Launch: Yamaha MT-09

The MT-09 is a significant motorcycle for Yamaha. While the company has certainly continued to produce solid roadbike fare over the last few years, there’s been really nothing special to stamp its authority. And that pressure begins to bear – especially for marketing departments and dealers which have to continually find ingenious ways of selling staid products.

But with all the assurance of a company which has been a leading motorcycle manufacturer for seven decades,  Yamaha has parachuted back into town, hitting fairways off the tee with all the poise and precision of a towering Adam Scott driver.

The Yamaha ‘storm’ has been brewing on a few fronts. A bike we tested recently, the Bolt, is a case-in-point. It doesn’t reach giddy engineering heights, but has been designed to take on the Harley-Davidson Iron 883 – and by all accounts there’s some real magnetism, with the bike locked in an intriguing game of chess with Harley across a number of key markets, including America. Good job, there.

And now Yamaha has stepped up again with the MT-09 in-line triple, revisiting an engine configuration that was last utilised with the XS series in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Since then, triples have still enjoyed marine and snowmobile applications at Yamaha, but now it’s back onto dry land as well with the MT-09, which will be on display at the 2013 Sydney Motorcycle Show from November 15-17.

Did I say dry land? Soon after we left Yamaha Motor Australia headquarters on the first part of the MT-09 media launch – part two was on a superb closed circuit – the heavens opened, and the next 120km was spent tip-toeing along some roads which can normally be swallowed up on a bike with sporting DNA like the MT-09.

But it wasn’t a waste: it was time well spent getting a feel for the bike which Yamaha says “represents the beginning of a new direction of sport bike evolution” and “opens up a new world of possibilities” with its three-cylinder engine. The MT-09’s everyday-friendly upright riding position, spacious ergonomics, compact design and slim waist make for a comfortable riding position, but the real elephant stamp for me – and the dynamic that made me feel at home from the get-go --  is the tremendously torquey, natural, easy and responsive engine. Engines like this make a habit of bypassing the normal get-to-know-you protocols, as they are just so manageable.

And that flavour is felt from the basement, with tickover for the MT-09 equating to about 1200rpm, which is more than enough to prick holes in congested traffic without even a hint of transmission snatch. When the traffic opens up, simply roll on the throttle and the torque wave kicks in straight away, spinning in a predictable, linear fashion all the way to the peak (88Nm) at 8500rpm, with each snick through the easy-shifting six-speed gearbox a fresh entry point into another wedge of useable power. Very eager to please, and little wonder that Yamaha’s resident stuntman Dave McKenna already has one in his garage!

The power peak is 115hp is at 10,000rpm, but the MT-09 does allow about 1500rpm of overun before the  rev limiter kicks in. But that sort of animation wouldn’t really come into play until the closed-circuit session a few hours later.

All this “combustion torque” is real, delivering a torque-to-weight ratio of 0.51Nm/kg for the MT-09, which is ahead of other sporting triples such as the  Triumph Street Triple (0.41Nm/kg) and the soon-to-be-released MV Agusta Rivale (0.47Nm/kg). That’s heady stuff, and why the MT-09 is so eager to please.

Yamaha puts down the linear nature of the engine -- equipped with a primary counter-rotating balancer --  to the crossplane philosophy, which delivers even firing intervals with a 120-degree crank.  The engine also has a downdraft intake system with unequal length intake funnels -- 102.8mm 82.8mm and 122.8mm respectively – with the added bonus of  “a gutsy intake growl”. There’s a 51-degree angle on the cylinder bank.

All up, the MT-09 engine weights about 10kg less than the four-cylinder mill in the FZ8, which is being superseded by the MT-09. This isn’t a sign that Yamaha is moving away from four-cylinder bikes, but the real high-performance antics for the moment will be left to bikes like the YZF-R1 and YZF-R6. Incidentally, the MT-09 weighs less than the YZF-R6, tipping the scales at 188kg wet.

The bore and stroke on the MT-09 is 78mm x 59.1mm, and the compression ratio is 11.5:1. Forged aluminium pistons are fitted with fracture split (FS) connecting rods for added engineering precision, and there’s an three-into-one exhaust with a stubby, underslung muffler, which also contributes towards mass centralisation.

The MT-09 has the Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) fly-by-wire throttle, which is derived from the YZF-R models. There are three riding modes: standard, A and B, which can be changed on the fly by pulling in the clutch and toggling via a handlebar-mounted button. Standard delivers the full power message, A sharpens that up again, and B delivers a milder throttle response.

After wise counsel from Yamaha Motor Australia’s communications manager Sean Goldhawk that A was probably too aggressive for the adverse road conditions – his feedback at the international press launch in Croatia helped him draw the conclusion – I took his word for it. However, as we’d find out later, A may be more aggressive, but it smooths out the MT-09’s only real Achilles heel: a slight hesitation off a closed throttle, which is noticeable rather than being an irritant.

