2020 Yamaha R3 Monster Energy MotoGP Edition replicates the same livery of the YZR-M1 race bike ridden by Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales
Yamaha’s YZF-R3 has gained popularity not just in India but across the globe due to its performance and design characteristics. The lightweight and nimble supersport machine has been a perfect choice for the track as well as regular road riding and is powered by the ever-reliable 321 cc inline parallel twin-cylinder liquid-cooled short-stroke DOHC 8V engine.
Although the YZF-R3 remains mechanically unchanged this year, Yamaha announced three months ago that the 2020 Monster Energy MotoGP Edition had been added to the lineup. Costing at $5,599 (Rs. 4.02 lakh) with a destination charge of $ 425, the limited production run model replicates the same livery of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team’s YZR-M1 race bike.
This year it has been piloted by the multiple time premier class world champion Valentino Rossi and former Moto3 world champion Maverick Viñales, and by the end of British Grand Prix in Silverstone, the team stands third with 234 points. The 2020 Yamaha YZF-R3 Monster Energy MotoGP Edition is $300 costlier than the YZF-R3 equipped with ABS and it has been available since last month in the United States.
It uses lightweight forged aluminium pistons, all-aluminium DiASil cylinders with an offset design and a lightweight steel frame cradles the engine’s crankcase within the chassis resulting in almost 50:50 weight distribution between front and rear to help in optimal balance and handling.
An asymmetric swingarm supplies power to the rear wheel while a preload-adjustable KYB rear shock mounted in a Monocross suspension design aids in mass centralization of weight. Just as the regular model, the Yamaha YZF-R3 MotoGP edition comes equipped with a 37 mm KYB inverted front forks.
The 298 mm floating-mount front disc brake is supported by a 220 mm rear disc take care of the stopping duties with the anti-lock braking system boosting the confidence of the rider. It also gets ten-spoke cast-aluminium wheels and Dunlop radial tyres. The limited production run model is expected to launch in India soon and it will come with a slight premium over the regular model that is priced at Rs. 3.51 lakh (ex-showroom).