Battle Of Yamaha’s Neo-Retros: XSR155 Vs XSR700

  • Published November 18, 2025
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A visual comparo of the XSR story – how it started vs how far it has come

Yamaha XSR155 Vs Yamaha XSR700

The XSR155, now finally in India, feels like someone pulled a “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” on the XSR blueprint without losing the retro-cool attitude. The contrast between the baby XSR155 and original XSR700 is almost comical, like seeing a retro-styled pocket knife next to the full-fat tool it was inspired by.

Yet park them together and you immediately understand Yamaha’s design lineage. The round LED headlamp, the sculpted tank with brushed-metal panels and the ribbed single seat all echo the XSR700’s original playbook – simple, purposeful, and dripping with neo-retro charm.

Yamaha XSR700

But the differences jump out once you look past the shared silhouette. The 700’s tank has that long, laid-back teardrop shape that almost looks stretched over muscle; the Yamaha XSR155’s is more compact and tightly contoured, its lines cleaner and crisper as if drawn with a finer pen. The 700 wears chunkier forks and a more upright stance, while the 155 is sleeker, without looking anaemic.

From the rear, the family vibe is even stronger: that minimalist tail, the round LED brake lamp, the slight upward kick that gives both bikes a hint of café swagger. But the XSR 700’s broader rear section makes it look planted and substantial. The difference in wheel and tyre width is hilariously obvious in photos, the 700’s fat rear rubber dwarfing the 155’s skinny setup like a heavyweight shadowing a feather-weight contender.

Yamaha XSR155

Mechanically, the contrast is stark but complementary. The XSR155’s 155cc single-cylinder VVA engine churns out 18.4PS and 14.2Nm. It gets the same ‘Deltabox’ frame, upside-down fork, and linked monoshock from the Yamaha R15 V4 and Yamaha MT-15 V2. The 155’s upright stance, 810mm seat height, and 137kg kerb weight – make it surprisingly approachable for newer riders. Also, dual-channel ABS and traction control come standard.

The XSR700 packs the 689cc ‘CP2’ (cross-plane) twin shared with the Yamaha R7 and Yamaha MT-07. It has a 41mm fork and a preload-adjustable monoshock, and the brakes – dual 282mm discs up front with four-piston calipers. It weighs about 50kg more than the 155, at 186kg kerb – which’s still more than manageable…compared to some Classic bikes.

XSR700

Overall, the XSR155 feels like the enthusiastic younger sibling who inherited the family’s retro DNA but also hit the gym for agility rather than bulk. With the XSR155 (and also the XSR125), Yamaha has democratised the retro segment, and how! The XSR700, even today, still looks every bit the original modern-classic disruptor it was in 2016 – big, bold, and effortlessly cool. Side-by-side, you see the same design philosophy: two very different segments by size, but both very Yamaha.

Yamaha XSR 155 Video Review

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Yamaha XSR 155 Price in India
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Delhi Rs. 1,73,201
Kolkata Rs. 1,75,614
Bangalore Rs. 1,92,173
Hyderabad Rs. 1,84,557
Mumbai Rs. 1,78,465
Ahmedabad Rs. 1,76,201
Pune Rs. 1,78,465
Chennai Rs. 1,80,910
Patna Rs. 1,89,007
Jaipur Rs. 1,76,607
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