BLACK PANTHER

The Yamaha MT-03 is a unique bike; one of the best parallel-twin street nakeds in our market. We took it to the hills and ripped around the twisty roads. Here is what we think about it

- Charan Karthik

THE MT-03 HAS EVERY ASPECT set perfectly or almost so. The aggressive front end, the subtle cockpit, the strong front brake, the Midnight Black colour, the twin-cylinder's exhaust note, and the vibrations on the handlebars that slowly creep in as you near the end of the 12,000-rpm red-line.

Yamaha already hit the mark a few years ago when they launched the older version of the MT-03; however, the updated one, launched at the end of last year, just made things better. This one continues to be powered by the 321-cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine whose reputation precedes it. Along with that butter-smooth six-speed gearbox, the bike puts a smile on your face every time you twist the throttle.

There was even a moment where I whacked open the throttle at one corner and the rear tyre power-slid for a few metres. It is nice to have that sort of power available on tap within the city. With all the electronic aids and assists in other bikes these days, the MT-03 comes as a breath of fresh air on this count.

Now let's start with the look of the street naked: its muscular fuel-tank and the signature LED daytime running lights (DRLs) are the first things to catch your eye. The bike now gets LED blinkers as well. Some of the bits such as the embossed "Yamaha" logo on the fuel-tank and on the tail are beautiful and give a premium feel to the bike.