Yamaha’s presence in India’s performance motorcycle space has taken an important turn, as the Japanese brand has discontinued two of its premium motorcycles in the country, which are Yamaha R3 and MT-03. While there has been no loud official announcement, reports suggest that imports of both bikes have stopped and dealerships no longer have any stock.
For many bike lovers and enthusiasts and first-time performance bike followers, this marks the end of Yamaha’s short attempt to build a middleweight segment in India.
What makes this development interesting is its timing, as just before news of the discontinuation surfaced, Yamaha Motor India filed a trademark for the YZF-R2. This move has sparked curiosity among bike fans, as it hints at a possible new addition to Yamaha’s popular R-series. Although nothing has been confirmed yet, the trademark filing suggests that Yamaha may be rethinking its strategy for performance bikes in India and launching something new soon.
The Yamaha R3 and MT-03 were launched as Completely Built Units (CBUs), which means they were imported and fully assembled from overseas. This resulted in high prices. The R3 was priced at Rs 3 39 028, while the MT-03 cost Rs 3 29 608 (ex-showroom). These prices placed them well above what many Indian buyers were willing to pay, especially in a market that is highly value-conscious.
In an effort to revive interest, Yamaha announced a major price cut earlier this year. The company slashed prices by Rs 1.10 lakh, followed by an additional Rs 20,000 reduction after changes in GST. Despite these big reductions, sales remained slow. The motorcycles struggled to attract enough buyers, and demand stayed limited throughout their time on sale. As a result, Yamaha appears to have decided to discontinue these models.
Interestingly, both the R3 and MT-03 are still listed on Yamaha’s official Indian website. However, industry reports indicate that no new units are being imported and dealers have confirmed that stocks have dried up. This effectively means the bikes are no longer available for purchase in India.
With the R3 and MT-03 gone, Yamaha’s current motorcycle lineup in India now focuses on smaller-capacity models. These include R15 and MT-15, the practical FZ series, and the recently launched retro-styled XSR155. On the scooter side, Yamaha continues to sell models like the Fascino, RayZR and the Aerox.
Looking ahead, Yamaha seems to be shifting focus toward the future, as the company is preparing to enter the electric two-wheeler space in India with upcoming models like the Aerox E and EC-06 electric scooters. This signals a bigger push toward electrification, which could shape Yamaha’s next phase in the Indian market.