[abhisheksircar]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

If you have driven the CBR 250, could you post your inputs against the R3 please? I understand both are in different segments, but from a tourer perspective.

Glad you liked the review !!

Sorry for the late reply. Somehow missed this one. CBR 250 is a truly value for money bike. I have ridden the 250R and it's a great bike for touring. The engine is smooth and reliable. Handling for touring is good enough. That said, what you will miss is the fun factor. It's too well behaved and that might put you off very soon.

By the way, just to add to your confusion and I apologize for that, there are strong rumors of the MT-03 being launched soon. Not sure how true but if they do come, do not be shy to put it on top of your list

[abhisheksircar]

It's been just about a year and the over all experience has been quite good. There has been niggles here and there but most of it can be sorted or attended to.

What I still like

- Engine : Smooth and absolutely love the linear acceleration.
- Handling : It's an excellent tourer and handles like a charm.
- Looks and Sound : Although perspective, I absolutely love it.

What I don't like

- Tyres : Thankfully I changed to Rosso IIs very soon else I pity riders who are living with those MRFs as a punishment from Yamaha
- Small Niggles : There are issues in the switch gear and in my one of a case, the petrol tank leaked. Both were attended to but would have appreciated without these in a bike of this cost.

Yamaha has the right intentions to understand the customers and take their feedback but what goes wrong, as I now understand, is the execution. On completion of one year, Yamaha India called in few R3 owners for feedback. They were called in swanky hotels with representatives from Yamaha who I feel were not qualified to do the job. Why do I feel so ?

I was one of them who went for the feedback session. I tried explaining them how bad the tyres are only to hear that it could be a perception. I told them that the tyres don't provide proper feedback and has a floating feeling to which I was told that they will drive next to me while I ride with a video cam to see how the bike floats. That's when I lost it and realized that although the intention is right, the execution is as bad as it could get. I pity Yamaha India to spend so much in such exercises and finally send such people. Anyway, I did not want to waste neither mine or their time and hence walked off

Having Yamaha close to my heart, I went back and reached out to about 100 R3 owners to help us fill up a google form with proper feedback. The results were as expected. The results were shared only after the exercise was over to avoid being biased. A final presentation was made and then shared with the top responsible gentlemen in Yamaha hoping for an action. It's been months and we have not heard from them although we are hoping that someone is working on it.

Here goes the extract from the presentation. The complete presentation has more details.





We have this voice for every other section too.













We had overall more slides, but this is just an extract. The intention was simple. Here is the genuine feedback. It's up to you now what you want to do with it.

Now coming to the most common issues reported.

1. Bike Swaying/Grip/Cornering issues etc.

Solution : Change the tyre. While I moved to the Stock Size Pirelli Diablo Rosso II, fellow riders have opted for Michelins and are happy too. Lots of handling issues are sorted with this change. I can, without any inhibition say, that an R3 owner "Actually" starts riding his bike only after he changes the tyre. A must recommended change.

2. Engine cutting out with Error 19.

Solution :

a) Check the cables connecting the ECU.
b) Clean the switch gear to kill the engine. Does not resolve, change it.
c) Check the side stand sensor. In India it is disabled although connectivity issues can lead to this.

There is no other noticeable issue reported and that makes me think that Yamaha has made an almost perfect 300 cc bike and attending to these small niggles, there is no talking about which one is the best in the lot, then why ignore when they can be easily attended to. I could not find an answer which could satisfy me.

Anyway, I hope this post helps existing R3 owners to attend to these small issues with major impact and enjoy their bikes to the core !! We continue to ride and next month R3 owners from various parts of India are meeting in Goa. If you are an R3 owner and wish to join, please PM me and we will plan it up.

Would I recommend the Yamaha R3 to my friend after experiencing it for a year. Absolutely Yes !

[abhisheksircar]

So what's my bike up to after a year !

Bike is running smooth and happy. It's not seeing a lot of miles but it's managed to clock about 500 kms every month at an average. The bike does not see the congested traffic lanes but has been breathing free in long rides only.

