This Yamaha R15 v3-based Moped Is A Sharpshooter

Welcome back to another story of what seems to be a fun R15 v3-derived product that Yamaha is going to deprive Indian enthusiasts of -- the new Yamaha Sniper 155. Launched in the Philippines, the Sniper 155 is not a scooter but a moped, a quite popular two-wheeler format in South-East Asia.

There aren’t too many similarities, though, between the Sniper 155 and the R15 v3. The 155cc single-cylinder VVA-equipped engine is the main common element. Since it is a moped and not a scooter like the NMax 155, the Sniper 155 gets the R15’s six-speed gearbox with individual ignition timing maps for each cog, with and without VVA.

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No Deltabox frame for the Sniper as it wouldn’t suit the format and it would have also become quite pricey. Even the beefy USD fork and aluminium swingarm have been skipped for the very same reasons.

You can see traces of Yamaha’s R-family design language on the Sniper. What’s unique about the moped is that the LED low beam is located on the head section while the split lights, lower down the front, serve as high beams. While it gives off a Honda CBR250RR-vibe, this setup should hopefully offer better performance than the India-spec R15 v3.

Takers for such a product will be limited in India, hence, we do not feel as disheartened that the Sniper will not make it down to our shores. What makes us sad is that Yamaha India hasn’t brought the NMax 155 yet and doesn’t seem to be keen on bringing the XSR155 at all. Instead, it is focusing its energies on the FZ-X. Read all about the upcoming commuter here.