I’m one of the blokes clapping each time Yamaha puts one through the goal of the ongoing Naked Bike championship.
And like so many people, I’m also of the view the new MT-09 is a whole lot of motorcycle for not a lot of money.
I picked up a blue one a few days after the press fleet was returned to the tender care of Yamaha HQ, and have been riding it daily for the last three weeks.
I found the new MT-09 a bit different to the previous model. It certainly looks different. Some 30mm has been sliced off the rear end and the new headlight arrangement is all minimalist sex-manga alien. And who would have thought so many lumens can come out of such small headlights? Not me. But I do a fair bit of night-time riding and the headlights are excellent – white light thrown wide and far.
The off-set dash is also new, but very readable and modern. The switchblocks are smaller, and I found myself snagging the horn button instead of the blinker. But then your brain reprograms itself and it’s fine.
And while I don’t mind the look of the numberplate holder/rear-mudguard thing that comes off the swingarm, please understand that when you ride the MT-09 in the rain, this styling-call will direct all of the water from your rear-tyre onto your back. It is very refreshing.
One other thing that did gnaw on me some was the seat, which is a bit higher on this year’s model.
I called Darren who rode the MT-09 at the press launch…
“Did the seat give you any grief?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “I thought it was pretty good.”
“It’s pushing me forward into the tank and impinging on my vegetables,” I lamented.
“I reckon you’re malformed.”
Which could well be the case. But I would struggle to do big touring miles on the saddle.
The riding position is all aggression. It almost feels like a motard, which is not a bad thing, because there is a lot of hooligan in the MT-09.
That motor and its power delivery is perfectly suited for doing bad things on empty roads, pausing only to listen if the sirens are getting closer. The mid-range stomps like an angry skinhead with bloodlaced Doc Martens.
All three of the engine maps hand over the same 84.6kw at 10,000rpm and 87.5Nm at 8500rpm. They just do it a little differently. I was happier in B mode around town and on my own. It’s just a more mellow throttle response coming out of tight corners. If there’s a podium at stake, choose A mode. And Rain mode is Rain mode. The ABS cannot be turned off, but the traction control can…um, because podiums.
The handling is impeccable, but it does require you to pay attention if you up the pace. It steers pretty quick and can properly be described as a ‘lively’ motorcycle, which makes it a bend-skewering delight.
It will shame bikes twice its price. And I reckon that’s the thing I find most endearing about the whole MT range and the MT-09 in particular.
You don’t have to spend the world to get the world.
SPECS
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke DOHC, 12-valve in-line three-cylinder
Capacity: 847cc
Bore x stroke: 78.0mm x 59.1mm
Compression ratio: 11:5.1
Engine management: Electronic fuel injection
PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 87.5kW at 10,000
Claimed maximum torque: 87.5Nm at 8500rpm
TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet
CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Diamond configuration made out of steel
Front suspension: 41mm upside-down fork, adjustable for preload, rebound and compression, with137mm of travel
Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable for preload and rebound, with130mm of travel
Front brakes: Dual 298mm discs with four-piston radial calipers
Rear brake: 245mm disc with a twin-piston caliper
Wheels: Alloy, front 3.50 x 17, rear 5.50 x 17
Tyres: Bridgestone S20F 120/70-17, rear 180/55-17
DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 25 degrees
Trail: 130mm
Claimed wet weight: 193kg
Seat height: 815mm
Ground clearance: 135mm
Wheelbase: 1440mm
Fuel capacity: 14 litres
HOW MUCH AND WHAT COLOURS?
Price: $12,299 plus on-road costs
Colour: Tech Black, Race Blue or Night Fluo
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres
Words by Boris Mihailovic