Yamaha released the gorgeous retro roadster, the XSR155, in the international markets, namely Thailand and Indonesia, back in 2019, and since then, Team Blue fans in India have been clamouring for its release. Well, collective prayer apparently seems to work, as after a long wait of 6 years, it is finally here, and it looks every bit as exquisite as it did in the overseas photos. The best bit is the price, though, as the recent GST reforms mean that the price of the MT-15, on which the XSR155 is based, has been reduced from ₹1.80 lakh to ₹1.65 lakh, and as the XSR155 is more affordable than the MT-15, it costs just ₹1.50 lakh ex-showroom.
Just like the MT-15, the XSR155 gets the famed deltabox frame, suspended on USD forks up front and the forged banana-shaped swingarm at the rear, while the 155cc liquid-cooled four-valve single cylinder is virtually identical to the unit in the MT-15, complete with Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) and delivering 18.3PS and 14.2Nm. It gets the same 6-speed transmission along with dual-channel ABS and traction control. It also comes with a slip-and-assist clutch.
It was easy to forget that Yamaha also launched an affordable yet sporty variant of the FV, called the FZ-RAVE, which has a similar headlamp as could have been found on the BS6 version of the FZ25. Offered in two different colours, both with vermillion wheels, the FZ-RAVE is otherwise identical to Yamaha’s best-selling motorcycle of recent past (in fact, the only Yamaha two-wheeler that outsells the FZ is the Ray-ZR). This one costs ₹1.17 lakh ex-showroom, and is the NINTH entry in the Yamaha FZ line-up, which already has eight other variants on offer. Targeted more at younger buyers with a limited budget who nevertheless want styling elements of the MT-15, the same trick Yamaha used with the FZ-X, which gives the customers XSR design elements at a much lower price.
We did ask Yamaha about the long-rumoured XSR300, but they were tight-lipped about it, so no news on that front.
