MUNDANE OR TERRIFIC?

no plug socket. Just what is Porsche thinking? With all the time that I had with the MT, I made sure to keep it singing because it turned out to be such a rewarding experience to all the senses!

- ANANT PANDEY

You’re allowed to look down on me for admitting that before riding the MT-03, I had never experienced Yamaha’s famed 321cc parallel-twin screamer. Having missed out on the opportunity to ride both the R3 and MT-03 during its explosive and scenic first ride in Thailand and at our very own BIC, my right hand was tingling to rev the ceilings out of this screecher. Now that we can officially scoff at their Indian pricing, honestly, I couldn’t care less. I had a week with the MT-03 and I wasn’t even required to break my bank and a few bones to live that experience. Why would I care about the pricing? I got its sticker price printed, rolled some tobacco in it and smoked it off. That certainly helped.

And kids, that was just a metaphor, please take good care of your lungs.

SOLID, NOT SPECIAL

The MT-03 is a sleeper motorcycle because of the way it looks. It doesn’t look and feel substantial but here’s the thing: from some angles, it does. Take the rear three-quarters for instance, which, according to me, is one of the sexiest angles to ogle at the MT. Its headlamp cluster is largely similar to the MT-15 and hence, the sleeper tag. For a layman, it might come across as a slightly modified MT-15. Until, the layman hears the twin-cylinder burble but we will come to that later. The entire MT range is now designed in such a way that they look like an extra-terrestrial family forgot its way and crash landed on earth. The MT-03 is no different. Although I wish it looked a bit different head on as compared to the MT-15, the MT-03 still manages to look bulkier than the MT-15. It all comes down to the broad tank shrouds which also house neat air intakes. I also like the little spoilers that flank the headlamp unit.