Yamaha Launches 2018 YZF-R3 At Auto Expo 2018

The 2018 motorcycle, which is priced at Rs 3.48 lakh, is now BSIV-compliant and gets ABS as standard

Yamaha was forced to discontinue the YZF-R3 thanks to it being unable to comply with BSIV emission norms in April last year. Today, however, the Japanese bike maker has reintroduced the sports bike with a BSIV-compliant engine along with new features at the Auto Expo 2018. Priced at Rs 3.48 lakh, Rs 23,000 more than the previous version. Design wise, the R3 looks more or less the same as before. It is now offered in blue and black with new graphics. Other features such as the semi-digital instrument console and the 14-litre fuel tank have been carried over from the previous R3.

Powered by a 321cc liquid-cooled and fuel-injected parallel twin motor, the YZF-R3 puts out 42PS of power at 10750rpm and 29.6Nm of peak torque at 9000rpm. Power is transferred to the rear wheel via a 6-speed gearbox. Braking is done via 298mm front and 220mm rear disc brake setup. However, Yamaha is offering a dual channel ABS as standard this time around. The suspension setup consists of 41mm KYB forks at the front and a linked rear shock absorber. The other major update is the switch from MRF tyres to stickier Metzeler Sportec M5 tyres. The 2018 R3 weighs 3kg more than the non-ABS model it replaces.

The 2018 YZF-R3 continues to compete against the Kawasaki Ninja 300 and the KTM RC 390. Among the three, we feel the KTM RC 390 offers the best bang for your buck as it packs more power, a slipper clutch and LED headlamps, among others.