The all-new Yamaha R3 sports bike is in the works, along with its sibling – the R25. While the Yamaha R25 is sold in many South East Asian markets that have a cubic capacity restriction of 250 cc, the R3 is sold in other markets, such as India where there are no such restrictions. The Yamaha R25 is all set to get a major revamp, and the second generation model will essentially preview the new Yamaha R3, which India is eventually expected to get. Japan’s Young Machine Magazine has carried sketches illustrating what the next-generation Yamaha R25 will look like, giving us a picture of what to expect from the all-new, 2nd generation Yamaha R3 as well.
As the render illustrates, the next-gen Yamaha R25/R3 will get a revamped front fairing and new headlamps. The 250-cc/300-cc sports bikes will now look more similar to their larger engined siblings – the R6 and R1. Other changes include revamped side panels, a new tail piece with integrated air vents, a revised exhaust and of course, upside-down front (USD) forks. In fact, the USD front forks catch the eye on first glance, and is quite simply the biggest visual change on the motorcycle. It remains to be seen if Yamaha revises the chassis, making the motorcycles a lot nimbler.
Both the revamped Yamaha R25 and R3 motorcycles are expected to make their global debut later this year. As for India, the all-new Yamaha R3 is expected to arrive here early next year. It’s likely to continue as a import through the completely knocked down (CKD) kit route. We expect the engine to remain more or less the same as the current bike. This means a 321-cc, four stroke, parallel twin engine with 42 PS of peak power and 29.6 Nm of peak torque. The smooth, rev-happy engine gets liquid cooling, fuel injection, four-valve heads and twin-overhead camshafts. A 6-speed manual gearbox will be standard. Expect the new Yamaha R3 to be priced slightly more than the current version, which retails at Rs. 3.3 lakhs.
Via Mekanika
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