Yamaha MT-03

The sub 500 cc motorcycle segment in India has seen a lot of activity in 2023 and before the year ends, India Yamaha has launched not one but two sub 500 cc motorcycles – YZF R3 and the MT-03. While the R3 was on sale in India earlier, the MT-03 makes a debut and will go on sale along with its supersport sibling. The 2023 Yamaha R3 is priced at Rs. 464,900 while the MT-03 priced at Rs. 459,900. Both prices are ex-showroom. The pricing is not exactly appealing. It is because of the fact that the bikes come to India as CBU from Thailand.

The YZF-R3 is a fully-faired sports touring machine while the MT-03 is the streetfighter version, sporting a minimalistic look with exposed mechanicals. Both motorcycles are powered by the same 321 cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin motor that is capable of producing 40 bhp and 29.6 Nm and comes paired to a 6-speed gearbox assisted by a slipper clutch.

In terms of features, the motorcycles get dual-channel ABS, an LCD screen and full LED lighting for the R3 but not on the MT-03, which gets a projector headlight. The bikes also miss out on a Bluetooth connectivity tech along with rider electronics like traction control, ride modes, ride-by-wire and so on. The bikes also miss out on a quick-shifter and an assist and slipper clutch.