[goandude]

Thanks for a fantastic unbiased review. Getting opinions from other owners, as well as track specialists was enlightening. This is probably why Team-BHP is a mecca for all enthusiasts looking for accurate information.

[Added_flavor]

This has to be one of the best reviews of a motorbike on Tbhp till date! Your words right from the waiting days to the delivery and ride report are equivalent to a movie! You have captured every aspect an aspiring owner looks for.

The bike itself is a beast no doubt. Coming from Yamaha, it is expected to ooze quality and class and it does exactly that! I believe this is being touted as a sports tourer (ala CBR250, Ninja 300) and hence, my biggest qualm is the lack of better pillion comfort. Apart from that, I'm sure the bike is absolutely brilliant.

Congratulations on owning her. Wishing you a safe and long ownership!

Cheers
Suhas

[Parth46]

Awesome, superb review mate! Thanks for taking the trouble of creating such a detailed review!

What a lovely machine, Yamaha couldn't have done any better. Looks, sounds and feels like amazing fun.

Now the one bad thing you've done is - you've once again made me wince at my pathetic bank account and left me wondering how to make this thing mine.!



Keep revvin,
Parth

[petrolhead_neel]

Superbly detailed review of such a great ride! Kept me glued. Kudos to you for providing us with this review in such a short time.

The R3 looks mean! Wish you many happy and safe miles with her. The exhaust note is just so good. Music to the ears.

I have always liked the R15, but this one, I just love it! Yamaha again proves that when the strike the chords, they strike it right.

Cheers,
Neel

[Cyborg]

Congratulations Abhishek and all the best with your R3!

What a review man, you should be taking this up professionally. Rated the thread 5 stars, perspective from so many people and lovely snaps too!

Really wish Yamaha had not skimped on the ABS and slipper clutch. Who knows, maybe it will be added during the update some time later.

Ride safe.

Cheers
Cyborg

[srinitdas]

Fabulous review abhisheksircar.
The level of detail and the extent to which the comparison has been made deserves a standing ovation.
Being a touring addict, I am surely bringing this bike into serious contention (for the lack of any real adventure touring bike in India) for an upgrade

Congratulations to you for your new steed. Amazing insight for many motorcycling enthusiasts and prospective buyers. Thanks a lot !!!

[shan_ned]

One of the best reviews from an owner !!!

In your post, you compared R3 and N300 and I don't see much to choose between these two except for one major point - Cost of maintaining the vehicle.

Every one knows how Kawasaki/Bajaj have priced the spare parts and very happy to see Yamaha not following that path. Hats off to Yamaha on that front

EDIT: I guess Yamaha missed a trick here. Yamaha could have added the ABS and kept the pricing slightly higher (on par with N300). This would have made N300 jittery.

[Saint_Krish]

What a review mate! Loved your movie..err I mean the review D. You even got a word or two in from external sources! Well done man. Loved your pics too. I loved the blue. I may be wrong but I think I saw you zoom with a few friends on airport road (I think I spotted a Ninja and an R15). It was on Sep 13th. The number plates were not on and it was like 4 in the morning. Anyway the bike looked reallly big from my car and stylish. I was screaming R3! R3!
Ah anyway! Thanks again. Hmm, my trusty FZ16 has come of age all of a sudden.

[abhisheksircar]

Thank you all for the wishes. Glad you all could relate to it. It was a pleasure to type out the experience and share it. And to ensure that I am not the only one responsible for this long review, I added few more partners in crime. Thanks to my rider friends.

Originally Posted by GTO

That's as detailed as an Official Review . Rating thread a well-deserved 5 stars.
This review is going straight to our homepage.

Thanks a lot GTO. After reading so many good reviews in Team-bhp, you start thinking in Team-bhp lines of quality review. !

Originally Posted by Divya Sharan

A very well put up report. Do you face wind-blast due to the short visor/wind screen (purely my opinion) at speeds > 80?

There is no wind blast which bothers you at higher speeds.

Originally Posted by Divya Sharan

Also, that 1960s style reflector on the front fender is present because it is mandated by law, but then so is the saree guard.

Really ? That's by law ? The R15 I presume somehow escaped. They should have atleast used the much smarter ones they are using in US.

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Really wish Yamaha had not skimped on the ABS and slipper clutch. Who knows, maybe it will be added during the update some time later.

ABS looks like very much feasible since they already are selling it in Europe. Slipper clutch will need a major version change but surely will be a welcome change.

