Yamaha MT-09

2018 MT09 SP – Had for a few years and every time I ride it makes me smile. 1st non sports bike I've had since the mid 80s, I'm loving it. Show details

The closest bike to perfection – I have owned a 2018 Yamaha MT09 for 6 months. I have ridden this bike more then any other bike I have owned. The inline three has enough power for the streets as well as highway speeds and up against trucks there are no issues as the bike holds its ground. Before I purchased the bike, I read a lot of reviews about the suspension. The 2018… Read more

bike has adjustable suspension and rebound, after a little play I found the right setting that worked for me and especially when it came to cornering. The suspension was not an issues.

One modification I would defiantly recommend would be to get a wind shield. I personally found without wind protection especially on long rides I could feel the wind hit my chest and would get tired over prolonged periods. Once I put the wind shield on the bike it not only gave it a much more aggressive look but reduced the wind impact and I had no issues going on long rides. Trust me your will appreciate it. I purchased my wind shield from Amazon for around $30.00 best investment I have made.

I also added bar end mirrors and took off the factory ones, also changed the indicator/signal lights to small LED's ( total cost $300.00 with installation). This completely transformed the bike, the number of complements I got were overwhelming.

No issues with riding this bike in the rain, holds and corners well, traction control and ABS are perfect for these types of conditions.

Handerling is excellent, with the wide handle bars you can throw this bike around corners with ease. This bike on the track will hold it's own.

The rider modes are perfect for any riding condition. I have mine set on standard and the lowest traction control setting. You know those slippery black lines on the road "no issues".

Below are some pros and cons of the bike in my opinion:

Pros: - For a 850cc engine this bike is fast - Cornering is fun and easy especially if you are trying to get your knee down - Wheelie monster - Fun and easy to ride - Handeling - Strong braking - Rider modes - Price

Con: - Tires. I would change the standard tires, they are OK but I feel better tires will get even more performance out of the bike. - No quick shifter. I wish this bike came with a quick shifter. I feel this would take the fun factor to the next level. However you can add one on. - Fuel tank. I understand with the design and weight of keeping the bike low helps to keep this bike moving at a swift pace. I just wish the bike had a bigger fuel tank as 15 litters is low. It would mean fewer stops at the gas station. But you can't have every thing.

Overall if you are looking for an affordable bike that does everything then this is the bike for you.

What a motorcycle! – I have a 2018 SP model with a few extra nice bits thrown on, must say that Yamaha have got things right as usual, unbelievable engine, fantastic handling [with a couple of tweaks and some upgraded rubber] and the looks, sound, delightful torque of an 850cc triple and I'm in heaven, fuel capacity could have been a bit more generous but you can't… Read more

have everything, lights are very good, as is the seating position and at a rather sawn off full stretch of five foot six inches i can still make ground contact with both feet (just). ABS, Traction control and three separate riding modes give you so many options, Probably not suited to the newly unrestricted rider or learner, but a very flexible bike considering, is quite at home around town in traffic or on that weekend cruise up through the hills, if you generally love playing around on high performance bikes this is the fun for you, grab a test ride you will either love it or hate it, I personally love it!!!!!

The perfect all rounder – I purchased this bike near new in December of 2016. I've found it to be the perfect "do-it-all" machine. Great for commuting, fun on the track, easy on the back on a long ride. The power is great out of the 849cc triple and with the Akrapovic pipe it sounds amazing. Pros: - Upright riding position - Suited to taller rider (I'm 195cm tall) -… Read more

Heaps of torque

- Sounds amazing

- Handles extremely well

- Light weight

Cons:

- Choppy throttle, especially in A Mode.

- Small capacity fuel tank

- Suspension is not suited to a heavier rider (I'm 95kg)

Great Bike – 2017 mt 09 looks great, is light and handles fantastic. The 3 modes make it a all weather bike. just be warned if you do a tail tidy you will get water up your back. (an easy fix though). I highly recommend this bike, i use it everyday to and from work.  Show details

Wow! Wow! Wow! – Bought a 2017 MT-09 and I am in love with it! I am yet to find a fault with the beast that costs only around $12-13K. I have been riding it so much that my hands started hurting :-/ It is light, powerful and the sitting position is similar to riding a motard type of mike, sitting upright. Nice job Yamaha!  Show details

Reliable Fun – Purchased brand new in March 2017. Added rear rack, top box, front shield, radiator grill protector, heated grips, LED indicators and Akropovic exhaust. Best sounding and performing bike I’ve owned. Quick shift is seamless and never misses. Display is easy to read even in direct sunlight. Nice low seating height. I’m 175cm tall and both feet are… Read more

almost flat on ground. I’ve had one issue with a faulty ABS sensor which was replaced and no issues since then. I’ve found to be thirsty on fuel, but this may be the way I ride (constantly blipping throttle on down shifts). I bought the all black. It is harder to keep clean being a naked bike but I find the Matt paint doesn’t show up the dirt as much as gloss/polish finishes. You definitlely need an after market exhaust, bike is too quiet factory.