As far as electronic aids are concerned, Yamaha won’t be offering anti-lock braking locally, and there’s no traction control – which isn’t such an issue for torquey triples which already deliver oodles of feedback rather than nasty surprises.

We did manage to stretch the MT-09’s legs a few times on the road, and it sits on a leisurely 4000rpm at 100km/h, with more than enough punch for overtaking in top gear. Yamaha says the MT-09 is good for a 240km-plus range from its 14-litre steel tank.

The bike has a long, 400mm seat with a flat profile, so  there’s plenty of scope to move around – but the “naked motard mass-forward style” of the MT-09 lends itself to moving as far forward as possible. And the rider sits quite high as well, a-la motard style. The seat height is 815mm.

Because the rider is on ‘top’ of the MT-09, it isn’t the most natural bike to lean off in a pure road racing sense and get your tummy against the tank, but work out a style that suits you – some may prefer the more rough and tumble bang-it-down-and-rip-around-the-corner type of approach – and the MT-09 will come along for the ride.

The steering geometry isn’t overly aggressive, with a 25-degree rake, 103mm of trail and a 1440mm wheelbase, which for what Yamaha is trying to achieve is a rational compromise between stabillity and agility. It’s nicely balanced, and it pushed through the set of esses on the closed-circuit track with plenty of poise, the wide tapered nakedbike handlebar allowing for some extra leverage.

The MT-09 presents a trim midriff, and Yamaha claims the footpegs are 54mm narrower than the FZ8’s, and the externally mounted swingarm pivots also reduce chassis width.

The aluminium die-cast frame also contributes towards weight loss. Yamaha claims 10kg has been saved in the revised chassis, which certainly plays a part in making  the lowly 171kg dry weight.

The opening two tracks session were held on a wet track, and the MT-09 felt very light, planted and secure – no nasty surprises. The solid, progressive feel to the 298mm, four-piston radial front brakes certainly helped with retardation, and the initial bite isn’t too savage – probably a good thing without anti-lock braking. There’s a fair bit of engine braking, too.

The second session produced a few hairy moments, but I think that was definitely more a reflection of the OEM Bridgestone S20F front tyre. A few of the press bikes were also fitted with Dunlop Sportmart hoops, which handle wet conditions with far more authority.

There are 10-spoke cast-aluminum wheels, and the tyre sizes are 120/70-17 and 180/55-17.

The MT-09 has fairly soft and plush suspension, which makes the bike really compliant in wet conditions, but obviously it starts to be found out a little at race track speed. The Kawasaki Z1000 naked is in a similar boat – if fast-paced outings a few and far between, you can live with soft suspension, as it gives a beatifully pillow-like ride the rest of the time.

The naked has a 41mm upside-down fork, and the rear is a link-type monocross design which incorporates an almost horizontal shock positioned beneath the seat, which Yamaha says is ideal for protecting it from the wear and tear f road dirt. There’s rebound and preload adjustment at both ends.

Instrumentation is all digital, housed in an tough-looking, assymetrically mounted, hexagonal LCD instrument panel. Its clear and easy to read, and includes rpm, speed, time, gear position, fuel and riding mode. The select and reset buttons are easy to use with thick gloves, and require minimal pushing effort.

There are also hexagonal mirrors, which work well – and with very little vibration from the engine, there’s no blur effect.

The headlight features a multi-reflector design, and a new-style LED tail light-- inspired by MT-01 -- features separate left and right side lamps when the lights are turned on, while the whole surface lights up during braking.

Yamaha has designed a unique range of accessories for the MT-09, based on “sport”, “commuter” and “touring” functions. Sport includes a fly screen, rearsets, solo seat cover, Akrapovic slip-on muffler, billet levers and flyscreen; commuter options include a tank bag, USB adaptor and iPhone holder; and if you want to go touring you can fit a comfort seat, top box and soft panniers. That’s certainly not an exhaustive list, so visit http://yshop.yamaha-motor.com.au/ or contact your local dealer for more information.

The MT-09 is retailing in Australia for $11,999 rideaway. The bike has loads of character, and Yamaha has most certainly produced  a result which many people had desired when it announced it was embarking on the in-line triple route. It’s light, involving and a more than worthy addition to the MT family. Yamaha has kept the MT-09 relatively simple in a technological sense, but the engine’s pulling power alone is going to win it votes – and plenty of sales.

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 115hp (87.5kW) at 10,000
Claimed maximum torque: 87.5Nm at 8500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Diamond steel
Front suspension: 41mm upside-down fork, adjustable for preload and rebound, 137mm travel
Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable for preload and rebound, 130mm travel
Front brakes: Dual 298mm discs with four-piston radial calipers
Rear brake: 245mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Wheels: Alloy, front 3.50 x 17, rear 5.50 x 17
Tyres: Bridgestone S20F 120/70-17, rear 180/55-17

OTHER STUFF
Price: $11,999 rideaway
Colour: Blazing Orange, Matt Grey or Racing Blu
Test bike supplied by: Yamaha Motor Australia, www.yamaha-motor.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres