Photo: Original image by autoevolution
It’s no surprise to see a huge media crowd gathered for the official launch of Yamaha’s new range of sport bikes, especially as the motorcycling community has been waiting for the all-new small-displacement R3 machine for such a long time.
However, it looks like it was well-worth waiting for the 2015 YZF-R3, as the bike arrives with an extra edge over the direct competition and is definitely better than most of us hoped it would be. Even more, we know it will also be sold in Europe because official sources mentioned an A2 version straight from the moment the first official photos emerged. This means yet another cool choice for new riders in the growing small-displacement segment. And by all means, competition is a great way to achieve progress!
Initially thought to slot in the quarter-liter segment, the new small member of the YZF family brings no less than 321cc of EFI displacement. Bigger than both Honda’s CBR300R and Kawasaki’s Ninja 300, the 2015 YZF-R3 also has the upper hand when it comes to power. With 42 hp at 10,750 it surpasses the Ninja 300 whose best is 39 horsepower at 11,000 revs. CBR300R’s 30 hp are also way behind. On the torque side, the 29.6 Nm (21.8 lb-ft) are also superior to the 27 Nm (19.9 lb-ft) of the two.
Honda has the lighter bike, with a curb weight of 162 kg (357 lb). A wet R3 tips the scales at 169 kg (373 lb), 2 kilos (4.4 lb) less than a dry Ninja 300. And since the power (or should we say the force) is with the 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3, the smile only gets bigger.
With a 780mm (30.7”) seat the 2015 YZF-R3 is also decently low, a good selling point for young riders and ladies. 41mm forks have been used for the front suspension, complemented by a monoshock in the rear, while single-disc brakes seem enough to provide the needed stopping power, a 298mm front one and a classic 220mm rear unit.
At the same time, the tank can hold an impressive 14 liters (3.7 US gal) of fuel, which is of course a great asset, making the 2015 YZF-R3 a cool bike for longer, overnight trips, as well.
The materials used throughout the bike tell a different story than what you might think. Compared to other manufacturers with bigger expectations (look at Harley's Street 750) the R3 brings more quality even though it's supposed to be an entry level model. The handles and even the controls feel good to the touch and we really didn't see that coming.
YZF-R3 is the natural progress from R25
When the R25 was launched earlier this year and Iwata said that the bike would only be sold in the Asia Pacific Region we kind of figured out that a new, bigger and more powerful model was in the works. Yamaha has been quite secretive as to the new bike, but the specs are really going to give both Honda and Kawasaki a run for the money.Initially thought to slot in the quarter-liter segment, the new small member of the YZF family brings no less than 321cc of EFI displacement. Bigger than both Honda’s CBR300R and Kawasaki’s Ninja 300, the 2015 YZF-R3 also has the upper hand when it comes to power. With 42 hp at 10,750 it surpasses the Ninja 300 whose best is 39 horsepower at 11,000 revs. CBR300R’s 30 hp are also way behind. On the torque side, the 29.6 Nm (21.8 lb-ft) are also superior to the 27 Nm (19.9 lb-ft) of the two.
Honda has the lighter bike, with a curb weight of 162 kg (357 lb). A wet R3 tips the scales at 169 kg (373 lb), 2 kilos (4.4 lb) less than a dry Ninja 300. And since the power (or should we say the force) is with the 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3, the smile only gets bigger.
With a 780mm (30.7”) seat the 2015 YZF-R3 is also decently low, a good selling point for young riders and ladies. 41mm forks have been used for the front suspension, complemented by a monoshock in the rear, while single-disc brakes seem enough to provide the needed stopping power, a 298mm front one and a classic 220mm rear unit.
At the same time, the tank can hold an impressive 14 liters (3.7 US gal) of fuel, which is of course a great asset, making the 2015 YZF-R3 a cool bike for longer, overnight trips, as well.
The materials used throughout the bike tell a different story than what you might think. Compared to other manufacturers with bigger expectations (look at Harley's Street 750) the R3 brings more quality even though it's supposed to be an entry level model. The handles and even the controls feel good to the touch and we really didn't see that coming.
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