THE YAMAHA YZF-R3 If you’ re wondering why I didn’ t go for the KTM 390 Duke or Kawasaki Ninja 500, you’ re not alone. I looked at all the options. The KTM is a techpacked, hooligan machine with sharp styling and more power. The Ninja 500 is arguably the class benchmark for performance. But here’ s the thing … bikes aren’ t just about specs. They’ re about relationships. My local Yamaha dealer, Maidstone Yamaha, is one kilometre from my house. I’ ve known the owner, Mac, for over 20 years. When you buy a bike, you’ re also buying support. Add in a sharp trade-in deal and a good price on a 2024 R3, and the decision was made. Yes, the 2025 model has a few updates, but nothing worth the extra dollars for my needs. And every review I read said the same thing, the R3 is more than the sum of its parts. Fun, forgiving,
and surprisingly capable. To be fair, I bought it without even riding it.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS I’ ll be honest … coming from a 600cc inline-four, the R3 feels a little, uhh, underwhelming at first. There’ s no surge of midrange torque, and a rather subtle top-end rush. But once expectations are recalibrated, the magic happens. The R3 is light, narrow, and agile. Filtering through traffic is a breeze. On a twisty back road, it’ s an absolute riot. You can throw it into corners with confidence, and because you’ re working the gearbox to keep it on the boil, it feels more engaging. Lazy riding? Forget it. This bike rewards effort. And that’ s all part of the fun. Comfort is … surprisingly good for a sports bike. The seat is firm but not punishing, and the ergonomics strike a
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