Yamaha MT-03 Price Announced, Still No News About It Going Stateside

The Yamaha MT-03 is, in fact, almost identical to the R3, sporting the same diamond frame and leaving the engine, wheels and brakes untouched. The 321cc parallel twin engine produces 42 hp @ 10,750 rpm and 9.6 Nm (21.8 lb-ft) of torque at 9,000 rpm, which is well inside the A2 license limitations in Europe, yet looking very appealing even to returning riders and those eyeing a cheap and economical commuter bike.

The transmission is also the same, with a 6-speed gearbox, while the brakes are also identical to the R3, 298mm single rotor in the front and a 220mm one in the rear, with ABS as standard equipment. The ground clearance is 160mm (6.3") for both machines, and the seat height remained unchanged, 780mm (30.7").

MT-03 ditches the full fairing of its R3 sister and replaces it with skimpy side covers that draw inspiration from the MT-07. The design of the MT-03 is quite aggressive for a small-displacement bike, and this will most likely be a strong selling point.

There is no news yet if Yamaha has any plans to bring the MT-03 to the US, after renaming it according to the North-American pattern to FZ-03. Our guess is that Iwata should do well and give Kawasaki and Honda a run for their money, especially as the price tag on this machine would most likely smash the competition.

In the US, the Yamaha YZF-R3 is already listed with an MSRP of $4,990, and the bike arrived in dealerships this March. If the FZ-03 comes stateside with a price tag reading $4,499 or so, it's going to sell like hot cakes among the young demographic.

Anyway, we're glad to see Yamaha becoming increasingly competitive in the market, and we can't wait for more Iwata goodies. Still waiting for that new Tenere...