Originally Posted by shan_ned

I guess Yamaha missed a trick here. Yamaha could have added the ABS and kept the pricing slightly higher (on par with N300). This would have made N300 jittery.

I agree. They should have introduced it as an option at least. But with 3.25 as the price itself many people were not happy. Including ABS and making the prices go higher (as high as 3.7) would have had lesser takes I presume. Initial euphoria might have resulted in good buyers but then it would have faced the wrath of higher pricing because few would have compared the price difference of parts as well.

Originally Posted by Saint_Krish

I may be wrong but I think I saw you zoom with a few friends on airport road (I think I spotted a Ninja and an R15). It was on Sep 13th. The number plates were not on and it was like 4 in the morning. Anyway the bike looked reallly big from my car and stylish. I was screaming R3! R3!
Ah anyway! Thanks again. Hmm, my trusty FZ16 has come of age all of a sudden.

No, that was not me or us Join us for our YRC rides. We have all genres of Yamahas riding in.

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

I believe this is being touted as a sports tourer (ala CBR250, Ninja 300) and hence, my biggest qualm is the lack of better pillion comfort.

Now that I think of it, you are right. It's all out as a sports tourer and then stops at the pillion with the split seats. That said, the pillion is way more comfortable than the R15 pillion seats. The seat height difference is not as much and comes at a decent height.

[Divya Sharan]

Originally Posted by abhisheksircar

Really ? That's by law ? The R15 I presume somehow escaped. They should have atleast used the much smarter ones they are using in US.

Yes, that US design is smarter. I presume this law or mandate came in picture post 2012. My 2011 Karizma doesn't have one either but I saw the same on 2013 and above CBRs and the likes.

[Swapnil_Alto]

Heartiest congratulations on the R3 sir.
A very detailed review you've written there. One could easily get to know everything about the R3 here. Have loved the R3 since the day it's news and pics came up on the Internet. And reading your review makes me drool over the R3 even more, I seriously wish I can own it someday. I'm also a Yamaha fan, DNA came from dad. He owned a Yamaha RX100 and I own a Yamaha Fazer.
Once again, wish you happy miles with the R3.

P.S- The Yamha logo on the visor looks great, perfectly positioned. I may get a similar one.

[0xTKB]

Originally Posted by abhisheksircar

Fully synthetic engine oil from Yamalube for R3 costs only 450/-.

I'm sorry to ask, but how is that possible? I regularly purchase Yamalube semi-synthetic 20W50 from the local Yamaha showroom and its price is ₹550 per litre. How can a fully synthetic engine oil be cheaper than a semi-synthetic engine oil? I think that it is a typo.

Moreover, the CBR250R runs on fully synthetic Honda Throttle which is priced at ₹720 per litre.. KTM Duke 390, which uses Motul 7100 4T, 10W40, fully synthetic, is priced at ₹900 per litre.

Brilliant review though. This review changed my mind to upgrade to Ninja 300. I would definitely upgrade to Yamaha R3 once it comes with ABS.

[abhisheksircar]

Originally Posted by 0xTKB

I'm sorry to ask, but how is that possible? I regularly purchase Yamalube semi-synthetic 20W50 from the local Yamaha showroom and its price is ₹550 per litre. How can a fully synthetic engine oil be cheaper than a semi-synthetic engine oil? I think that it is a typo.

Amazing, right !

The only typo that's possible right now is by the guy who printed the MRP on the bottle. Navneeth has already completed his Engine Break-In. R3 has an engine oil capacity of 2.4 litres. So he had to buy three bottles which including tax costed him 1380/- INR. How's that



That's the pic he sent on changing.

[AtheK]

brilliant review, loved it.

Have a question.
I have an Apache RTR 160, a bloody brilliant bike, it's been a true workhorse and absolutely niggle free. I plan to keep it for another 3 years for my daily commute. Now i need a bigger bike and i am thinking of R3 vs RC390, my major ride on this bike will be on Highways on weekends around 100-150 km a side. I am really tilted towards RC390 cos of more power, cheaper price tag and ABS on highway.

Do you think a R3 will make more sense here or should i stick to RC390, i have driven it and that thing absolutely flies.

[abhisheksircar]

Try the RC390. If you are okay with the vibrations and sitting posture, you can save 1.5 Lakhs. Don't test ride the R3 after that, you might get convinced to spend the extra 1.5 lakhs