With a die-cast cast aluminium frame and swingarm the MT-09 weighs just 188kg. This lightness helps maximise acceleration, agility, handling and braking performance. But the rear shock and front forks aren’t as beautifully-controlled as a Street Triple’s. The Yamaha’s front end is high and vague, especially in slippery conditions and if you push hard in the dry, the rear ties itself in knots. New monobloc brakes lack power and feel, too. The riding position is natural, comfortable and the seat low enough for shorter riders - but it’s hard and gives you numb bum after an hour’s riding.
Yamaha MT-09 updated in 2017
Gone is the vague, harsh front end and comedically under-damper rear, and in its place is a plush-feeling ride that allows you to better exploit the bike's addictively strong acceleration and any-gear torque.
With the addition of compression damping, the new 41mm front fork is composed enough to allow you to hold your chosen line through a corner, despite the Bridgestone S20s not having enough heat in them to give any real feedback.
The shock, which is actually the same as the unit fitted to the 2016 XSR900 (essentially the same machine as the MT-09 but with neo-retro styling) handles the bike's power much better meaning you can really give it a handful on corner exits without it pitching and yawing like an 80s muscle bike.
Also new for 2017 is the factory fitted quickshifter, which makes slicing up through the box to exploit that super-smooth acceleration really good fun.
The rear end of the bike has been updated too with the fitment of a new shorter, higher subframe. Despite it being 29mm shorter, Yamaha have cleverly redesigned the seat so pillions have even more room than before. And shorter riders need not fear the 5mm seat height increase, as this 5ft 7in rider had no problems getting feet securely on the ground.
This new subframe has angled the riding position forward slightly, which did leave my backside a little on the sore side after six hours in the saddle - but this is my only niggle on what is an otherwise brilliant machine.
