Summary

• Yamaha’s MT bikes prioritize torque and a soulful driving expertise over velocity and specs.
• The MT sequence presents a various vary of bare bikes with distinctive designs and efficiency traits.
• The MT lineup consists of fashions such because the MT-03, MT-07, MT-09, and MT-10, every providing an distinctive driving expertise of their respective segments.

Yamaha is an oddball Japanese producer. While different Japanese producers, like Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Honda, are busy manufacturing bikes which can be wonderful examples of environment friendly engineering and efficiency, Yamaha has its eyes on one thing else: character and real-world driving expertise. This is why the Yamaha R1 feels extra energetic than the Kawasaki ZX-10R or why the YZF-R7 is the best super-twin regardless of the GSX-8R providing a bit extra.

Today, Yamaha has a number of motorbike households, with the R-series dominating the racetrack and Teneres dominating the ADV section, however the MT is what stands out essentially the most. The MT household of bare bikes is cherished by many bikers globally and has change into a signature a part of the Yamaha lineup. And in truth, the MT bikes have even change into a signature a part of the bare section — it simply wouldn’t be the identical with these Yamaha nakeds. So, let’s give in and discover the Yamaha MT sequence and what makes them so particular.

In order to provide the most recent and correct data attainable, the information used to compile this text was sourced from Yamaha, and different authoritative sources, together with Motorcycle News and Motorcycle Specs.

Not Just “MT” Promises — What It Means To Be MT

At first look, the MT moniker might not imply a lot; you’d not be incorrect to imagine it for a technical jargon that caught round. But Yamaha is a bit smarter than that, which is why MT is definitely a significant moniker. What does it stand for? Master of Torque. Ride any MT motorbike, and also you’d agree with this marque — Yamaha’s MT bikes ship exhilarating torque that quantities to an thrilling driving expertise.

The MT historical past dates again over 15 years — when the MT-01 was revealed in 2005 — however, not like different motorbike lineups, the MT bikes don’t want to stick to a selected template. Take the CBR for instance — these Honda sports bikes are light and nimble, prioritizing handling over maximum horsepower. But MT bikes comply with an open-ended growth that depends on one factor, monozukuri, Japanese for doing issues proper.

So, what does it imply for a motorbike to be MT? Simple. The motorbike ought to deal with a torquey experience, deal with like a pointy blade by butter, and have a soulful engine. An MT bare motorbike is what you get whenever you deal with the driving expertise, not velocity or spec sheet. And that is what units MT bikes other than their rivals.

Pioneering The Modern Naked: MT-01

Yamaha MT-01 Production Years: 2005 To 2012

It’s 1999; Hayabusa has obliterated superbikes, and it’s the flip of the millennium. At the Tokyo Motor Show, Yamaha unveiled an eccentric hypernaked: the Yamaha MT-01 idea. The model wished to supply a distinct form of worth from the run-of-the-mill sports activities bikes, so it determined to deal with Kodo, or soul beat, of the engine, torque, and dealing with for the MT-01 idea. The hypernaked featured a giant air-cooled V-twin, highlighting Yamaha’s individualistic identification that helped it stand out from different Japanese producers.

The MT-01 idea made many headlines, and what have you learnt, Yamaha was already working growth exams with it. Some at Yamaha even puzzled if a 1,700cc cruiser engine in a unadorned bike was possible, however the model went forward with it nonetheless. The prototype MT-01 featured the Warrior 1700 engine in an XJR1300 body — it had loads of potential. Convinced, Yamaha determined to good different points of the bike, like a CF aluminum die-cast body.

At its core, Yamaha focussed on its unique Jin-Ki Kanno philosophy, i.e., producing efficiency in tune with rider notion. So, the hypernaked was made to slice by canyon roads with ease whereas being exhilarating to speed up, due to an explosive V-twin engine. And each a part of the motorbike revolved round this philosophy. Even the exhaust was positioned underneath the seat to float away behind the bike, breaking the exhaust notice as near the rider as attainable.

