Patent images of what looks like the Yamaha MT-03 for the European market have surfaced recently. The pictures reveal little slotted rings at the front and rear wheel which are meant for the ABS.
Yamaha unveiled the R25 and the MT-25 in Indonesia not that long back and people in many countries have been eagerly waiting for these bikes. The design combined with adequate performance and decent pricing is what makes them so desirable. The R3 was also unveiled late last year and looks amazing. Considering that the MT-25 was based on the R25 and shared a lot of parts with the latter, a street-fighter based on the R3 platform was also expected. Recently, images of what looks like the European version of the naked bike have surfaced on the internet. The bike will be named MT-320 instead of MT-03.
The pictures show the ABS rings and sensors used to measure wheel speed so it can be safely said that the MT-320 will be getting ABS, standard in Europe and maybe as an option in India. Since the bike has almost been developed, chances of it being displayed at the 2016 Auto Expo are high with a launch in the Indian market soon after the show. Since bikes of this segment sell in high numbers, Yamaha will be importing the bikes in CKD form to avoid higher duties. The MT-320 looks more or less similar to the MT-25 and the engine is the main differentiator.
Sharing its engine with the Yamaha R3, the MT-320 will be powered by a 320cc twin-cylinder motor which makes 42 PS of power and 29.6 Nm of torque. The engine will be mated a 6-speed gearbox as is the norm in this segment. The R3 will be launched in the Indian market next month and with power figures like those, the duo is likely to give sleepless nights to competitors like KTM and Kawasaki. In terms of pricing, the bikes will be more expensive than the KTM’s but cheaper than the Kawasaki ones. While the expected price of the R3 is Rs. 2.8 lakhs (ex-showroom), the street-fighter MT-320 is expected to be priced around Rs. 2.5 lakhs (ex-showroom).
