KTM RC 390 owner bought a used R3 and became a Yamaha fanboy

On the track, I rode faster on my stock R3 than I ever did on my souped-up RC and was able to put in many more laps than I could generally manage.

BHPian rep_movsd recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

So I got an R3 exactly one year back (I live in Bangalore)

Some Background

I had mostly ridden only Enfields - Lightning 535, Standard 350, Machismo, Classic 500 - I even did 2 to 3 track days on my 535 bullet in 2011-14 (imagine!)

In 2013, I rode my brother's Duke 390 for some days (realized how good modern bikes are!) and in 2015 I picked up an RC 390 that I used 90% only for track days. After about 10 to 15 track days, I decided to switch to a smaller bike to unlearn bad habits and I got my friend's old R15 v1.

The Yamaha really won me over - had never ridden anything so smooth and easy. In 2019 I decided to go to CSS track school and I got an R15 V3.

If I admired the R15 before, now I was literally blown away with the V3 - that VVT tech made a 150 cc feel like it was a 250 cc.

I did 3 to 4 track days on the R15 v3 and then went back to my RC390 now fully modified for track only (powertronic ECU, YSS, race fairing, slipper clutch, RC-Boi brake MC etc.)

After COVID I kept getting better on track with the RC for a while, but I hit a plateau and the bike was feeling really hard to push. It may be a mental thing and probably I am not a great rider but riding the RC felt like a huge effort - can't relax even for a millisecond. I also had a high-speed fall (no injuries thankfully) on track due to a tank slapper coming out of a fast corner. This also affected my stress when riding the RC.

I always had some desire to buy an R3 - I had heard very good things from track buddies who rode it.

So I decided to do what I did before - redo CSS training once and do it on an R3.

By sheer luck or divine intervention, I found a perfectly maintained R3 with only 3500 KM on it for (ONLY) 3 Lakh in Nov 2022.

Owner was a real gentleman and was only selling because he had no time to ride. He had kept it in showroom condition. He wanted to sell it to someone who would appreciate it.

The moment I rode it back home, I was completely a Yamaha fanboy. I have never felt so happy riding a bike as I did with this...

I rode it to Chennai for CSS and had an absolute blast on the track.

For the first time in years, I was riding fast and my body and mind were completely relaxed. It was like the bike read my mind and did exactly what I needed.

I did 3 long group rides after that - BR Hills, Yercaud, Gokarna and really enjoyed myself.

I thought that this bike was so awesome for touring, let me not ride it seriously on track till I got better tires, frame sliders and so on, so the next track day I had my RC 390 shipped and rode this to Chennai.

On the track, the moment I rode the RC (after a gap of 10 months) it felt like going from a Ferrari to a diesel tractor. My RC is highly souped up and way better than any stock machine, but still, it felt totally loose and rattly suddenly.

After one 20-minute session, I gave up on the RC and switched to my R3 for the rest of the 3-day event.

To keep it short, let me just say that I rode faster on the stock R3 than I ever did on the RC and was able to put many more laps than I could generally manage (mostly because I didn't have to exert so much mentally and physically).

To top it off, I actually broke my all-time lap record too.

I wrote a long post on substack describing this track day.

Since then I have slowly "decorated" my R3 with small accessories over the past few months:

• GB Racing engine covers (ubuy)
• Flush mount indicators (ubuy)
• Radiator and front protector grill (ubuy)
• Stem nut with Ram Mount ball (ubuy)
• Removed the cat con, but retained stock exhaust for a better sound and 4-5 KG weight reduction
• Fuel-X Lite

Planning to add:

• Bigger windscreen
• Diablo Rosso 3 tires
• Steel brake lines
• Lithium battery (I have an old Shorai that is still working, is about 3 KG lighter)
• Rear-sets
• Frame and fork sliders
• Radial master cylinder kit
• Foldable levers
• LED headlight bulbs
• YSS rear shock
• R6 throttle tube
• Adapt the MT 15 grab rail to this (it mounts on the rear footpeg bracket)
• When the new R3 is released, I will find out if any of the parts from that are retro-fittable to this 2018 model - maybe the slipper clutch and USD front forks

Will add pics and more observations soon

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