Learner legal motorcycles should be mild not wild, well-mannered and, most importantly, a stepping stone for riders working their way through the ranks. Learner bikes aren’t the kind of machine you hold on to for years because as you learn and improve your skills you need more machine to deliver the same thrills. But Yamaha’s MT-07 sets to redefine this general notion.

Like any learner motorcycle should be, the MT-07 is easy to ride – so easy. I’ve ridden a lot of LAMS machines, and the MT-07 is one of the easiest of them all.

The power delivery is predictable, the brakes are strong, the handling is light, the bike itself is light, the suspension is balanced and the riding position is neutral. Every aspect of this machine’s capabilities is perfectly suited for anyone wanting to learn to ride on the street.

But here’s the point of difference: although the bike is so refined in all of these essential aspects a learning rider needs, the MT-07 delivers much more. It may be the easiest LAMS motorcycle I’ve ridden, but it’s also the most exciting thanks to the punch the 655cc parallel-twin delivers.

Image: Alex Gobert.

With 58Nm on hand at 4000rpm and weighing in at 180kg full of fuel, the MT-07 still falls into the 150kW/tonne bracket of a learner bike with 39kW of power, but it boasts a torque figure that helps to squeeze the best characteristics out of the mid-sized engine.

It will pull wheelies off the throttle if you want it to and no car will beat it off a traffic light drag race. Fuelled to perfection, its low rpm manners are fantastic for low speed maneuvering and you can almost run a gear too high without the need for working the clutch. This no doubt plays a part in the miserly fuel consumption of the MT-07 sucking down 4.5L/100km on test.

From idle through to a few thousand rpm short of the 10,000rpm redline, the engine’s delivery is linear and strong. There’s no need to frantically build up revs to get the bike moving and there’s no need to work the six-speed gearbox to keep things happening.

On the open road keeping with freeway traffic is a doddle. There’s not a ton of revs needed on the clock, the ride is relatively vibe free, and if you need to do a high-speed overtake the MT-07 has the balls to get you up to speed and out of trouble. Yes, this is a learner bike!

Image: Alex Gobert.

This ‘added’ personality of the MT-07 is something that should see more than just learners buying this machine. Without question, the MT-07 isn’t a motorcycle that falls into the ‘learner bike’ category because it offers so much more than what learner bikes typically do.

Whilst the seat height is just over 800mm, it feels lower thanks the slim mid-section that is a product of the MT’s menacing styling. In-line with the MT-03 and MT-09, the style is aggressive nakedbike.

The riding position, however, is the opposite and with your feet set almost forward, handlebar tall and only a short reach away, shut your eyes and you’d think this was a softer nakedbike of the ilk of the old 250 learner machines.

Pillions are accommodated on the rear seat well and there’s no shortage of grunt to ride two-up. With my pillion on the lighter side, there was no affect on the handling and performance of the MT-07.

Image: Alex Gobert.

At $7999, there’s an expectation that the level of fit and finish would be lesser to keep the costs down. But aside from the lack of ABS, there’s nothing that points to a compromise in quality or performance of the MT-07. The fit and finish is superb, componentry like brakes, switchgear and wheels is excellent, quality of paint, castings, welds and the like is top notch.

On that note, the chassis is as basic as it comes: non-adjustable front-end and pre-load adjustment at the rear. But for all the performance the MT-07 has, you can’t fault the performance of the chassis in the MT-07’s intended playground.

In the fast turning and unpredictably frightful city streets it responds well. Cutting a swathe through crawling freeway traffic, or on a tight twisty back road it feels just as good: the MT-07 always feels right in what it is doing. The suspension is tuned on the firmer and faster side of neutral, and even riding like a goon didn’t make me think for a second that any adjustment would be nice.

But if high-speed riding, the occasional track day, or regular Sunday fangs are your kind of thing, maybe a step up to the more highly-tuned MT-09 is more your kind of thing. But too many of us now don’t have the time for that and want the most rewarding experience out of what riding we do get in. We also want it to be economical, enjoyable, and easy. And that’s something the MT-07 delivers all too well. Best of all, any rider can have it.

Specifications

Capacity: 655cc
Power: 39kW @ 8000rpm
Torque: 58Nm@ 4000rpm
Wet weight: 179kg
Seat height: 805mm
Colours: Deep Armour; Competition White; Racing Red; Matt Grey
Price: $8999 (plus on-road charges)
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited distance
Detailed specs: http://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/products/motorcycle/road/torque-sport/15-mt-07