In the Asian market, small-displacement machines reign supreme. Most major manufacturers have small displacement versions of their bigger, more popular models. Ranging from adventure bikes like the Honda CB150X, to naked streetfighters like the Suzuki GSX-S150, and of course, sportbikes like the Yamaha YZF-R15, these bikes provide the same look and feel as their bigger siblings, but in a package that's far more approachable for daily use.
Speaking of which, Yamaha has just launched a new colorway for the YZF-R15 in the Indian market. Dubbed the "Dark Knight," the new color scheme apparently has nothing to do with Batman, and everything to do with giving the little sportbike a stealthier, more elegant aesthetic. It features a dominantly black motif with gold accents on the decals and the alloy wheels. It sort of reminds me of the Raven colorway Yamaha used to employ in the previous generations of the YZF-R6 and YZF-R1.
From a performance perspective, the YZF-R15 retains the same technology as previous iterations. It's powered by Yamaha's tried and tested 155cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine. Touted as a class-leading powerplant in the small displacement scene, this engine has a max output of 18.4 horsepower and 10 pound-feet of torque thanks to Yamaha's Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) technology. Furthermore, the engine is housed in a sportbike-style deltabox frame, and is equipped with a fairly aggressive rider triangle thanks to low clip-ons and rather high rearsets.
The suspension hardware consists of a gold-anodized inverted front fork and a preload-adjustable monoshock at the back. Meanwhile, the bike comes to a stop with front and rear disc brakes equipped with a dual-channel ABS setup.
In terms of pricing and availability, Yamaha offers the new Dark Knight colorway for Rs 182,000, translating to about $2,200 USD per current exchange rates. For reference, the YZF-R15 is also offered in three other colorways consisting of Red, Blue, and Intensity White.
