Since its US availability in February, I have seen a handful of riders astride MT-03s commuting on the coastal highways or on the popular Angeles Crest Highway that weaves through Southern California’s Angeles National Forest. The MT-03 has already been plucked up by riders who likely read the praises of the bigger brothers like the MT-07 (or even the pre-2018 FZ-10- or FZ-09-named ancestors), but these riders were obviously interested in something even more approachable. The keen crop of current owners saw that, like the bigger brethren, there is a lot of bike for not a whole lot of dough. When a beginner-friendly bike has a price tag under $5,000, promises sporty fun (hello there, 321cc parallel twin from the popular R3), and is wrapped in a clean, simple, yet sinister naked bike form, Yamaha knows how to get the US population’s attention and then deliver - just take the baiting and reeling of the 2021 Ténéré 700 for example.
Saddling up on the MT-03, I noted the plush seat’s height is an approachable Cycle World-measured 31.1 inches. The saddle fans out at the rear to provide support, but is thin enough at the front to assist in an easier boot-to-asphalt reach. The taller handlebar allows for a comfortable upright posture and with the wide, flat shape of the 3.7-gallon fuel tank yields ample elbow room, opening up the bar-to-seat ergos. Peg placement is also optimal, slightly back which gives the rider the opportunity to be more aggressive or relaxed if they so desire. With this positioning, my knees slot themselves right below the broad shoulders of the tank. While my 5-foot-10 colleague mentioned in his review that he felt cramped with the broad tank, the legs of my 6-foot-tall stature tuck right in, allowing for substantial grip to the tank. I suspect this may correlate to different leg lengths or body shapes. One complaint I have about the peg placement, however, is the closeness of the levers to the pegs. Braking or downshifting isn’t affected so much by the closeness, but in order to upshift, I need to finagle my size-10 foot under the lever more than usual. Something minor that I did acclimate to.
A heavy pull on the clutch lever requires a little extra grip strength, something I didn’t necessarily expect from a beginner bike, but the clutch communicates and engages well when simultaneously easing on the throttle. Throttle engagement is palpable and silky smooth - no hiccup or delay in power delivery.
Its 54.3-inch wheelbase and light 375-pound weight (weighed on the CW scale) made maneuvering a breeze, nimbly strutting around like a prize-winning show dog. At speed, the small naked transforms from show dog to not necessarily hellhound (leave that to the inline-four siblings) but rather hellhound pup with its 321cc parallel twin pulled from the R3. Its peppy parallel pulls you from the line with a Cycle World-measured 20.2 pound-feet of torque and 37.1 hp. The short first and second gears require a quick shift through them when you pull away from a stop, but as you click up you can utilize more of the broader, spread-out power in the rest of transmission; fifth and sixth are both overdrive gears. As you can see from the torque curve below, it is relatively flat, providing torque nearly evenly across the rpm range. With a steady, gradual twist to full throttle, I did notice that the machine’s power tapers slightly at around 7,000 rpm only to pick up with a little more power in the 9–10,000 range - this too is proven by the continued increase in the horsepower curve section of graph until it reaches its peak at 10,590.
In regard to appearance and fit and finish, the MT-03 is appealing. Now, looks are subjective, but I can’t help liking the thin angled dual position light strips and singular LED—they’re clean, simple, and menacing. At a budget-friendly $4,599, not much can be done to make this hell pup a groomed-to-perfection show dog, but there is a minor point that can be addressed: The fuel cap’s keyhole cover is flimsy - the material is thin and doesn’t seem to be held on by much more than a pin. Minuscule deduction points in an otherwise tidy motorcycle.
Overall, the MT-03 makes its larger siblings proud. It has the character that can strut down the city streets without issue while being able to cut up the curves with ease. Designed with a menacing look, comfortable ergos, and a proven small-displacement powerplant, Yamaha teased and delivered in the MT-03 a worthy contestant to the small-displacement naked bike class.
