The International Motomania of Kuala Lumpur 2019 rocked the capital over the weekend, from Friday 22ndFebruary to Sunday 24thFebruary.
Held at the Malaysian Tourism Centre (MaTiC), it attracted motorcycle riders and fans, and tourists alike. There were fun activities throughout the day and through the night, so visitors never felt bored throughout.
Premium motorcycle and motorcycle-related product vendors were also present, including Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya, Aprilia Malaysia, Moto Guzzi Malaysia, Hong Leong Yamaha Motor, Indian Motorcycles, Ducati Malaysia and Shell Advance Malaysia.
Shell Advance Malaysia’s booth was busy throughout the event due to a special promotion. Visitors who bought the Shell Advance AX7 and Shell Advance Ultra with PurePlus Technology received exclusive cool towels, motorcycle covers and goodie bag. They also qualified for the lucky draws on the last day.
Besides them, there were also other vendors who displayed their products such as luxury cars (including a Ford Mustang!), retro motorcycles (Suzuki Katana, Suzuki RG500 Walter Wolf), riding gear and merchandize.
Activities included retro motorcycle competition, custom motorcycle competition, battle of the bands, and concerts featuring great rock icons such as Datuk Awie, Mus May, Bandi Amuk and others. There were also other local bands who took to the stage and they showcased the amount of raw talent Malaysians have.
Food and refreshment were provided by food trucks. They offered a great variety of local and international delights.
The cliché “Good things come in small packages” certainly applies to motorcycles too. We found it true after riding this Yamaha YZF-R15 for one week.
First and foremost, an introduction. This is the 3rd-generation R15, hence its “R15 V3″ nickname. It is definitely a handsome bike, having derived its styling from the YZF-R6 which in turn derived its styling from the YZF-R1.
The 155cc, liquid-cooled, SOHC, single-cylinder engine features Yamaha’s VVA (Variable Valve Actuation). At 155cc, it’s probably adopted from the NVX/Aerox scooter. While being only 155cc, the R15’s engine punches out 19 bhp at 10,0000 RPM and 14.7 Nm of torque at 8,500 RPM. 19 bhp doesn’t seem a lot, of course, but that’s good in terms of specific horsepower from 155cc.
The engine’s power is fed through an Assist and Slip (A&S) clutch on its way to the 6-speed gearbox.
Its suspension consists of gold-coloured upside-down forks up front and a monoshock at the back. The forks and monoshock are non-adjustable. However, we noted that the shock acts through a set of rising rate linkages instead of being mounted directly to the swingarm. The frame is an updated Deltabox.
It features LED lighting and turn signals. The twin headlights flank a large (fake) air scoop. The windshield is as large as the R25’s. Apart from that, the instrument display is fully LCD.
The R15 felt front heavy at first, but it’s because we didn’t lower our upper body, causing us to push down onto the handlebars. During that moment, it felt like a steering damper that’s adjusted too tight. However, it disappeared as soon as we lowered our torso and relaxed our arms. Now the bike was very, very agile.
However, the bike became very stable at speeds above 90 km/h on the highway. It didn’t weave about even when hit by strong sidewinds. Credit goes to the well-designed aerodynamics.
The engine revved a little slowly under 5,000 RPM. You need to keep the engine RPM up to 2,000 RPM before dumping the clutch to charge off the line. However, the bike charges ahead when the VVA activates at 7,500 RPM (there’s an indicator in the instrument cluster). The engine smoothens out from 8,000 RPM, too.
The real fun of the R15 is in the corners since it’s lightweight, besides having a slipper clutch and sporty riding position.
The slipper clutch means you carry much more rolling speed into corners, even when you go off the throttle. Conversely, having too much back torque will slow you down mid-corner. On the R15, you charge into corners a gear higher than you normally do.
The lower handlebars allow you to hang off comfortably when you charge through corners. Just move your body to the inside and let the fuel tank support your out upper arm.
In fact, we kept flying through corners from 30 to 40 km/h faster than we would normally do. The R15 inspires lots of confidence when you chuck the bike in due to its low weight and quick-turning character. It holds the chosen line while you’re able to modify your line even while you’re sparking the footpegs.
Helping to realize this kind of riding is the suspension. We’ve tested all of Yamaha’s road bikes (apart from the R1 and R6) but it’s the R15’s suspension that’s the best calibrated. You may take big hits while riding slowly, because the bike is light, but the suspension becomes very well damped the faster you go. There’s no bobbing or wallowing at speed.
Another measure of the suspension was when the bike ran through wet patches and standing water while leaning inside corners. The stock tyres felt a little slippery on other bikes, but they felt perfect on the R15. We could only imagine how well the bike will perform on better tyres.
Yes, we know naysayers say the Yamaha YZF-R15’s riding position is uncomfortable, but that’s just because you need to know the correct technique. We’re not criticizing, just that it’s something riders have to learn.
Secondly, we know some may say it’s slow because it’s only 155cc. Yes, we admit it took time to build up speed (it’s not a 1000cc bike, so c’mon!) but the top speed we hit surprised us thoroughly. How fast? 150 km/h on flat road (right at the 12,000 RPM redline) and almost 160 km/h while charging down a slope. Slow? No way!
