500KM Yamaha MT-09 Review

[RedQualia]

Glad you like the MT. I took delivery of the 1st Blue model in Chonburi (maybe Thailand) and have loved every minute of it. Added the Carbon Akrapovic, Puig Screen, crash bobbins, adjustable clutch & brake levers, with an Ohlins rear shock and a Rizoma Tail Tidy my latest purchases (but not installed on the attached photo).

I was first hooked on the MT-09 when taking a look at my mates in Melbourne. Looks are not for everyone (i love it though) but the torque just puts a big grin on my face everytime i open that Throttle. I have only recently weened myself off of Standard Mode and into A. A mode is nuts abd may need (for me) lower bars to keep some weight over the front.

As a big Ducati fan this makes for a very creditable alternative.

Nice looking bike. Guess I like mine. Got to ride it a bit today, and remember smiling at least 3-4 times.

I was pretty passionate about Ducatis 20 years ago, and loved the one that I had back then. These days, not so much. None of the bikes they market in Thailand particularly grab me, with the possible exception of the Palingale. That one doesn't grab me either, however, given its ridiculous price here in LOS. The 848 Streetfighter, maybe, but it's also quite expensive, and I'm not sure they're making it anymore in fact, or at least selling it here. Monsters and Scramblers and hypermotards and Diavelo things, whatever it's called -- all of those seem pretty boring to me, or worse. Ducati doesn't seem to be winning any races anymore either. It's like no one at Ducati is even trying these days. What the heck happened?

Still sorting out what I think of the MT-09, and what I might want to do with mine. It does have some potential. Next thing to deal with is the seat. Where did you get the crash bobbins?

Edited May 27, 2016 by RedQualia

[Holmsedale25]

I purchased the crash bobbins, adjustable levers and Radiator protective screen direct from EvoTech in the UK. They have an easy to use and efficient online shop and delivery service. Akrapovic, Puig Screen, Ohlins shock and tail tidy i purchased in country from Teera Motorcycle in Bangkok.

After 1st service and a few thousand km's the MT just gets smoother. I managed to dial out the factory fitted suspension to make it comfortable but with my gf on the back (who is only 46kg) it was getting twitchy at full adjustment, so decided to go for the Ohlins. Now with an easy adjustment i can switch up and down dependent on pillion or lonesome. It came in handy for the twisty turns and gradients on Koh Chang.

[soihok]

Nice one.

I am 20,000 km in on my 2014 MT-09.

Great experience.

No worries up to now. Had to change the battery a week ago but no other problems to report.

Maxton rear shock.

Akra exhaust.

Running Michelin Pilot Power 3 tyres at the moment.

Excellent bike overall.

[soihok]

The best mod made to the bike is the changing the rear shock, to support 95kg of me.

The original frustrated the heck out of me, soft and under damped. Changing the rear shock transformed the bike.

Not felt any need to do anything with the Front Fork though, although I guess that these are also cheap items.

As the 2014 bike had a snatchy throttle, Yamaha remapped the ECU free of charge. For more recent bikes this issue will have been sorted at the factory (I do miss the madness of A mode in the original trim though, it was completely mental). STD mode now is far more user friendly than before.

My next mod (not many on my bike - I don't want to spend loads of money on mods) is going up a tooth on the rear sprocket.

[BKKBike09]

Had to change the battery a week ago but no other problems to report.

Just changed my battery too; Yamaha wanted THB 9,000 for a new one! I got one online for less than a third of that ...

[BKKBike09]

Added the Carbon Akrapovic ...

Out of curiosity what Akra is that? I didn't realise they had one that sticks out a bit like that - I thought the Akra system was more discrete and sat flush under the bike? Yours looks quite like the Yoshi R77.

[soihok]

Wow.

I got one locally here in Singapore for 3750.

9000 is outrageous.

I am looking to change the chain soon (noticed some of the o rings are damaged).

Considering putting a 46 tooth rear on opposed to the 45 standard.

