Yamaha YZF-R3 Launch

[andreandre]

for this price of 160 - 170 k thb, i dont expect ABS. hope i am wrong.

As i posted #23,#25 No ABS outside of EU

Confirmation from US site;Retails starts at $4990, with three color options, blue/silver, red and black. Unfortunately no ABS offerings are available yet. The 2015 Yamaha R3 is projected to hit dealers' floors in March, 2015.

From EU info;European versions of the same models are getting ABS brakes already.

[andreandre]

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1422609826.853486.jpg

Picture looks like it has ABS.

Actually I would say that pic does not have abs

Although that pic is pretty small even enlarging it I do not see the slotted abs ring

It is the big ring style of the pre-abs Ninja rotor up front

If it was ABS there would be the smaller slotted ring like this

But instead it is the same style as the pre-abs ninja like this

All that aside a small sport bike should not have ABS IMO or at least be optional.

Ideally a small perky sport bike need the feel of a brake that is not directed thru so much extra hoses & a pump/ecu etc.

Ideally a nice setup would be two small rotors which only need smaller calipers too...like Moto3 uses

Something like this

I'm confused.

Everything else being equal, larger diameter rotor provides a longer lever arm so, seems to me, it would require less forceful [smaller] caliper.

"I'm confused."

Yes ,...frequently...

[mania]

Here a front wheel pic....ABS is available only EU apparently..weird.

I am not 100% sure as I am not from the EU

But I think after a certain mfg date they have made abs a requirement there

If so not only is it available but also not optional

[andreandre]

Here a front wheel pic....ABS is available only EU apparently..weird.

I am not 100% sure as I am not from the EU

But I think after a certain mfg date they have made abs a requirement there

If so not only is it available but also not optional

If so not only is it available but also not optional

Yes, thats the way it reads on EU Yamaha site...

[macknife]

Guys at the Bkk motorshow say it will be available after the launch and will be sold at all the Yamaha Square branches and not at Yamaha big kike. No knowledge of price just yet.

[LburtonL]

seen a facebook post and they claim r3 will be 170 k THB!

really good price if true, better than i expected!

i will switch bike at that price

[fullcave]

No ABS option? DUH.. Next..

[Dutchbike]

Another competitor on it's way, it's a pity those KTM's are so expensive in Thailand.

[Dutchbike]

it appears the pics didn't uploaded new try:

Edited February 3, 2015 by Dutchbike

[dave_boo]

it appears the pics didn't uploaded new try:

300's.jpg10563080_803087749731382_1440010367924558609_n.jpg10952398_918091721564317_1301147962619159887_n.jpg

I don't know if the RC 390 uses the same engine as the Duke, but the Duke puts out 36 RWHP. The Ninja 300 puts out 33-36 (looks like it averages about 35). The CBR300 looks like it puts out about 27.

Duke 390 dyno

Ninja 300 dyno

CBR 300 dyno

So the KTM 390 engines has ~84% of advertised output, the Kawasaki has ~90%, and the Honda ~89%. Average of 88%. Thus, can we expect around 34.9-37.3 RWHP for the R3 when measured on a dyno? Or is it way overrated (a la the Kawasaki 250 which had 25 out of the 33 hp claimed at the rear wheel or 75.8%) and one could expect only 31.4 RWHP?

The Duke 390 and Honda engines are forgivable for being so 'low' in HP compared to the due to being a singles even with the Duke having about 130% more displacement. The CBR actually compares favourably to the Duke in the HP/cc category.

I don't think that a 320cc twin in a bike that comes without ABS and costs more than the equivalent Kawasaki (that has an excellent dealership network) is a good idea. Especially when it may make only as much power or perhaps even a bit less...out of 107% more displacement!

[Shurup]

What's lakh? How is it comparing to THB?

Agree with Dave, who except for the hi-so's are going to buy less of the bike for more money? KTM is a joke in Thailand.