I made certain changes to enhance the experience.

1. Custom 2015 M1 Graphics : This was done by two brothers in Bangalore who have started their own initiative called Wrapcraft. I was amazed by their passion what they put in and hence thought of "Trying" them up and they did not fail to absolutely impress me.



2. Tyres : Changed to Pirelli Diablo Rosso II. This was the best upgrade in my bike. It feels like it was meant for this bike. Thankfully I changed the tyres quite soon else I would have regretted waiting for long before changing it. I would HIGHLY recommend this upgrade.



3. Spiegler Brake Lines : The brakes of the Yamaha R3 are anyway quite good. I am talking about the front. The rear is hardly used. Braking adds up a lot when it comes to complete experience of handling and hence I thought of making it better. Hence the Spieglers. I changed both the front and rear lines. To make it complete, I plan to upgrade to better brake pads in the future. The come with custom colors with configurable colors for the lines as well as the connectors. Do you need this, not really. Only if you want to get the best out of the bike.



Front Lines



Rear Lines

4. Radiator and Header Guard : I always find that big gap in front of the header and radiator gap susceptible to damage and finally I found an answer to it. Evotech Radiator and Header Guard. I would not call it an absolute requirement but it sure can add some peace of mind.





5. Shorty Levers : The levers provide in stock as per me are very long and hence a little inconvenient. This one I moved to is shorter and is adjustable in various means to suit your best position. I am guilty to have bought it from AliExpress (Made in China) but to my defense, it was way before this pseudo boycott of products that's prevalent now. If you are not happy with the regular levers, I would recommend this change.



6. Bar Ends : There is a bit of vibration at the handles and my thought to change was to add more weight and resolve this issue. This is again another AliExpress order although it turns out to be more cosmetic than anything else. Looks good, quality seems good although I think it weighs almost similar to the stock one. If you got for this, it will be more cosmetic than anything else.



7. Air Filter : I changed the Air filter for the only reason of ease of maintenance. Open it, clean it, put it back and it's ready for another 10k kms. To top that, the filtering capability is better in these. I changed to the BMC stock replacement filter hence I was not expecting any improvement in performance. If you are a little hands on guy, I will recommend it for ease of use.



8. Slime for the tyre : This is the first time I used a slime in my bike cause these tyres are soft and have a tendency to invite nails. My presumption. Not sure if it is a coincidence but my rear tyre after the slime treatment encountered two nails and all I had to do was remove it, and rotate the tyre and continue riding. Yes again a solution for peace of mind. A highly recommended product.

9. Prototype LED : This one is interesting. This is not on my bike currently but has been used for testing. A close friend of mine and I are looking towards a premium LED setup for the bike which can be a stock replacement without any wiring changes. We are done with the first round of testing although a lot more needs to be tested before we roll it out to the world market.





The one in the picture is at around 5000 Kelvin although the final one will be reduced to 4300 Kelvin. The stock light is not bad but this takes it to the other level.

What is pending

1. Better Brake Pads.
2. Double Bubble Visor from Zero Gravity
3. Iridium Spark Plugs

And I think I will keep the rest just as it is with the exception of changing the stock recommended Engine oil to Motul 7100 and the coolant to Engine Ice. For maintaining of the chain, I would recommend Motul or 3M Chain cleaner and Yamaha Dry Lube of lubing it. A little expensive but works wonders.

Servicing has been usually good as I have been servicing with Bangalore Wheels. I have thankfully not faced any issues as such.

Well, that's for now and I think not much is going to change for long

[msrsooraj]

Originally Posted by abhisheksircar

What I still like

- Engine : Smooth and absolutely love the linear acceleration.
- Handling : It's an excellent tourer and handles like a charm.
- Looks and Sound : Although perspective, I absolutely love it.

What I don't like

- Tyres : Thankfully I changed to Rosso IIs very soon else I pity riders who are living with those MRFs as a punishment from Yamaha
- Small Niggles : There are issues in the switch gear and in my one of a case, the petrol tank leaked. Both were attended to but would have appreciated without these in a bike of this cost.