Will be off to the UK in a couple of months for my brothers wedding. Will mail order a set in the UK.

[soihok]

I got the Akra offered by Yamaha.

[Holmsedale25]

In the UK & Australia the Titanium exhaust comes as part of a sales package. In Thailand no such luck, so when i started looking to purchase one, the carbon version appealed to me more. Sounds great and bonkers with the db killer out. Put the db killer back in to prevent the boys in brown getting on my case. I has enough hassle with my 848 Evo Ducati with full termi race system...

[eisfeld]

The carbon Akra looks to be this one: http://www.akrapovic.com/#!/motorcycle/product/road/14814?brandId=41&modelId=339&yearId=4126

Edited June 2, 2016 by eisfeld

[Holmsedale25]

Yep that's the baby. 37500 baht

[Holmsedale25]

When I had the Akra system fitted the technicians said no fuel adjustment was needed but I found the bike was running a little rough, so googled MT-09 fueling and found this video very helpful. Its actually a CO2 adjustment but it does the trick. Bike still pops and farts when heavy on the throttle so may invest in a power commander.

[BKKBike09]

When I had the Akra system fitted the technicians said no fuel adjustment was needed but I found the bike was running a little rough, so googled MT-09 fueling and found this video very helpful. Its actually a CO2 adjustment but it does the trick. Bike still pops and farts when heavy on the throttle so may invest in a power commander.

There's no link to the video but I'm guessing it shows going into the Diagnostics menu and adjusting the settings for each cylinder? Sadly while you can do that on a Euro-spec MT09 you can't on the US-spec FZ09 we get here. Or at least you couldn't do it on the original models imported here (which were, specifically, Cali-spec).

I had some decal popping when I changed the stock pipe for the Yoshi, but no bogging or other issues. I subsequently put on block off plates and a K&N filter, as well as a PC. The problem with the PC is that I don't have much confidence that there's a tuning outfit here that really knows their stuff. If I did it again I think I'd not bother with the PC.

As an aside I also had the ECU flashed in the US so the bike starts up in A, fan comes on at 205 and the rev limiter in 5th and 6th has gone.

[Holmsedale25]

Oooops good point, this is the link

Yes your right, he goes through the diagnostics menu. He has a few good tips on other adjustments if your not a DIY mechanic or have a manual in a foreign language

[guzzi850m2]

Damn, after reading the whole topic again I could be tempted getting one myself.

My V mk3 is not a bad bike but I just sometimes wish for a little more umph.

Bike riding is all about fun for me, don't want to ride 300 km/h but taking off at a red light and fell the acceleration, ohhh yes baby.

[thaiguzzi]

There's a 2 year old 1050 Speed Triple for sale on here and B&S for the same money as a new MT09, with all the add ons, 16k kms, looks mint, excellent price for over here, let alone anywhere else. IF, i wanted a go fast 3 cylinder watercooled FI modern bike, i know where my money would go, and it aint the Yam.

Off topic, one of the few modern bikes that really gets me going, and i really hanker after, is the no longer made Yamaha MT01. A bike before it's time. But then i'm a bit weird like that...

[Holmsedale25]

Don't knock it 'till you've tried it. The Triumph is a loony machine granted but the MT-09 is also a bucket full of fun with 200cc's less. If a bike puts a smile on your face then that is all that matters. My dad had a Maico 500 motocross bike when i was young; everyone else had Honda's and Yams but that thing was bar far the more lunatic machine and cheaper.

So as we say "each to their own" but give the Yam a go and you maybe surprised, especially in A Mode!!

[thaiguzzi]

H25,

my above post was aimed purely at guzzi850, as an alternative bike to purchase, no offence intended re the quality of the MT09. These bikes are getting pretty great reviews in the UK, and are selling well Europe wide.

Now, can anyone find me a legit, legal MT01? Preferably in Kenny Roberts Yellow with Yamaha speed block paint job, and aftermarket pipes.....

