Yamaha has trademarked the 'YZF-R2' name in India, which leads us to believe that the company is working on a potential 200cc fully-faired sportbike joining its line-up, sitting above the R15.
- R2 trademark was previously registered in multiple international markets
- R3 and MT-03 are being discontinued
Yamaha R2: All we know so far
Yamaha R2 trademark was first filed overseas in 2021
The India trademark filing doesn't necessarily signal an upcoming launch. Yamaha first filed trademarks for the R2 name in international markets, including Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the Philippines back in 2021, and little about the bike has been heard since. This suggests the trademark filing is more about safeguarding the name for potential future use in our country, rather than indicating any concrete launch plans.
If launched, the R2 would offer a step up in performance compared to the 18.4hp and 14.2Nm of torque on offer from the 155cc single-cylinder on the R15. The Japanese marque also sells an R25 in select Asian markets like Indonesia; however, that bike features a parallel-twin engine capable of 35.9hp and 22.5Nm of torque.
While there is no official confirmation on what the mechanicals of the R2 will entail, it’s likely that it will feature a single-cylinder engine and not a parallel-twin unit. That assumption is largely down to the added complexity and cost associated with manufacturing a twin-cylinder motor, especially at this end of the market.
The potential arrival of the R2 has also led to speculation that it might replace the R15, but we believe this may not be the case. The R15 remains a popular seller for Yamaha in India, and it's unlikely the manufacturer will want to axe its most successful sportbike to replace it with an entirely new, more expensive alternative.
R3 and MT-03 stocks no longer at dealerships
On a related note, Yamaha's only larger-capacity models in the country – the R3 and MT-03 – are likely on their way out. While Yamaha continues to list both models on its website, we've confirmed with multiple dealerships in major metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai that they haven't received fresh stock for nearly six months.
Both bikes are imported as CBUs, and the resulting relatively high asking price versus locally manufactured options, despite multiple price revisions, is probably one of the reasons these models didn't sell in higher numbers. While the R3 was updated for 2025 in international markets, there’s no indication that the updated model is scheduled for a launch in our market anytime soon.
Ved Janve
Dinshaw Magol
