Yamaha MT-03 vs KTM 390 Duke: Image Comparison

The Yamaha MT-03 has received a massive price cut of Rs 1,10,000 and is now a lot more affordable than before. With this price cut, the bike now comes at a price of Rs 3,49,900 (ex-showroom). The MT-03 goes up against the KTM 390 Duke in the 300-400cc segment. Here’s a detailed comparison between the two.

Design 

The KTM 390 Duke, with its sharp extensions and overall aggressive looks manages to stand out quite a bit. The Duke also has that big bike feel, which customers who are planning on buying a bike in the 300 to 400cc segment will appreciate.

The Yamaha MT-03 on the other hand looks a bit more plain. It doesn’t come off as a big bike and the subtle looks doesn’t give it the kind of road presence which you would get with something like the KMT 390 Duke. But overall, the design and styling is decent.

Performance

When it comes to performance, the KTM 390 Duke is powered by a 398.63cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine. The engine produces 46PS at 8,000rpm and 39Nm at 6500rpm, which is quite impressive and will make for a thrilling riding experience. 

The Yamaha MT-03 on the other hand features a 321cc, liquid-cooled, parallel twin engine. The engine produces 42.0 PS at 10,750rpm and 29.5Nm at 9,000rpm. On paper, the KTM 390 Duke makes a lot more power. But when it comes to riding experience, the Yamaha MT-03 has something unique on offer.

The bike produces most of its torque at a higher rpm, which means the engine is a lot more rev happy than the 390 Duke. This high revving nature of the Yamaha engine makes the bike really fun to ride in the twisties and on the track. This is something many riders who are looking for this experience will appreciate. 

Underpinnings

The KTM 390 Duke features a 43mm WP APEX fork and a WP APEX monoshock. The WP APEX fork offers full adjustability, and changing the settings is as simple as turning switches at the fork ends. 

The Yamaha MT-03 has a smaller diameter 37mm inverted fork and a monoshock. The fork and monoshock do not offer adjustability and feels like a massive let down compared to the KTM 390 Duke.

In terms of braking performance, the KTM 390 Duke has a 320mm front and a 240mm rear disc setup. Whereas, the Yamaha MT-03 has a 298mm front and 220mm rear disc setup. The larger disc setup helps in improving heat dissipation and will help in improving braking performance overall.

So in terms of underpinnings, the KTM 390 Duke really does have an advantage over the Yamaha MT-03 overall.

Features

The KTM 390 Duke has a lot more to offer in terms of features. The bike gets a 5-inch TFT console, which offers smartphone connectivity and related bits like turn-by-turn navigation. Along with this, the bike also offers electronic riding aids such as traction control, cornering ABS, launch control among others.

The Yamaha MT-03, on the other hand, is quite plain in terms of features. It gets a simple LCD console, and no electronic riding aids. The bike doesn’t even get a slip-and-assist clutch. So overall, the Yamaha MT-03 offers a very old school riding experience without any electronic riding aids.

Verdict

When comparing both bikes, it is clear that the KTM 390 Duke has a lot more to offer. The bike also comes at a much more affordable price of Rs 3,13,136 (ex-showroom Delhi). The Yamaha MT-03, on the other hand, is priced at Rs 3,49,900 (ex-showroom Delhi). This is a premium of Rs 36,764 and from a value for money point of view, the 390 Duke makes a lot more sense. 

The only reason why you would want to get the Yamaha MT-03 would be for the refined parallel twin engine and the peaky performance it has to offer. The bike will be perfect for the Yamaha fan who is looking to upgrade from something like the Yamaha MT-15.