XSR 155 Yamaha

Starting a motorcycle build is every retro motorcycle enthusiast’s ultimate dream. From concept to the finished product, if there’s such a thing as a finished product because a build is constantly evolving, a project usually takes months, and sometimes even years, to finish. It really depends on the builder’s imagination of how he/she envision the motorcycle build to turn out. If there is one thing that is certain about these projects, it’s that no two builds are exactly the same. Two builders may start with the same base bike and come out with two totally different concepts. A motorcycle build is modern art on two wheels and each is as unique as the artist that builds them. And it’s not cheap. Motorcycle builds often cost thousands of pesos and hundreds of hours to complete, and that doesn’t include the base bike. 

So what’s a retro motorcycle fan to do if he doesn’t have the time nor the patience to work on a motorcycle build project? Well, he can start by buying a factory custom like the Yamaha XSR155. The XSR155 is the newest addition to Yamaha’s popular XSR series of neo-retro motorcycles that includes the XSR700 and XSR900. Like it’s bigger XSR brothers, the XSR155 inherits the XSR series philosophy of combining timeless styling with the latest components they share with the Yamaha MT series of sport naked motorcycles. 

If you haven’t noticed yet, the XSR155 is basically an MT15 in tasteful retro clothing. I must say Yamaha did a superb job of giving the XSR155 a totally different personality, where the only giveaway to its sport naked persona are the Deltabox frame, the aluminum swingarm, the cast-aluminum rims, and the very un-retro looking side mirrors. Otherwise it’s as retro as its other XSR series brothers.

The classically styled seat design is comfortable and blends well with the classic teardrop shaped tank that comes with a cover made of high-quality material and a fuel capacity of 10 liters. The LED headlight and taillight combines the simple, compact and authentic design of the XSR series. Completing the retro look is a full LCD digital speedometer designed with an authentic retro style with an easy-to-read panel that includes a useful gear indicator.

The XSR155 is powered by a liquid-cooled, 4-stroke SOHC, single-cylinder 4-valve 155cc fuel-injected engine with Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) mounted in a rigid Deltabox frame. The XSR155 benefited from the MT15’s assist and slipper clutch system that enables smooth downshifting that mitigates the effects of engine braking during deceleration.