[sprocket]

Good times indeed. Thank you Yamaha. Wonder how they reduced the pricing so much.

Aprilia starting to get cocky. They moved their price upwards due to lack of competition. Now they have to get realistic as the R3 seriously undercuts the RS457 pricing.

Kawasaki and Honda needs to wake up.

[Flyingdutchman]

Yamaha has not been up to the mark recently with the service aspect. Even a motorcycle like FZ25 which was discontinued only recently, it always had issues with cycle parts, tappets noise, parts availablity. Even now, if you inquire about spare parts for FZ25 in any of the service centre, even for basic stuff like Air Filter, the answer will be negative in a city like Pune. They all direct customers to procure spare parts from Monarch Yamaha. Local ones don't even bother to store them anymore.

And as for as R3 is concerned, spare parts are expensive given that they are imported, but the availability story remains the same in this case as well. For entire western Maharashtra, Only 1 dealer in Pune have parts in stock.

[sasmit]

Parts availability is an issue all premium products from Honda , Suzuki also . Gixxer250 although not as low selling as Yamaha still has lead times for maintenance parts such as chain sprockets and brake pads . Thankfully the brake parts are shared with other bybre using manufacturers. No wonder R3 parts are hard to come by.
Even Honda Bigwing models have huge lead times for parts .

[wheelspinner]

Originally Posted by RT13

Massive price cut on the Yamaha 300s!! This looks a little more sane now.

Attachment 2720953

Why not buy the Pulsar NS400 instead of the MT-03?

It still is very expensive.

Clearly, they want to discontinue it. So, parts will be challenging to come across.

[VW2010]

Why not buy the Pulsar NS400 instead of the MT-03?

It still is very expensive.

Clearly, they want to discontinue it. So, parts will be challenging to come across.

Unlike Honda, Yamaha is one of the easiest brand to get the required parts. They still source parts for fz1. Again unlike Honda they usually deliver the parts in the 2 to 3 week timeline.

The price while still expensive for the bike, is probably the right price at which Yamaha should have launched.

Aprilia has a very good bike but time will tell their service and parts story.

This is why the KTMs are my preference as it is cheaper to own and run the bike unlike the Japanese ones and they also challenge most of these bikes in this segment for thrill.

[AseemYadav]

Culmination of a four year old saga. Was about to pull the trigger on a bsiv R3 just before Covid lockdown but couldn't. The Yamaha black at 4.5 lac on road is the right potion for my midlife crisis. Took a test drive and booked it from Monarch Yamaha, Pune. CBU road tax is eye-watering though at 20%. The bike looks quite larger than an R15 in person and has a throaty growl. Delivery is in two weeks. Pls advise regarding accessories. Thanks.

[Nithesh_M]

Originally Posted by b16h22

Honda very recently cut the CB300R

After replacing Showa branded forks for generic ones amongst other parts localisation.

Originally Posted by b16h22

and CB500X & CBR1000RRR prices were cut agressively in the past

Clearing off unsold inventory just like Yamaha here.


This R3 was launched in response to the 2011 CBR 250R and Ninja 300. Yet a decade after its arrival it has been mechanically unchanged other than bodywork.

I don't see why Yamaha couldn't localise the bike like Kawasaki did and offer it for sub 3.5 lakh ex showroom like the Ninja 300 or why Honda who have the CBR300R engine in the naked CB300R doesn't bother launching the CBR300R.

[yatesh.92]

It looks like the post effects of the budget have kicked in a bit too early . We bike enthusiasts can start celebrating now.

[AseemYadav]

Yamaha R3 is not E20 compliant. I guess this will lead to fuel line and pump problems down the line. But it is a risk I am willing to take. YOLO and all...

[Piston_head]

This time, there should be more demand. As far as I know, the R3 has fewer aftermarket accessories in India, but if more people buy it, we might see more accessories available. It’s priced higher than the N300, but with Yamaha’s lower service costs compared to Kawasaki, it could be a better long-term choice.

[RT13]

Originally Posted by b16h22

I'm a bit confused when you say this because it's the Japs that recently executed the most significant price cuts due to overpriced launch prices. Honda very recently cut the CB300R and CB300F prices substantially and CB500X & CBR1000RRR prices were cut agressively in the past. Plus the recent price correction on Kawasaki SBKs. It was easy to see what's coming looking at the single digit numbers the R3 was doing and MT was just a complete failure.

