How much is a used Yamaha MT-03 worth?

A 2023 Yamaha MT-03 in good condition with around 9,000 miles is worth roughly £3,850 (typical range £3,450–£4,200). Dealer asking prices sit higher than private sales, and a full service history, no crash damage and an unbroken theft record are what hold a bike at the top of its range.

How quickly does the Yamaha MT-03 depreciate?

The Yamaha MT-03 loses about 29% of its value over the first three years, against a 25–32% norm for bikes and 40–50% for cars. These figures are specific to this model rather than a shared default, though they remain indicative estimates rather than a measured sample of sale prices.

Can you ride the Yamaha MT-03 on an A2 licence?

Yes. The Yamaha MT-03 sits inside the A2 power and power-to-weight limits as standard, so no restrictor is needed.

How much does it cost to insure a Yamaha MT-03?

Expect around £460 a year to insure a Yamaha MT-03, typically £360–£620. That assumes age 30, 3yrs NCB, suburban postcode. It sits in motorcycle insurance group 7 of 17. Bike premiums move far more on licence tier, rider age and postcode than car premiums do, so treat this as a starting point rather than a quote.

What goes wrong on a used Yamaha MT-03?

The wear and failure points we track for the Yamaha MT-03 are: cam chain tensioner (pre-2020) (any, £200 (Yamaha service fix)); chain stretch (around 15-18k mi, £220); side stand cut-out switch (around 15k+ mi, £30). We don't publish a reliability score for bikes — the MOT dataset behind our car scores doesn't support one at model level — so treat these as the specific things to inspect rather than a verdict. A full service history and a fresh MOT without advisories remain the best protection.

What does a Yamaha MT-03 cost to run?

Expect around 65 mpg, about £335 a year in fuel or energy, £200 for an annual service, £260 a pair for tyres every 7,000 miles, £220 for a chain and sprockets every 16,000 miles. Figures assume 3,000 miles a year, the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics, and current DESNZ pump prices. The cost-of-ownership table on the profile breaks this down per year and per mile.

Is the Yamaha MT-03 likely to be stolen?

The Yamaha MT-03 is a moderate theft target. MT-series styling makes the MT-03 attractive to thieves despite the small engine. Chain + disc lock advised in London. Theft is concentrated in E, N postcode areas. A Thatcham-approved chain and ground anchor, a disc lock and a tracker are what insurers look for, and secure overnight storage moves a premium more than almost anything else.

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NakedLicense A2 (19+)3,500/yr UK

Yamaha MT-03

The MT-07's little brother. Yamaha's 321cc parallel-twin makes 42 PS — under A2 limit so no restriction needed — wrapped in MT-series naked styling that doesn't shout 'beginner'. Light at 168 kg and accessible at 780mm seat, the MT-03 is one of the friendliest steps from CBT to A2. Cheaper to insure than the CB500F, lighter, sharper-looking. The 321cc CP twin doesn't have the torque of Honda's 471cc but spins more freely.

Engine: 321 cc
Power: 42 PS
Weight: 168 kg
Seat height: 780 mm
A2 licence: —

The short version

59/100

Forecourt score

Value 52 · Insurance 63 · Theft 65

The Yamaha MT-03 holds its value about as well as most bikes (around 29% lost over three years, against the 25-32% bike norm) and costs about average to insure (group 7). Theft risk is moderate. It's A2-licence legal in standard form.

A bike-specific blend of value retention, insurance and theft risk (weighted 40/35/25). Bikes carry no MOT reliability data, so reliability isn't scored. Higher is better.

Variant: MT-03

Engine

Petrol · 321cc

Power

42 ps

Torque

30 Nm

Weight

168 kg

Seat

780 mm

Transmission

6-speed manual

Economy

65 mpg

Volume MT-03. 321cc parallel-twin, 42 PS, 30 Nm. 6-speed manual, chain final. 168 kg wet. 780mm seat — accessible.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

Year of registration2023

20212026

Mileage on the clock9,000 mi

0Expected: 9,00060k

Conditiongood

PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.

