2016 Yamaha YZF-R3 long term review: After 12,572km and two years
There are very few motorcycles that tug at your heartstrings, every time you swing a leg over. The Yamaha YZF-R3 is one such machine and it's time at the OVERDRIVE garage, sadly, has come to an end. I write this report with a heavy heart, saying goodbye to a motorcycle that I've truly enjoyed riding over the last couple of years. The R3 has been the darling of the boys at OD, with everyone from the juniors to the editor taking it for a spin every now and then. And, they've always loved the bike to bits.
The design has been widely regarded as a big hit. A few months after riding the R3, I was used to people staring at the bike. The paint quality in most places has stood the test of time, having dealt with extreme heat in the summers as well as torrential rain. I'd strongly recommend that owners get a tank pad as riding in a crouched position has led to some of the paint wearing off from the center, plastic strip on the tank.
The engine is another aspect that makes the R3 so wonderful. The parallel-twin motor is a gem and I couldn't get enough of whacking the throttle open, every time I had the opportunity. The motor revs quickly and the raspy engine note towards the redline is pretty addictive, as well. On most weekend rides to Kasara Ghat, a section on the Mumbai-Nashik highway, I reveled in the power delivery of the R3. I always felt the R3 is a deceptive motorcycle, masking high speeds with ease. It's this sweet nature of the motor and the ability to cruise at 120-140kmph without breaking a sweat, that makes the R3 so dear.
The only complaints I've had is the lack of ABS and the tyres that are simply not up to the task of handling the power and abilities of the R3. I hope Yamaha addresses these issues in the BS-IV YZF-R3. Servicing the R3 has also been a rather inexpensive affair, the total bill, including oil, filter and labour running up to `4,250 only. The Yamaha R3 has been a reliable companion for the time its spent with me. I am going to miss it, a lot.
Images by Akshay Jadhav