Showcased during the giant 2015 EICMA Motorcycle show held in Milan last year, Yamaha's naked version of the street fighter MT-03 is gearing up for its Indian debut at the 2016 Auto Expo and possibly will carry forward to India in the second quarter of 2016. The compact Sportsbike is based on R3 and will be boarded to the country as a completely-knocked-down (CKD) unit.
Stepping aside this time the signature naked bike styling, which can be seen on the MT-07, the Japanese auto giant has acquired the design cues solely from the R3. The motorcycle sports a single-pod headlight, which supports LED daytime running lights with a conventional single piece wide handlebar. With a sturdy fuel tank having modish air intake pods, the Tourer also goes for an analog digital instrument console and adopts innovative color options.
Heart of the MT-03 encompasses a 321cc parallel twin, liquid-cooled engine churning out 42PS of power at 10750 RPM and 29.6NM of torque at 9000 RPM. The engine is mated to a six speed gearbox. It carries telescopic forks up front while monoshock suspension at the rear, just like the R3. Braking duties are being performed by 298mm front and 220mm rear discs guided by dual-channel ABS system.
Competing rivalries for the MT-03 will be BMW G310R (which is also making its move at the upcoming auto event), Kawasaki Z250 and KTM Duke 390. The anticipated price of the Tourer is around INR 3.25 lakh, which is a bit lower than its fully faired sibling.