Estimated market value

£3,833

Range £3,450 – £4,216

HIGH CONFIDENCE

When new (2023)£5,399

Age-based value£3,833

Mileage adjustment+£0

Condition adjustment+£0

Holding value

Bikes hold value far better than cars — typical motorcycle 3-year depreciation is 25–32%, against cars' 40–50%. Some bikes (Hayabusa, Gold Wing, classic Z1000) actually appreciate in the 7–15 year zone as cult demand outstrips supply.

New

£5,599

At 5 years

£3,387

At 10 years

£2,251

Value loss by phase

Each band shows the share of original value lost during that window — not cumulative. Appreciation (green, marked +X% gained) is real for bikes that develop cult status.

Years 0–3First-owner depreciation29% lost

Years 3–7Used-market sweet spot21% lost

Years 7–15Stable / vintage-cult zone26% lost

After year 3: 71% retainedAfter year 7: 50% retainedAfter year 15: 24% retained

UK new price by year

How we estimate this

These figures are specific to this model rather than a shared default, but they are indicative estimates and not yet derived from a recorded sample of UK sale prices. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count and crash-damage signatures. Figures assume a clean, fully-stamped example.

What it costs to own

Over

Indicative running costs at 3,000 miles a year — the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics. Chain-drive bikes carry a chain/sprocket consumable line; tax (typically £25–£100/yr) and depreciation are excluded — see the section above for value retention.

3-year total

£2,152

Per year

£717

Per mile

£0.24

Servicing£600

Tyres (pair)£334

Chain & sprockets£124

MOT£89

Fuel / energy£1,005

Service costs assume independent specialist labour and OE parts. Tyre intervals reflect typical UK road riding — track-day usage burns through rear tyres in <2,000 miles. Fuel uses the variant MPG at the current DESNZ pump price of £1.60/L (week commencing 03/08/2026). Electric bikes are costed from battery capacity and published range at the current domestic electricity price; where a bike has no published range we show no energy line rather than guess. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.

Estimated insurance

Group 7 of 17 (mid — mainstream) · Comprehensive · 5 yr NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this bike. Bike insurance is far more sensitive to licence tier and rider age than cars — pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

Licence

Age

No-claims bonus

5 years

0 yearsBaseline: 5 years15+

Risk profile

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39

£460/ year

Roughly £38 per month

Typical

Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.

Age band	Lower risk	Typical	Higher risk
Age 17-21	£759	£1,012	£1,417
Age 22-29	£466	£621	£869
Age 30-39Selected	£345	£460	£644
Age 40-49	£304	£405	£567
Age 50+	£276	£368	£515

How we estimate this

Premiums combine licence tier, rider age, no-claims bonus and a risk-profile multiplier on top of a bike-specific baseline. Bike insurance is materially more sensitive to licence tier (CBT / A1 / A2 / A) than car insurance, and young riders pay considerably more than older riders even on the same machine. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Theft risk

Bike-specific · Met Police + insurance reporting

UK bike theft rates are an order of magnitude higher than car theft. Nakeds and supersports lose more to professional gangs; large adventure bikes and tourers are statistically much safer.

Theft risk score · 1 to 4

2/4Medium risk

1 — Low2 — Medium3 — High4 — Very high

Medium risk

Some theft pattern, particularly in urban postcodes. Thatcham-approved chain plus disc lock recommended; secure overnight parking helps premiums.

Theft hotspot postcodes

Postcode prefixes only; full London hot zone runs across E, N, NW, SE, SW, W boroughs depending on the model.

What this means for you

MT-series styling makes the MT-03 attractive to thieves despite the small engine. Chain + disc lock advised in London.

How we set this band

Bands derived from Met Police bike-theft reporting (most-stolen lists) cross-referenced with insurance industry underwriting data. Model + postcode are the two biggest factors in motorcycle theft risk in the UK, materially more than vehicle value.

What goes wrong

5 known issues · sorted by severity

Documented failure modes from UK owner forums, dealer service bulletins, and aggregated mechanic feedback. Mileages are approximate — different riders see different intervals depending on use and maintenance. Always address "high"-severity items before resale.