Saddling up on the MT-03, I noted the plush seat’s height is an approachable Cycle World-measured 31.1 inches. The saddle fans out at the rear to provide support, but is thin enough at the front to assist in an easier boot-to-asphalt reach. The taller handlebar allows for a comfortable upright posture and with the wide, flat shape of the 3.7-gallon fuel tank yields ample elbow room, opening up the bar-to-seat ergos. Peg placement is also optimal, slightly back which gives the rider the opportunity to be more aggressive or relaxed if they so desire. With this positioning, my knees slot themselves right below the broad shoulders of the tank. While my 5-foot-10 colleague mentioned in his review that he felt cramped with the broad tank, the legs of my 6-foot-tall stature tuck right in, allowing for substantial grip to the tank. I suspect this may correlate to different leg lengths or body shapes. One complaint I have about the peg placement, however, is the closeness of the levers to the pegs. Braking or downshifting isn’t affected so much by the closeness, but in order to upshift, I need to finagle my size-10 foot under the lever more than usual. Something minor that I did acclimate to.
A heavy pull on the clutch lever requires a little extra grip strength, something I didn’t necessarily expect from a beginner bike, but the clutch communicates and engages well when simultaneously easing on the throttle. Throttle engagement is palpable and silky smooth - no hiccup or delay in power delivery.
- The bark of the engine also provides a little bite: an impressive 37.1 hp from the 321cc parallel twin.
Its 54.3-inch wheelbase and light 375-pound weight (weighed on the CW scale) made maneuvering a breeze, nimbly strutting around like a prize-winning show dog. At speed, the small naked transforms from show dog to not necessarily hellhound (leave that to the inline-four siblings) but rather hellhound pup with its 321cc parallel twin pulled from the R3. Its peppy parallel pulls you from the line with a Cycle World-measured 20.2 pound-feet of torque and 37.1 hp. The short first and second gears require a quick shift through them when you pull away from a stop, but as you click up you can utilize more of the broader, spread-out power in the rest of transmission; fifth and sixth are both overdrive gears. As you can see from the torque curve below, it is relatively flat, providing torque nearly evenly across the rpm range. With a steady, gradual twist to full throttle, I did notice that the machine’s power tapers slightly at around 7,000 rpm only to pick up with a little more power in the 9–10,000 range - this too is proven by the continued increase in the horsepower curve section of graph until it reaches its peak at 10,590.
- The 2020 Yamaha MT-03 delivers 37.1 hp at 10,590 and 20.2 pound-feet at 9,010 rpm.
Yamaha sees the MT-03 spending much of its time in urban settings, so I took the mini Master of Torque down the highly populated Southern California coastline. Like the Pacific Ocean waves, the pavement of Pacific Coast Highway had its own ripples giving the 37mm KYB inverted fork and single shock a chance to prove some of their worth. This suspension, with the grippy 17-inch tires, kept the bike well grounded when topography presented an undulating ripple, underground root, or gnarled asphalt. The front suspension is also firm, which provides ample feel and understanding of what is going on where the Dunlop Sportmax GPR-300 rubber meets the road.
The MT-03 chassis is rigid and bred for the twists and turns that lay just outside the urban sprawl. The chassis’ solid communication throughout each turn and its planted connection to the asphalt - thanks to the firm suspension - help to make quick work of the winding stretches.
- Both front and rear are equipped with ABS. Calipers grip the 298 and 220mm discs (front and rear, respectively).Jeff Allen
Under hard braking I felt the rear ABS engage without chatter - if the front ABS engaged, I did not feel it intercede as much as the rear. A tight squeeze of the front lever translates well through the two-piston calipers to the 298mm front disc. A stomp to the rear-brake pedal, however, reveals a mushy, underpowered actuation. Thank goodness, the front brake performs well and slows the MT-03 with more than acceptable results.
- They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and the slim-eyed LEDs of the MT express a sinister one.
In regard to appearance and fit and finish, the MT-03 is appealing. Now, looks are subjective, but I can’t help liking the thin angled dual position light strips and singular LED—they’re clean, simple, and menacing. At a budget-friendly $4,599, not much can be done to make this hell pup a groomed-to-perfection show dog, but there is a minor point that can be addressed: The fuel cap’s keyhole cover is flimsy - the material is thin and doesn’t seem to be held on by much more than a pin. Minuscule deduction points in an otherwise tidy motorcycle.
- From the lighting to the wide-shouldered macho posture, the little MT exudes aggressiveness, but with a beginner-friendly approachability.
Overall, the MT-03 makes its larger siblings proud. It has the character that can strut down the city streets without issue while being able to cut up the curves with ease. Designed with a menacing look, comfortable ergos, and a proven small-displacement powerplant, Yamaha teased and delivered in the MT-03 a worthy contestant to the small-displacement naked bike class.
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