[RedQualia]

H25,

my above post was aimed purely at guzzi850, as an alternative bike to purchase, no offence intended re the quality of the MT09. These bikes are getting pretty great reviews in the UK, and are selling well Europe wide.

Now, can anyone find me a legit, legal MT01? Preferably in Kenny Roberts Yellow with Yamaha speed block paint job, and aftermarket pipes.....

Bike preferences can be pretty subjective. I'm actually pretty attracted to Guzzis. Saw a custom 1400cc Guzzi on BikeEXIF a while back that looked pretty interesting and certainly had me thinking. I also looked up the 1050 triple you referred to. Haven't ridden any of the "modern" Triumph triples. Liked the old ones quite a bit -- Trident, Rocket 3 -- but that was a different world. Road test comparisons for the MT-09 often include the Z800 and the 675cc Street Triple. Reviewers invariably love the Street Triple's handling, etc., though will often grudgingly give the nod to the MT-09 in terms of bang for the buck.

I don't know how well review comments for the 675 Street Triple transfer to the 1050 triple. The triple in question on classifieds.thaivisa.com does seem a good value and I'm sure it will make a great bike for someone.On the other hand, the horsepower rating is almost identical to that of the MT-09. The torque is listed as 72 ft lbs, or seven ft lbs more than the MT-09. Note that the Akropovich exhaust mentioned above is said to increase the MT-09's HP to 119.3, the torque to 67.8, and to cut 4.5 KG from the MT-09's weight. The MT-09's stock weight is 188KG, or 414 lbs, wet. The 1050's weight is 235 KG, or 518 lbs, wet. Big weight difference, very little power difference. Taking that into account, as well as the idea of where to get parts for the 1050 triple here in Thailand (it's not included on Triumph's Thailand price list, so must be a special order if sold here), I think I'd lean heavily toward the MT-09. I do tend to prefer bikes where parts and service are more easily come by. Were I living in Europe or the states, however, I might well prefer the Triumph.

But again, bike preferences can be quite subjective. I continue to miss my Ninja 650, even though it had far less power and weighed quite a bit more. So pure specifications aren't everything.

[Holmsedale25]

H25,

my above post was aimed purely at guzzi850, as an alternative bike to purchase, no offence intended re the quality of the MT09. These bikes are getting pretty great reviews in the UK, and are selling well Europe wide.

Now, can anyone find me a legit, legal MT01? Preferably in Kenny Roberts Yellow with Yamaha speed block paint job, and aftermarket pipes.....

No offence taken my friend, quite the opposite. Its good to have an open view on all thing 2 wheeled.

I have just seen a guy take ownership of his 2016 Triumph Thruxton R.... now i want one. Beautiful

[thaiguzzi]

Not being pedantic, but i think peak torque on the newer (and uglier) bug eyed 1050's is more like 77 lb ft, and bhp around 125ish... The 2016 models have even more...

But hey, 414 lbs is a ridiculously impressive weight. Swings and roundabouts...

[papa al]

H25,

my above post was aimed purely at guzzi850, as an alternative bike to purchase, no offence intended re the quality of the MT09. These bikes are getting pretty great reviews in the UK, and are selling well Europe wide.

Now, can anyone find me a legit, legal MT01? Preferably in Kenny Roberts Yellow with Yamaha speed block paint job, and aftermarket pipes.....

No offence taken my friend, quite the opposite. Its good to have an open view on all thing 2 wheeled.

I have just seen a guy take ownership of his 2016 Triumph Thruxton R.... now i want one. Beautiful

papa's mechanic has a black Thruxton.

But he won't let papa take it for a spin.

.

[prestburypark]

"papa's mechanic has a black Thruxton.

But he won't let papa take it for a spin."

Quick question papa: why do you refer to yourself in the third person?

