Avid readers would know that I’m a huge fan of small displacement sportbikes. Where I’m from, bikes like these simply make tons of sense. For starters, they look super sporty without coming with the neck-snapping power (and wallet-emptying running costs) as their flagship siblings. Additionally, they’re a lot easier to ride, and transform your daily commute into an exhilarating joyride.
All that being said, the entry-level sportbike segment has long been dominated by the Yamaha YZF-R15. Now in its fourth iteration, the R15 is better than ever before, so much so that Yamaha has even released it in special M trim, just like its bigger sibling, the YZF-R1M. The R15M is by far the class-leader in the under-200cc sportbike segment as it boasts features you wouldn’t even find in some 650cc machines. For starters, it gets two riding modes consisting of Track and Street. ABS on both anchors comes standard, but what’s awesome is the fact that this bike gets traction control and even a quick-shifter for seamless upshifts.
Underneath it all, however, lies a very approachable engine. The R15M gets Yamaha’s tried-and-tested 155cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine that churns out 19 horsepower. To make things even better, Yamaha has released an even more special version of the R15M called the World GP 60th Anniversary Edition. Yamaha racing aficionados will instantly recognize this livery as the classic Speed Block design found on Yamaha’s sportbikes. In particular, the motif boasted by the special edition R15M is inspired by the Valencia GP race bike.
The special World GP 60th Anniversary Edition of the Yamaha R15M has been available in several Asian markets such as Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia for some time now. India has also recently received this bike, and gets this as a well-deserved update to Yamaha’s aging street bike model range in the country. As for pricing, it retails for the equivalent of $2,477 USD, a measly $26 dearer than the standard blue and silver YZF-R15M. Surely, this special edition sportbike will be extremely popular both among casual sporty commuters, as well as folks looking to take their machines on the occasional track day.
