Yamaha MT-03: a versatile single-cylinder roadster

Difficult to categorise, the new Yamaha MT-03 does not seek to conform to existing genres, but rather to outstrip them. Designed around a 660 cc single cylinder, it has an easy fun build, which proves its worth in town and on small winding roads.

Within the Yamaha range, the MT family offers motorcycles of character with a distinctive design, and responsive engines that deliver excitement even at low revs. The inspiration behind the style doesn't matter, as long as the result takes the shape of an unconventional roadster that can spark a reaction as soon as you open the garage door.
The first creation based on this concept was the recent MT-01, built around the 1,700 cc V2 engine of the Road Star Warrior custom motorcycle. Now it is on the basis of the 660 cc single cylinder which equips the XT-R and XT-X trail bike and Supermoto that Yamaha has developed the MT-03, with the clear intention of putting the MT concept into a more urban mode.
Style first and foremost

Like the MT-01, the MT-03 has two massive underseat mufflers.
Much more compact and lighter than the MT-01, the MT-03 however bears a clear family resemblance to its older sibling, if only when you glance at the two large mufflers under the seat. Despite its slim build, the MT-03 is impressive with its concentration of mass around the engine, original lateral shock absorber directly fixed onto the cast aluminium swing arm, and a minimalist front consisting of a tiny complex-surface headlamp with a small dial jutting out above.

Sitting behind the large handlebars, you have the striking feeling of directly grappling with the front axle, which carries 52% of the weight of the motorcycle. From the outset the steering proves to be very sharp and perfectly reassuring. The MT-03 is thus very easy to get to grips with, and will correspond perfectly to the expectations of beginners. The riding position is natural and pleasant, and this little MT threads its way through the urban traffic congestion like a dream.

A big accommodating engine

With the main characteristic of delivering high torque from the lowest revs, and therefore easy to handle when making slow progress and on winding journeys, the single cylinder is the adventurer's engine par excellence.

The MT-03's engine, powered by electronic injection and with a 4-valve head, is accommodating, with powerful seamless acceleration from 3,000 rpm. This fluidity makes trips in town so much easier, all the more so since the gearbox combines smoothness and precision. Typical of this mechanical layout, the virile sound of the mufflers is particularly gratifying.

The MT-03 therefore establishes itself as a very pleasant companion on a day-to-day basis, able to deliver considerable comfort in terms of both seating and suspension.


A ballerina on corners

Urbane and trendy, the Yamaha MT-03 shows its playfulness as soon as it finds itself on a twisty road.
Upon reaching the extremely winding road between Lloret de Mar and Sant Feliu de Guíxols in Spain, the MT-03 turns into a cornering machine with disconcerting ease. The balance and quality of build make it possible to improvise at will and have some fun, without pushing the motorcycle or its talent to the limits. Responsive but always considerate, perfectly stable when the speed increases, the MT-03 is the archetypal instinctive motorcycle. Taken straight from the FZ6 model, the braking offers power that can be perfectly controlled.

Nor is there any need to go into high revs to get your fill of thrills: the big single cylinder gives the best of itself between 3,000 and 6,000 rpm, medium revs in which the available torque allows for a certain approximation in the choice of gear. This engine presents the very valuable advantage of never encouraging you to adopt an unreasonable speed.

The total absence of protection and the vibrations felt at high revs will, however, not make you want to spend a long time on the motorway, but rather make the most of the small roads.

A bright future for these simple motorcycles

Equipment
The MT-03's practically perfect urban performance suffers only from poor practicality, although it does have a small storage space under the seat for a specific lock, an electronic immobiliser and sufficient instrumentation. In another concession made to design, the ergonomics of the passenger seat will not encourage long rides for two.

Perfect for beginners and urban use, the Yamaha MT-03 will also delight the most demanding riders thanks to its striking design, ease of handling and efficiency on the road. A motorcycle of universal appeal but with a very distinctive personality, that one cannot help comparing with the recent Kawasaki ER-6n, which also advocates a return to greater simplicity to offer increasingly accessible pleasure. These are machines which correspond perfectly to the democratisation of motorcycle riding in France and Europe.

Source  viamichelin.com