Yamaha motorcycles have long been known for building the best-looking, sweetest handling and swiftest machines in any category you can think of. The latest incarnation of the Yamaha R3 has raised the bar again in the middleweight sector.
The Yamaha R3 immediately catches the eye with its sleek, aggressive lines and the lustrous depth of color, whether in classic Yamaha Blue, stealthy Midnight Black, or vibrant Phantom Purple. And the closer you look, the better it gets. The aerodynamic front fairing is topped by a screen you really can duck behind to reduce buffeting at high speeds, while the upside-down gold KYB forks not only look good, but provide all-important rigidity and rider feedback. The color-matched wheels and low-slung exhaust confirm the R3’s racing DNA.
As soon as you sling a leg over the machine, you become part of it. The low seat height and low, wide clip-ons mean that you sit in the bike, rather than on it. And while that brings you into the perfect position to pile on the power and take no prisoners on the race track, it’s also comfortable enough for lower speed riding on busy urban roads.
ON TRACK your confidence rises, thanks to the quality of the KYB forks that provide that all-important front-end feedback, and a clever harmony of stiffness, preload and damping from the rear shock. The connection between rider, machine, tires and asphalt when braking, cornering and accelerating enables you to relax, even as your lap times tumble. When you need to brake late and change your line to overtake, or have to take emergency action to avoid a slower rider, you only need to think about the maneuver and the R3 will execute for you.
ON THE ROAD, you appreciate the lightness of the clutch, throttle and easy operation of the gear lever. The suspension set-up gives confidence in all road conditions and has enough travel to provide forgiveness should a pothole suddenly appear from underneath the car in front of you. Winding open roads have you smiling as you flick from left to right and click up and down the gear box. Clutchless upshifts are effortless, while downshifts are light and satisfying as your fingers release the left lever and the engine braking comes in smoothly as you set up for the next turn. On commuting trips, you appreciate the low seat height, as the R3 makes light work of slicing through traffic.
The Yamaha R3 is a genuinely complete package that mixes purpose and performance perfectly. It makes light work of commuting and delivers adrenaline by the bucketload on spirited backroad blasts. And we know, from World Supersports and the R3 bLUcRU Asia-Pacific Championship, that it’s the middleweight track weapon of choice.
