Yamaha has been doing the "hyper naked" thing for so long and doing it so well that we could be forgiven for thinking that they had invented the class. Bikes like those in the MT range are built by people who love riding bikes and who understand why we do too. With their muscular styling and big number performance, it’s hardly any surprise that the entire range of MT models have done so very well on the sales front for the Japanese giant all over Europe. The fact that they’ve managed to build bikes such as the MT 125 and MT 03 and still carry the bikes presence as well as the MT 10, is fine testament to how well they’ve done their job. Now the new generation Yamaha MT 03 is here.
The latest Yamaha MT 03 is powered by a321cc parallel twin. This has been developed from the ground up for the original bike and extensively re worked for the latest one. This is the same block as is used in the R3. While it puts out a healthy 41 brake horse power it’s the way that the twin has been engineered to produce plenty of real world torque that makes it such a ridable bike that punches above its weight. It manages to do all this while still being an A2 friendly machine.
It is, of course, the styling that gets us before we even get sight of an ignition key! Visually there is a whole lot of MT 10 going on here. From the shape of the lights to the air intakes, to that big tank, to the wheel design, to the upward sweep of the end can. This is a ‘big’ small bike. The 37mm upside down forks are a nice touch as is the LED headlight and indicators.
That engine is complimented with a lightweight diamond frame. This gives the bike it mass forward design and offers the rider an ergonomic and agile riding position which gives it that authentic MT feeling when you ride it. Add stuff like the long swingarm and the ability to set the shock up as you’d like and its rideability just keeps getting better. Adding touches like high-tech LCD instruments just puts the icing on what is, by any measure, a very nice cake.
The Yamaha MT 03 available from official dealers only.