[dave_boo]

What's lakh? How is it comparing to THB?

Agree with Dave, who except for the hi-so's are going to buy less of the bike for more money? KTM is a joke in Thailand.

Lakh is 100,000. You can rough out the price by dividing by 2 (actually 1 INR = 0.53 THB).

[andrewrooney]

Wow. I guess I know what I'd be riding if I lived in India.

[ll2]

Wow. I guess I know what I'd be riding if I lived in India.

yes, that one but together with a brand new enfield bullet 500 for sure.

Edited February 3, 2015 by ll2

[apetley]

Yeah, nothing as satisfying as a Bullet up the Punjab.

[bramds]

New video released. According to this it will be 185,000 baht.

[Shurup]

If no ABS, it will be a hard choice between the R3 and the Ninja 300. They're very close power and price wise but Ninja also got a larger fuel tank. And abs.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Shurup

[ll2]

New video released. According to this it will be 185,000 baht.

enticer 150 looks great. might buy it after my wave as a replacement.

[dave_boo]

If no ABS, it will be a hard choice between the R3 and the Ninja 300. They're very close power and price wise but Ninja also got a larger fuel tank. And abs.

Claimed similar power. Price-wise it looks like they're spot on; but let's remember that ABS is about a 15,000 baht option. And the dealerships/service available. And the fact that the Ninja has a well established engine/frame.

The more I see the less impressive this R3 is.

[macknife]

If no ABS, it will be a hard choice between the R3 and the Ninja 300. They're very close power and price wise but Ninja also got a larger fuel tank. And abs.

Claimed similar power. Price-wise it looks like they're spot on; but let's remember that ABS is about a 15,000 baht option. And the dealerships/service available. And the fact that the Ninja has a well established engine/frame.

The more I see the less impressive this R3 is.

No... Claimed more power and near 10 kgs lighter. Yes it could be embellished a little, but Yamaha have had near 2 years to make it least match the Ninjas power. That video from Yamaha say it will absolutely have ABS in Thailand. I'll give you big bike dealerships but technically there are way more Yamaha dealers around than Kawasaki. Isn't the new Ninja a new engine and frame albeit based off the older one? This Yamaha frame and engine have already been out for some time in Indonesia (and others?) as a R25 with very good reviews. People that have seen it say the quality is very high.

I love Kawasaki and if this turns out rubbish I will buy another Kawasaki or even a Honda. However I seriously doubt Yamaha are going to make a worse bike when they have had two more years to develop it. Power aside, it's also about how it rides and the handling and from what I know, the handling on the R series Yamaha bikes is superb and this will be the R3.

Looks are subjective, but I think it looks much better than the Ninja though hard to really tell from just pictures. One thing is for sure, the rear fender and turn signals have got to go. Even the indicators on the R15 look better.

Edited February 5, 2015 by macknife

[Shurup]

The screenshot someone posted earlier only shows 3 kg difference for no ABS R3 bike, I'd think the ABS module weights a few kg. So both bikes weight the same then.

And regarding if Thai R3 will have ABS, I guess we will know when someone sees one in flesh.

I do hope it will come with ABS and at the indicated price tag, it will be equal to ninja in power weight and cost so folks would make choices based on rider's comfort, sitting position, looks... I kind of like its looks.

[dave_boo]

No... Claimed more power and near 10 kgs lighter. Yes it could be embellished a little, but Yamaha have had near 2 years to make it least match the Ninjas power. That video from Yamaha say it will absolutely have ABS in Thailand. I'll give you big bike dealerships but technically there are way more Yamaha dealers around than Kawasaki. Isn't the new Ninja a new engine and frame albeit based off the older one? This Yamaha frame and engine have already been out for some time in Indonesia (and others?) as a R25 with very good reviews. People that have seen it say the quality is very high.

