Yamaha MT-07
Never judge a book by its cover or a bike by its capacity, as it happens. While Yamaha’s MT-07 might be considered by those who haven’t ridden it as an entry-level learner bike, produced from outcast and outdated components from the back of Yamaha’s dusty storage shelves, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Japanese legends have made something very special here. A real bargain brute that loves abuse and rewards enthusiastic riding with a lively and captivating character that’ll see you pick up your first ASBO faster than a glue sniffer on the streets of Glasgow. It’s not the perfect bike, far from it, and there are some elements of the MT that reflect its eye-poppingly competitive pricing, but the riding experience helps you to forgive its pubescent looking ’bars, spindly fork legs and rather confusing colour scheme.
It’s at this point that I feel obliged to point out that the Yam is available in other paint schemes that, thankfully, don’t look as though a child’s been let loose with some fluro crayons. But if loud and proud is your thing, then you’re probably salivating uncontrollably as this ‘unique’ look. The motor should also get your juices going. That’s the real linchpin to this bike. It features a 689cc parallel-twin lump that benefits from Yamaha’s staple 270 crossplane crank philosophy. If you’ve never ridden a crossplane motor, you should. It’s not so much about the power figure on tap, or the torque that’s quoted, but the way in which the crossplane tech allows drive to be achieved. It’s a much more energetic and relentless delivery that allows this relatively minute motor to far out-punch its similarly capacitated adversaries. While we were organising this test we were seriously debating whether we should’ve opted for the MT-09 in the 07’s place, but we took a punt on the smaller of the siblings and were rewarded with its unadulterated hooliganism.
I’ve ridden 07s plenty of times before, but it still felt just as excitingly refreshing when I hopped on this bike and was rudely reminded of its brilliance and audacity. A fistful of throttle and a drop of the clutch nearly
sent me over the back in first, starkly reminding me of the brutality of this bike’s pick-up. It’s unlike any other motorcycle its size, readily destroying even the highly regarded punch of the now superseded Triumph Street Triple 675, which was for many years regarded as the staple option for mid-capacity hooliganism. The thing will wheelie anywhere and everywhere, hoisting the front effortlessly and allowing you to keep its forward hoop aloft until you get bored… which just doesn’t happen. You can clutch this thing up in third and it’ll even play ball in fourth if you find the right kind of crest to help you on your way.
Better still, this bike’s wheelies have a practical edge too. Keep the front lofted long enough and it’ll spaz out the ABS so you can do skids. What’s not so admirable is the Yam’s top end performance, though it’ll get you to triple figures quicker than it takes Trump to offend a nation or sect. From that point the motor dies down, which is a good job considering the abuse your body and arms are subjected to without even so much as a jock-strap to get tucked in behind. That’s
f ifi bike because the faster you go the more the bike’s poor quality suspension is accentuated. In general, the wee Yam handles a treat; it’s lightweight and as nimble as they come. But as far as stability is concerned, you’re better off looking elsewhere. If you like your rides edgy, then you’ll love the way it weaves and bucks as its epically underdamped/sprung suspension tries to tie the bike in knots. That’s frustrating when you want to push on, but on a more positive note you do feel like you’re riding at the limit without having to do 200mph down the local high street. If I owned this bike, that’s the one and only mod I’d make to it. Well, that and take the til tt sized hero blobs off the verything else is cock-on, super-smooth fuelling to iable driveability. Even ky looks start to grow on d the end can note isn’t a stock unit. For the the ride’s impressive. mfy too, with none of es you’d expect from a he brakes were good, the ffered loads of feel and factor was next level. ite candidate for any ild on a budget.