Japanese manufacturer Yamaha took to the sidelines of the Indian MotoGP to showcase their sub-400cc bikes, the R3 and the MT-03. The bikes are all set to make their way to the Indian shores by December this year. Now, while the R3 is an entry-level sport bike, the MT-03 is its naked sibling. The R3 was available in India for a short while before it was discontinued, and this will mark its re-entry into the market. The MT-03, on the other hand, will be sold for the first time on our shores. (Image: Yamaha)
Design-wise, both the R3 and MT-03 take inspiration from their bigger siblings. The R3 is a sportsbike with a full fairing, low clip-on handlebars, rear-set footpegs, and an extremely track-focused riding stance. The tank design, LED headlamps, indicators, and even the split seat seem to be borrowed from the bigger R7 and R1 bikes. (Image: Yamaha)
The MT-03, on the other hand, features a more upright riding position and a very aggressive design. The front, for example, gets a droid-looking fascia complete with a dual-DRL setup and a single large projector headlamp. The fuel tank is muscular as well, with aggressive tank extensions. The rear sections seem to be taken directly off the R3, right from the split seat to the tail lamp design. (Image: Yamaha)
Both bikes are powered by the same 321cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine that produces 42 hp of maximum power and 29.5 Nm of peak torque. A six-speed gearbox handles transmission duties, assisted by a slipper clutch. The bikes also share their suspension with upside-down forks upfront and a mono-shock at the back, while braking is handled by discs at both ends, complete with dual-channel ABS. (Image: Yamaha)
Yamaha hasn’t announced the pricing just yet, but what we do know is that the company plans to bring the bikes to India via the completely built-up (CBU) import route initially and switch to completely knocked-down (CKD) units later on. This could mean some fairly high prices. The old-gen Yamaha R3, for context, used to retail at Rs 3.5 lakh. This is where we could see the Yamaha MT-03 prices start, with the R3 retailing at closer to the Rs 4 lakh mark. (Image: Yamaha)
As far as competition goes, both bikes have a number of competitors to take on. The R3 will challenge the likes of the Kawasaki Ninja 400, the KTM RC390, the BMW G 310 RR, and the TVS Apache RR 310, while the MT-03 will rival the new KTM 390 Duke, the BMW G 310 R, and the TVS Apache RTR 310, among others. (Image: Yamaha)
