News 15 Feb 2017

Review: 2017 Yamaha MT-09

CycleOnline.com.au test rides the 2017 Yamaha MT-09.

Words: Matthew Shields

To call Yamaha’s MT-series a success story is an understatement. Now a complete and varied range of nakedbikes, not to mention the retro XSRs and sports-touring Tracers spawned from them, when the first MT – the MT-09 – first hit the market in 2014 it went straight to the head of the middleweight nakedbike class with superb performance, razor-sharp handling and a modern, progressive style.

The three-cylinder 847cc nakedbike reinvigorated a class that consisted of mild mannered roadsters or high-priced, high-performance multi-cylinder machines. While the MT-09 had the performance to match it with the best of them, there was no beating it on price. As we all know, money is what really talks and no other big-capacity nakedbike has been able to achieve the sales success the MT-09 has experienced.

Image: Greg Smith (iKapture).

For 2017 the changes on the MT-09 are the addition of rider aids, improved handling, a subtle change in the ergonomics and an evolution of the styling. When you are talking about model updates, it’s not as extensive as they can be, but on a machine that is still at the top of its game it wouldn’t make sense to reinvent such a great performing product. That said, every one of the changes has improved this new model and will be are sure to keep it at the front of the field for some time yet.

The biggest and most obvious change on the 2017 MT-09 is the styling. No clues are needed to see that the lines come from the four-cylinder MT-10 with the front-end getting the aggressive LED twin-eye headlight design that underlines the brute force of the MT-series. At the other end of the bike the tailpiece has been shortened 30mm by a tailight and indicators integrated into the tail section while the conventional mudguard set-up under the subframe has been dropped to a pair of huggers mounted off the front and back of the swingarm.

Over-engineered to say the least, the new rear-end hugger styling polarises opinions. If it isn’t your kind of thing, Yamaha has a conventional mounting kit available as an accessory and in my opinion gives the MT-09 a much better overall look. Customising is a big part of motorcycling these days and Yamaha doesn’t shy away from this offering an extensive range of equipment to change styling, comfort and also performance.

Image: Greg Smith (iKapture).

Back at the front end, and the whole set-up around the headlight couldn’t get more compact. The instrument panel is a small LCD design while the indicators have been moved down next to the radiator. In the saddle – which is flatter and half a centimetre higher – you get a good appreciation for just how much more compact things have become with little to take your eye from the dash or the road ahead.

On the road is where the biggest difference in this new machine is felt and that is down to the assist and slipper clutch, quickshifter and adjustable front suspension – the three major updates for 2017. The assist and slipper clutch does just that providing light and smooth operation while ensuring the rear wheel doesn’t lock under deceleration – something that we got the opportunity to experience for ourselves on the first half of the Australian media launch at the Murray Valley Training Centre off the Hume Highway just south of Albury.

A short-circuit course with a fast entry into a very tight turn, the composure of the MT-09 couldn’t be questioned. The rear suspension is unchanged from the previous generation and aside from a bit of preload for rider weight the racetrack proved how good the rear-end control was. On the other side of the corner the adjustable traction control system, although a generation behind what you find of the YZF-R1M, ensures you don’t make a big mess of things.

Image: Greg Smith (iKapture).

The gut wrenching punch out of corners is easily modulated off the throttle – a trait of the CP3 engine – and for that matter riding with the traction control off was the way to go. But this is a machine built for the road and that is where the performance of the engine is at its best. The addition of the up-only quickshifter makes does lighten the load on the rider and couldn’t be faulted on open throttle, upshifts through the box.

The three-mode power delivery selector sees the engine simply flicked between aggressive power delivery and little traction control, through to a docile power delivery and a lot of intervention of rear wheel traction, and somewhere halfway in between. In the most aggressive A-mode power comes rapidly and the triple runs through the rev range with more urgency then you need on the road making it a heap of fun on any tight and twisty road.

In the softest B-mode, the engine brings the power on smoothly and softly with none of the terseness of the sporty A-mode. In the standard mode the MT-09 is a nice balance of the two other modes with no abrupt throttle response, but plenty of power to get to ground when you want it. I reckon this is the mode most riders will find themselves using a majority of the time, most of all if you want to keep your licence.

Image: Greg Smith (iKapture).

The extra adjustment on the front-end will allow more of the bike’s potential to be exploited on the road and on standard settings I couldn’t fault it. Carrying a supersport-like 120-section front and 180-section rear tyre, the handling dynamic of the MT-09 is very sporty but not overly twitchy or in a hurry to get into corners. Sharp turning and stable at high-speed, don’t go looking for a kidney belt as the chassis rides rough surfaces with comfort.

This aspect of the handling is something you don’t get with high-performance nakedbikes and just goes to show how sorted Yamaha has this thing out of the box. If there was one thing I would change it’d be the exhaust. For such a striking-looking machine with a glorious triple making it go, it’s deserving of something that barks as much as this machines bites. That said, there’s a titanium Akropovic full system in the accessory catalogue that will do just that.

As far as high-performance nakedbikes for the road go, the MT-09 is there with the best of them – regardless of price or capacity. We have known that since 2014 but now, through a few key updates, the ride quality and rider experience is better again. As small as those updates may be, finding a package that can better this already superb machine has just become a whole lot harder.

Specifications

Capacity: 847cc
Power: 85kW @ 10,000rpm
Torque: 88Nm @ 8500rpm
Wet weight: 193kg
Seat height: 820mm
Price: $12,299
Detailed specs: www.yamaha-motor.com.au

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