Yamaha says when it was time to update the first R15, the R& D boys held customer clinics to find out exactly how they needed to tweak the R15 without corrupting its baby-superbike soul.
The first thing people pointed out was the thin tyres, which gave excellent grip but looked out of place on such a wide bike. So the front now comes with a 90/80 tyre, which is a 10mm increase over the older R15. The rear is a 130/70, a whole 30mm wider. The wider tyres have enhanced the 2.0’s visual appeal, but they’ve also increased drag.