Now coming to the most common issues reported.

1. Bike Swaying/Grip/Cornering issues etc.

2. Engine cutting out with Error 19.

Would I recommend the Yamaha R3 to my friend after experiencing it for a year. Absolutely Yes !

Hello Abhishek,

Really appreciate the effort that you have put into the making of this thread. Although I must admit that many of the points that you have mentioned are going to give me sleep-less nights. I have been patiently waiting, saving all the money I can, for the right time to buy a bike. And patience is something i am greatly running out of!!

R3 is an expensive bike and that kind of money will not be easy for a guy like me. Which is why I am worried about where my money is going to go. And the absence of ABS is an absolute deal-breaker for me. The R3, if it gets ABS, i am ready to pay that extra money. But I can't ignore the fact that the Duke390 2017 is still a good lakh cheaper.

I walked into a few Yamaha dealers hoping for some news on the R3 ABS version. It was clear that each of the dealers I walked into was having a hard time selling R3s. I am from a place called Muvattupuzha near Kochi/Ernakulam. I did not go to the Ernakulam Showrooms and I doubt if they have sold all that many models either. Which gives me all the more reasons to be concerned. With KTM I can be sure that there is a service for the Duke, although the quality of the service is an entirely different discussion for another day. But with R3, I am concerned about the "existence" of service from where I am. I don't mind riding all the way to Bangalore, if that's what it takes.

The above are the reasons why I have come to you seeking help. Will there be an R3 ABS by March (approximately the time I'm going to get one) or should I get the Duke?

You may suggest the MT-03 but I am not that big of a naked bike fan and that is the reason why I was strongly rooting for the R3. You know, the love for fairings!!! RC390 is too aggressive for me. If there won't be an R3 ABS, i would probably get the Duke390.

Regards,
Sooraj..

[finneyp]

Hi Abhishek, kudos for your detailed ownership report and with the mods you have done, shows your love & passion for R3.

R3 is on my radar, waiting for some budget to make the plunge...

Do you have any news when the 2016/17 R3 model will be launched in India? And will it have ABS? New color options?

[mkovuri]

Sooraj, getting a motorcycle is a VERY personal matter just like choosing colors of our dresses. My suggestion is definitely get some data and information (we call that as processed data, if you may like). And then stop. Take a few test rides.. Not just one. If you can manage, nothing like using a bike for one day from someone (for me it was Experiential Ride facility in Continental GT) if you can. The reason is sometimes the feel you get from a bike could easily override some DATA based impressions of some weak features. I am not supporting or negating any particular model but just some advice for your benefit in choosing a bike. Not only the question of affordability but bikes are very personal objects IF one is passionate about them.

Thanks
Mallik Kovuri

[farhadtarapore]

Originally Posted by mkovuri

Not only the question of affordability but bikes are very personal objects IF one is passionate about them.

Thanks
Mallik Kovuri

Very true. But it still doesn't have ABS.

[abhisheksircar]

Originally Posted by msrsooraj

You may suggest the MT-03 but I am not that big of a naked bike fan and that is the reason why I was strongly rooting for the R3. You know, the love for fairings!!! RC390 is too aggressive for me. If there won't be an R3 ABS, i would probably get the Duke390.

I'll keep it short. Duke 390. There are issues in R3 which I personally have not faced, all of them, but the whatsapp group we have is filled with riders reporting various issues. The bike engine is amazing, gears are smooth, it's a really fun bike but certain things are making this bike "unsafe".

1. Tyres : Major disasters have been reported due to skids with the stock tyres. If you can change it the moment you take it off the showroom, you are sorted.

2. Error 19 : This is the cherry on top of the bad tyres. The bike will just refuse to start or will suddenly cut off all power while you are riding in the middle of no where. Again, very dangerous specially if you are in a corner or so where you are relying on the power.

