20 MOTORCYCLE MOJO SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
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the Amateur Lightweight
Sport Bike series that
showcases most of these
bikes. Jake LeClair won
the inaugural champion-
ship last year aboard a
Yamaha R3.
Yamaha mildly
refreshed the R3 for
2019, then sent out
invitations to ride it on
the roads in Ontario’s
Bay of Quinte area
and on the track at
Shannonville Motorsport
Park. We also got a chance
to ride a race-prepped 2019
R3, which will be competing in
this year’s Amateur Lightweight
Sport Bike championship. (See
Prepped To Win Races.)
Changes – Some Small, Some Big
The list of changes for 2019 is rather
small, but a couple of those changes are
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were made to the bike’s styling. The
fairing is styled more like Yamaha’s
bigger R models, and includes an air
intake between the headlights. Unlike
the bigger R models’ air intakes, which
force air into the airbox, the R3’s
air intake “ducts” cooling air to the
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air intake are LEDs, and they are much
brighter and draw less current than
the 55-watt halogen bulbs they replace.
The restyled bodywork is more aerody-
namic and is said to have increased top
speed by 8 km/h from whatever it was,
as Yamaha hasn’t divulged the previous
number. Ergonomically, the clip-ons
have been lowered by 22 mm.
Replacing the previous model’s
PRESS LAUNCH 2019 YAMAHA YZF-R3
Compact, 321 cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC, eight-valve parallel
twin-cylinder engine offers solid performance right across
the rev range, with very linear throttle response,
low vibration and excellent fuel economy.
Six-speed transmission ratios have
been designed to suit the torque and
power of the engine. Fifth and sixth
gears are overdrive gears to reduce
engine rpm at highway speeds.
LCD multi-function instrument cluster includes
speedometer, bar tachometer, fuel meter,
odometer, two trip meters, fuel trip meter,
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temperature meter, fuel economy readout, oil
trip meter, ABS indicator, adjustable shift-
timing light and headlight high-beam indicator.
New styling is
similar to the
R1 and R6
models and
results in a 7%
reduction in
drag and an
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increase in
top speed.
Valve-adjustment
interval is 42,000
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engine features
an automatic
cam-chain
tensioner.
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plastic covers, which
can reduce costs in
the event of damage.
Lightweight, diamond-type,
high-tensile steel frame is
optimized for rigidity and
balance to give light, agile
handling with excellent stability.
Low-mounted
2-into-1 exhaust
design centres the
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agile handling and
a lightweight feel.