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Yamaha R15 V2.0 VS HONDA CBR 150R

Entry-level performance motorcycles are gaining popularity in India. When Yamaha launched the R15 way back in 2008, it created a revolution of sorts. Three years later, the upgraded Version 2.0 of the Yamaha R15 was launched and Honda took notice. The Japanese automaker surprised everyone at the 2012 Auto Expo by unveiling the new Honda CBR150R. Both these machines are very similar yet different. While the Yamaha R15 is priced at Rs. 1.35 lakhs, the Honda CBR150R is priced at Rs. 1.55 lakhs (all prices on-road, Mumbai). Yet it’s difficult to choose either one of them.
Styling - The new Yamaha YZF-R15 V2.0 is an absolute cracker when it comes to design, with the R6 inspired tail section and the new ‘shelves’ in the front fairing, making it look fresh and energetic. While the Honda CBR150R looks conservative and the design is inspired by its elder sibling of the family. Every part is smaller than that of its elder sibling. The headlight, stubby exhaust, the smaller tail light and tyres makes it definitely look like a smaller CBR, which makes the bike a head turner too. With its distinct graphics and colors options, it stands out in the crowd. But the beauty pageant award goes to the Yamaha R15.

Instrument Cluster and Switch Gear - Both bikes have an analog tachometer and a digital speedometer but here again the R15 scores with its high quality switch gear and host of features it has to display on its instrument cluster. The switch gear in the CBR150R is massive disappointment because it’s a straight lift from small capacity bikes of the Honda stable and lacks the engine kill switch. The pass light switch looks decades old too. The Honda CBR150R makes do with a temperature gauge and digital clock to display apart from the regular trip-meter and fuel meter. But the CBR150R’s digital console shines with an all around piano black finish and in the night the RPM needle glows very brightly. This grabs the attention of the commuters around you.

Performance - Both the CBR150R and R15, come with the 150cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 4-valve engines and this is where the similarities end. While the R15 comes with an SOHC engine, the CBR150R comes with a DOHC unit. This is the sole reason which makes these bikes poles apart. The R15 produces 17 PS of power at 8000 RPM and 15 Nm Of torque at 7500 RPM which you might think is pretty high in the revv range. The CBR150R produces a power of 18 PS at a whooping 10,500 RPM and a low 12.66 Nm of torque at 8500 RPM, which on paper makes the CBR150R slower than the R15 because they weigh almost the same and power comes at very high RPM.
But as soon as these bikes get on the road, things change. Once the Honda CBR150R crosses 7000 RPM, it makes all its power and below 6000 RPM it’s as good as dead and the engine is tuned for drive-ability rather than performance in city. But no matter what, the RPM stays around 4000-5000, so you can easily make progress by shifting at around 7000-8000 RPM in city. Tall gearing of the CBR150R makes the engine easily rev to a stratospheric 11,700 RPM redline where it makes all its power and is faster than the R15 to 0-100 km/hr by 1 second, but slower than the R15 when it comes to 0-60 km/hr. The CBR150R reminds one of the VTEC, the technology found in Honda’s cars which no doubt makes it a pick for those fun track days or cornering hard on a winding twisty roads.
The Yamaha R15 is more practical bike to live with, when it comes to drive-ability in city. It has superior low end torque when compared to the Honda CBR150R. The screaming SOHC engine is also a hoot to ride and loves to redline. But it lacks the fun quotient which the CBR150R gives while riding hard. The new V2.0 is tuned to be a much friendly street bike than the older one which was specifically made with track performance in mind. The R15 and CBR150R even have the same top speed but it is the baby CBR which will put a wide grin on your face when you’re riding hard.

