I had a long day ahead including the mundane, life-draining commute of 100 kilometres but the Yamaha R3 was supposed to go back to the Japanese wizards the same day. It was decided then. We wanted to ride before work and make it a 300 kilometre commute. You see, motorcycles like the Yamaha R3 have the aura of casting a spell. One that makes you get out of bed and suffer a bit more later in the day just because you wish to spend some giggling miles while the rest of the world is still sleeping. On any normal day, sleeping late and waking up early would have been deemed as a negative trait but that day, it wasn’t. That day, I reminded myself of one thing that has been standing in the R3’s way to Indian glory: that I don’t have to shell out close to INR 6 lakh to have a dance with the R3.
It was standing there, unfazed by the countless hurls that it has received from Indian motorcyclists. Who are they to blame? The pricing is actually ridiculous but my job that day was to ride and that, we did. The R3 said something to me in J0apanese which I couldn’t understand but its smiling face was more than enough to let me know that she was willing for it. A tiresome, eventful day lay ahead which started off on wide open highways, elevated to a set of twisties and then culminated in the sad lap of Mumbai’s urban jungle. Many tests but the R3 passed them all, with grace and a smiling conviction. For that day, I let the journalist inside me sleep. What was awake instead was a motorcyclist who was about to experience ecstasy.
“Is it a new version of the R15?” While this honest question made me giggle a little inside my lid, it might not please someone who owns the R3. Why would it? After you spend 6 Lakh on a motorcycle that doesn’t look too special! Again, not my concern but for the price it commands, the R3 definitely could have looked more breathtaking. It is a gorgeous motorcycle in its own right but when you’re competing against an Italian supermodel that costs less, it is bound to leave a sour taste in your mouth. Having answered that question, we set off again. I didn’t ask for it but the R3 still reminded me that it is no R15.
It growled to life with the typical Japanese parallel-twin thrum accompanied by refinement that is synonymous with vehicles hailing from the Land of Rising Sun. Pull the clutch back in and it makes you realise its barebones approach - no slipper clutch! The rider’s cockpit view doesn’t help the case either with a rather morbid display taking up the view which is devoid of any colours or features for that matter. But all these trivialities vanish away as soon as you get going. The R3 is a screamer, making its peak power north of 9,000rpm and redlining at 12,000rpm. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it falls flat in the lower revs because even down there, the grunt is sufficient to go around town. Out on the highway, I stretched its legs and got even more familiar with this lovely engine. 42 horses are no joke and when they all are let loose after crossing 7,000rpm, it makes up for an event.
The progression till 7,000rpm is gradual and linear with the R3 singing like a happy puppy. However, all it takes for it to become a rottweiler is a handful of throttle! After crossing 7,000rpm, the R3 finds its way to glory and sprints towards its redline like there’s no tomorrow. Even the engine and exhaust sing a chorus together that’s hard to ignore. Vibrations are kept at bay for the most part but they still creep in around higher revs. Nothing to worry about as they add to the character of the R3. What blew me away was the versatility of the motorcycle, reflected even in the engine’s approach. It is absolutely rideable in the city with the hard clutch being the only problem. Show it a wide stretch and it will comfortably sit at 130-140kmph all day long with enough grunt still left to be tapped. Around twisties, keep the revs high and dance with the R3 because it likes doing that too.
The thing which propelled the R3 to popularity and the love that it commands amidst motorcyclists is its versatile nature. That is not only reserved for the flexible yet potent engine but also, how the rider sits on the motorcycle and how the motorcycle behaves underneath him. Out on the highway, I could sit upright for some time to provide some relief to my lower back and still have enough feel from the R3. At the first sight of a slight curvature in the road, I scooped back and got in the attack mode with the R3 supporting the carnage. The same suspension components which provided supple ride quality over undulations, stiffened up with another magic spell when it encountered corners. No adjustment needed, because no adjustment provided. The Japanese do know how to reek out maximum output from basic cycle parts. The R3 is a primal example of that sorcery. The level of agility displayed by the R3 accompanied with the caffeine fix I had that morning, made for a very sprightly run. Mist took over but we pierced through it anyway. What inspired even more confidence were the brakes. Again, nothing out of this ordinary world when it comes to the spec sheet but the braking performance enabled us to not have a worry in mind. It was a war where many apexes were slain. War demands precision and composure, along with an aggressive yet humble mindset. The R3 has it all.
One phone call from the HR was enough to work like a portal which saw me in the middle of the asphalt jungle that is Mumbai. The R3 was supposed to go back and I was required in the office but I was finding it hard to part ways with it. I was smitten by this lovely motorcycle and for a day, I enjoyed not being an automotive journalist. Because that helped me look at the R3 with a different perspective. A different sight where it looked like a motorcycle that could do it all: win the heart, mind and soul. For that day, I didn’t care about its sticker price. For that day, I only cared about what makes the R3 special.