Greg Baxter
OOKING at the front profile of the Yamaha MT-09 Tracer ( pictured) gives me the impression of a Star Wars fighter plane: sharp angles, dark, brooding metallic paint – and those bright LED headlights…
Menacing, latent power just waiting to zap anyone who is deemed a threat with its laser fire-power!
Some time back, I was at the launch of the new Yamaha range. Among the bikes to be tested was the new, standard MT-09. This new naked (no fairing) bike had an after-market performance tail pipe fitted and it produced a glorious howl that made the hair on my arms stand to attention!
So it was a pleasant surprise to be offered a chance to test the Tracer (fairing) version of the MT-09. Would it be as much fun as the naked version? Definitely!
With 115bhp (85kW), the fuel-injected beast accelerates like a scalded cat. It has a tremendous midrange and out on the freeway it lopes along at the speed limit with ease.
It feels physically bigger than its naked brother, but that might just be because the saddle was set higher for its owner.
Nevertheless, it was a great ride where everything
Lworked as it should: good brakes, the best sticky tyres for road holding, ABS, traction control, six-speed gearbox, and brilliant headlight.
As much as I rave about all the new machinery, I still remember the days of drum brakes, 6 volt electrics, lousy suspension and pitiful performance. Ignorance is bliss and progress is a wonderful.
Naked bikes are compact performance machines, and as such one feels the speed more. With a fairing, the rider can be isolated from the rate of speed, and on a very powerful bike it’s vital to constantly glance at the speedo to check how fast you’re going.
The Yammie’s a wonderful all-rounder. Pretty fast, though not like a true superbike. Still, grab a handful and it’s possible to reach lunatic speeds in a matter of seconds. It has a top speed of 235km/h.
The bike has an 18-litre fuel capacity, with a range of 275km/h.
• Price: R139 950. Contact Shimwells Yamaha for more information.