Yamaha is getting ready to launch bigger displacement motorcycles in India, and amongst them are the R3 and the MT-03, the naked street fighter. The MT-03 when launched will aim squarely at the KTM 390 Duke in India, which has been dominating the segment for a long time.
Now, with the launch of the MT-03, buyers have an alternate, however, for Yamaha, is the motorcycle capable of dethroning the 390 Duke? Here’s a detailed comparison between the soon-to-launch Yamaha MT-03 and the segment leader, the KTM 390 Duke.
Underpinnings and design
Starting with the Yamaha MT-03, the motorcycle is built on a diamond-type tubular frame, which is light and strong. The MT uses a long asymmetrical swingarm to offer better handling. In terms of bodywork, the MT-03 draws inspiration from its larger siblings in the MT lineup with a sculpted tank flanked by air intakes, a sleek headlight design, and an aggressive overall design.
Moving on to the KTM 390 Duke, the motorcycle is built around a lightweight split-steel trellis frame, keeping the centre of gravity closer to the weight. Similar to the MT-03, the 390 Duke features minimal bodywork with a sculpted fuel tank with angular shrouds and a large LED headlight, giving the 390 Duke an extremely sporty design.
Equipment and features
The Yamaha MT-03 rides on 17-inch wheels, gets a 37mm USD fork up front, a monoshock at the rear, disc brakes at both ends with ABS, LED lighting all around, and a fully-digital LCD instrument cluster. The rear suspension gets pre-load and damping adjustment while the front gets none. The Yamaha MT-03 does not get riding modes as well.
On the 390 Duke, the naked street fighter also rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, while getting larger 43mm WP USD forks, a 10-step adjustable rear monoshock, a colour TFT display, dual channel ABS with radially-mounted brake callipers, adjustable levers, quickshifter, and more. Between the both, the KTN 390 Duke is better equipped.
Engine specifications
While both motorcycles feature largely similar design language and equipment, they differ a lot in terms of engine specifications. The Yamaha MT-03 uses a liquid-cooled twin-cylinder unit while the KTM uses a single-cylinder setup.
| Specifications | MT-03 | 390 Duke |
| Displacement | 321cc, parallel-twin | 373cc, single |
| Power | 41.4bhp | 42.9bhp |
| Torque | 29.6Nm | 37Nm |
| Gearbox | 6-speed | 6-speed |
Which one should you choose?
Both motorcycles offer good performance and are absolutely fun to ride, be it in a city, on highways, or attacking a set of twisties. However, it comes down to price — the KTM 390 Duke is priced at Rs 2.96 lakh ex-showroom, while Yamaha has not revealed price details yet. If Yamaha can match the pricing, the Yamaha will be a great alternative to the Duke, but in terms of value-for-money, the Duke is the segment leader, period.
