Yamaha MT-03 Concept

Riding fun defined by feelings & emotions
"We wanted to set a highlight, to show something extreme from Yamaha and get the public's reaction to it", says motorcycle product development manager Oliver Grill.

He continues: "At the same time, the model should be feasible so that if the feedback is very positive, we can actually decide to build it."

The philosophy behind the MT-03 is to enhance riding emotions. "In our model development philosophy, we are always investigating to bring new feelings and emotions that motorcycles can give you, and those are of course not always speed- and horsepower related as in most modern bikes. We want to offer fun of riding also at lower speeds or even in urban conditions and this is a study how to achieve that. That's why we focused on the sensation from a strong engine pulse, and a chassis to give a very direct contact to the machine."

Roadster Motard
Oliver continues: "When we were developing the idea, we used the key phrase "Roadster Motard".

Roadster because it stands for sex appeal, a very determined and aggressive design combined with a high quality technical spec. Motard, as in Supermotard, because it says something about riding sensations, about the extreme agility when riding in low speed range. So Roadster Motard is a new crossover combination, of fun riding and aesthetics!

Art of Engineering
To achieve the target of extreme agility, the single cylinder 'powerpack' is the most suitable engine. It is extremely compact and offers an immediate throttle response all through the rpm range, and it has a very strong character and sound. Oliver: "We called it the 'supertorque single'"

And of course the passion for motorcycles is not only in riding, it is also in the construction and design of the bike as a beautiful machine in itself. Strong mechanical expressions, handcrafted parts: the model is a piece of art, 'the art of engineering'.