High severity

Medium

Low / cosmetic

Severity	Part / issue	Typical mileage	Cost
medium	Cam chain tensioner (pre-2020) any	any	£200 (Yamaha service fix)
medium	Chain stretch 15-18k mi	15-18k mi	£220
low	Side stand cut-out switch 15k+ mi	15k+ mi	£30
low	Fork seals 20k+ mi	20k+ mi	£100
low	Battery every 2-3 years	every 2-3 years	£60

How we score severity

High — strands the bike or causes consequential damage if left. Medium — service item that affects ride quality or risks failure. Low — cosmetic or minor inconvenience. Costs are independent-specialist UK rates for parts and labour together; main dealer prices typically run 30–50% higher.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Yamaha MT-03, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Variant comparison

MT-03

New: £5,599Fuel/yr: £3353yr depreciation: 29%

The MT-07's small-displacement sibling. Cross-shop Honda CB500F (heavier but more torque, hits A2 limit exactly), KTM Duke 390 (sharper, harder ride, more expensive insurance), Kawasaki Z400 (similar formula). MT-03 wins on looks and insurance cost; loses to CB500F on outright performance.

Known issues

Pre-2020 cam chain tensioner — Yamaha service fix
Chain wear at 15-18k mi (£220)
Fork seals at 20k+ mi (£100)
Battery every 2-3 years (£60)
Side stand cut-out switch — known niggle

Strengths

+Sharpest-looking A2 bike on the market — MT-series styling
+Light at 168 kg — friendly for newer riders
+42 PS under A2 limit — no restriction needed
+Cheaper to insure than CB500F (smaller engine)
+Yamaha dealer network

Watch-outs

−321cc lacks the low-end torque of Honda's 471cc
−Wind protection minimal — small bike feel on motorway
−Same cam chain tensioner pre-2020 issue as MT-125
−Stock suspension on the soft side

Value this bike All bikes

Related bikes

Common questions

Yamaha MT-03, answered from the data

How much is a used Yamaha MT-03 worth?: A 2023 Yamaha MT-03 in good condition with around 9,000 miles is worth roughly £3,850 (typical range £3,450–£4,200). Dealer asking prices sit higher than private sales, and a full service history, no crash damage and an unbroken theft record are what hold a bike at the top of its range.
How quickly does the Yamaha MT-03 depreciate?: The Yamaha MT-03 loses about 29% of its value over the first three years, against a 25–32% norm for bikes and 40–50% for cars. These figures are specific to this model rather than a shared default, though they remain indicative estimates rather than a measured sample of sale prices.
Can you ride the Yamaha MT-03 on an A2 licence?: Yes. The Yamaha MT-03 sits inside the A2 power and power-to-weight limits as standard, so no restrictor is needed.
How much does it cost to insure a Yamaha MT-03?: Expect around £460 a year to insure a Yamaha MT-03, typically £360–£620. That assumes age 30, 3yrs NCB, suburban postcode. It sits in motorcycle insurance group 7 of 17. Bike premiums move far more on licence tier, rider age and postcode than car premiums do, so treat this as a starting point rather than a quote.
What goes wrong on a used Yamaha MT-03?: The wear and failure points we track for the Yamaha MT-03 are: cam chain tensioner (pre-2020) (any, £200 (Yamaha service fix)); chain stretch (around 15-18k mi, £220); side stand cut-out switch (around 15k+ mi, £30). We don't publish a reliability score for bikes — the MOT dataset behind our car scores doesn't support one at model level — so treat these as the specific things to inspect rather than a verdict. A full service history and a fresh MOT without advisories remain the best protection.
What does a Yamaha MT-03 cost to run?: Expect around 65 mpg, about £335 a year in fuel or energy, £200 for an annual service, £260 a pair for tyres every 7,000 miles, £220 for a chain and sprockets every 16,000 miles. Figures assume 3,000 miles a year, the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics, and current DESNZ pump prices. The cost-of-ownership table on the profile breaks this down per year and per mile.
Is the Yamaha MT-03 likely to be stolen?: The Yamaha MT-03 is a moderate theft target. MT-series styling makes the MT-03 attractive to thieves despite the small engine. Chain + disc lock advised in London. Theft is concentrated in E, N postcode areas. A Thatcham-approved chain and ground anchor, a disc lock and a tracker are what insurers look for, and secure overnight storage moves a premium more than almost anything else.

Answers are generated from this bike's Forecourt data — curated specifications, our valuation model and the week's DESNZ fuel and energy prices — and update with the weekly data refresh.