MT-09 test ride

Anyone ridden an MT-09 yet?

Local dealer chucked me the keys to one the other day and said go for a cane!!

So I said, mmm... OK

I`m blown away by the torque of this thing!!! For an 850cc 3 pot motor.

First gear points towards the sky, Second gear power lifts nicely, Third gear still hits strong.

It handles well, is comfortable, looks alright.

The big down side is the 14L fuel tank!!!

If the size of the tank was different, I`d highly consider one.

Dealer told me ride away with change from $12 000. Its a LOT, of bike for that price!!

I like these, If I were to buy another soon this would be it if the test ride was good.   

I really like this bike as well. Having not ridden one though, Im encouraged by your review MtB. We've had a chat about this elsewhere on the forum and like you I can't understand Yamahas thinking when it comes to fuel range, they just don't understand how big Australia is. Once again rural folk are left out of the equation   .
An added bonus with the MT is the cheaper Greenslip price in NSW for an 850.

Jimmy the Boy wrote:I really like this bike as well. Having not ridden one though, Im encouraged by your review MtB. We've had a chat about this elsewhere on the forum and like you I can't understand Yamahas thinking when it comes to fuel range, they just don't understand how big Australia is. Once again rural folk are left out of the equation   .
An added bonus with the MT is the cheaper Greenslip price in NSW for an 850.

Like it's bigger brother, they are designed for one purpose. Street. Or maybe one would make a good work commuter. You might just get through a week without refuelling.     You could stretch the 01 out to 250 km before you would have to refuel. So how far do you want to ride before giving your bum a rest ?  The yammy quality is right up there. Good paint and finish.

Hang on there, you may have seen the news that Yamaha is considering an FJ900 sports tourer using this motor. Should have a decent tank and not too much weight. Heres hoping they go ahead with it.

For mine the Z800 is the better bike and I love Yamahas

just had a look at the specs on the z800,and it doesn`t really compare to the mt-09.

its a lot heavier and has less power. the thing in its favour is the fuel tank being 17L, which is a good thing

z800    229kg  111hp  17L tank

mt-09  188kg  115hp  14L tank

Could be worse. I had a DRZ mortard with an 8L tank. It was hopeless, chasing fuel stations every 100kms. Thus the reason I sold it and bought the enduro version

Back on topic though I would ride the mt09 back to back with the street triple. I reckon that bike is hard to beat as that's what the mt09 is modelled on as its the class leader. Pity suzukis Gsr750 wasn't more bike for the money, they should have kept the GSXR bits on it with a set of dirt bike high rise bars.

reddog wrote:Could be worse. I had a DRZ mortard with an 8L tank. It was hopeless, chasing fuel stations every 100kms. Thus the reason I sold it and bought the enduro version

Back on topic though I would ride the mt09 back to back with the street triple. I reckon that bike is hard to beat as that's what the mt09 is modelled on as its the class leader. Pity suzukis Gsr750 wasn't more bike for the money, they should have kept the GSXR bits on it with a set of dirt bike high rise bars.

I`ve ridden a speed triple, it was a while ago though, and I recon the mt-09 feels quicker.

While I was having a new rear tyre put on my 1250, I walked over to Yam HK to look at the FZ1 and saw the MT09 for the first time.  Beautiful styling - Suzuki, what are you thinking with the hideous GSR 750?  AND it's amazingly cheap and the specs are great and all these positive opinions here make me want one even more.

BUT (apart from the tank capacity which is no big deal in Hong Kong): tiny rear seat, no proper grabrail and it's got the height-of-fashion rear lights and reg plate hanging off the back on a stick.

I'd still buy one if Yam would give me a decent part-ex price for the Bandit ... but they wouldn't make an offer at all.  They know they can shift these things all day long at the list price.

Ewok1958 wrote:Hang on there, you may have seen the news that Yamaha is considering an FJ900 sports tourer using this motor. Should have a decent tank and not too much weight. Heres hoping they go ahead with it

The local dealer forced the keys to the MT down my throat too and I was highly impressed
I'd find a sport-tour version really tempting.

MT09 is way overhyped. Much better naked's to be had.

Speed Dealer wrote:MT09 is way overhyped. Much better naked's to be had.

what would you recommend for under $12 000.

I don`t want a pillion either.

A motard is the other thing I`d look at, if I was serious about this kind of bike, and not a little engine motard either.

Quote: "what would you recommend for under $12 000"

Hmm, interesting exercise Mtb, what do you get for the money?

Bikesales search for new or demo models between 10,000 and 12500 bucks gives:

Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 (several old stock excluding on roads)

BMW G650

Ducati 659 Monster

Kawasaki  Ninja 650 lams
               W800
               Z800

KTM   690 Duke   (seeing I own one of these you can guess where my vote was)

Honda  CB400
           750 Shadow

Suzuki  650 Strom
            Gladioli (jeesus, they still on sale are they  )
            GSX 650 lams
            GSR 750
 
Yamaha  MT09
             Bolt
             VStar 950
             Tedium 900

A few other oddballs snuck in, but these were the ones that had several examples.

!Tag wrote:Quote: "what would you recommend for under $12 000"

Hmm, interesting exercise Mtb, what do you get for the money?

Bikesales search for new or demo models between 10,000 and 12500 bucks gives:

Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 (several old stock excluding on roads)

BMW G650

Ducati 659 Monster

Kawasaki  Ninja 650 lams
               W800
               Z800

KTM   690 Duke   (seeing I own one of these you can guess where my vote was)

Honda  CB400
           750 Shadow

Suzuki  650 Strom
            Gladioli (jeesus, they still on sale are they  )
            GSX 650 lams
            GSR 750
 
Yamaha  MT09
             Bolt
             VStar 950
             Tedium 900

A few other oddballs snuck in, but these were the ones that had several examples.

Exactly!

I`ll stick with the MT-09 or the 690 Duke, that would be it.

Yep, there's some horrible bikes on that list!  I can't imagine picking anything other than the Z800 over the MT09.  Though I know the KTM is fun.

I like the the fact for $11200 KTM chuck in a free Motorbike, cause you get Italian super light rims, White Power suspension, Brembo Brakes all that equals about 10 grand so for $1200 you get the rest of the bike Noice 

A 14 lt fuel tank sounds small but I believe you can get  300 kls + out of it  so out with the bank card .
Personally i'll have the mt-07  as it even lighter .

Power / weight ratio for 09 is MASSIVELY better though: 0.45 kW / kg as opposed to 0.31 kW / kg for 07!  [Figures from http://www.yamaha-motor.eu/]

Jimcoleman wrote:I like the the fact for $11200 KTM chuck in a free Motorbike, cause you get Italian super light rims, White Power suspension, Brembo Brakes all that equals about 10 grand so for $1200 you get the rest of the bike Noice 

You forgot the APTC slipper clutch with Magura hydraulics. They retail for 1500 so they actually pay you 300 bucks to take the orange chookie in the middle of the good gear.