Riding Dynamics - Let’s come to brakes first, both have front and rear disc brake setup and both have superb brakes, offering great feedback enabling them to come to a halt exactly where you want them to. It’s because the dimensions, weight and the disc diameter are identical. Ride quality on both motorcycles is good, both bikes dismiss small bumps very easily, but it’s the bigger bumps which make the rider uncomfortable because of the dedicated riding position offered by both these bikes. The riding position on the CBR150R is spot on. It is comfortable for those long trips once you get used to the bike and gives good feedback to the rider too.
But it’s the Yamaha R15 with its aggressive riding position which gives massive feedback to the rider and makes the rider push harder and harder into corners every single time. The V2.0 has had lot of changes when it comes to dynamics. The weight distribution has been changed with more weight on the front, extra long wheelbase thanks to the aluminum swing arm and the fatter front and the rear tyre. All this has made the bike more stable around the corners than before but it takes a bit more effort than before to turn because of the 55 mm increase in wheelbase. It’s no slouch but it doesn’t feel agile in changing directions like the previous version.
The Honda CBR150R though has 1305 mm wheelbase and with a fairly dedicated position and twin tube diamond frame chassis handles beautifully, front suspension has a bit more travel then we expected. However, it’s still fun to chuck into corners and is easy when coming out of the corner at high speeds because of the top end power it generates with utmost ease, a true CBR characteristic. But it’s the tyres which are a complete let down, switching to soft compound tyres of the same dimensions will generate more confidence in the rider. Both bikes should check the rear suspension as the factory settings come on extremely softer side.

Verdict - If you enjoy riding, want the practical pillion seat and if budget permits, then go for the Honda CBR150R. But, if you would be riding solo most of the time and you have a tight budget and still want a stylish motorcycle with high quality levels and low end torque for your daily commute, then go for the Yamaha R15. After all, these bikes are very similar when it comes to measuring performance and dynamics but what you need to choose is which of these bikes characteristic suit your needs.

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how to maintain your bike- easy ways

In the automobile segment, there is a huge need for proper education, which dealers never provide. By education, we mean the knowledge on proper maintenance and operational habits, care of the machine and so on, this is because of the fact that they are more oriented towards achieving a particular sales target and in the process forget about providing the new owner with useful information. Its actually rare to find someone who has been educated at the time of purchase about various aspects of the vehicle he is purchasing.

There was a time when 2 stroke engines ruled the roads and if you had a plan to buy a machine back then, the dealer would have said a lot about the machine even before you actually bought it, But they frequently missed out on informing the new buyer, after he has purchased the vehicle, about the grade of oil to be used in the engine. This reportedly caused a number or engine seizures as the owner simply did not have knowledge and caution on the type of oil to use.

All vehicles, be it big or small, need great care for extended service life and reliability, you would know that not everyone around is directly or indirectly related to the automobile arena so hence a lot of them would just simply follow the principle of ‘fill it, shut it, forget it’.

Each machine has a lot of moving parts and the reality is that most of them depend on each other for proper functioning, if one of them were to fail, then the resulting event would be like a chain reaction which would lead to failures of different kinds. There are spares which can and cannot be serviced and maintained by the average person, some of the spares which can be maintained also happen to be crucial components, they, can also be taken care of quite easily simply with a little spare time and a few basic tools at most.

So how can I maintain the bike myself, you might wonder? Well, here is a list of things which can you can take care of.

• Main chain and sprocket
• Battery pack
• Greasing of joints
• Adjustment of Brakes
• Washing
• Adjustment of Control levers
• Adjustment of Hinges (if any).

The above is applicable for almost all kinds of two wheelers. So, come on let’s begin with the DIY…

Main Chain & Sprocket

This is a really important part of the bike, and as you might know, the bike won’t move at all if it’s in bad condition. During the monsoons, bike that have an open chain and sprocket against a covered one would need regular oiling, but at the same time, oiling for a closed chain and sprocket can be done just once in two weeks or something. The conventional way for lubricating chains was by using molten grease. This procedure was quite lengthy and used to take almost 12 hours to complete the job. But now you get special sprays for lubricating the chain system.

Along with the sprays, engineers would also advice on greasing the chain. But an open chain system requires either grease or spray due to the fact that grease or oil is a real magnet for dust and dirt; you might realize this when you look at a well greased chain after a week or so of riding. The usual interval for greasing the chain varies depending on the weather and the riding conditions. It’s usually recommended to grease it once in one or two weeks.

For people who can’t seem to find sprays, or prefer another way of doing it, follow the directions below. There are two methods that I’m explaining here:

1st method: Remove the chain from the machine; Dip it in clean diesel for at least 5-6 hrs. Then use the brush (plastic type bristles) for cleaning the mud out of it, and then re-wash it in clean diesel. If possible, hand it for about 2-3 hours to allow the diesel to drip out of the chain. This process would make the joints and the links on the chain free and smooth, the next step would be to dip the chain in EP90 oil or in 20W40 engine oil. There is no need to buy expensive or branded oils for it. You can buy oil which could be affordable, because the ultimate aim is to clean and lubricate the chain links in order to keep it from rusting, coming back to where we left off, after dipping it in the oil keep it that way for 4-5 hrs. And then allow it to hand in order for the oil to drip away, after you have done all of the above, simply install the chain back onto the machine.

