Yamaha MT-09 SP and Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport
So what does a year’s heavy useage really set you back you on an MT-09 SP?
Six thousand miles on Yamaha’s MT-09 through the best biking summer for a generation has, understandably, been a joy. With the kind of brawny, off-beat power delivery that somehow works in every situation, the SP has despatched everything from the daily commute to 900 miles of Land’s End to John O’Groats in a day, to trackdays. In fact, it’s been so impressive that during this time I’ve only done 600 miles on my own R1. In my opinion, for everything aside from very fast track riding, bikes like the SP make more sense to own than a sportsbike.
But while my classic R1 goes up in value by a larger amount than I pay for insurance and servicing each year, a new bike isn’t quite the same. So, what does a brilliant year’s biking really cost on a brand-new MT-09 SP?
Depreciation £1999
Back in April, the SP’s list price was £8999. And now, six months later, similar age lowmileage used bikes are selling for £8000 in dealers. However, my mileage isn’t low, so I’d advertise it privately at £7000 and hope for a £6500 trade-in deal at a dealer.
Fuel £670.42
Over the last 5895 miles the MT-09 has averaged 50.3mpg; impressive considering that includes fast weekend rides, three trackdays and lots of town work. On a long motorway run hovering at the speed limit it’ll see almost 60mpg. Incidentally, petrol prices have gone up from 121.4p/litre in April to 130.6/litre at the end of October. The bike used 162 litres of fuel for the 1802 miles I covered from my house to Land’s End, then to John O’Groats and back to my house, costing £208.
Consumables £594.29
Tyres are the main expense here. The OE Bridgestone S20s were square by 1500 miles and replaced by Michelin Power RS (£280 fitted) which lasted more than 3000 miles, before being replaced by Pirelli’s Diablo Rosso Corsa 2s (£305 fitted). I also tried some Dunlop SportSmart TTs, but haven’t counted these as an expense because it was part of a separate tyre test.
The SP has used no oil at all over that time and the brake pads still have life in them despite 6000 miles and three trackdays. Chain and sprockets are wearing well, with Motul C2 chain lube (£9.29) doing a good job.
Damage £373
The MT-09 got knocked over while parked. The damage was: £163 crankcase cover, £80 oil pump cover, £24 indicator, £57 front brake lever and £49 right-hand mirror. That’s £373 and, if you go to a dealer, at least an hour to fit them all.
Servicing £298
The SP is due its 6000-mile service which includes an all-over check, oil and filter replacement and diagnostic check, costing £199. Its previous service was at 600 miles, where the oil and filter were changed at a cost of £99.
Insurance £144
The relatively low insurance group for the SP is a big saver here and in comparison a new R1 would cost £377 for the year. Prices are from mcncompare.com and are based on my own circumstances, so that’s a 38-year-old living in Cambridgeshire with a full licence for 20 years, four years no claims and three points on his licence.
Grand total £4078.71 Less depreciation £2079.71
Ignoring depreciation, the figure is actually quite palatable and could be reduced further still. My tyre choice fitted my fast group trackday needs, but if you’d replaced the OE tyres with a set of decent sports touring rubber and didn’t go on trackdays they’d still be going strong. Then, ignoring the damage, you’re looking at £1401.71 for 6000 life-affirming miles.
So the MT-09 SP really is one of the bestvalue new bikes around.