India has waited for the Yamaha XSR 155 for close to eight years, and now that it’s here, it seems like an absolute steal. Based on the Yamaha R15 platform, the XSR 155 offers a charming retro design inspired by Yamaha’s legendary motorcycles from yesteryears, but doesn’t behave like one – it is a sports bike in disguise. Built to be lightweight and fuel-efficient, it has enough positives to make buyers of the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 reconsider their decisions. I certainly did so as a Hunter 350 loyalist.
The XSR 155 recently received a price hike for some of its variants, with a new Black colour option available on its priciest variant. Yamaha India lent us the striking red colour variant of the XSR 155 for a couple of days to explore what this lightweight neo-retro roadster has to offer, especially against the likes of the Hunter 350 and the TVS Ronin. Safe to say – the XSR 155 is exactly what most Indian riders have been expecting from this segment for years.
Yamaha XSR 155: Why it matters for India
The retro roadster category has mostly been shaped by Royal Enfield and its legendary 349cc J-series engine, around which rivals like Triumph, TVS and Classic Legends (Jawa and Yezdi) tried to build their alternatives. Royal Enfield’s tuning of its 350cc engine in the Hunter is designed to engage riders within city limits, focusing on delivering a low-end torquey output. Triumph tried a different approach with the Speed T4 by going for a rev-happy tuning while still focusing on a strong midrange. The same goes for the TVS and Jawa-Yezdi motorcycles.Â
What gave the Hunter 350 a huge advantage, though, was its affordable pricing – starting at Rs 1.38 lakh ex-showroom, the Hunter has been accessible to most young riders seeking an easy yet fun city ride. Yamaha tackles this motorcycle directly with the XSR 155.
Unlike the base Hunter 350, which forces you to live with old-school tubed tyres and drum brakes on the rear, the Yamaha XSR 155 offers all the bells and whistles you expect from a motorcycle of this class. It has dual-channel ABS with disc brakes on both front and rear, USD front forks, slip-assist clutch and a rear monoshock suspension setup – all for Rs 1.5 lakh ex-showroom, which is more affordable than the Hunter 350’s top-spec variant with dual disc brakes, dual channel ABS and slip-assist clutch.
Keeping the spec-sheet aside, the Yamaha XSR 155 offers something that the Hunter doesn’t – an eager performance profile.
Yamaha XSR 155: Sportsbike dressed as a roadster
Even with roughly half the displacement (155cc liquid-cooled vs. the Hunter’s 349cc air-oil-cooled engine), the XSR 155 delivers a sprightly performance in the real world, thanks to Yamaha’s much-acclaimed Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) technology. The VVA allows the XSR 155’s engine to allow for a meaty top-end that encourages the rider to rev the motor – an addictive activity on this motorcycle. Coupled with a relatively lightweight 137 kg body, this motorcycle offers excellent agility that the Hunter 350 can only dream of.
Although I don’t care for the 0-100 kph acceleration figures, the XSR 155 does so in 11.6 seconds, which is quick by all means. In the low-end rev range, the engine stays happy at 3,000RPM and offers ample grunt to pull through up to 6,500-6,900RPM, following which it seems to get comfortable. It is at around 7,000 RPM when the VVA kicks in, and you feel an urgent push in your bottom – the motorcycle leaps forward more briskly, and it keeps accelerating. It can go all the way up to 10,000RPM, with a screaming engine and a sporty exhaust note accentuating the thrills, hitting maximum speeds of 125 kph (that’s what I managed to achieve on a windy day). The 6-speed gearbox allows for a relaxed highway cruise, something which the Hunter 350 lacks.
What surprised me more, though, was the engine’s low-end grunt that made it easy to ride in the traffic without stalling – you do need to shift through gears, but it chugs along with ease. There are no thumps or pleasurable vibrations emerging from the engine, but you tend to enjoy a refined and fatigue-free experience in the city. And when you decide to go easy on the engine, you can extract good fuel efficiency too – I managed to average around 40-45 kmpl, which is incredible for a sporty 155cc motorcycle. Even when you go rev-happy, the fuel efficiency figures seldom drop below 30 kmpl (at least with my driving style; yours may vary).
Not just lighter, but the chassis makes you want to corner it
With a kerb weight of 137 kg, the XSR 155 allows for an incredibly agile motorcycle. With a sharp 25.7-degree rake angle, the motorcycle feels eager to change direction without losing out on high-speed steering stability. The stock tyres may not be the most grippy ones you can ride, but in my time, they didn’t lose track of tarmac – should be ample for most riders. Yamaha’s Deltabox chassis gives you the confidence to lean into sweeping corners and change directions with ease, all while ensuring a confident and comfortable ride.
Speaking of comfort, the suspension tuning on the Yamaha XSR 155 is slightly on the firm side. However, when exposed to poorly surfaced roads, the motorcycle’s good damping soaked up most undulations and small potholes with ease, without transferring the shock to my spine. The slightly aggressive riding stance may put off Royal Enfield’s straight-up sitting purists, but once you get used to it, you can manage long-distance riding without getting off the saddle for rests before 150 km. The seat is narrow and firm, which helps with a fatigue-free riding experience.
For all those concerned with the 810mm advertised seat height, there’s good news – the slimmer front section of the seat, combined with a narrow body section, makes it easy for riders of 5 ft 4 in to manage the motorcycle with confidence.
Miscellaneous factors of the XSR 155
The XSR 155 comes loaded with contemporary touches that give it an edge in the tech and refinement department:
– Traction control.
– Fully digital instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity (call/message alerts via Y-Connect app).
– Full LED lighting all around, with a decent headlight throw.
– Assist-and-slipper clutch for smoother downshifts.
Final thoughts: Who should choose the XSR 155?
Those who love their motorcycles to be fast and refined – that’s the simplest answer.
The Yamaha XSR 155 is a breath of fresh air in the neo-retro motorcycle segment, offering a desirable design without letting go of modern-day performance. While a majority of the rider community appreciates the old-school thump and a lazy, low-end torque performance profile, there’s the other half that wants modern, agile performance with great fuel efficiency and a comfortable ride quality. It is quite possibly the best all-rounder you can find for your single-motorcycle garage.
Hence, if you are deciding between this retro Yamaha and the Hunter 350, we’d recommend giving this Japanese motorcycle a thorough test drive before you put down your booking amount.