2nd method: This is a more common method used for chain cleaning. Follow the same steps as above until the part where you allow the diesel to drip off from the chain, after that, take about half a kilogram of AP3 grease and heat it up so that it turns into a molten liquid. After its liquid enough, pour the same onto the chain and wait till the grease turns solid. After making sure that the grease is cold, remove the chain from the drive system and remove all the extra grease by wiping with the help of a soft cloth. This would make the chain ready to use again and so you can install it back on to the machine.

Battery

This happens to be an essential spare in a two wheeler. On our Indian roads, the horn and warning lights are an important element, these systems require the battery for functioning.

A battery is made up of lead, which is dipped in acid water. Acid water also means electrolyte, this means that the battery acid can actually damage the paint job and cause corrosion to other parts as well, so when you handle a battery, make sure you do so with care. Also, one common problem that batteries face is the oxidation or terminals. Each battery has a positive(+) and negative (-) terminal and overtime, the reactions in the battery cause these terminals to oxidize and that in turn reduces the voltage it can deliver.

So, how this can be avoided? Well in the market there are special sprays available for battery terminals. ‘Battery Coat’ is the best spray in my opinion and this can be sprayed on the terminals to remove or avoid oxidation. The spray avoids the terminals from direct contact to the air. If the spray is not readily, available then the best and the most conventional way to solve this problem is by using VASELINE petroleum jelly. By applying some amount of petroleum jelly the oxidation will not take place. The main drawback of this jelly is that it has a low melting point and during summer seasons, you might find that you need to do it a little often.

Greasing Points

Control levers, brake springs, brake pedals are some of the common points where its advisable to apply grease. Different climates also dictates the use of different types of lubrication. When it rains, it would be unadvisable to use oil for lubrication as it would get washed away easily. Grease would be the best for the monsoon. In summer as we know the temperature is high and its usually always dry. Generally air flows with dust particles. So in summer using oil is the best option for some of the spares. In rains, generally, the temperature becomes very low. At this time greasing would be the best option rather than oiling. Grease attracts dust very fast and could create resistance in moving parts.

Brake Adjustment

This process is very simple and can save you a lot more than money. Every vehicle would have its own basic tool kit. Generally all motorcycles, scooters have 13mm nut size for adjusting the rear brakes. A suitable tool for this bolt would be in the tool kit. There needs to be a little caution applied when tightening the brakes as a tight setting can jam the brakes and cause a lot of problems like engine and brake overheating and also low mileage, at the same time a loose brake setting can slow your reaction time down. So adjust it as required.

Washing

One of my friends used to wash his Bullet for at least 6-7 hours. Well yes 6-7 hours, wondering why? Passion. He used to wash with brush, diesel, cleaning soap etc.

Many washing centers simply use a soap mixture and a dirty towel (which can really scratch your paint job). They would just do it for the money. You, on the other hand, know your vehicle well and so it would be easy for you to clean it, here are a few tips that can help you. Oil stains can be removed easily by using solvents like diesel or kerosene. First spray some water on the machine and then use diesel or kerosene. Then spray water for cleaning it. If you own a new machine, you can keep its paint looking like that everytime by following some simple steps. Use a soft, clean towel and try to wash the mud (on the painted parts) out rather than scrape it off. Also, as much as possible, use a Ph neutral shampoo. Look on the label before purchasing it. After washing don’t forget to oil or grease the joints or parts as told above. Avoid greasing or oil before wash as it may become useless.

Control Levers

These levers are made up of some kind of alloys. But since it is a moving part that a rider would use frequently, make sure you grease the joints well.

Hinges

These are usually found on Royal Enfield Bullets and Honda scooters. These hinges always require oil and rust cleaner spray to keep rust away and they can break loose if not well maintained.

I have explained how you can easily maintain your bike rather than spend money by sending it to the workshop. No dealer would keep reminding the rider to service the bike all the time. These are factors which the riders would need to keep track of in order for the machine to be in service flawlessly for a long time and always remember, respect the machine, the machine respects you.

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