Yamaha MT-03: Street Fighter Waiting to be Unleashed

The success of Yamaha-YZF R3 showed that India is now ready for more than just commuters and has opened the gates for other manufacturers to try their hands in the segment. Earlier, there were speculations that the Japanese automaker is planning to bring the naked version of R3. Named as MT-03, the bike was expected to arrive at Auto Expo 2016, but the company surprised the spectators by launching more powerful MT-09. Here, in India, we are still waiting for MT-03 to be launched while people from few of the international portals have already got their hands on the motorcycle. Here is a quick review how it does its job on the road. 

Yamaha MT-03 is a naked version of the company’s entry-level performance motorcycle, the YZF-R3. The bike boasts of the same engine, chassis and wheels and the only change is felt in styling, steering geometry and small tweaks have been made in ergonomics. The MT-03 ditches the clip-ons of R3, which has now been made 39mm higher, 19mm closer and 40mm wider making the riding position more comfortable and upright. The seat height of the motorcycle remains the same at 780mm, which is farely comfortable as a person with an average height  (5.7 feet) can put both the feet flat on the floor. Digi-analog instrument console is present along with dual channel ABS to perform the duty through a 298mm disc up front and 220mm disc at the rear.

The Yamaha MT-3 carries all the abilities of R3 along with the added benefits of being a lighter machine, which is coupled to a free-revving power train. Its 321cc parallel twin engine matches the expectations of both new riders as well as experienced ones. This fun and an engaging naked fighter is available in the international market, but we aren’t sure when it will hit the Indian shores. We can expect it to be priced a bit less than its faired sibling (Yamaha R3 is priced at Rs. 3.26 lac, ex-showroom, Delhi)  and will lock horns with Benelli’s naked motorcycle, the TNT 25 and Kawasaki Z250.