Let me clarify a bit. A ‘repositioning’ is a significant shift in how a product is placed in relation to the competitive market, and how it is perceived by customers. This price cut is huge - some 25%, AND they say it is NOT a clearance sale. Given the next model of the R3 will probably come in a year from now, I personally see no reason to doubt them. Now, how potential customers will view these 300 twins in relation to competition, will see a considerable shift from being some exotic extravagance for diehard Yammie boys, to being genuinely within a consideration set. In this context, I’ll answer your other examples.

If I recall correctly, the CB300R price cut was due a localisation move (from previously being CKD) and a down spec - from Showa to an unbranded fork. That is a significant change. The CB300F was a marginal price cut, don’t think it was even 10%, depending on the state you’re in. The CB500X last price was a stock clearance before the global rollout of the NX500, the new model of which was correctly positioned and priced. None of these count as repositioning exercises. They haven’t moved out of one category and into another, the way a 25% cut shifts the R3 and MT.

Anyway, this is just my take, if you saw it coming, clearly you have a better pulse on this market than I do

Originally Posted by maverick029

I agree with you on the Aprilia service part but Japs are anything but fuss free. My Yamaha FZ25 was the most unreliable motorcycle i have every owned from Multiple Fork seal leaks to straight up engine oil leaks (not a drizzle but the tap open kind), I even dealt with theft of parts by Yamaha Service Center. Among the 4 motorcycles i have owned from Bajaj, Yamaha, KTM and Royal Enfield, the Bajaj was surprisingly the most Fuss Free ownership i ever had. Japanese Brands are not as attentive to Indian market compared to other brands, ex. R3 was always insanely priced and never sold in good numbers, Honda Parts availability is a challenge in …

Interesting. And from other responses on this thread it appears that the FZ25 suffered from this. Personally, I wouldn’t tar a Japanese CBU with the same brush but, that’s just me. Also, different people value different things. A couple of years ago I was casually shopping for a do-it-all 300-400cc bike so went and test rode the KTM as it seemed an absolute no brainer as a whole package - power, handling, tech, service network, etc. To my mind it was just a formality. And…. I hated it! I hated it so badly I can’t tell you. It was that gearbox. It felt light years behind the first gen CBZ that I used to rip at the turn of the century! I couldn’t believe it myself. I was so disappointed. While walking back to the car I happened to pass Honda. And on impulse I popped in and got the keys to a CB300R. What a hoot! Seemingly outgunned on every facet, it was light, flickable, delivered power beautifully and has the most buttery clutch to go with an excellent gearbox. That little bike put a smile on my face like I couldn’t believe. Anyway, I’m glad you’ve had decent experiences with other manufacturers but, I’ve realised that i personally value fundamental engineering over tech and bells and whistles and I find that Japanese brands tend to prioritise that, more than others. Your mileage may vary of course

[amyntor]

Originally Posted by RT13

Let me clarify a bit. A ‘repositioning’ is a significant shift.

...

In this context, I’ll answer your other examples.

The CB300F was a marginal price cut, don’t think it was even 10%, depending on the state you’re in.

That isn't true.

CB300F's price cut was 56k on its original pricing of 2.26L (ex-showroom for the entry level variant). That's 25%. Definitely not marginal and in line with what Yamaha did now.

https://www.bikewale.com/news/honda-...-cut-in-india/

[RT13]

Originally Posted by amyntor

That isn't true.

CB300F's price cut was 56k on its original pricing of 2.26L (ex-showroom for the entry level variant). That's 25%. Definitely not marginal and in line with what Yamaha did now.

https://www.bikewale.com/news/honda-...-cut-in-india/

I stand corrected. I was misinformed. Thank you for that. Yes, that is probably what it should’ve been to begin with anyway.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by amyntor

That isn't true.

CB300F's price cut was 56k on its original pricing of 2.26L (ex-showroom for the entry level variant). That's 25%. Definitely not marginal and in line with what Yamaha did now.

https://www.bikewale.com/news/honda-...-cut-in-india/

Also Yamaha is just clearing stocks after the new version has been trademarked for India. Massive discounts for stock clearance (given year end stocks + upcoming new version) is a rather common practise in the industry.

Whereas Honda had to reposition the product within few months of launch. Not comparable.

[amyntor]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Also Yamaha is just clearing stocks after the new version has been trademarked for India. Massive discounts for stock clearance (given year end stocks + upcoming new version) is a rather common practise in the industry.

Whereas Honda had to reposition the product within few months of launch. Not comparable.

Based on the news reports, the updated pricing is to stay for the MY2025 model too. If that's true, then it'd indeed be a repositioning.