Two of the best Japanese 150cc sports bikes compared
Honda recently launched the 2025 CBR150R in Malaysia. The motorcycle receives new colours and remains mechanically unchanged. In the Indian market, the CBR150R’s most natural rival will be the Yamaha R15 V4. Here’s a comparison between these two 150cc Japanese sports bikes, on paper:
Design
In terms of design, the Honda CBR150R looks quite good, thanks to its sharp looking front fascia and well designed fairing. The motorcycle gets a neatly integrated all LED headlamp along with an LED tail light which goes well with the overall sporty design of the CBR150R.
The Yamaha R15 V4 is one of the most beautiful motorcycles in the India market. It gets its design inspiration from the bigger R7 and R1. The front fascia looks mean and appealing with its well designed fairing and neatly integrated LED headlight. The tail section looks clean and suits the overall design of the motorcycle.
Performance
The Honda CBR150R gets a 149.2cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor which makes 16.3PS at 9000rpm and 13.7Nm at 7000rpm. This engine has been praised for its high revving nature and endless reliability.
The Yamaha R15 V4 gets a 155cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine which produces 18.4PS at 10,000rpm and 14.2Nm at 7500rpm. It also gets VVA (variable valve actuation), which makes the engine change cam profiles at around 7000rpm which gives the bike potent top-end acceleration. This engine is known for its linear power delivery and reliability. On paper the Yamaha makes about 1.9PS and 0.5Nm more than the Honda, but the CBR makes its peak power and torque earlier than the R15 V4.
Underpinnings
The Honda CBR150R gets a Diamond type frame along with inverted fork and an adjustable monoshock at the rear. Braking is taken care of by a 276mm front and a 220mm rear disc brake setup with dual channel ABS. The motorcycle weighs 137kg (kerb), which is quite light.
The Yamaha R15 V4 gets a delta box frame along with inverted fork and a monoshock at the rear. For braking duties it gets a bigger 282mm front and 220mm rear disc brake setup with dual channel ABS. At 141kg kerb weight, the R15 V4 is 4kg heavier than the CBR150R on paper.
Features
The motorcycle gets a fully digital instrument console with an all-LED lighting setup, and Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) – alerting other road users when the bike is braking suddenly and switches on the hazard lights.
The Yamaha R15 V4 gets a fully digital instrument console which gets smartphone connectivity via Bluetooth. It shows turn-by-turn navigation and SMS/call alerts for added convenience. Other than this the motorcycle also gets all LED lights. In terms of rider aids the R15 V4 gets a slipper clutch, dual channel ABS, switchable traction control, quickshifter (only upshifts) and 2 ride modes: Track and Street.
BikeDekho Says
In Malaysia the 2025 Honda CBR150R has been launched at a price of RM 13,399 (approximately Rs 2,59,429). The India specific Yamaha R15 V4 is priced at Rs 1,88,600 (ex-showroom Delhi), which is still significantly less than the CBR150R. Honda has no plans of launching the CBR150R in India anytime soon, which means that the Yamaha R15 V4 will continue dominating the segment.
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