Small sportbikes needn’t be restricted to riders with small budgets. In fact, if you gather together a group of motorcycle journalists, many of ’em current or former roadracers, the bikes that they claim excite them most might surprise you. When pure, unadulterated fun is the objective, the folks who ride pretty much everything will more often than not choose a small-displacement machine for burning laps at a trackday. Being so light, the 2020 Yamaha YZF-R3 rewards smooth inputs through the controls. And with less than 40 hp on tap, there is nowhere to hide if you blow an apex or botch a braking marker.

The R3 was unveiled in 2015 and given a MotoGP-inspired cosmetic makeover in ’19. Keep its revvy, liquid-cooled parallel twin on the boil, and this MotoAmerica Junior Cup-eligible model will make you feel like a hero. Not so many miles under your belt? Still mastering the fundamentals? A short first gear and light-effort clutch ease getaways, and a relatively low seat height inspires feet-flat confidence. An inverted fork, a liquid-crystal display, plus LED head- and taillights further equip the R3 for commuting as well as back-road duties.