Yamaha R3

The Yamaha R3 has always offered a good blend of sporty performance and everyday usability. The latest model has gotten a few changes here and there compared to the previous model. With the 300-400cc segment being highly competitive these days, the current R3 faces a lot stiffer competition than its predecessor. 

The Yamaha R3 looks sleek and aggressive with the sharp design lines. It looks like a bigger version of the R15. The dual LED headlight design blends in with the rest of the bike quite well. The Yamaha Black colour option gives a subtle look to the bike while the Icon Blue really makes it stand out.

The R3 parallel-twin engine feels very refined and is quite rev-happy. The ample mid-range grunt helps in making quick overtakes in the city and on the highway, being able to rev up to 13,000rpm, the motor comes alive in the higher end of the rev range. The engaging ride along with the great tractability of the motor makes the R3 quite a versatile bike. 

The gearshifts of the bike are very slick but the heavy clutch action, due to the absence of a slip-and-assist clutch, takes away some of the fun when ridden in the city. During our real world tests, we got mileage figures of about 28kmpl when ridden in the city as well as on the highway. This shows that the R3 is quite fuel efficient for a 321cc bike.

The Yamaha R3 has very agile handling capabilities. It tips into corners quickly and flicking it from one side to the other is quite easy. Also, the bike feels very light on the go and the proportions are quite compact, which add to its handling capabilities. The brakes offer great bite and stop the bike quickly in a predictable manner. The feedback from the lever is quite sharp as well. The grip from the stock Dunlop tyres could have been better, though.

For a supersport bike, the R3’s ergonomics are quite comfortable with the not too aggressive positioning of the clip-on handlebars and 780mm accessible seat height. Taller riders might feel cramped in the lower body area. The suspension setup is a bit firm but the bike still does a decent job of absorbing bumps and potholes. 

The features list of the Yamaha R3 is pretty basic with an LED headlight, LCD instrument console and dual-channel ABS. It doesn’t even have features like a quickshifter and Bluetooth connectivity with turn-by-turn navigation which are available on the smaller capacity R15. If you are someone who doesn’t care about features and is more concerned about the bike’s rideability, then the lack of features shouldn't be an issue. On the flipside, if you like your bike to be feature-packed, then the lack of certain features found in even 125cc bikes will feel like a miss. 

The Yamaha R3 is a great blend of good looks, engaging motor and superb handling capabilities. But with a price tag of Rs 4,64,900 (ex-showroom Delhi) and the not so decent features list, it is difficult to recommend to someone who wants to upgrade from an R15. If you don’t care about the steep price tag and the lack of features and want to buy the bike for the thrilling and engaging experience it offers, then the R3 is a good choice for you then.