Update:
2021 Yamaha Y16ZR officially launched in Malaysia – RM10,888
In May 2020, images of a newly updated Yamaha Exciter (aka Yamaha Y15ZR in Malaysia) started circulating online. The photos of what appeared to be the “Yamaha Exciter RC 155 VVA” were shared among Facebook and Whatsapp groups with the caption “1 unit of Yamaha Y15ZR V3 2020 arrived in Hong Leong Yamaha for testing”. Sadly, there were no sufficient details to prove the claims.
However, the photos of Yamaha’s updated sports moped didn’t fail to build a hype in the ASEAN region in general. This is because the same platform of underbone motorcycle is known as Exciter in Thailand, Jupiter MX/ MX King in Indonesia and Sniper in the Philippines and Singapore.
Almost 4 months later, in September 2020, the good news finally broke out to the Malaysian fans when another set of spy shot went live online. Unlike the earlier spy shots, the new set of images featured a bike that’s very similar to the updated Exciter undergoing through road testing locally in Malaysia. Not just once, but twice! These spy shots were a big hit because it confirmed the arrival of the 3rd generation Y15ZR or as fans call it, the Y15ZR V3.
With a lot of anticipation building up since May 2020, Yamaha Vietnam finally pulled the cover off the updated Vietnam-spec 2021 Yamaha Exciter 155 VVA in December 2020 which debut as the successor to Vietnam’s Yamaha Exciter sports moped.
During the launch event, Yamaha Vietnam also showcased the Yamaha Exciter F-155 concept which was built by Yamaha Japan. According to sources, Yamaha Japan spent around USD 100,000 (approximately MYR 400,800) in the development of this prototype. Read more about it here.
Speaking of the new bike, the next-generation Yamaha Exciter received an all-new fairing design, a new 155cc VVA engine, updated chassis and a new electronic package as well. Read the full specification of the new 2021 Yamaha Exciter 155 VVA and the updates the Yamaha has done to the platform below.
For the speculated Malaysia launch details, please check the bottom of the page.
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Starting with the design, the new Exciter 155 VVA features an all-new fairing design which stays truthful to the earlier leaked “Exciter RC” spy shots from early 2020.
Upfront, the new Exciter 155 VVA features a two-part headlamp unit, where the low beam is placed on top and the high beam is positioned at the bottom. Besides this, at the front, a pair of air ducts make the Exciter look more aggressive and sporty compared to before.
Moving onto the rear, the model features a revised taillight unit. The tail section on the new Exciter 155 VVA is narrower, longer and features R1 style LED taillamp unit similar to the one found on the R15. Moreover, to blend in with the new look, the seat and mudguard designs have been revised as well.
The frame on the new Exciter has been redesigned to fit the new 155 VVA engine. The frame on the new Exciter 155 VVA features a new Y-Shaped reinforcement collar and a thicker 4.5mm engine mount. Yamaha says the new chassis has been optimised for enhanced cornering performance at high speeds.
The wheel design is similar to the ongoing model. However, the front tire on the new Exciter 155 VVA is larger. Now a 90/80 tire at the front and a 120/70 tire at the rear wrap around the set of 17-inch wheels.
Suspension duties are still taken care of by a telescopic front fork and a monoshock at the rear. However, the front suspension travel has been increased from 90mm to 100mm while incorporating micro-tuning for better damping efficiency.
In the case of braking, the new model does not get ABS and still makes use of hydraulic disc brake at the front and rear. However, Yamaha offers a 2 piston calliper with the Premium Exciter 155 VVA variant.
Moving onto the electronics, the new 2021 Yamaha Exciter 155 VVA gets a full LCD instrument cluster. Additionally, the premium variant gets Yamaha’s smart lock (keyless) which comes with an integrated “answer-back” function to determine the bike’s position. Besides this, the premium variant also gets a 12V charging socket for charging smart devices.
The most important update is the powertrain. The new 2021 Yamaha Exciter 155 VVA features a liquid-cooled 155cc 4-stroke, 4-valve, SOHC, VVA engine (Similar to the one from the YZF-R15 and MT-15). Mated to a 6-speed gearbox with assist and slipper clutch, the 2021 Yamaha Exciter 155 VVA pushes 17.7 hp @ 9,500 rpm and a peak torque of 14.4 Nm @ 8,000 rpm.
Dimension wise the Exciter 155 VVA measures 1,975 mm × 665 mm × 1,085 mm (LXWXH). The new Exciter rolls in with a seat height of 795 mm, ground clearance of 150mm and a wet weight of 121 kg. Engine oil capacity is 1.10 litre and fuel is contained in a 5.4-litre tank.
In the case of pricing, the Premium version is only available in Blue GP colour scheme and this variant rolls in with a suggested retail price of 50,490,000 VND – Approx. MYR 8,853 in Vietnam.
The 2nd variant, Deluxe edition is available in Black Rough, Rough Red and Red White and comes with a suggested retail price of 49,990,000 VND – Approx. MYR 8765 in Vietnam.
The Standard version also comes in 3 colours; Glossy Black, Matte Red and White Red with a suggested retail price: 46,990,000 VND – Approx. MYR 8239 in Vietnam.
Source: Facebook
As we like to call it, the Y15ZR V3 was spotted testing again in Malaysia earlier this month. Since HLYM is busy at work putting the next-gen Y15ZR through road testing, we think the model is getting very close to the production stage.
Specs-wise, the specifications and general profile of the newly launched Yamaha Exciter 155 VVA matches the specifications of the recently spotted test mule which was spotted in Malaysia. Which means, the next generation Y15ZR would most probably roll in with specifications similar to that of the newly launched Exciter 155 VVA. Well, who knows, HLYM might even call it the Yamaha Exciter instead of Y15ZR to standardized the name in the ASEAN region. But well, only time would tell.
All in all, the next-generation Yamaha Y15ZR is indeed on its way. We think HLYM would pull the cover off the next-generation version 3 Y15ZR by this year 2020 or latest by 2022 with the ongoing pandemic.