The Yamaha R3 balances good design, performance and comfort while losing out on razor sharp handling, but all of it comes at a rather steep price, says Indian motoring website MotorBeam.com
The Yamaha R25 was launched in 2014 in Indonesia and kept the entire world excited about the Japanese manufacturer's newest quarter-litre offering. But the automaker soon pulled a surprise with the R3, the more powerful version based on the R25 for select markets. Now, a year since its international launch, the Yamaha R3 has finally set foot on Indian shores priced at Rs 3.90 lakh (on-road, Mumbai). But has the long wait been worth it?
MotorBeam rode the newest twin-cylinder contender around the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) to judge what the YZF has to offer and here is what they found out.
Without a second thought, the Yamaha R3 looks attractive with the quintessential Yamaha elements working in its favour. The twin headlights give the front a wide look while the rear appears sharp.
The R machine comes with '320' badges across the fairing at the front and rear revealing the engine displacement while the Y-shaped alloy wheels look very interesting.
The parking light sits on top, right below the visor. Yamaha is offering the R3 in two shades including black and the dual tone racing blue (blue-silver) that will make for a striking visual on roads.
An analog-digital instrument cluster is housed on the Yamaha R3 with a programmable shift light at the top. Save for the analog tachometer, all other displays are digital including the speedo, twin trip meters, average fuel consumption, oil trip meter and oil change indicator.
Switchgear quality is immaculate with nothing to complain about and the presence of daytime running lights negates the need of the headlight turn on button.
The overall quality, fit and finish is excellent and definitely lives up to the name.
Power on the Yamaha R3 comes from a 321cc, twin-cylinder, 8-valve, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine that belts out 42 PS at 10,750 RPM and 29.6 Nm of torque at 9000 RPM.
The figures are certainly better than primary rival Kawasaki Ninja 300, and the R3 even feels very tractable with ample of low end power for riding within city limits. The mid-range is quite strong boasting of urgency post the 6000 RPM mark and the bike redlines close to 13,000 RPM.
Complimenting the power is the light clutch and a smooth shifting 6-speed gearbox that helped us hit a top speed of 170 km/hr on the race track. The highly advanced motor is smooth and vibe free with ample punch to keep you going.
Yamaha boasts of the R DNA on the R3 that means the bike is made for the track as well, but the omission of a slipper clutch is very disappointing. Coming to the riding dynamics, the R3 is a good handler but not as sharp as the smaller R15 and does not come even close to the KTM RC 390.
This is so because of the cost effective diamond frame and a steel swingarm.
The locally sourced MRF tyres (not radials) lack grip that undermine the bike with so much of performance to offer. High speed stability is a strong point on the R3 courtesy of the long swingarm and 50:50 weight distribution, while the wide handlebar makes for nice and easy maneuverability.
Heating is not an issue here and real time fuel efficiency can be expected around 28-30 km/l.
The Yamaha R3 comes across as a potent motorcycle with excellent performance, decent handling, impeccable quality and high comfort value, but then the absence of a slipper clutch and ABS leaves the performance enthusiast unsatisfied.
So, for the Yam fan, the R3 is a compelling purchase and seems to have been squarely aimed to meet their demands.
