Yamaha stripped down the R3 small class sportbike and revealed a MT naked which fills the gap between the MT-125 and MT-07.
The Yamaha MT family has a new member. No, it’s not a revamped old one. Over the years, MT-03 name had a different meaning: it was a roadster with a 660 single cylinder engine. But the things have changed and MT-03 describes an A2 license friendly naked.
Yamaha MT-03 shares many components with YZF-R3. It has the same liquid cooled 321 cc twin cylinder and the same chassis.
The styling is similar to other MT-series models, having a simple but sporty stance.
A beginner bike
Yamaha R3is considered to be a very good bike for discovering a circuit or for learning how to race.
With its 42 horsepower engine, the new MT-03 is suitable for learning to ride on the street. Its power is not intimidating at all, but it’s capable enough to give you some thrills if you are a beginner. Moreover, the 780 mm seat height makes it a good bike for shorter riders.
Yamaha MT-03 is also ABS-equipped, and the front wheel has a single 298 mm disc, the same we can find on R3.
The wheels, the suspension system, the trail, all are the same on both bikes. So it should have the same road characteristics (good handling) but without wind protection. Moreover, the seat seems to be the same but the bikes have different riding positions due to the handlebars: R3 has clip-ons, while the roadster has a classic handlebar.
The weight is 168 kilograms (with a 14 liters full fuel tank). Yeah, you guessed: same as the R3 (although R3 is one kg heavier due to the fairings). Oh, let’s not forget, the dashboard is the same.
The main difference between MT-03 and R3, besides the fairings, is the price. MT-03 costs 6,250 euro, 320 euro less than the R3.