2019 Yamaha MT-07 LA review

The Yamaha MT-07 LA is Australia’s most popular full-capacity learner-approved bike for good reason.

Suspension updates to the Yamaha MT-07 LA in 2018 improved an already impressive package and make the MT-07 the default machine to test ride.

That ride will highlight how the 655cc parallel-twin engine does a commendable job of convincing the rider believe they’re on a regular bike rather than one restricted to comply with our learner-approved regulations.

You climb off thinking the bike is genuinely engaging to ride, rather than lamenting a lack of power or limited suspension adjustment.

And that fun-first philosophy is a key reason why the MT-07 LA – like the entire MT range – has become a global hit.

Wide handlebars and a neutral riding stance ensure the MT-07 can handle extended trips without any fatigue beyond the inevitable wind buffeting (and Yamaha has a screen-equipped version called the Tracer if you’re looking for a more touring-oriented machine).

Buyers looking for a similarly agile machine without the LAMS limitations can look at the MT-07 HO version with a 698cc engine.

The angular looks of the MT range have flowed down to the Yamaha MT-07 LA,

The seat has been revised to give the rider more room to move while at the same time letting them lock onto the tank and let the bike flow through the turns.

The light weight – 182kg – is loaded low in the steel frame, making this Yamaha more than up to the challenge of urban riding.

The power delivery is linear until you near 10,000rpm, when you’re better off stepping up a peg or two and letting the twin settle into its 3500-8000rpm comfort zone.

Given the 57.5Nm torque peaks at 4000rpm, regular shifting keeps the MT-07 in a responsive mode well beyond the posted speedway limits.

It’s at high speed where the revised suspension shows its worth.

The firmer settings can crash a little over sharp-edged plastic humps at low speed but are now more receptive to mid-corner hits and potholes at freeway pace.

Related links:
2018 MT-07 LA
Launch: Yamaha MT-07 LA
First ride: Yamaha MT-07 HO

This is the learner-approved bike that is most likely to get you into trouble, simply because the package encourages you to keep the momentum up.

The parallel-twin engine uses Yamaha’s crossplane-crank tech to deliver a hugely refined ride.

Demand full power in a high gear at low speed and the engine feels a touch agricultural until the revs have climbed above 2500rpm.

At that stage the MT-07 transitions into one of the more competent street bikes on the street.

The bike’s 807mm width, low weight and low centre of gravity endow it with lane-filtering aptitude few machines can match and the parallel twin engine is responsive across much of the rev range.

Try to accelerate from a near standstill in too high a gear and there’s some initial vibration but the sweet-revving nature of this engine means you’ll be happy to shift cogs to keep it singing.

The brakes are better than capable and progressive enough that it takes a decent haul on the right lever to trigger the ABS.

When the anti-skid software does intervene it doesn’t cause sounds or vibrations likely to startle the rider – exactly what you want on a machine designed for new riders.

There’s more than enough performance to keep everyone but the hardcore supersport crowd entertained and the reassuring grip from the rubber and responsive chassis means that pace can be maintained over a winding stretch of tarmac.

Proportions count in everything from pictures to architecture.

Yamaha’s designers obviously had a decent understanding of the premise when they updated the MT-07 LA.

Adopting more features – like the tank-mounted “air filters” and rear tail-lights – from the bigger MT-09 has sharpened the look and helps the bike blend into the urban landscape without screaming LAMS special (the L/P-plate is generally enough of a giveaway).

The headlight dominates the spartan front-end look and the minimalist approach flows to the digital display, lightweight seat and stubby exhaust.

Fluoro wheels – reminiscent of Peter Brock’s “day glo orange” Commodore touring car in our case – improve the bike’s visibility when moving or stationary. The lightweight rims may look old school but they certainly turn heads.

The seat was revised last year to improve rider comfort. A fringe benefit is the fact the way the redesigned foam flows around the tank means your legs automatically lock into place around the tank.

The view from behind the bars is a basic, well-presented monochrome digital display with enough clarity and contrast to be visible in all light. The mirrors don’t shake as the revs rise and the switchgear is your standard set-up: not inspiring to look at but reliable and easy to operate.

The pillion pad lets owners carry a partner on shortish trips. My wife advises she’d be happy to deal with that position for an hour or so but would be looking for an aftermarket seat if we were regularly doing weekends away.

And that’s one of the MT-07’s strengths – it is a versatile machine equally as composed with two on board on a leisurely cruise as it is cutting through peak hour traffic.

If that doesn’t make this $9999 machine a pretty good deal, I don’t know what is.

Everyone new rider wants to feel like they’ve earned “street cred”. Yamaha knows this, which is why the MT range is marketed under that label.

The approach has worked brilliantly since the bike was launched globally in 2013 and helps explain why there are more than 90 Yamaha MT-07 LA machines for sale on Bikesales ranging in price from $5990 for a 2014 model with 36,000km on board
to $11,699 to ride a 2019 version off the showroom floor.

Yamaha has a bunch of accessories for the MT-07 and many of these machines boast one or more factory or aftermarket updates, so it’s worth browsing the range to see what the balance between price, mileage and extra parts works out to.

I’d be looking closely at anything with an Akrapovic titanium exhaust on it …

The Yamaha MT-07 deserves to be regarded as a standout in the LAMS market. The performance is way more than adequate, the looks are as sharp as anything on the street and the price isn’t going to horrify you.

It’s not so much a case of the MT-07 having to prove itself as everything else in the segment having to match it.

Six years on from launch, that’s still a big ask ….

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled DOHC parallel-twin
Capacity: 655cc
Compression ratio: 11.0:1
Bore x stroke: 78.0 x 68.6mm
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 52.1hp (38.3kW) at 8000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 57.5Nm at 4000rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate
Final drive: Chain
CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Steel diamond trellis
Front suspension: 41mm forks, 130mm travel
Rear suspension: Monoshock, rebound adjustment, 130mm travel
Front brakes: Dual 282mm discs with four-piston calipers
Rear brake: 245mm disc with single-piston caliper
Tyres: Michelin Sport Tour 120/70-17 front, 180/55-17 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed kerb weight: 182kg
Seat height: 805mm
Wheelbase: 1400mm
Fuel capacity: 14 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $9999 plus on-roads
Colours: Ice Fluo, Yamaha Blue, Tech Black
Web: www.yamaha-motor.com.au
Warranty: 24 months/unlimited km