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Yamaha MT-03 2016 - Day One

Blog Date - 05 May 2017

By Fran (NZ)

So I have picked up the bike from Red Baron, with 5km on the clock. I've had a Venture pack system fitted, so I can attach my top box to the bike for when I'm going to work etc.

The display on the bike shows a heap of information. Aside from the normal rev-counter, speed etc there is a very helpful gear indicator as well as a fuel gauge and temperature readout. On the odometer display this can show 2 trip meters, current fuel usage in km/l or l/100km, average fuel usage, oil change, trip meter and when the fuel gets to reserve it has a separate one to count how far you have left to travel, I guess before you get to the fun part of pushing. At the top of the dash is a white light for the “change gear” indicator which is very configurable. You're able to turn it off totally, set when it starts, stops, the type of flash and brightness.

The digital and analogue clocks and display on the MT03

The ride home from Red Baron cycles in Grey Lynn, Auckland was nice. The bike pulls strongly even for a 321cc twin, especially as my other bike is a Honda VFR800. And it is soooo light and easy to get through traffic. No 240kg bike to try and get through tight gaps, the bike with fuel is around 170kg so it's a lot lighter compared to what I have been
commuting to work with.

After the 20km ride home the fuel economy was 20.1km/l. Now It was getting better as I rode home, so once I've finished my first tank of gas I’ll hopefully have a better idea of what it will be each day. The VFR for comparison, does about 15km/l around town. Not sure yet what it's like on the open road with 2 up, but will be finding that out for the Queen’s birthday weekend.

Here is the bike sitting in the garage after I cleaned and re-arranged things around so we could fit all 4 bikes in and the car. I have to have it so that 3 of the bikes can be taken out and turned around without too much effort. 

The new MT03 tucked into the garage. Fran's bike has a large top box at the rear

For my height of 178cm I find the seat height of the bike (78cm) perfect for me, it's easy to put both feet flat on the ground. Also when in the garage to spin it round on the side stand it is so balanced, it takes almost no effort to pull it on the stand. I asked my son to have a go and as he is used to doing it with his Ninja 250 which takes a bit of effort, he nearly pulled the bike over on top of himself.

Now all I have to do, other that use this for going to work and general pottering around, is keep my son’s and daughter’s hands off of it. They have already started to lay claim to the bike…

Sods I tell ya.

Till next time...


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