Yamaha recently increased the prices of the R15 and R15M in May 2026, making it costlier by Rs 4,900 and taking the price of the most expensive variant to Rs 1.96 lakh (ex-sh). One can’t help but be surprised that the TVS Apache RTX base variant can be had for just Rs 4,000 more.
This base variant is better equipped than the top-spec Yamaha R15M, while it offers almost double the displacement, almost double the power, almost double the torque and more than twice the versatility for the consensus. Although they cannot be immediately compared due to their styles, a comparison between the two provides perspective in terms of pricing.
Yamaha R15M Rs 1.96 lakh or Apache RTX Rs 1.99 lakh
The Yamaha R15 has been one of the most notable motorcycles on sale in India. This motorcycle can be credited with popularizing the supersport genre in India and making it accessible to the masses. It has a lot of fans and the sales charts show good numbers, especially considering the price at which it is being sold.
After the recent price hike, the 2026 Yamaha R15 is priced between Rs 1.71 lakh and Rs 1.96 lakh (ex-sh). The sub-Rs 2 lakh (ex-sh) price point is prime for mass-market vehicles and the R15M with the 150cc engine is getting dangerously close to it. This is the price point where the widely versatile TVS Apache RTX 300 starts.
Even with the base variant, the TVS Apache RTX 300 offers more than the top-spec variant of the Yamaha R15M. Features like traction control, TFT instrument cluster with connectivity, all-LED lighting, slipper clutch, USD telescopic front forks and others are common across both. It should be noted that the R15M offers a uni-directional quick-shifter.
In contrast, the Apache RTX 300 comes with a bi-directional quickshifter and then it brings cruise control with electronic throttle from the base variant itself. On top of the equipment, the TVS Apache RTX 300 comes with almost double the displacement, almost double the power, almost double the torque and twice the versatility, as seen in the table above.
Which one to buy?
One might also think about material costs, but the TVS Apache RTX 300 is a bigger motorcycle with more materials (metal and plastic) than the R15. The biggest strength of the R15 is its design, as it looks similar to the R1, but the Apache RTX 300 isn’t too shabby in terms of design. In fact, the Apache RTX 300 is one of the most popular mainstream motorcycles in India at the moment.
For a supersport enthusiast who wants to take his bike to a race track someday, or is buying his first bike to hone his racing skills, the Yamaha R15 is still not an easy choice. An adventure enthusiast who wants to travel on his motorcycle or needs a bike for some light off-roading, or a tall rider who needs an all-around motorcycle, should probably consider the Apache RTX 300.
However, there are a large number of motorcycle buyers who are roaming around the showrooms to find the best motorcycle in a budget of Rs 2 lakh (ex-sh). Moreover, there are also buyers who are looking for that one bike to do everything and the Apache RTX 300 falls squarely into that category. So, the dilemma is still ‘a desirable 150cc bike or a desirable 300cc bike at a similar price point’.
