Launch: Yamaha MT-07

There is no denying the learner legal market in Australia is going absolutely gangbusters at the moment, with what seems like a new model being released every week. Some 40,000 learner units are sold per year in this country, and it’s a market segment that all manufactures want a slice of.  

Yamaha Australia has dabbled in the Aussie leaner market for some time, but now really wants to become a major player and it believes the newly released learner-approved MT-07 is the answer.

“The Factory has listened to our needs and supplied and the built the MT-07 exclusively for us,” said Sean Goldhawk, Communications Manager Yamaha Motor Australia. Goldhawk believes this bike will help create Yamaha “customers for life”.

The Australian MT-07 launch was held in Sydney with a ride route that would see us negotiate the busy CBD before heading south to the Royal National Park. It was a route that incorporated all situations that an owner will most likely put their MT-07 through:  busy traffic, highway commuting and twisties. The weather wasn’t on our side in the morning, but did clear up into a sunny and warm day.

The MT-07 is built in Japan and reflects the way Triumph has gone about  its learner-legal Street Triple 660. Instead of creating the motorcycle from the ground up, the engineers instead start with a full-powered model and scale things back until it becomes learner legal. This is usually accomplished through a reduction in engine size and subsequent drop in power, but the advantage for riders when it is done this way is that most other mechanical components such as brakes, suspension and chassis all remain the same. In other words: much better quality.

Powering the Aussie MT-07 is a 655cc liquid-cooled, four-valve, in-line two-cylinder running a compression ratio of 11:1. The engine also houses a 270-degree offset crank to help boost low to mid-range torque. Cylinder sleeves are used to reduce the engine size from 689cc (full-powered model), while a throttle restrictor keeps power down to a claimed 52hp at 8000rpm – which is very healthy figure in the learner category.  

The ‘MT’ range stands for ‘Monster Torque’ and with the use of uneven firing intervals coupled with the crossplane crank the MT-07 trumps all its direct competitors with a class-topping 57.5Nm at 4000rpm. It pips the Kawasaki ER6NL and Street Triple 660 at 56Nm and 54.6Nm respectively and is sizably more than the CBR500F at 43Nm. But it doesn’t end there: with a claimed weight of 179kg (wet) the MT-07 is the lightest out of all these giving it a clear advantage in power-to-weight ratio.   

Twist the relatively short throttle and the instant torque of the MT-07 makes it accelerate in a manner not accustomed to a LAMS bike. There is a very slight engine shudder below 2000rpm, but once above that the engine pulls cleanly and harder than any LAMS bike I have ridden. The engine will rev effortlessly to its post 10,000rpm soft-action limiter, but from 7000rpm onwards the torque curve starts to taper off. It is an engine that benefits from short shifting and if kept between 4000-7000rpm you will be surprised at the speed it can muster – it really is quite fast and I’m not just talking in the learner motorcycle sense.

I have never been an avid lover of the sound of in-line twins, but the uneven firing order gives the MT07 more of an ear-pleasing V-twin soundtrack when on full song and a deep burble on the overrun. Yamaha offers an optional Akrapovic full-system that would only enhance this note further.

Unlike most LAMS bikes where your left foot is busier than a tap dancer going up and down through the gearbox, the MT-07 can instead be left in a higher gear and be ridden like it houses a much larger engine than it does. In the twisties, fourth and fifth gears are ideal as you spend the jaunt playing off its super-torquey bottom-end.

The six-speed box is direct with sleek transitions between cogs, while neutral is a snap to find at a stop. The gear ratios are well spaced and will see the revs hovering around 5000rpm in top at highway speeds. Even at 110km/h there is still enough oomph in the go-department for fast-zippy overtakes in top-gear – a trait uncommon in this category of bikes.

Connected to the full-sized lightweight tubular frame is a 41mm non-adjustable telescopic fork, while the rear makes use of a preload-adjustable monoshock. Even in the slippery wet conditions of the morning front-end feel was confidence-inspiring and as the day dried out it only got better.

The wide handlebar makes tip in fast and accurate, while mid-corner stability and exit drive is exceptional. Bumps were soaked up smoothly and sharp jolts were taken care of before they reached your spine. Aiding the handling is the fitment of full-sized tyres (120 front, 180 rear) and use of good quality rubber (Michelin Pilot Road 3) – an area that is usually overlooked on LAMS bikes.

Braking is handled by dual 282mm wave-discs with four-piston callipers upfront, while the rear 245mm disc in squeezed by a single-piston calliper. These are the brakes you find on the full-powered version, so they pull the bike up with authority.

Power from the front lever is strong, while the rear offers good feel for slow-speed manoeuvrability. Interestingly Yamaha opted not to fit an anti-lock braking system to the MT-07 in an attempt to keep the price down. However, this may prove an oversight as nearly all of its competitors have this system fitted or have it as an option.

The LCD dash is very stylish, easy to read and would not look out of place on a much more expensive motorcycle. It features all the information a rider could ask for including gear indicator, fuel gauge, average fuel-consumption, air temperature and trip meters. A digital bar-style tachometer runs along the bottom of the dash and features its tallest bars in the 4000-8000rpm range, right where the strongest torque can be found.     

At 182cm tall I did not feel cramped on the motorcycle and the reach to the handlebar and footpegs is spot-on. The riding position is comfortable and doesn’t throw up any pressure points that would become troublesome after a long day in the saddle.

The 805mm height seat thins drastically at the front to allow even the shortest of riders the ability to get both feet on the ground – a major plus for a new rider. The seat is a little on the hard side, but it isn’t a deal breaker (the optional comfort seat will fix this). The long-stalked mirrors offer good buzz-free vision and the 14-litre tank should be good for almost 300 clicks.

When quizzed if the full-powered version would be making its way to Australia, all Yamaha would say is that it is not on the cards at the moment -- but it is not ruled out either. There is a plethora of genuine accessories available for the MT-07 including a top case, soft panniers, comfort seat and tank bag just to name a few.   

At $8999 it’s at the expensive end of the price range for a leaner bike, but you are getting a plus-600cc motorcycle that is built in Japan and is of high quality. It is more expensive than the Honda CBR500F ($7290), but does undercut The Triumph Street Triple 660 ($12,490).    

The majority of learner-legal motorcycles usually feel heavily restricted and offer a bland riding experience as you begin to outride them very quickly. However, the MT-07 doesn’t suffer this same unfortunate fate. Yamaha has somehow, under the restrictive laws, created a bike that is fun and exciting to ride. It will not be outgrown quickly and because of that the MT-07 is one of the best learner-approved motorcycles I have ridden to date.

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 52.1hp (38.8kW) at 8000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 57.5Nm at 4000rpm
Economy: 4.5 litres/100km (measured)

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Tubular steel
Front suspension: 41mm non-adjustable telescopic fork, 130mm travel
Rear suspension: Preload adjustable monoshock, 130mm travel
Front brakes: Dual 282mm discs with four-piston calipers
Rear brake: Single 245mm disc with single-piston caliper
Tyres: Michelin Pilot Road 3 -- 120/70-17 front, 180/55-17 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed wet weight: 179kg
Rake: 24.5 degrees
Trail: 90mm
Seat height: 805mm
Wheelbase: 1400mm
Fuel capacity: 14 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $8999
Colours: White, Gray, Red and Purple
Bike supplied by: Yamaha Australia, www.yamaha-motor.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres