Topic Approved.

5'7" ? I guess in this case the R15 will suit you better. I have seen short riders on the ZMA too but in day to day riding, it might become an issue for you. Sporty looks : personal opinions will flow in fast here i believe

Performance is more or less same. We are yet to test the ZMR properly but i guess it will all boil down to the rider's abilities on both the bikes.

Agreed! R15 may suit you as your preference is sporty. 5'7 will should not be a problem for any Indian bike. I too am 5'7 and have no issue win ZMA. If I were in your shoes, I would wait until proper review is out on the ZMR, and it should be out by this month.

First things first: None of these bikes are made with a specific build/height of people in mind.
Coming to the bikes. Both these bikes have different character. The R15 is a track tool whereas the ZMA/ZMR is supposed to be a commuter cum tourer.
Assuming the ZMR is more or less the same as the ZMA, my points are as under:

Advantages of ZMR over R15:
1. Ergonomics: High handlebar position-doesn't put any load on wrists&palms.
2. Closed chain cover-No need to be bothered about riding in the rain&then lubing the chain like in R15
3. Ladies'footrest&sareeguard: Makes it easy to take Mom/wife/gf for shopping.
4. Bigger&more comfy pillion seat

Advantages of R15 over ZMR:
1. Lightweight
2. Flickable
3. Better handling&road grip
4. Liquid cooling as opposed to oil cooling

Coming to the engine characteristics, though the R15&ZMR make about the same power, ZMR is a 223cc engine which has ample torque spread throughout the rev range. Helps in 2 up commuting.
R15 on the other hand is a rev hungry machine which produces peak power in the higher RPMs, but the handling is out of the world-one reason why most R15 owners don't like riding other bikes much.
Depends on how you like to ride/handle bikes.

That said, you need to take a good testdrive&feel which one you are more comfortable with.

Go for the r15.

r15

Go for R15 Mate,It has nice sporty look and it's pretty fast better go for test drive of both the wheels,Good luck

Wow that was one of the very rare balanced reviews i have ever read..
Great dude .. keep the spirit up ..Most of the time what happens is that
when a new person who dont know the detials ask for suggestion all will just recommend the bike they are using without bothering about the asking persons requirements . But you showed a great example of how we are expected to post .

Coming to the matter , i feel that your mind is ready for R15 . Since you want a sports bike look nothing can beat R15 in that .
Mileage wise i think both are almost same (expecting ZMR will deliver atleast 4 km/litre more than current ZMa) .

Karizma is comfortable in Long tours as well as in city but the feelign you get from R 15 is different . It is more sporty and fun to ride above 100. Take a test drive and deicide. Please dont take a decsion based on ohters say . LIsten to your heart and select else you may regret later..

One more thign i would like to add , if you are takign R 15 , try to take it atleast once in a week to highways and drive at highspeeds. You will love it ..

Sarvajit totally cleared you ...So its up to you to go ahead

This is one thread I am gonna follow closely cos even I am having this question for my sports tourer requirement.

ThanX a lot

ThanX so Much! I would go for a test ride this week on R15 and book it.

You have nearly hit the nail. As quoted above, the R15 does not have a comfy pillion seat for long rides though the rider would be quite comfortable.

Also in the recent shoot out of Sport Tourers between P220, R15 and ZMA in the Bike India Magazine, the winner was the trusty old ZMA. Though the R15 was the strongest in the twisties, it lost out to P220 and ZMA in the straights & bad road patches.

For frequent city riding, the flickability of the R15 cannot be beaten by the ZMA due to its size and weight.

Waiting to know your decision.

Thanks guys. I was not sure about what his riding requirements are, so I thought its better to cover all the points overall.

@pulsarised: I was also reading the same shootout yesterday&felt its not a surprise why the old ZMA still rules in sport touring!

Btw I forgot to mention the rising rate link type monocross suspension of the R15 is excellent for cornering&aids the rider in almost all situations, never bottoming out-but it gives the pillion's arse a tough time if going through rough patches. That could very well be a consideration.

All in all, it depends on the type of riding one intends to do.
I tour&commute only solo, so the R15 suits me since its totally rider focussed-my bike has the seat cowl strapped on almost all the time!

@Jithu: If he were to say he is married&travels with his wife most of the time&even intends to tour with her, I would have clearly indicated the ZMR is the better choice!