Deonta
07-02-2009, 05:55 AM
When Yamaha launched their R15 in India about a year ago, it created a revolution in the biking scene in our country. Simply staring at the R15 made people go gaga over its superbike styling. But it wasn't just down to the looks, the R15 was a thoroughbred performance bike. However, this Indian Performance Bike of the Year 2008 was criticised for its performance in city riding conditions, where its lack of low end grunt and riding position tended to be a tad uncomfortable. But how about riding for kilometres and kilometres, whizzing past mountains, lakes, forests, going flat out on the highways, not to reach from point A to B but for the pleasure of the journey itself?
That is the concept of sport touring. And I had a black R15 with me, begging me to prove this. I'm on my black R15, riding uphill. I come to the nth hairpin corner .... 'This can't be hard', clutch, downshift and I zip past the hairpin. The same happens for every other corner on the way, the liquid cooling preventing the engine from overheating even in those high revs, and I eventually make it to the top with ease. After clicking some of those photos you see on these pages. I get back on my bike for the downhill section. The next forty-odd kilometres I did on this bike proved to be my most memorable biking experience till date.
2955
Unlike the uphill stretches, going downhill is always a bit dicey especially if you are fast. When you always have the luxury to correct yourself if you overshoot a corner while going uphill, by lifting off, riding downhill leaves you with no room for error. And with its pin sharp handling and excellent dynamic ability the R1S proved to be a gem of a machine. Braking is again decisive when negotiating downhill turns; this also proved to be superlative on the R1S. The riding comfort on the R 1 5 proved to be relatively good considering the stiff suspension. The riding position, though more suited for the track, just needs getting used to after which you will probably have little to complain about.
So is it a good bike to go touring on? Well the R1S's got almost everything right in this sense, but bring in a bad broken patch of tarmac and you will sweat to negotiate it. The skinny (but very grippy) tyres and the low handle do not help here. And sadly the majority of our country's roads are in this state. So if you can overlook that, bring in the Yamaha and it will never cease to amaze you.
That is the concept of sport touring. And I had a black R15 with me, begging me to prove this. I'm on my black R15, riding uphill. I come to the nth hairpin corner .... 'This can't be hard', clutch, downshift and I zip past the hairpin. The same happens for every other corner on the way, the liquid cooling preventing the engine from overheating even in those high revs, and I eventually make it to the top with ease. After clicking some of those photos you see on these pages. I get back on my bike for the downhill section. The next forty-odd kilometres I did on this bike proved to be my most memorable biking experience till date.
2955
Unlike the uphill stretches, going downhill is always a bit dicey especially if you are fast. When you always have the luxury to correct yourself if you overshoot a corner while going uphill, by lifting off, riding downhill leaves you with no room for error. And with its pin sharp handling and excellent dynamic ability the R1S proved to be a gem of a machine. Braking is again decisive when negotiating downhill turns; this also proved to be superlative on the R1S. The riding comfort on the R 1 5 proved to be relatively good considering the stiff suspension. The riding position, though more suited for the track, just needs getting used to after which you will probably have little to complain about.
So is it a good bike to go touring on? Well the R1S's got almost everything right in this sense, but bring in a bad broken patch of tarmac and you will sweat to negotiate it. The skinny (but very grippy) tyres and the low handle do not help here. And sadly the majority of our country's roads are in this state. So if you can overlook that, bring in the Yamaha and it will never cease to amaze you.