Honda recently filed a design patent for the CBR150R in India hinting at its imminent return here. Once it makes its India entry, it will face stiff competition from the highly-popular Yamaha YZF R15 V4. Now, we can’t wait for the CBR to enter the Indian shores, and to compare it with the R15 in the real world. Until that happens, let’s see which one is better on paper.
Styling
Typical of sportbikes, both look sharp, aggressive, and sporty but in their own ways. The CBR150R boasts a pointed nose with a split headlamp and eye-brow-like DRLs. The fairing, which gets a lot of air vents, joins the muscular fuel tank and upswept tail. The R15, meanwhile, sports a centre air-intake provision housing a single projector-style headlamp, flanked by thin DRLs. The fairing design isn’t as busy as the CBR’s but it looks neat and blends nicely with the overall aesthetics.
Features
The R15 is ahead of the CBR by a huge margin in this department. It not only gets a Bluetooth-enabled LCD console but also electronic aids like traction control and quick shifter (optional) that were unheard of in this segment. The R15 also gets assist and slipper clutch and dual-channel ABS. The CBR just gets an LCD console (without Bluetooth), dual-channel ABS, and a slipper clutch, while missing out on other goodies.
Engine
The R15 V4 is more accomplished here as well. It’s powered by a 155cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine that features variable valve actuation and churns out 18.1bhp of power and 14.2Nm of torque. As for the CBR, tucked behind that fairing is a 150cc, single-cylinder mill that pumps out 16.09bhp and 13.7Nm. The R15 also has the advantage of a 2kg lighter kerb weight than the CBR.
Cycle parts
The hardware package is almost similar in both bikes. There are 17-inch alloy wheels, upside-down forks up front, a preload-adjustable monoshock at the rear, and a single disc brake at both ends. The difference lies in their chassis though. While the R15 is based on the Deltabox frame, the CBR150R is underpinned by a diamond-type truss frame. As for the fuel tank, the latter boasts a capacity of 12-litre which is a litre more than the R15.
Pricing
Yamaha has priced the YZF R15 V4 quite steeply at Rs 1.75 lakh for the base trim and Rs 1.85 lakh for the top-spec M variant (both prices are ex-showroom). Whenever the CBR150R comes to India, Honda should price it at least Rs 10,000 lower than the R15 to make it desirable.