As I have always mentioned before as well, the bike ergonomics, power delivery, design etc is absolutely amazing but these few issues, which are just being ignored although being reported, makes me now rethink before I recommend the R3 to anyone till Yamaha decides to resolve the issues. If at all. Very dangerous issues and tomorrow I do not want to regret for recommending the R3 resulting in a not so pleasant experience. My whole tank leaked cause it rusted out in less than a year, I didn't complain cause it was a one off. They acted fast and was replaced without any questions. But these two issues are recipe for disasters waiting to happen. Few disasters have already happened and I will not be surprised if more are reported.

Duke390 had lot of issues but what I hear from other bikers is that it has really evolved over the time. This is all hearsay and hence I cannot really vouch for it.

Sorry for breaking the bubble Sooraj but I had to be honest with you. It's an absolute fun bike, really well designed and a very capable 320 CC. It's just sad that smaller yet "lethal" issues are being ignored and left to the mercy of the riders to sort it out.

I am just wondering if this is how a buyer who pays 4 lakh is being treated, how are their scooter buyers treated ?

Originally Posted by finneyp

Hi Abhishek, kudos for your detailed ownership report and with the mods you have done, shows your love & passion for R3.

R3 is on my radar, waiting for some budget to make the plunge...

Do you have any news when the 2016/17 R3 model will be launched in India? And will it have ABS? New color options?

I am sorry man, heard nothing on either of this. Yamaha is tight lipped about their releases. Even the dealers don't get to know about it till the last moment.

[finneyp]

Originally Posted by abhisheksircar

There are issues in R3 which I personally have not faced, all of them, but the whatsapp group we have is filled with riders reporting various issues. The bike engine is amazing, gears are smooth, it's a really fun bike but certain things are making this bike "unsafe".

1. Tyres : Major disasters have been reported due to skids with the stock tyres. If you can change it the moment you take it off the showroom, you are sorted.

2. Error 19 : This is the cherry on top of the bad tyres. The bike will just refuse to start or will suddenly cut off all power while you are riding in the middle of no where. Again, very dangerous specially if you are in a corner or so where you are relying on the power.

Sorry for breaking the bubble Sooraj but I had to be honest with you. It's an absolute fun bike, really well designed and a very capable 320 CC. It's just sad that smaller yet "lethal" issues are being ignored and left to the mercy of the riders to sort it out.

I am just wondering if this is how a buyer who pays 4 lakh is being treated, how are their scooter buyers treated ?

Abhishek, though your above post is a dampener on my plans to acquire a R3, Thanks for your honest feedback on the serious malfunctions (esp Error 19) plaguing this superb Bike!
I am also surprised with the apathy & callous attitude of Yamaha India towards customers who spent 4 lakhs of their hard-earned money & making no efforts to fix it!
You should escalate this on their FB, Twitter handles etc, and maybe to Yamaha Japan too.

I guess I have to wait for sometime to see if Yamaha launches the new R3 model with the above malfunctions fixed or look for other options in the Entry-level Sports bike category.

[abhisheksircar]

Originally Posted by finneyp

Abhishek, though your above post is a dampener on my plans to acquire a R3, Thanks for your honest feedback on the serious malfunctions (esp Error 19) plaguing this superb Bike!
I am also surprised with the apathy & callous attitude of Yamaha India towards customers who spent 4 lakhs of their hard-earned money & making no efforts to fix it!
You should escalate this on their FB, Twitter handles etc, and maybe to Yamaha Japan too.

I guess I have to wait for sometime to see if Yamaha launches the new R3 model with the above malfunctions fixed or look for other options in the Entry-level Sports bike category.

Apologies for spoiling your plans but I had to. We did try the sober way doing everything possible to connect to the right people, sending the right feedback but most of the efforts went down the drain due to people who are then sent to take feedback who find it very easy to say, "you have to describe the problem cause I mostly drive cars and hence I cannot make out the issue." What more can I say ! Yamaha India might have the right intentions but have the wrong people executing it. End result, riders paying a decent amount are made to realize their mistake soon.

