The Yamaha R15 has been a runaway success in India ever since it came out in 2008 and has been instrumental in cementing the tuning fork brand’s reputation in our market. We have now learned that Yamaha India is gearing up to introduce the R2 sportbike, intended to be a step up from the R15. The bike will be launching in the coming months in time for the festive season and will be made in India.
- R2 and R15 will be sold side by side, latter won’t be discontinued
- NMax 155 also likely to be launched in India this year
- Yamaha also working on multiple other 300-450cc products
Yamaha R2 to be made in India
Expect a clear step up in performance from the R15
The Yamaha R2 - codenamed 070 - is likely to be powered by a liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine displacing around 200cc, perhaps a little higher. As such it will be a stepping stone for those looking to move on from the R15 but still have something that is reasonably easy to live with on a daily basis. Expect the R2 to offer a step up in performance compared to the 18.4hp and 14.2Nm of torque on offer from the 155cc, single-cylinder mill on the R15.
Yamaha has probably decided to go with such a small increase in displacement to continue to offer good fuel efficiency, something that was always appreciated with the R15 and its siblings. However, this move may come as a disappointment to Yamaha enthusiasts expecting a bigger step up in the 300-400cc ballpark.
The R2 is going to be designed and developed entirely in India and manufactured out of Yamaha’s facility in Chennai. While the R2 will be sold in India, the company also has big ambitions to export this model to other global markets too.
The potential arrival of the R2 has also led to speculation online that it might replace the R15, but we believe this will not be the case. The R15 and its siblings, the MT-15 and newly launched XSR155 remain popular sellers for Yamaha in India, and it’s unlikely the manufacturer will want to axe its most successful sportbike to replace it with a more expensive alternative.
The R2 will be the first bike to debut the 200cc Yamaha engine but other derivatives are likely to follow in due course. Expect the R2 to be ready in time to ride the festive season sales swell of 2026. In terms of competition, the Yamaha R2 will face off against the KTM RC 200 (Rs 2.16 lakh) and the Hero Karizma XMR 210 (Rs 1.84 lakh - Rs 1.86 lakh).
Yamaha NMax 155 India launch likely
So far, Yamaha has only had the Aerox 155 in India as its flagship scooter but in 2026, its practical sibling, the NMax 155 is also likely to come to India. There are also multiple new body styles - cruiser and ADV being the two more likely possibilities - being worked upon in the 300-450cc range although these projects are likely to debut much farther down the road.
The company is also exploring the potential of bringing in the Lander 250 dualsport - showcased at Auto Expo 2025 earlier - said people in the know of the company’s plans.
With inputs from KETAN THAKKAR
Vishal Venugopal
Ved Janve