I love Kawasaki and if this turns out rubbish I will buy another Kawasaki or even a Honda. However I seriously doubt Yamaha are going to make a worse bike when they have had two more years to develop it. Power aside, it's also about how it rides and the handling and from what I know, the handling on the R series Yamaha bikes is superb and this will be the R3.

Looks are subjective, but I think it looks much better than the Ninja though hard to really tell from just pictures. One thing is for sure, the rear fender and turn signals have got to go. Even the indicators on the R15 look better.

aaahqdefault.jpg

Is that a kerb weight 10kg lighter?

Until I get that number I don't like comparing. Different size fuel tanks, different amounts of air in the tyres, some leaving out the batteries, etc.

And for the fact that Yamaha had 2 years to make it at least match the power...how many years did Honda have? Didn't really turn out all that well in regards to their endeavour (although it is an apparently better handling bike).

R.E. dealerships, quality over quantity. And would you trust all those mom and pop dealerships to wrench on your R3?

AFAIK, the Kawasaki has the same frame it's been using since 2008.

The review mags had the below about the engine.

Instead of starting from scratch, engineers stroked out the existing 250 engine to create the Ninja 300 Parallel Twin. Stretching the cylinder from 41.2mm to 49mm accounts for the new 296cc displacement, but altering that internal dimension mandated a cascade of changes, and Kawasaki claims about 45% of the new engine’s parts are redesigned. The larger stroke demanded a revised intake, so ports widen by 1mm, with intake valve diameter increased to match (23.5mm from 22.5mm). New connecting rods are shorter, but retain their weight by being thicker. The internal architecture changes impose slight modifications to the crankshaft and engine balancer as well.

New aluminum cylinders shed weight, as do more compact pistons. The latter are 7.5mm shorter, with the piston rings 5mm shorter as well. The lighter piston design reduces mass, allowing the Ninja to keep its high-revving character and 13,000 rpm redline. The lightweight components and increased displacement improve torque production throughout the powerband. Low and mid-range power gets help from a redesigned exhaust too, featuring longer, curved header pipes.

But more power means more heat, spurring yet more alterations in the 300 engine. Cylinders and pistons feature new design elements to dissipate heat. A lower compression ratio (10.6:1 compared to the tightly wound 250R’s 11.6:1) further reduces the operating temperatures. New oil passages in the crank cases improve engine cooling, and the oil pan is redesigned with more efficient cooling fins. It also increased in volume to handle the now 2.4 liter (up from 1.7) oil capacity. Incidentally, the new oil pan offers an extra 0.4 inches of ground clearance. The new 300 also features the convenience of a spin-on oil filter that can be reached without taking off the bodywork. Same goes for the drain plug, making for quicker maintenance jobs.

I just think that this bike is being awfully pumped, and much the same way the Ninja was claimed to be able to destroy the CBR in every metric, and then was embarrassed on multiple tracks, it just seems odd. Of course everyone is free to purchase whatever they want to ride, but they should go in without blinders also.

FWIW, I ride a 500X...don't ask me about looks!

[macknife]

Weight wise I got figures from the net,

383 lb vs 368 lb as they use lbs its probably an American site and they wont have ABS

I didn't mention the Honda 300 as I don't think they really tried to match or beat the new Ninja but I'm sure Yamaha will.

You are right about the quality of those Yamaha dealerships, but I would trust them to do basic maintenance and they can order parts etc in an emergency. If I'm in the sticks and break down at least there will be a Yamaha dealer fairly nearby. If there was a bigger problem then I'm only about 10km from Yamaha bigbike that service R1s etc

[dave_boo]

Weight wise I got figures from the net,

383 lb vs 368 lb as they use lbs its probably an American site and they wont have ABS

I didn't mention the Honda 300 as I don't think they really tried to match or beat the new Ninja but I'm sure Yamaha will.

