2019 YAMAHA YZF-R3
FIRST IMPRESSION
P74
MAKEOVER
IT ALL
The
that can
Little
blue bike
I
n the four years it has been available in the U.S., Yamaha's 321cc YZF-R3
has shot to the very top of the company's top-seller list. Almost 20,000 of
these little twin-cylinder sport bikes have found more new homes in that time
than the YZ450F, the Star Venture or the MT-07. It's a firm middle finger to
those who say sport bikes are dead in the water.
Like the YZF-R1 and R1M from last year, the new R3 isn't so much a new bike
as it is a nip and tuck. It's had a visit to the plastic surgeon, had its face rear-
ranged to look more like its bigger siblings, and got some new front legs in the
stiffer 37mm KYB inverted forks. Holding the new fork are new top and bottom
triple clamps, there's a new dash, revised styling but still the same height for the
seat, a stiffer rear shock spring, svelte and sexy LED lights front and rear and
a more aggressive riding position thanks to the new clip-on handlebars that are
22mm lower and mounted below the top triple clamp in real sport-bike style.
BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN J. NELSON