What I feel bad is that these issues are evident, vouched by most riders. These are not BIG issues like redesign of the bike, clutch assembly to be changed etc but small issues which if looked into seriously can easily be resolved. But no because someone goes back and says, it's a bunch of guys who are facing this issue while most are fine. Error 19 and bike skidding off leading to lethal issues should be addressed even if ONE rider is facing the issue. Here we are talking about many of us facing these issues. Sad but true. We are left with a wonderful bike which we ride wishing we come back safe.

Social Media, if required, Soon !

[msrsooraj]

Originally Posted by abhisheksircar

But no because someone goes back and says, it's a bunch of guys who are facing this issue while most are fine. Error 19 and bike skidding off leading to lethal issues should be addressed even if ONE rider is facing the issue.
Social Media, if required, Soon !

Funny you should mention that. So i'll just leave this here. No points for guessing.

Narrator: A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one.
Business woman on plane: Are there a lot of these kinds of accidents?
Narrator: You wouldn't believe.
Business woman on plane: Which car company do you work for?
Narrator: A major one.

Then I guess its going to be the Duke390. The new Duke apparently has all the bells and whistles and more than what we can ask for especially for that price. It also makes me sad that the Kwaker 300 is way above my budget and still doesn't offer ABS.

[mkovuri]

I read news the other day that BMW is launching its 300 cc (approx.) bikes in first half of 2017. And a street model has ABS included as an option. Do you want to check out more on this since it is around the corner anyway? You could be the first owner of new BMW G300R (if I quoted the model correctly)

[Madhav Nayak]

Originally Posted by mkovuri

I read news the other day that BMW is launching its 300 cc (approx.) bikes in first half of 2017. And a street model has ABS included as an option. Do you want to check out more on this since it is around the corner anyway? You could be the first owner of new BMW G300R (if I quoted the model correctly)

Yes, as per a tweet from BMW, the G310R will be launched around April '17 and the G310GS will launch towards December '17. Great news for India!

@abhisheksircar Thank you for having this incredible thread here. I have benefitted a lot from your experiences. I have to hand it to you for spearheading such a great initiative and getting in touch with the Yamaha big guns. Hopefully, it does some good. After reading about the Error 19 situation on your thread, I went puttering about the internet for more information.

Now, this is mostly hearsay, because I have not found a single credible source for this from anywhere, but it seems the problem was to do with the lock set up on the bike. Most of the folks I talked to, including a service mechanic from a nearby showroom told me that Yamaha made some changes to the lock set up on the bike so it doesn't continue happening. Current R3 owners got it replaced under warranty apparently.

[abhisheksircar]

Originally Posted by Madhav Nayak

Yes, as per a tweet from BMW, the G310R will be launched around April '17 and the G310GS will launch towards December '17. Great news for India!

@abhisheksircar Thank you for having this incredible thread here. I have benefitted a lot from your experiences. I have to hand it to you for spearheading such a great initiative and getting in touch with the Yamaha big guns. Hopefully, it does some good. After reading about the Error 19 situation on your thread, I went puttering about the internet for more information.

Now, this is mostly hearsay, because I have not found a single credible source for this from anywhere, but it seems the problem was to do with the lock set up on the bike. Most of the folks I talked to, including a service mechanic from a nearby showroom told me that Yamaha made some changes to the lock set up on the bike so it doesn't continue happening. Current R3 owners got it replaced under warranty apparently.

Please let me know and I will introduce you to people who have faced this in person (many in person) and are still struggling even after ECU being changed. So this is how Yamaha is experimenting with.

1. Clean the switch
2. Change the switch gear
3. Check the ECU connectors
4. Replace the ECU
5. God save you

And each time this happens, it risks the rider immensely by having no power in the bike out of the blues. I am one who faced this and I was in the highway and thankfully didn't have heavy vehicles behind me. I held the clutch and slowly swerved off the road.

[finneyp]

Abhishek, did they try changing the Lock-set & see if the issue is resolved?