It was August, 2015 when Yamaha released the first official pictures of the MT-03, and now the bike has been unveiled at EICMA in Milan. Since the Yamaha MT-03 is the naked version of the YZF-R3 that’s already on sale in India, there is a very high possibility of this too coming to our shores. Upon its launch, the Yamaha MT-03 will take on the likes of KTM Duke 390, Benelli TNT 300 and Kawasaki Z250. Just like its fully-faired sibling – YZF-R3 – the Yamaha MT-03 will also be brought to India as completely knocked unit (CKD) from the Japanese bikemaker’s Indonesia facility.
Though Yamaha MT-03 shares its components and features with the R3, the former looks different with less body work (no fairing) and stickers on fuel tank pods. With no fairing, the Yamaha MT-03 weighs 4 kgs less than the R3 and thus offers better power-to-weight ratio.
Powering the vehicle is a 321cc, 4-stroke, twin-cylinder engine that produces 41.6bhp and 30Nm. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed transmission. The upright riding stance, and telescopic fork at the front and monoshock rear suspension make the Yamaha R3 a truly comfortable bike to ride. Other key features include a single headlamp assembly, front & rear disc brakes with dual-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS), 17-inch alloy wheels, shrouds with air intake pods mounted on fuel tank, a digital instrument console, etc. The MT 03 also gets a different colour scheme when compared to the R3.
Key details
– Tyre size: Front – 120/70; Rear – 140/70
– A 321cc, 4-stroke, two-cylinder engine
– A 6-speed transmission
– Upright riding stance
– A single headlamp assembly
– Digital-anlogue instrument console
– 10-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels
– 298mm front disc and 220mm rear disc brakes
– Dual channel ABS