Yamaha launches YZF-R3 small sports motorcycle for Rs 3,25,000

Yamaha just launched their new small sportbike, the YZF-R3. Designed from scratch, the bike employs a new 321cc parallel-twin engine developing 42PS. WIth that level of specific output, we expect it to make power in the upper reaches of the rev range, possibly accompanied by a sweet soundtrack. This gives buyers a third option in the small, fully-faired sportbike segment, after Kawasaki’s Ninja 300 and the Hyosung GT250R.

Yamaha is making these motorcycles in Indonesia and assembling them in India, with no local content. If the recent spate of south-Asian imports are anything to go by, quality should be top-notch. The manufacturer has made some interesting choices for the India launch, however. Tyres will be MRFs, which should keep replacement costs down. There will also be no ABS for now, which is a pity, since the power of motorcycles available in India keeps rising, but training, infrastructure and skills don’t keep pace. Also interesting is the fact that the frame is all-new and doesn’t follow Yamaha’s typical Deltabox perimeter format.

The Yamaha YZF-R3 has garnered some good press internationally, but the elephant in the room (and you’ll hear this idiom often now) remains the KTM RC390, which offers better rubber, ABS, and a touch more power for far less money. Does this completely eliminate the R3 from the running? We’ll know after we ride it.

The R3 will be available starting August 20 across 100 Yamaha dealers in India.