Excellent allrounder – Yamaha MT09 Tracer, I bought this bike new in February 2016 as I was looking for an all rounder that could tour commute and scratch on. The led headlights are good but as usual the horn is poor like on most bikes. The suspensions a bit soft for my style of riding as the pegs and centre stand were scraping mid corner, setting it on its stiffest… Read more

setting has improved this a bit. Great power and fuel range (300ks) per tank easy. Hand guards do nothing, only for show. Seat could be a bit better. Standard panniers are great. ABS is good, traction control is too intrusive and requires turning off every time you start the bike if you want it off. Good instrument panel with good info. This is the longest I’ve kept a bike, ever.

MT09, Great bike – Bought a brand new MT09 2014 from Yamaha, great bike however ended up having to spend a few thousand dollars to get the bike right... Needed to have the shocks rebuilt and the engine remapped, plus a few other things. Bu now I love it!! Awesome bike. I think Yamaha had learnt a lot since this model and have upgraded the parts required.  Show details

Short blast on the Yamaha MT09 ! – Well, back again testing another near new bike. The latest 2017 version of the Yamaha MT09. My focus has shifted from cruisers now, as I have a fantastic second hand Yamaha FZ8. I have therefore decided that upright sports bikes are my "thing." Anyway, you could say that this bike is a "successor" to my FZ8 in much the same way as an MT10 is a… Read more

successor to the FZ1, so I decided to give it a whirl. The first thing I noticed is the start switch. Still red but when you flick it back toward you (provided it is safe to do so) the bike starts! No thumb starter button. I feel this is cost cutting but I guess it works...

The next thing is the seat and tank width. Much flatter seat esp. for pillions than my FZ8 but the proximity of the pillion pegs to the seat will still have your pillion looking like a pretzel ! The tank and whole bike feels narrower and is around 193 kg wet so it's lighter too of course, also being an inline triple, not an inline four. The 'bars are wide and seem a bit lower than I'm used to, and the bike has a "dirt bike" or Motard feel about it which is deliberate I believe.

The dash and headlight pod with those mean looking little wasp like headlights also seems lower to look at. At least to me. So I took off pretty tentatively at first just on a suburban loop of a few kilometres. The gear change felt very loose to me but I have subsequently found out that these have a quick shift so I was just using the clutch as normal!

Here's where I have to say that the bike felt lighter but somehow cheaper than my FZ8. The engine is not as smooth down low and the bike didn't feel quite as "planted" but this is a bit unfair because of course, as mentioned, it IS substantially lighter than my FZ8. Speaking of the engine, well.. it is everything people say it is. I asked them to put it in "normal" mode for me which is the intermediate one. I am assuming they did... the dash was unfamiliar to me and there's a lot going on in the little LCD display so I don't know. There is a more powerful "A" mode and a softer "B" mode for tamer riding in slippery wet conditions etc. In any event, even if it was in normal mode, umm..don't rap on the throttle or your front wheel will be pawing the air. Trust me. This thing has explosive bottom end torque! My FZ8 has nice power but this thing goes a bit beyond that. I can hardly imagine what A mode is like. Twitchy is a word that comes to mind. You really need a good level of experience for this bike.

Handling feels nimble as you'd expect but as I said, to me a bit less firmly planted than I'm used to. However, with a bit of mind adjustment as well as settings, I know this is a bike that would be an absolute hoot on twisty roads. Brakes? Didn't notice too much. Similar feel to my FZ8 I believe. Which is to say bloody good. Can't comment really on suspension. I'd want to get it on some high speed corrugated twisties first. It's meant to be quite adjustable.

One thing I'd miss is the white analogue tacho my FZ8 has. The LCD display is a bit small and the whole setup seems cheaper than the old analogue tacho/digital display combos like mine of a few years ago but sadly it seems they've all gone this way or going to.

You do get other, more up to date goodies though, which mine has none of. I don't even have ABS brakes! You get those and much more on the MT09. The aforementioned quick shift, slipper clutch for rapid downchanges, two mode traction control with off and swingarm mounted numberplate holder, all for around $12,300 plus onroads. Pretty good value it seems. Not a bike for touring so much but there is a faired version called the Tracer. You can even get Yamaha factory panniers on it I believe.

