The old Yamaha YZF-R3 registered zero sales last month, which hints at the possibility that the Indian arm of the Japanese two-wheeler brand may have stopped the import of the motorcycle to introduce the facelifted model is already available for sale in select international markets.
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Regular readers would know that the international-spec 2019 YZF-R3 (and YZF-R25 in select markets) gets revised fascia with dual LED headlights and an updated fairing. The new design of the fairing is termed as "cross-layered" by Yamaha. The Japanese two-wheeler brand developed the new fairing and windscreen in conjunction with a wind tunnel, and track tests and the company claims that the new design reduces aerodynamic drag by 7%. The improved aerodynamics boost the top speed by 8 km/h over its predecessor.
Engine specifications include a 321 cc in-line twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor with dual overhead cam (DOHC) and fuel injection tech that makes 42 PS of peak power at 10,750 rpm and 29.6 Nm of maximum torque at 9,000 rpm. This engine is paired with a six-speed gearbox.
The hardware specifications on the international model include upside-down telescopic forks sourced from KYB at the front (as against conventional forks on its predecessor) and a monoshock suspension at the back. Single discs help shed the speed and bring the motorcycle to a halt, while the safety net comprises dual-channel ABS.
It’s too early to comment about the hardware specifications for the Indian model, and we would hold our thoughts till we hear more details from Yamaha Motor India. Like Kawasaki, Yamaha may opt for heavy localisation of the 2019 YZF-R3 to offer it at competitive rates. The Kawasaki Ninja 300 received a massive price cut post localisation of components. The localised Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS retails at INR 2.98 lakh* as against the INR 3.60 lakh* price of the CKD model without ABS. Apart from the ex-showroom price, the spares of the Ninja 300 also witnessed a massive drop in prices. The Kawasaki Ninja 300 has been delivering promising sales performance since it began being locally assembled.
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Yamaha may adopt a similar strategy for the YZF-R3 to boost the sales. Heavy localisation may result in competitive prices. The outgoing model (with ABS), for reference, retails at INR 3.49 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
