YAMAHA R3 (2015 - 2018) Review

The front brakes are amazing, the front pads last 15,000 kilometers for some and 12,000 for me! But the rear brake pads wear out soon. Also, I have seen the rear rotors bruised in every single R3. Wonder why this hasn't been fixed.

The best part of the bike. It is the best engine in the 300cc class. Has respectable torque low down, thanks to the offset cylinders and bore to stroke ratio. Picks up well from 5K RPMs and goes crazy at around 10.5 K RPMs. Keep it pinned all day long, no complains. The gearbox is slick, smooth. The clutch is light. The front sprocket lasts long. Spares are cheap. No signs of Rust anywhere. Brilliant work by Yamaha, Japan.

Built to last, never ever has let me down. Be it jungles of eastern India or the salty waters of the Bay of Bengal

Absolutely cheap if you just go for the authorized service center. I prefer doing it myself though, using shell advance 10w40, K&N Cleaning kit, Engine Ice coolant and lots of kerosene for the chain.

Well, I wasn't happy here in a few areas. The tires are now fixed with Metzelers but I got pathetic India made MRF's that stepped out every time I was a bit too aggressive. I switched to Michelin Pilot Street 2. I have lowered the clip-on's, stiffened the front forks with 20W fork oils. Added full system exhaust, tank grips, rear sets and quick throttle all from Ali express for real cheap.

Entertaining on twisty roads to say the least - amazing for reasonable distances with a massive grim inside the lid - longer rides do take their toll on knees and bum - rode a 350 mile wales and back trip in a day and was only the last hour or two that it became uncomfortable, but considering its a sports bike this is surprisingly good going - however with a pillion on the back comfort does suffer considerably requiring a break within every hour - Also I'm told the pillion seat is bum numbing, but not surprising considering its thin, skinny and pretty hard - Brakes feel positive and ABS does its job - never had a concern that i wouldn't stop

Fun little peachy parallel twin - really comes alive above 7000 rpm and smoothly hits the limiter - only putting out 41 horses is no issue and is a dream to ride - does take a moment or two to pick up from very low rpm but not really hesitant just likes to be ridden at high revs

It's a Yamaha - no reliability issues what so ever.

Apparently has a 14 liter fuel tank, however from 'fuel empty light' to a full tank it takes about 11-12 quid of V-power so am assuming the reserve is huge, but never had the balls to see how many miles are hidden at the bottom of the tank - Insurance is reasonable and tax is cheap

Only rated a 4/5 because equipment is limited - all controls are easy to use and in the correct place - adjustable shift light is good however in bright sun isn't so clear - trips and mpg display is easy to use however not ideal as no handle bar controls

Just perfect for my purposes. Hardcore racers no doubt want better of everything.

Quiet, smooth, and docile as a scooter at low revs, yet torquey enough for easy second-gear launches. Howls like a banshee when you twist the rip stick and MOVES. Not an R1, but not a 250 experience by any means.

Typical Japanese, so far.

Cheap to buy, fuel, and maintain. My city mileage during break-in is sitting at 58 mpg (U.S.)

I don't miss the missing ABS or slipper clutch one bit, but the market may say otherwise. The included analog tach and hi-rez info center are as good as on any bike at 3x the price. Clock and gear indicator are appreciated on every ride.

An excellent commuter tool and handles motorways and dual carriageways as easily as a twisty backroad. Very comfortable, even after a 4 hour trip on the M25 and confidence inspiring, especially for the shorter rider. I have yet to experience the ABS but it is a welcome addition.

A capable all rounder; easy to get on with around town and on carraigeways. As echoed in most reviews, power delivery is in the upper end on the rev counter, from about 7000rpm to 10000rpm, with noticeable extra pull at 9000rpm. Plenty of power to pull away from traffic when required, either at the lights or in 6th while overtaking. However, this isn't mini R6 in the same vein as the 400cc sportsbikes of old and would maybe benefit from an extra 20bhp for us riders with an A license.

1000 miles is too early to tell for the long term but it is well put together with solid feeling plastics, lustre paint and sound mechanicals thus far.

Excellent value at £4982 OTR inclusive of registration and first year tax. Returns 67mpg on average. The only negative would be insurance. As Yamaha have defined the R3 as a 'supersport', the insurance is relatively high (it would be cheaper to insure an MT07 for example).

Informative dashboard / clocks. Combination of analog rev counter and digital display add to the premium feel other bikes in this class lack. ABS is very welcome for the newer rider. Mirrors are good for this type of bike but still have a tendency to show the rider their elbows Official optional extras are starting to be released from Yamaha (single seat cowl, Akrapoviç exhaust) but many third party extras (exhaust options, tail tidys etc) are available.