Motorbikes India Online magazine about motorbikes in India
This might sound like a review but it’s more of a personal account about my journey as a rider, the bike’s abilities and what you can do to improve your riding skills. The R15 is a motorcycle which brings out the best in riders, and also the worst in some. It is a 150cc motorcycle with the ergonomics of a 600cc supersport machine.
It can be best described as a sports motorcycle which can also cruise and seat 2 people in comfort (since the launch of the R15 S) with just enough power to not scare people, making it easy for even a beginner to ride it relatively trouble-free.
To the newbie rider, it represents superbike (ish) feeling and effortless cornering confidence while to the experienced rider it represents a crucial stepping stone to bigger and more powerful motorcycles. It has just enough power to experiment with. It can be your go-anywhere motorcycle if you so choose it to be and you don’t mind committed riding position and the resulting wrist pain after long rides.
The engine, chassis, and suspension are just perfect. 5th and 6th both being overdrive gears lend it 110km/h cruising abilities. If there is a bike which can bring out your motorcycling excellence (or the lack of it), it has to be the R15. Why so much about the bike? Because I own it and understand it better than any other bike. Being a rider with decent riding abilities, I feel it is my responsibility to share ethical motorcycling information in whatever way I can (videos may come up soon) and to evangelize what I practice on a daily basis.
The resulting confidence and expertise I have developed as a rider, I owe it to this bike and to my voracious reading about motorcycles and observing other riders. This book is an attempt to reach out to all the riders in India, whether beginners or experts, as each one of you, will learn something new from this book.
Download it hereSo, here’s my 2 cents from the book:
Staged Braking
STAGE I – The rider applies the brakes where they are just on (friction point) and the bike slows down very gently, rolling to a stop.
STAGE II – The rider applies the brakes firmly to bring the bike to a normal/firm, smooth stop. So, Stage II is where the rider applies the brakes to Stage I (friction point) before applying a steady force at Stage II.
STAGE III – The rider applies the brakes with a strong pull to stop in time. So, Stage III is where the rider applies the brakes till Stage I, then onto a firm pull of Stage II before applying pressure with a strong pull at Stage III.
STAGE IV – This is the final stage of braking – the rider needs all the braking he/she has got. The rider has to use the maximum brake-force to stop safely. So, in Stage IV…
— Vikram Malhotra
Disclaimer: This article was prepared or accomplished by it's author in their personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the view of Motorbikes India or it's owners.
