Yamaha MT-07
Yamaha MT-07LA It’s been four years since I last rode an MT- 07, and that was a very brief spin, so when Yamaha’s Chris Dobie called and said he had one with “lots of extras’ fitted I jumped at the chance to re-acquaint myself with one of the biggest sell
Those extras are listed in the table and are largely to do with preserving the hardware should the motorcycle suffer a horizontal moment, but in performance terms, there’s little to wish for in the bog standard specification. That engine, even in slightly detuned LAMS form, is an absolute eye-opener, a miracle of mapping, with throttle response that’s as near to perfect as you can get. I was so enthused with my initial ride I handed the bike to my mate Bob Rosenthal, who knows a thing or two about motorcycle performance, for his impressions, just in case I was dreaming. I wasn’t.
The spec has changed little in the life of the machine, which so far spans six years, and that’s because it was so good from the get-go. In the current offering however, there are subtle and worthwhile improvements. The suspension has been tweaked with
better damping and stiffer springs up front, and enhanced rebound adjustment at the rear. Both ends have 130mm of travel and work in smooth harmony with the stiff backboneframe chassis which uses the power plant as a stressed member. In LAMS form, that engine is a 655cc parallel twin with 270-degree firing order, so it makes a nice noise, and plenty of torque. But LAMS or not, open the throttle and away it goes. There’s a bigger brother in the range, the MT07HO (High Output) with the capacity pushed out to 689cc via a bore that’s 2mm larger, if you’re planning on longish distances or touring.
As mentioned, our test bike bristled with goodies, adding around $2,900 to the outlay, most of which comes from the Akrapovic exhaust ($1350.70), and the so-called Comfort Seat (414.74). I think the Flyscreen ($232.24) is a worthwhile add-on as it tidies up the nudie front end and I’d even opt for a slightly larger version if such a thing exists, as a bit of wind deflection is a good thing. But straight out of the box, the MT-07 is a star performer – I’d go as far as to say it is one of the standout designs thus far in the 21st century, and excellent value for money.
A quick spin by Bob Rosenthal
While on a recent visit with Mr and Mrs Editor it was suggested that I try the Yamaha MT-07LA he had parked in the garage. Yeah yeah, all in good time. Just another UJM, and a LAMS version, no less. “No no”, he said, “this is a ripper, take it for a spin”.
OK, off I went.
Well, how right he was. This is the LAMS version that has slightly less capacity (655cc) than the HO and therefore slightly less grunt. Geez, could have fooled me. This thing is fantastic. What a well-kept secret. Firstly, unlike a lot of ‘bikes today, it actually fits people quite well. The relationship between your hands, your, well, bum and your feet is damn near perfect. At least for those of us of average stature it is. Ergonomics is a subtle thing. It’s taken Japan Inc. a long time to get this ergo thing anywhere near right. So, it fits people, a good start.
Controls are a little different, where’s the start button? Oh, it’s that little red thing you slide towards you. Okay! Once running, off I went. The instruments are the almost universal LCD panel. The stuff you need to know is quite legible, like speed and gear. The rest, who cares?
The throttle feel is fantastic. Really accurate without being oversensitive. The gearbox feel is perfect. I’ve ridden race bikes that weren’t as good. It makes blipping and changing down so easy. The clutch and front brake levers were accessory shorties, not my cup of tea. The seat was an accessory item as well and mighty thin. I would not like a few long days in the saddle with this; I get numb really quick.
Handling feels just about perfect for city commuting. It has all the modern measurements, 24.8 degrees rake and 89mm trail. That with a 1399mm wheelbase and a low 805mm seat height, makes for a nimble feel. I thought, when I first sat on the thing, that it might feel like I was hunched over the front wheel. Nope, it feels neutral and oh so “flickable”.
The throttle feel and pickup is perfect. Whatever algorithms Yamaha has chosen for the throttle pickup speed is eminently well matched to the engine. It makes this 650 feel much bigger than it is. As is fairly common these days, the crankshaft has offset crank pins which helps with the feel. The aftermarket Akrapovic exhaust sounded good too.
You sure it’s LAMS approved?