And no, there wasn’t any stock Y15ZR that could keep up on the straight line and in the corners.
Finally, the engine was remarkably fuel efficient despite us riding at 110 to 130 km/h all the time, after charging full throttle from idle. We averaged 310 km per 11 litres, and we only refueled the bike once in the one week! The computer showed 2.6l/100km, which equates to 38.5 km/l.
By the way, we tried really, really hard to find something negative but found none…
The Yamaha YZF-R15 really surprised us to no end, because it demonstrated just how capable it is. This is definitely the best 150cc sportbike in the market.
It is priced from RM 11,988 (basic selling price), and offered in Blue, Yellow and Black.
The Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR sold out in less than 24 hours. Jack Bauer wouldn’t even have time to complete his mission. Bummer.
Only 20 were made to commemorate the Yamaha YZF-R1’s 20thanniversary. Additionally, the new YZF-R1 won the prestigious Suzuka 8-Hour Endurance this year. It was the fourth Suzuka 8-Hour victory for the bike in four consecutive years.
The bike was hand-built by the official Yamaha Racing Team who won at Suzuka. It’s evident from the pictures that the bike is completely festooned with performance parts from the GYTR catalog and sponsors.
However, the following parts are enough to make any serious performance rider drool. Brakes are Brembo GP4-RX front calipers gripping 320mm T-Drive discs. Brake fluid is pumped through the Brembo 19RCS Corsa Corta master cylinder. Ohlins FGRT 219 forks and TT36 GP shock. Tyres are Bridgestone V02 (soft) slicks. Akrapovic Evo 2 titanium exhaust system. The fairings are carbon fibre. And a partridge in a pear tree.
Each YZF-R1 GYTR is accompanied by a number engraved on the top triple clamp and certificate of authenticity.
It was offered at €39,500 but it didn’t stop the 20 lucky buyers. They have been real nice this year.
Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) issued a statement regarding the Yamaha YZF-R25. The Malaysian Yamaha distributor calls it a “Parts Replacement Programme.”
When Yamaha initiated a recall campaign for the Yamaha YZF-R3 in America, we did not publish the news as the R3 is not available here. We were uncertain if the YZF-R25 used the same parts as the R3.
Well, it does look like it is so now. HLYM will send the notice to the affected customers from mid-January 2019 onwards.
There are two parts to be replaced. The first is the radiator hose. Yamaha found that the supplier has improperly vulcanized (process of hardening rubber) the hose and it may leak cooling fluid.
Units affected by this are YZF-R25 frame numbers beginning with PMYRG1510E, PMYRG1510F, PMYRG1510G. Also, units 0000000 to 0012240 for frame number beginning with PMYRG1510H.
The second part covered in the programme is the gearshift shaft torsion spring. Yamaha found that the supplier shot-peened it improperly. Shot-peening is a process to strengthen metal parts. The spring could potentially break causing the shifter to become loose, consequently affecting gear shifting.
Affected units are all units with frame numbers beginning PMYRG1510E, PMYRG1510F, and PMYRG1510G from 0000000 to 0006758.
| Model | Frame Number | Component |
| YZF-R25 | All units with Frame number beginning with
PMYRG1510E PMYRG1510F PMYRG1510G And units within the following frame numbers PMYRG1510H– 0000000 to 0012240 |
Radiator Hose |
| All units with Frame number beginning with
PMYRG1510E PMYRG1510F All units within the following frame numbers PMYRG1510G- 0000000 to 0006758 |
Torsion Spring |
Owners are advised to contact HLYM immediately upon receiving the notice. Contact numbers are: 03-61577011 and 03-61577002.
Source: Hong Leong Yamaha Motor
The 2019 Yamaha YZF-R3 has been revealed and it looks like the wars in the category are going explode.
However, before we proceed any further, we received word there is a launch of the 2019 Yamaha YZF-R25 happening in Indonesia. But no matter, the R3 and R25 will share the basic bodywork, if not componentry.
It is apparent that the YZF-R3/R25 bears uncanny resemblance to its open-class YZF-R1 brother, apart from the dual LED headlights. The central “air intake” is non-functional. However, the windscreen is now much taller and larger.
From the side, the profile is now more aggressive and looks like a proper big-cc superbike. The tailsection terminates with a sharp edge and will definitely look good with a tail tidy kit.
The forks are now upside-down for better handling (and style). There is no news if other parts of the chassis have been updated likewise.
Moving upwards, the 2019 YZF-R3/R25 will receive a fully TFT display. The data displayed includes gear position. The handlebars remain as clip-ons.
No word yet on when we will receive the bike in Malaysia. Besides that, it will definitely be the 250cc instead of 321cc version. The 321cc engine produces 41 bhp and 29.6 Nm of torque. It will be interesting to see how the 2019 YZF-R25 goes up against the 38 bhp Kawasaki Ninja 250.
Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn Bhd (HLYM) baru sahaja mengumumkan edisi baharu Yamaha MT-07 2018 yang akan dikeluarkan di pasaran Malaysia mulai bulan Oktober ini. Bertemakan ‘Dark Attraction’, model terkini Yamaha MT-07 didatangi dengan beberapa penambahbaikan yang menarik. (more…)
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