What is the best upgrade from the Yamaha R15 V3?

In a one-bike garage for someone moving up in the motorcycling world, a 300-400cc sport bike makes more sense as a stepping stone.

Published on May 28, 2023 07:30:00 AM

16,396 Views

I own a Yamaha R15 V3 and I plan to upgrade to a larger capacity bike. I am fond of sport bikes and want to move in that category only. I am confused about whether I should jump directly into the 600-700cc segment or if I should first upgrade to a 300-400cc bike?

Abhishek Upadhya, via email

Autocar India says: If you plan to use the bike on a regular basis, especially within the city, a 300-400cc bike will be an ideal upgrade. They’re a lot easier to ride in our hot and traffic-heavy conditions and they are also easier to live with in terms of things like tyres, service and spare parts. Of the current 300-400cc sportbikes, the KTM RC 390 is our clear choice. Since you're already in the Yamaha fold, you could also wait for the Yamaha R3, which is expected to make a return to our market soon.

However, if you’re keen to go to a multi-cylinder 600-700cc sport bike, you currently have two options – the Kawasaki Ninja 650 or the Honda CBR650R. Of the two, the Honda is considerably more expensive, but also more powerful, more special feeling and more exciting with its 4-cyl engine. If you can make the stretch, the Honda is a sweet motorcycle that is sporty, but not too hardcore. It also has a great reputation for relatively low running costs and will be more affordable to service than the Kawasaki. The Honda 650s tend to hold strong resale value as well.

Copyright (c) Autocar India. All rights reserved.

Advertising
Advertising
NEXT STORY
Copyright © 2024 Autocar India. All Rights Reserved.