THERE’S more rejoicing in heaven for one sinner that repents than for 99 of the righteous, according to yer bible. And there’s more rejoicing in Fast Bikes Towers for one new sportsbike, no matter how small, than 99 retro shitters or silly customs.
So we’re all over this – Yamaha’s new R3 mini-superbike. Just look at it. It’s as if you’d put a YZF-R1M into a boil wash, and got it out a wee bit smaller. You get all the style of the big beastie, in a teensy-weensy 321cc DOHC four-valve parallel twin form, with a pretty sweet chassis package. Proper KYB 37mm USD forks and monoshock rear, natty 10-spoke cast aluminium rims, a big 298mm front disc, all held together by a steel tube frame that provides an ideal 50/50 weight distribution.
The bodywork is all new, with an M1-style fairing design (claimed to add 5mph to the top speed…) and it’s even got proper LED headlights and position lighting. An all-new LCD dashboard, reshaped 14-litre fuel tank and lowered handlebars add even more performance attitude. Nice.
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There’s no word on claimed power or dry weight yet – but you’d expect it to be bang on with the rest of the white-hot 300 Supersport class. We’ll no doubt find out the rest of the details in the next couple of weeks, and see the new R3 itself at the EICMA Milan show. More as we get it!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc5OkNBXVVY&w=560&h=315]
