MANILA: There is no doubt that hyper naked motorcycles like the MT-07 and MT-09 have already tasted great success in the ASEAN market. Building on the success, Yamaha will soon be bringing the MT-10 as well. However, we all know that the lower end of the motorcycle market, that is, the small displacement segment fetches most deals for any manufacturer.

Taking its designing cues from the elder sibling MT-09, the Yamaha MT-15 is expected to arrive in the Philippine market in March. The naked streetfighter with the color schemes of the MT-09, quirky styling, and predator style LED headlamp is sure to sell in large numbers and flood the streets of the Philippines. Unlike the Indian version of the bike where it will be equipped with regular telescopic suspension setup, our model will feature an upside-down setup front and a link-type monocross swingarm at the rear.

The MT-15 for the Philippines will get a slipper clutch along with disc brakes at both ends. However, we won’t be benefitting from ABS. Just like the YZF-R15, the MT-15 will also house an all-digital instrument panel that features both gear-position indicator and shift light. While the MT-09 has its console at the right, the digital instrument cluster will be mounted at the centre of the handlebar in the Yamaha MT-15. Barring a lot of similarities, there are a few distinct differences between the MT-09 and the MT-15. For starters, there is a circular projector style lamp sitting below the predator lights.

Moving to the back, there are the slick side panels on the tail end of the MT-15. Color options on the smaller MT-15 include - trendsetting Matte Blue with attractive electric-yellow wheels, badass Tech Black, and Ice-Gray with fluorescent red wheels. These are the same choices we get on its elder sibling, the MT-09. A factory-installed engine sump guard will be a part of the whole package. The MT-15 gets its power from a 155 cc liquid-cooled single-pot motor featuring Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) technology. The power figures are 19 PS of maximum power at 10,000 rpm and a peak torque of 14.7 Nm at 8,500 rpm. The price, well the Yamaha MT-15 will be making its way in the country with a price tag of Php 159,000.