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.
