Yamaha is not just having a birthday—they’re throwing a 70th Anniversary MEGA-PARTY on wheels! To celebrate seven decades of screaming engines and track domination, they’ve pulled out the paint guns and slapped a special celebratory livery on four of their top sportbikes for 2026!
The Star of the Show: The R3 Anniversary Edition
The bike that’s got everyone buzzing, especially here in India, is the gorgeous little powerhouse, the R3!
- The Look: Forget subtle, this edition is all about flashback chic! It sports a swanky, head-turning red and white paint scheme—a classic livery that screams racing heritage and looks like it just rolled off a vintage poster.
- The Details: Prepare for visual depth! The side panels rock red-coloured tiles in a 3D format, giving the graphics a pop that’s cooler than a polar bear’s nosebleed! Black accents on the nose and fairing provide that perfect contrast, while the ‘R3’ badge sits proudly like a crown.
💪 Still a Pocket Rocket with a Punch!
Underneath that dazzling paint job, the Anniversary Edition R3 is the same firecracker we know and love—because why mess with a good thing?
- Engine: It runs on a smooth, characterful 321cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine.
- It churns out a punchy 40.4bhp and a respectable 29.4Nm of torque. That’s enough grunt to make your daily commute feel like a qualifying lap!
- Hardware Highlights:
- Built on a sturdy diamond-type chassis.
- Rides on sporty 17-inch alloys.
- Suspension handled by chunky non-adjustable upside-down (USD) forks up front and a rear monoshock for cornering precision.
- Stops on a dime with single disc brakes at both ends, featuring ABS.
- Modern touches include a TFT screen (finally!) and an assist and slipper clutch to keep those downshifts buttery smooth.
🇮🇳 The Price Tag Drama: A Tale of Two Prices
Now, for the part where the party hits a tiny speed bump…
- The Current Scenario: The older model of the Yamaha R3 is currently battling it out in the Indian market, carrying an ex-showroom price of Rs. 3.39 Lakh.
- The Twist: The latest, all-singing, all-dancing 70th Anniversary edition is unlikely to land on Indian shores. Why? Because the previous version (before a recent price correction) was initially launched with a price tag so steep, it gave buyers vertigo, leading to a rather “cold response.” Ouch.
It seems the Indian market is still nursing its wounds from the initial pricing shock, and Yamaha might be holding back the ultimate celebration bike. It’s a bittersweet symphony of stunning design and frustrating unavailability!
Prepare for an epic, head-to-head clash of the titans in the lightweight sportbike arena! It’s the Smooth Operator versus the Orange Firecracker!
🥊 Yamaha R3 vs. KTM RC 390: The Ultimate Showdown!
| Feature | 💙 Yamaha R3 (The Twin) | 🧡 KTM RC 390 (The Thumper) | Winner’s Crown |
| Engine Configuration | 321cc, Parallel-Twin | 373cc, Single-Cylinder | R3 (For that smooth, high-revving symphony!) |
| Max Power (BHP) | $\approx 41.4$ bhp @ 10,750 rpm | $\approx 43.5$ bhp @ 9,000 rpm | RC 390 (More peak power and hits it sooner!) |
| Max Torque (Nm) | $\approx 29.5$ Nm @ 9,000 rpm | $\approx 37$ Nm @ 7,000 rpm | RC 390 (Significantly punchier mid-range!) |
| Kerb Weight | 169 kg | 172 kg | R3 (Slightly lighter, slightly easier to flick!) |
| Electronics (Aids) | Dual-Channel ABS, Assist & Slipper Clutch (A&S) | Quickshifter+ (up/down), Traction Control, Cornering ABS, A&S Clutch | RC 390 (It’s a techno-wizard!) |
| Instrument Console | Digital LCD | TFT Screen with Bluetooth/Navigation | RC 390 (Modern, full-color display wins hands down!) |
| Riding Vibe | Refined, rev-happy, excellent balance, great for high-speed sweepers. | Raw, aggressive, immense torque surge, track-ready scalpel. | Tie (Depends on if you want smooth or savage!) |
| Ex-Showroom Price | $\approx$ Rs. 3.39 Lakh | $\approx$ Rs. 3.23 Lakh | RC 390 (More bike, lower price tag!) |
🔥 The Verdict on the Vibe:
- If you crave the track-day hero and cutting-edge tech: Go for the KTM RC 390. It gives you more displacement, more torque, and a suite of electronics (like traction control and a quickshifter) that make it feel like a machine from the next category up. It’s the absolute maximum performance bang for your buck.
- If you desire refinement, comfort, and the smooth sound of a twin: Choose the Yamaha R3. Its parallel-twin engine is a mechanical masterpiece, delivering a buttery-smooth power delivery and a more relaxed (but still sporty) riding posture, making it a better companion for everyday city life and long-distance touring.
In short, the KTM is the aggressive, feature-loaded, cheaper street-fighter disguised as a supersport, while the Yamaha is the more refined, aesthetically pleasing, true Japanese supersport descendant—even if its feature list feels a bit old-school by comparison!
Source
Official Yamaha Announcement (Europe):
- https://www.yamaha-motor.eu/gb/en/news/2025/yamaha-celebrates-70th-anniversary/
- Source: Yamaha Motor Europe
Detailed Specs & North American Model:
- https://yamahamotorsports.com/models/yzf-r3/specs
- Source: Yamaha Motorsports USA (Note: Model Year 2026)
Indian Market Context & News:
Our Social Media Handles
- Instagram : LivingWithGravity
- Medium : Akash Dolas
- YouTube Channel : Gear and Shutter
- Facebook : LivingWithGravity
