Two years ago Yamaha launched a big Confederate inspired sports roadster in MT-01. The problem is that MT-01 was only launched in the European market. Europeans seem to prefer small fast café racers, such as the new MT-03, whilst Americans seem to prefer big naked V-twins, such as the MT-01. We are confused, and it seems the market is a bit confused too. Whilst we await the next MT, probably a 1000cc twin based on the TDM, we have ridden the latest addition to a growing range. MT-03 is a big single in a small package.
MT-03 is a simplistic style study inspired by European sub-culture-particularly by Italian and French café culture. MT-03 has got a dose of Supermotard, a dose of Scrambler and a dose of café racer. It’s made for fun with a price and style for people living with huge mortgage or rent expenses in the city. I found other uses for the smallest MT outside of the city too. When you live in a big city you tend to escape to the country side at the weekends. Friday afternoon and the traffic out of the cities is stationary and the air is lethal containing more carbon monoxide than is good for you. Plenty of instant torque makes sure you wheelie out of trouble from the lights and the light chassis is stopped efficiently by the budget brakes. The MT-03 is perfect in this situation. The MT is narrow and light with a big single cylinder engine made for torque. Filtering past the mile-long queue of stressed out city workers on their commute home is child's play with MT-03. Perhaps the single has got slightly too much engine braking for smooth filtering, but again the torque becomes useful quickly enough for escaping the idiot that didn’t see you. The mirrors on MT-03 are just placed in van mirror height, but they can easily be tucked in. Finally I reach the end of the queue and can turn off to my favourite mountain roads. MT-03 loves the bends and the hairpin ones will always be the favourites. I remember Aprilia Pegaso 650 on these very same roads and the MT-03 is just as much fun as the Italian bike. MT-03 is pretty much an Italian bike at heart. The engine that powers three different Yamaha’s, two Aprilia’s and one Derbi is produced at Yamaha’s Italy factory and the design is very Italian too. MT-03 has got a 45hp version of the single cylinder 660 four-stroke. Yamaha XT and Aprilia Pegaso have got a 48 hp version. Yamaha claims the MT-03 is a newer model and emission control robs the MT of three hp. If that has happened to the MT-03 it will also happen to the others in the coming years. I do not remember the Pegaso 650 Strada feeling more powerful than the MT-03 so there can’t be much to it. This is only excerpts of the full article. MT-World