You are right about the quality of those Yamaha dealerships, but I would trust them to do basic maintenance and they can order parts etc in an emergency. If I'm in the sticks and break down at least there will be a Yamaha dealer fairly nearby. If there was a bigger problem then I'm only about 10km from Yamaha bigbike that service R1s etc

Yeah...internet numbers...isn't the Kawasaki's ABS (which IIRC is really light) some 5 kg (11 lbs?) Takes the R3 up to within 4 lbs (or less than 2kg) of the Ninja.

I apologise if I didn't explain my self well vis a vis the Honda comments. I was not implying that the Honda competes against the Ninja power-wise, because it definitely doesn't, but rather that even with the lead time that Honda had (which was brought up as a plus for Yamaha's R3 possibly being able to match the Ninja 300) they still were not able to catch up.

Your faith in the little dealers is commendable. To be honest, that is one of the things I am actually contemplating when out touring on my Honda; how far I am from the nearest Big Wing. So far it's just been an unfounded worry...but you only have to be right once for years of paranoia to pay off. I also hope that your nearby Yamaha big bike doesn't pull the same stunt that other (non-factory) dealers do where you have to pay a member's fee if they will even consider your bike.

[macknife]

The Yamaha comes with Michelins compared to the IRCs that the others have. There's about 5000B saved right there.

(anyone that has used IRCs will know what I mean. )

[dave_boo]

The Yamaha comes with Michelins compared to the IRCs that the others have. There's about 5000B saved right there.

(anyone that has used IRCs will know what I mean. )

Intentionally Really Crappy?

[Dutchbike]

This afternoon I visited the R3 launch in Buriram, it was quite an impressive event, the grandstand was colored blue/white and it looked like all Thailand' s Yamaha dealers were invited.Also a lot of press.

A big show presenting the Yamaha CEO's, the Yamaha Moto GP Riders and finally uncovering the R3 and the Exciter

They did a few laps around the track, the press got take a lot of pics and after that the bikes who were on display in the paddock were also uncovered.

I just posted some pics I took of the riders,in the Rossi in Buriram thread.

The R3 looks good,and I was surprised about the Exciter,big fat tire proper gearbox, nice scoot.

One of the R3's was set up on a Dyno and on the run I checked it made 38.1 HP all the R3's on display had ABS.

Here are some pics of the event and of course: the R3

@ macknife: the black one is indeed a bit metallic, but you really have to look close.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Dutchbike

[dave_boo]

This afternoon I visited the R3 launch in Buriram, it was quite an impressive event, the grandstand was colored blue/white and it looked like all Thailand' s Yamaha dealers were invited.Also a lot of press.

A big show presenting the Yamaha CEO's and the Yamaha Moto GP Riders and finally uncovering the R3 and the Exciter

They did a few laps around the track, the press got take a lot of pics and after that the bikes who were on display in the paddock were also uncovered.

I just posted some pics I took of the riders,in the Rossi in Buriram thread.

The R3 looks good,and I was surprised about the Exciter,big fat tire proper gearbox, nice scoot.

On of the R3's was set up on a Dyno and the on the run I checked it made 38.1 HP all the R3's on disply had ABS.

Here are some of the event and of course: the R3

@ macknife: the black one is indeed a bit metallic, but you really have to look close.

Thanks for the report. Assuming those aren't massaged numbers, it sure does shake up the beginner's class. It is a tough choice now between the Honda CBR500, Kawasaki Ninja 300, and the Yamaha R3.

I did spy an ABS system in there, so there's that too!

[Shurup]

Nice looking bikes the R3 especially. It will definitely be a hard choice now between the Ninja and the R3, I see Ninja sales going down already - there are many Ninjas on the road but this is new so folks will buy it. Good for everyone as the prices will be dropping too.

[ll2]

Exciter looks great! I am really tempted to replace my eave 125 with it! Any price info?

Also it is cool that Yamaya brought abs version of r3. Kudos for that and then 180 k thb is a really good value for it. R3 looks nice too especially the black one.

Thanks for the photos Dutch bike.

Edited February 8, 2015 by ll2