Yamaha MT-03 and R3 India Launch Date Confirmed!
The two Yamaha 300cc bikes will likely be imported from Thailand initially
Yamaha had showcased both the MT-03 and the Yamaha R3 at Buddh International Circuit in September during MotoGP, fueling the anticipation of their launch in India even more. We can now confirm that both motorcycles will be launched on the 15th of December. It will likely take place at the BIC as Yamaha will be organising a track day for Yamaha R15, FZ and Aerox 155 owners on the same day. Expect the deliveries to commence soon after, and the bike is likely to be sold only via premium Yamaha Blue Square dealerships across the country.
The Yamaha MT-03 and R3 are both powered by a 321cc liquid-cooled, twin cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed gearbox and produces 42PS and 29.5Nm. Even though both bikes get the same engine, the tuning is a bit different and the MT-03 produces slightly more torque than the R3 (0.1Nm to be precise).
Both bikes share the same hardware, from the diamond frame to the suspension setup, which is based on a USD fork up front with 130mm wheel travel and a rear monoshock with 125mm wheel travel. Braking is handled by a 298mm disc at the front and 220mm one at the rear with dual channel ABS as standard.
The two 300cc Yamaha bikes will likely be imported from Thailand initially, and will then be sold via the CKD (Completely Knocked Down) route if there’s enough demand. Thanks to India’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Thailand, they may not be as expensive as importing it from a different country, say, Japan. Considering this, we expect Yamaha to launch the MT-03 at Rs 3.8 lakh and the R3 at Rs 4 lakh (ex-showroom). The MT-03 will be competing with the new KTM 390 Duke and the R3 will be facing other fully faired bikes in the 400cc segment like the KTM RC390 and the Kawasaki Ninja 300.