“A toy for the masses” – review of the Yamaha MT-03 motorcycle, 2003

Last September I bought my first motorcycle - a Yamaha MT-03. You can read more about this here. The first motorcycle season is over and it's time to share information about such a rare beast as the Yamaha MT-03. Handling and suspension. Handling is excellent thanks to the short wheelbase and axle load distribution. On my first trip (when I didn’t have a license yet), I arrived at the traffic police station at night, having previously agreed with the guard, and about the third or fourth time I went through all the exercises necessary to pass. Turns very predictably. As for handling at low speed, you can drive 5-6 km/h while sitting and without taking your feet off the pegs. It feels great in city traffic. The clearance allows you to jump (carefully, of course) onto the curb, or drive on dry off-road conditions. There are practically no settings for the suspensions, only pre-compression of the rear spring, which is set once in accordance with the weight of the rider. The fork is identical to that on the fz6, the rear suspension consists of a massive cast swingarm and an original shock absorber located on the side. As for hardness and softness, it shakes on uneven surfaces, it’s better to stand up on potholes. Motor and gearbox. The MT03 engine is quite common, it is still installed (with different gears) on all 660 cc Yamaha models, including the Grizzly. This unit was also used on an Aprilia pegaso. It has established itself as a very reliable medium-speed engine. The smooth torque curve allows you to drive without even thinking about what the current speed is. As for the gearbox, it is a 5-speed, shifts clearly and effortlessly. Water cooling, dry sump lubrication. 4 liters of oil are poured into the oil tank. The oil tank is located in a rather peculiar way, in front of the engine and looks like a crankcase protection, for this reason there is a rumor that it is easy to damage. But I think that if you use the motorcycle for its intended purpose, such a problem will not arise. A separate comment about vibrations - yes, they really exist. The 660cc 1-cylinder engine cannot help but vibrate. Around 5000 +- 100 rpm it tickles your palms))) This is a feature. To be honest, I personally like “live” engines. I heard a review that the engine is “dead” and “doesn’t run.” And also that any 600 cc in-line engine goes faster. Of course, this is a comparison between round and soft, since this model is absolutely not for those who need maximum speed. 120-150 on the highway is quite comfortable to drive.

Maintenance Fuel consumption is approximately 6 liters with a 15 liter gas tank. Is it a lot or a little - judge for yourself. There were no serious breakdowns during operation. The only trouble was that the clutch cable broke at the bend in the lever. Apparently, the load was previously placed in this place during a fall (based on the state of the lever). The cable was repaired, and just in case I bought an original one as a spare. Nothing else broke. One winter, leaving the garage, I accidentally turned the ignition to the parking lights mode (apparently that’s what they call it?) As a result, the battery died. And here, pay attention: to get to the battery you need to remove the gas tank!)) But you won’t go to great lengths for the sake of design...

Design The appearance of the motorcycle was developed in Spain, the motorcycle itself was produced in Italy. Of course, it is designed for the European market. The design of the MT-03 cannot be confused with anything else. This is a youth motorcycle, a “fan bike”. It is bright and beautiful. He invariably evokes interested glances from others and leaves no one indifferent.

Bottom line: When choosing this motorcycle, you need to be very clear about why you need it. The fact is that, for all its versatility, it has a number of serious limitations in terms of use. It's not suitable for track racing, it's not suitable for 1000 kilometer trips, it's not suitable for enduring through the woods to go fishing, but it's absolutely perfect for city streets. Some people think its cost is too high, because most of the components used are not expensive. Again, this is an image motorcycle for the city, and not a high-tech racing machine. I chose the MT03 as my first bike. And I wasn’t wrong at all. During the time I used it, it never let me down. If we rewind time, I would take him first again. I think that says it all.

The motorcycle is currently sold. Went to Moscow to a new owner.

PS Any questions are welcome! Both in the comments and in PM.

Specifications

Specifications of Yamaha MT-03 (MT320):