Yamaha MT-01
High quality, rare, slightly left-field – and a grunting B-road joy
Yamaha’s MT tag stands for Master of Torque, but while machines like the MT-09 and MT-10 romp along it’s the very first MT-01 that really lets you revel in its grunt. The idea of an ex-cruiser V-twin in a sporty (ish) chassis left most folk befuddled in 2005, but today we’ve remembered how to enjoy the sensations and the feel of the ride rather than just speed – and the big MT provides a glorious touchy-feely experience on every outing. Prices are climbing, so it could be a solid investment too.
BUYER BEWARE
● What goes wrong? Erm... well, pretty much nothing. Quality is superb: the chassis has fabulous castings and fixings, the humongous motor is understressed, and the paint and platings are thick.
● Do keep a watchful over the bare surfaces, though. Buy from an owner who likes to bathe their bikes in ACF-50 or similar.
● Yam offered loads of accessories that are worth paying a bit extra for. There were hot tune-up kits too, including a stage three with pipes, pistons, valve gear, cam and ECU. This gives around 10% more power and torque.