Re: A roller-coaster ride from Kawasaki Ninja 300 to Ninja 650 to finally Yamaha R3

Thanks mate for the kind words.

R3 has been the solution to my biking woes. And one thing that has made itself clear is that I am a Yamaha man. Hence, going forth I will most likely stick to Yamaha brand for my next big bike. Having said that I am saving for MT-09 or a used R1 (2011-2014) model. MT-09 should be a surprise to most as it beats price logic.

However, when I put that much money on my passion it better appeal more to the heart than to the mind. And in this case it is Yamaha's.

Re: A roller-coaster ride from Kawasaki Ninja 300 to Ninja 650 to finally Yamaha R3

Some pics of the various rides and track days that I have done on my R3. What amazes me the most is the way she has held up and handled everything that I threw in her path. She has taken me on multiple 1200 KMs a day trip. Few of those trips in very hostile condition. She was marinated in salt in the salt deserts of Rann of Kutch where we were stranded for more than 4 hours at a stretch under the hot Desert sun.

Not only that, she also pulled out a stranded Duke 390 that had collapsed into a ditch in the deserts of Rann of Kutch. Thats not all, after that she took to the tracks like a duck to the water. On my first track outing the trainers were impressed not only by my performance but also my bikes. The credit entirely goes to my R3 for making it look all easy.

To make things sweet she is a joy to maintain and service. The cost of spares are very very reasonable. Coming from Kawasaki 300 & 650, cost of spares of R3 feels very cheap. This is what I had been looking for when I wanted to upgrade from my KTM Duke 200. A fast and reliable bike that did not burn a hole in the pocket trying to maintain her. Coming from the Bajaj and KTM, I was also looking for a bike that had very few niggles and trips to the service center should be only for regular periodic service. In my quest I tried everything that I could afford (Kawasaki NInja 300 & 650), and finally settled on the R3. Its been 9 months and 15000 Kms, and its been a joyful experience so far.

Re: A roller-coaster ride from Kawasaki Ninja 300 to Ninja 650 to finally Yamaha R3

A few pics from the breakfast rides over the long weekend.

Re: A roller-coaster ride from Kawasaki Ninja 300 to Ninja 650 to finally Yamaha R3

Heart says MT 09 mind says street triple.

Re: A roller-coaster ride from Kawasaki Ninja 300 to Ninja 650 to finally Yamaha R3

If I were you, i would go with the heart. Yamaha's are a different breed and it actually revvs your heart.

Re: A roller-coaster ride from Kawasaki Ninja 300 to Ninja 650 to finally Yamaha R3

Hi Chinmayakar,

Glad I stumbled upon this thread. Have owned a Ninja 250 for six years now, yes SIX! I couldnt use it to its potential exactly due to the reasons you have mentioned. Now, I am looking for an exact replacement, albeit cheaper to maintain and narrowed down on the R3. Hoping to make the plunge early next year. The thought of upgrading did entice me, but honestly, I dont think I can afford to maintain it and live with that fear of damage and replacement every time I ride.

How does the R3 fare against your Ninja background?

Re: A roller-coaster ride from Kawasaki Ninja 300 to Ninja 650 to finally Yamaha R3


Hi! I am glad you could relate to my experience. Ninja 300 is a very nice bike, and the replacement Ninja 400, will be even better. In terms of performance, you cannot go wrong with either Ninja 300 or the R3. Both are Japanese twin cylinders and will probably last much longer than you desire to keep. However, two things that I think are better on the R3,

1. Refinement and smoothness - Ninja is very refined in itself, however, I found R3 mill to be a notch above. Especially, if you are the type that loves to revv the engine hard, R3 rewards with a very smooth engine. Never does she feel like she has some problems. The more you revv her, the more she loves.

2. Cost of maintenance and spares - As I have highlighted in my earlier post, the cost of spares of the R3 are very less compared to the Ninja's. The same holds true for cost of service as well. Regular spares are easily available with Yamaha, and max I have had to wait is 15 days for a spare.

Both the bikes are super-reliable, and truly deserve the - fill it, shut it, forget it - tag line.

Re: A roller-coaster ride from Kawasaki Ninja 300 to Ninja 650 to finally Yamaha R3

Chinmayakar,

Bumping up the old thread:

Can please share your thoughts after the recent price revision of Ninja 300 to less than 3 Lakhs (ex-showroom) ?

Re: A roller-coaster ride from Kawasaki Ninja 300 to Ninja 650 to finally Yamaha R3

I think he has sold the R3 and moved onto something new and is busy riding..