So I finally got my hands on that 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3 everyone keeps talking about. Heard all kinds of stories about how quick it is, how much power it really makes. Figured it was time to stop guessing and start testing. Here’s how it all went down.
The Setup
First things first, I needed a decent stretch of road. You know, somewhere quiet, flat, and long. Found this industrial park access road early Sunday morning – perfect. Hardly any traffic. Then I grabbed my gear: helmet, gloves, my trusty boots, and this little handheld GPS unit I borrowed from my buddy Dave. Supposed to be accurate for speed. Set it up on the bike frame nice and secure.
Checked the bike over before rolling out:
- Made sure tire pressures were spot on (36 front, 42 rear – cold).
- Looked over the chain – good tension, lubed it quick.
- Filled up the tank with the same 91 octane pump gas I always use.
- Even gave the windscreen a wipe so the GPS wouldn’t get buffeted.
Warm-Up Runs
Hopped on, fired it up. That little twin sounds sweet, I’ll give it that. Did a few slow laps down the road first. Testing the feel, warming up the tires and engine. Also wanted to double-check the GPS was locking on right. Did a couple of steady 60 mph passes – GPS matched the speedo almost perfect. Speedo’s usually optimistic, so that was a good sign.
Cleared the GPS, took a deep breath. Time to see what this thing’s got.
Letting It Rip
Got positioned right at the start point I marked. Aimed down the long straight. Wound it up through the gears. Getting close to redline each time before grabbing the next gear. That engine sounds busy, really buzzing up top! Hit 6th gear way sooner than I thought I would. Tucked in as tight as I could behind the screen. Felt like I was moving alright! Wind noise was picking up big time.
Glanced down near the end. GPS said… wait, really? Rolled off the throttle and cruised to the turnaround point. Had to check that reading again.
The Big Reveal
Took three more passes in each direction to be sure. Didn’t want no flukes. Best run? 108 mph. Seriously. GPS confirmed it. Speedo was showing something like 115+, but nah. GPS don’t lie. I was kinda expecting more, you know? Based on all the chatter.
Engine was maxed out, screaming its head off. Felt pretty smooth, no major vibes, but it just didn’t have that extra surge past maybe 100 mph. Definitely working hard.
Wrapping It Up
Rode home thinking about it. Yeah, 108 mph. Sounds fast, and for a 300cc twin learner bike, it is impressive. But all that “R6 junior” talk? Nah. It’s a fantastic little bike for what it is – light, flickable, easy to ride hard. Perfect for learning or twisty roads. But if you’re buying one dreaming of highway top-speed runs… maybe adjust those expectations. It’s quick where it counts in the canyons, not so much in a straight line against bigger stuff. Fun test though! Sometimes you just gotta strap on a GPS and find out yourself.