[saluandnai]

hi, I too have a fz 09, i'm near mea rim, I would be interested to get your opinion of any seat mods you do n perhaps get a chance to sit on it, mine is a bit hard n tends to push me forward into a position I don't want to be in, I have an ixis twin silencer that performs n sounds much better than the stock one

Edited June 5, 2016 by saluandnai

[RedQualia]

hi, I too have a fz 09, i'm near mea rim, I would be interested to get your opinion of any seat mods you do n perhaps get a chance to sit on it, mine is a bit hard n tends to push me forward into a position I don't want to be in, I have an ixis twin silencer that performs n sounds much better than the stock one

Should be possible. I'm taking my seat in to be rebuilt tomorrow. I think a couple of days to finish it. 2,500 Baht from a Chiang Mai guy well known for his motorcycle seat work. This will be the second seat I've had him do. Turned out really well last time. Should look something like the pic when finished.

Unfamiliar with Ixis, though I can find results for Ixil. Same thing? Would be interested in checking out your exhaust in any case.

[saluandnai]

thanks for the reply, ha ha, yes sorry ixis, had it previously on a Honda cb500 x, I had to have the exhaust on the fz 09 cut n the ixis welded on, plus some bracket mods when I lived in pattaya , did a lovely job for 1,500 baht, love to hear about your seat mod when its finished n perhaps meet up for a look at it. cheers keith

[RedQualia]

Not being pedantic, but i think peak torque on the newer (and uglier) bug eyed 1050's is more like 77 lb ft, and bhp around 125ish... The 2016 models have even more...

But hey, 414 lbs is a ridiculously impressive weight. Swings and roundabouts...

You're correct. I had done a search for "Triumph Speed triple 1050" which turned up a page with the numbers I mentioned. Changing that search to "2013 Triumph speed triple 1050" takes me to a different page, for the "Speed Triple R," which reports 135HP and 82 ft lbs of torque. The weight on the 2013 also seems lower, at 214KG, or 471 lbs. Also went looking for a price in Thailand. Triumph's web page doesn't list it at all, but a 2012 web page suggests that it once sold here for 785,000 Baht. If that's correct, then the one for sale for 400,000 on classifieds.thaivisa.com seems quite a bargain. I wonder why so cheap...

One or another web page that I can't find anymore also reported that for 2016, Triumph boosted the horsepower to 140 (though I can only find reference to 138 at present), and torque to 82.6 ft lbs, while also reducing the weight to 212KG wet. The UK list price for that bike is £11,500 on at least one web page.

UK price for the MT-09 is reported as £7,349 on another page/site. I'm not sure there's £4,000 extra value in the 2016 Speed Triple. Maybe, but I don't have the extra cash to find out. Nor do I believe I would have the skill required to appreciate the Speed Triple over the MT-09. Others may have, however.

The 2013 Speed Triple for 400,000 remains interesting in any case. Someone should go have a look.

[BKKBike09]

I had my seat done at a place in BKK. From memory I think it cost 2,500. Basically I had the guy flatten the front part of the seat and also widen it slightly. Much better than the stock one for me.

I took him some pics from this French site and said "I want something like this" - http://ohlins.fr/blog/yamaha-mt-09-serie-unique-ohlins/

Particularly like the purple stitching - matches the wheels ...

[saluandnai]

FZ seat detail 2.jpg

I had my seat done at a place in BKK. From memory I think it cost 2,500. Basically I had the guy flatten the front part of the seat and also widen it slightly. Much better than the stock one for me.

I took him some pics from this French site and said "I want something like this" - http://ohlins.fr/blog/yamaha-mt-09-serie-unique-ohlins/

Particularly like the purple stitching - matches the wheels ...

very similar to one I had made for a fz 1000 of mine when I lived in pattaya

Edited June 5, 2016 by saluandnai

[Holmsedale25]

FZ seat detail 2.jpg

I had my seat done at a place in BKK. From memory I think it cost 2,500. Basically I had the guy flatten the front part of the seat and also widen it slightly. Much better than the stock one for me.

I took him some pics from this French site and said "I want something like this" - http://ohlins.fr/blog/yamaha-mt-09-serie-unique-ohlins/

Particularly like the purple stitching - matches the wheels ...

That is one cool seat. Any chance of sharing the fabricators contact details?