YAMAHA MT-09
this month i have mostly been… “Jumping off of one three pot to another… ”
Well I must be doing something right. Last week the tyres were hardly cold having taken the Street Triple just over the thousand mile mark when I get a second set of keys of something to play with. These were for another comparison triggering three pot, but this time from Japan, and indeed, Japan’s Dark Side – the MT-09 from Yamaha.
Why the Dark Side? Well according to the MT’s Big Cheese Shun Miryazawa Japan is full of “Stereotypes, conformists and traditionalists.” But there is another side that the MT-09 has been designed to capture – passion, madness, creativity and underground subcultures, And here it is on two wheels – the Dark Side.
My first knowledge of the MT-09 was Rootsy’s smile after returning from the launch in Croatia. A 9/10 score, ace motor, low weighted ‘stunter’ that is every bit as good as the Street Triple, aye? My god, I am in for a real treat on that basis – though, granted, Roots can lift the back wheel higher than I can hoist the front. But the initial promise here is for a fun filled bonkers riding year.
So having read the hype, and studied the form guide from our group test where it was pipped to the post by the Street Triple in a four horse race (including the KTM 690 and Ducati Hypermotard), it was finally time for my first ride.
I am quite taken with the motard styling of the MT-09, though can see a few things that need to be stylised before I will be totally happy. I’ll give the rear a tidy so that nothing gets in the way of the LED tail lights, then reduce the indicator size, add a Renthal bar and fit smaller
All it wants to do is point to the sky in the first three gears...”
mirrors. These are my first thoughts of cosmetic change. But that will come in time… My mind is in overdrive remembering how boss the FZ8 looked after some attention a few years ago.
The ride itself will take some getting used to. I have to admit that the first ten or so miles on any new bike is like hell on toast to me, but after this bedding in all generally comes good.
As I have done barely 50 miles in a few short stints, I thus far cannot really wax lyrically about the ride, although I can say that, yes, things are feeling a bit snatchy on the throttle, it’s certainly soft on the front and all it wants to do is point to the sky in the first three gears – which is nice…. I have much to learn about the MT-09 and look forward to the education. I think it will be teaching me a thing or two about life on the Dark Side...
Apparently you need never break the speed limit on the MT-09 and still have bundles of fun. There’s handy then given my little spell off the machine...