It is a fact that riding a sorted motorcycle around winding roads is therapeutic and you don’t always need a high-capacity motorcycle to experience it. The proof is in this video where the 2019 Yamaha R3 follows an R6 and keeps up through the bends as its parallel-twin motor screams, just inches behind the four-cylinder howl of the motorcycle ahead.
They say riding a small-capacity motorcycle at its limit is more fun than scaring yourself silly trying to do the same with a big bike. The Yamaha R3 is no slouch by any standards and had it not been for the high sticker price, it is probably the most heart-warming machine you could buy in the entry-level performance motorcycling segment in India. For 2019, it has undergone a few changes where it now gets a new all-digital instrument console, LED headlights, KYB USD forks and a rear monoshock, and revised bodywork which is more aerodynamic and has increased the bike’s top speed. The riding position too is now sportier and the clamps for the clip-ons have a resemblance to those on the litre-class R1.
In terms of power, the motorcycle carries on with its 321cc 4-stroke, liquid cooled, in-line 2 cylinder motor that produces 42 bhp of power @ 10,750 rpm and 29.6 Nm of torque @ 9,000 rpm. While we await that model to arrive on our shores, the R6, on the other hand, isn’t available officially in our country. In other news, Yamaha India recently launched the FZ Version 3.0, which gets a cosmetic overhaul in comparison to its predecessor. On the other hand, the MT-15 – A naked-styled Yamaha R15, is slated for launch in March 2019. Like the fully-faired motorcycle though, this machine too will skimp on USD front forks and come fitted with telescopic stems instead. We’ll keep you updated with all the news about that bike. In the meanwhile, stay tuned!