So would I get one? Yes if I was wealthier. Maybe with handlebar risers and a few other adjustments. I'd probably keep my FZ8 though. As things are now would I trade up and finance the balance? Not quite yet. Still loving my FZ8 which still gets admiring glances with its black and gold and would be even better with a sorted rear shock. Having said that I'm hanging out to maybe try an MT09 on the twisties if I get the chance. Also, I haven't tried an MT10 yet... A bike that requires a REALLY high level of experience!!

(Note.. Date purchased is date tested. I have not purchased one but they want this field filled in.) Also, many thanks to the good people at Team Moto Moorooka for the test ride.

Excellent sports tourer – I have purchased this bike new in October, and have used it as a daily commuter, as well as on weekend rides. I have now covered 8000km and found it s a great all round bike, good power delivery, relatively comfortable ( I'm 180cm tall) easy to use digital display, and very good handling characteristic in general. No need to purchase an… Read more

aftermarket exhaust unless you like to attract extra attention, as the standard sound is great if you do something about the windscreen ( read on down) The only rather negative points, which should not deter you in considering this machine are:

1) Bike screen is good looking in my opinion, but useless and produces lot of wind noise. I replaced it with a Puig and found it a huge improvements.

2) seat made me roll forward and after 1/2 an hour my crown joules became uncomfortable, purchased Yamaha comfort seat and very little improvement (not worth $400 in my opinion)

3) Fuel consumption is good, averaging 5.2 l/100km however the trip computer is indicating optimistically 4.5

4) Cruise control option would have been a great extra if it were available

5) at higher speeds (in excess of legal) it does tend to have a steering shake, not too bad but at first it can make you think about powering on further.

6) Why the speed limiter Yamaha?

Get off the couch and back on a bike – After a few years off the road it was time to get back on a bike, I didn't want a cruiser. MT 09A with ABS is a great bike to ride, really comfortable as I am shorter stature. The torque from the triple is addictive, and it sounds awesome. The sit up riding position is good for the slog through suburbia and the big handlebars let me throw it… Read more

around in the twisties. Just get one, its very affordable better value I think than the other bikes coming after it.

Ride review – Rode the Tracer today. Engine; near on perfect in terms of power and torque, it does hunt a little at very low speed but it's not a deal breaker. Handling; Very easy bike to ride and confidence inspiring. Wide bars assist with this and the bike feels planted and stable. Suspension was perfect for me, just the right amout of stiffness. Looks;… Read more

subjective as always but I think it's the best looking middle weight Adv. Style bike. Maybe rivaled by the HyperStrada.

Equipment; It's loaded. Paniers, ABS, Traction Control, Rider modes, hand guards, power socket, adj. seat height, adj. headlight height, LED lights, gear indicator, trip computer, adj. windscreen and centre stand.

General Comment;

Really great bike to ride with it's upright riding position and brilliant engine. The riding position is really commanding and gives you great visibility in traffic, which makes you more easily seen too.

The torque is everywhere and sounds good even with stock pipe. It looks fantastic, with its sharp modern lines.

I've heard reviews say the front end didn't give them as much feedback as they'd like but I think they would be sport bike riders because I didn't find that at all. I found the stock suspension setup was bang on for me. I wouldn't adjust anything.

The front brakes were spot on and the rear brake was one of the best I've encountered. I use a lot of rear brake and the Tracers was responsive and linear and gave me a lot of confidence. Huge tick.

The 2 things I disliked about this bike is the screen on the highway. Speeds of 100km+ made riding near on unbearable with the buffeting. I only tried the screen in the high position and I know sometimes having it in the low position is actually better. But if it wasn't, you would definitely have to get an aftermarket screen as the Yamaha touring screen is hideous.

The other negative is the seat. It's hard as a rock. After 15 minutes my butt was hurting and as I write this review it still aches a little. The salesman said the Yamaha comfort seat was only marginally better and not worth the extra coin. I suspect it could be gotten used to but it's far from perfect.

Would I buy it? Yes and change out those negatives. Terrific bike with a good blend of power, looks, sound and handling, just not 100% comfortable out of the box. If the screen and seat were better I would give it 5 stars.

Great bike for experienced riders only – Excellent bike with beautiful triple cylinder motor and gearbox. You will never buy this bike and be satisfied with it from factory. There are many parts and accessories that can be changed, added or improved on especially the exhaust. Keep that in mind before your purchase. The function of the bike is 10/10 and Yamaha have definitely focused… Read more

on what is important to keep a good bike at a good price. The suspension will need adjustments.

It is definitely only for experienced riders only with the power to weight ratio. It is very light in the front under acceleration making it extremely fun if you know what you are doing. I wouldn't even recommend it as a second bike, at least ride a 500-650cc before you ride this and have a very good feel and understanding of how a motorbike behaves.