Yamaha R15 vs Apache RTX 300 Compared
Yamaha recently hiked the prices of R15 and R15M in May 2026, making it Rs 4,900 dearer with most expensive variant being priced at Rs 1.96 lakh (Ex-sh). One can not help but wonder that for just Rs 4,000 more, the TVS Apache RTX base variant can be had.
This base variant is better equipped than the top-spec Yamaha R15M, while offering almost double the displacement, almost double the power, almost double the torque and more than double the versatility for the general consensus. While they’re not immediately comparable owing to their genres, a comparison between these two lends perspective in terms of pricing.
Yamaha R15M At Rs 1.96 Lakh Or Apache RTX At Rs 1.99 Lakh
Yamaha R15 has been one of the most notable motorcycles on sale in India. This motorcycle can be credited to making supersport genre cool in India and making it accessible to the masses. It enjoys an absolute fan following and sales charts reflect good numbers especially considering the price point at which it is being sold.
Yamaha R15 vs Apache RTX 300 Compared
After the recent price hike, 2026 Yamaha R15 has been priced between Rs 1.71 lakh and Rs 1.96 lakh (Ex-sh). Rs sub 2 lakh (Ex-sh) price point is prominent for mass-market vehicles and R15M with a 150cc engine is inching dangerously close to it. This is a price point where the massively versatile TVS Apache RTX 300 starts from.
Even with the base variant, TVS Apache RTX 300 offers more than the top-spec variant of Yamaha R15M. Features like traction control, TFT instrument cluster with connectivity, all-LED lighting, slipper clutch, USD telescopic front forks and others are common between both. It has to be noted that R15M offers a uni-directional quick-shifter.
Yamaha R15M
In contrast, Apache RTX 300 comes with a bi-directional quickshifter and then it brings cruise control with an electronic throttle, right from the base variant. On top of the equipment, TVS Apache RTX 300 comes with almost double the displacement, almost double the power, almost double the torque and double the versatility, as seen in the table above.
Which One To Buy?
One can think of material costs too, but TVS Apache RTX 300 is a bigger motorcycle with more materials (Metal and Plastic) than R15. R15 has design as its biggest strength, as it looks like an R1, but Apache RTX 300 is not shabby in terms of design. In fact, Apache RTX 300 is one of the hottest mainstream motorcycles in India right now.
TVS Apache RTX 300
A supersport enthusiast who wants to take their bike on a race track some day, or is buying their first bike to hone their racing skills, a Yamaha R15 is still a no-brainer. An adventure enthusiast who wants to tour on their motorcycle or need to bike for some light off-roading, or a tall rider who needs a motorcycle built around them, should probably consider the Apache RTX 300.
However, there is a vast majority of motorcycle buyers who are hopping showrooms to search for the coolest motorcycle at a budget of Rs 2 lakh (Ex-sh). Also, there are buyers looking at that one bike to do it all and Apache RTX 300 falls in that category perfectly. So, the dilemma still is ‘a desirable 150cc bike or a desirable 300cc bike at a similar price point’.