when the brakes are applied suddenly.

In terms of comfort, the MT-15 is able to offer a better experience than the R15 thanks to its relatively upright riding posture. The seat is adequately cushioned but is a bit towards the harder sider, this isn’t a problem in city rides but longer journeys on the highway can cause discomfort. But this isn't a deal breaker as the bike is primarily meant to be a city bike.

When it comes to features, the MT-15 comes equipped with a LCD instrument cluster with bluetooth connectivity. The Yamaha Y-connect smartphone app allows the rider to access features such as call, email and sms alerts along with service reminders, last parked location and other information like average mileage and post-ride stats. Yamaha hasn’t included turn-by-turn navigation which is a bit disappointing. 

If you are looking for a sporty naked bike that can provide good performance and is easy to handle then the MT-15 is a good bike. It’s not really high on features, but for most riders that shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.