The Yamaha MT-03 is a popular motorcycle in the international market and is known for its pocket-friendly performance and agility. The motorcycle will go on sale for the first time in India. The MT-03 is basically the naked version of the fully-faired YZF-R3, also to be relaunched.
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The sub-500 cc segment has witnessed growth in the last few years, which should work in the MT-03’s favour. The motorcycle will also allow existing MT-15 owners to graduate to a larger and more powerful motorcycle while being loyal to the brand. Having said that, we got a chance to check out the 2023 MT-03 in Chennai, and here are the key details of the upcoming motorcycle from Yamaha.
For the year 2023, Yamaha has given the naked styled MT-03 a more aggressive look. Starting from the front, the MT-03 get a droid-looking front fascia featuring a LED projector accompanied by LED DRLs. The motorcycle gets LED turn indicators as standard. The fuel tank features aggressive tank extensions and cladding to give the bike a butch appeal. The tail section has been carry-forwarded from the R3 including the split-seat design and LED tail lamp.
The MT-03 features all-digital instrumentation, flat and wide one-piece handlebar, engine belly cover and a 14-litre fuel tank. For cycle parts, the motorcycle is suspended by an inverted fork setup up front and a 7-step adjustable monoshock at the rear. Braking duties are handled by a 298 mm single disc at the front and a 220 mm single disc at the rear. The system is assisted by dual-channel ABS. The MT-03 rides on 17-inch alloy wheels shod with 110/70 front and 140/70 rear section tyres.
Coming to the powertrain, the MT-03 borrows it firepower from its faired cousin. The 321cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin DOHC mill is capable of producing 41.4 bhp at 10,750 rpm and 29.5 Nm at 9,000 rpm. The motor comes mated to a slick 6-speed gearbox. Unfortunately, unlike the motorcycle misses out on slipper clutch and traction control, features that are now offered even in the lower segment.
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The MT-03 shares its underpinnings with the YZF-R3 and hence uses the same compact and lightweight chassis made from high tensile steel tubing. The slimmer profile coupled with the short wheelbase and lower weight benefits the MT-03 for a sporty, nimble and agile machine. The motorcycle has a wet weight of 170 kg, an accessible saddle height of 779 mm and a minimum ground clearance of 160 mm.
Yamaha India will be announcing the prices of the MT-03 towards the end of 2023. While the initial batches of the motorcycle will be via the CBU route, later batches will either be SKD or CKD units. In terms of pricing, while we hope for Yamaha to aggressively price the MT-03, realistically, one can expect the MT-03 to be priced in the ballpark of Rs 3.4 lakh to Rs 3.7 lakh (ex-showroom).