The manufacturing MT-01 debuted in Europe in 2005. It took some time to come back to fruition, but it surely didn’t disappoint. The press world was impressed, and the bike gained acclaim from fans. Unfortunately, the bike’s idiosyncrasies stopped it from being embraced by bikers everywhere. Yet, Yamaha noticed some potential, in order that they introduced out the MT-03, led by Yamaha Motor Italia. This motorbike bucked the conference and featured the XT660 single. It was agile and sporty, and European riders cherished it. The small MT-03 was offered from 2006 to 2013, however the MT line didn’t see any extra progress for some years.

Yamaha MT-03 And MT-01 Specs

(Specs sourced from Motorcycle News and Motorcycle Specs)

Resurgence That Finally Stuck Around

During the identical time, a growth staff at Iwata HQ was creating a brand new form of bare motorbike that was mild, slim, and compact. The bike’s efficiency was speculated to be in live performance with human sensitivities. It would additionally embody Jin-Ki Kanno to ship seductive exhilaration and a human-machine connection, not like some other motorbike.

For this, two engines have been shortlisted, a cross-plane 270-degree parallel twin and a cross-plane inline triple. You can guess the place that is going. The engines have been tuned for torque and a punchy low to mid-range efficiency, standing in stark distinction to high-revving sports activities bikes. The engines have been additionally tuned for versatility. Apart from the engine, the design staff shortened the gap between the handlebars and the seat whereas eliminating any purely ornamental parts to reveal mechanical parts as a lot as attainable.

As the design for these two new-age bare neared completion, they wanted a moniker. And the ultimate piece of the puzzle occurred to be the MT tag. The bikes, unknowingly, adopted the MT-01’s footsteps. So, Yamaha revived the MT line-up. And with the tag got here a brand new slogan, The Dark Side of Japan, representing the darker sides of Japanese motorbike manufacturing — a facet that’s uncooked and characterful in comparison with the extra supple Japanese rivals. The first-gen MT-07 and MT-09 have been born.

The bikes modified the bare section, and shortly sufficient, the MT-10 was born, that includes the cross-plane inline-four from the Yamaha YZF-R1 however with a spotlight on-road efficiency and dealing with. Later, Yamaha diversified the MT section even additional, giving beginning to an array of bikes. The MT household bought small bikes, just like the MT-125, MT-15, MT-25, and MT-03; the middleweights included MT-07 and MT-09, and the MT-10 sat because the apex predator of all.

2014 Yamaha MT-07 Specs

(Specs sourced from Motorcycle News)

Present-Gen MT Motorcycles: The Heart Of The Naked Lineup

One have a look at the MT household, and also you’ll see that the bikes don’t look the identical. Yes, they do characteristic some frequent parts, however every MT motorbike is exclusive in its personal approach. The bikes don’t adhere to particular guidelines or strains. However, the design is aimed on the efficiency housed inside every motorbike. The frequent theme that binds all MT bikes just isn’t design, it’s the idea of being Torquey and Agile.

So, what flavors can you discover as we speak? In the US, the Yamaha MT lineup consists of 4 bikes. The smallest one is the MT-03, a parallel-twin powered, sub-400cc motorbike for freshmen that’s primarily based on the R3 however with extra deal with the road. Sitting above it is the now legendary MT-07, a CP2-powered middleweight bare that’s typically considered the religious successor to the Suzuki SV650 — it’s simply good in each approach.

Then comes the MT-09, an inline-triple powered tremendous bare that gives bonkers efficiency, and if that’s not sufficient, you’ll be able to even get the SP variant that will get KYB/Ohlins suspension, Brembo Stylema brakes, and higher electronics. At the highest sits the MT-10 and its SP variant — the best Japanese motorcycle of 2024. In every section, the MT bikes are by no means essentially the most highly effective or the quickest, however the driving expertise is commonly exhausting to beat for his or her rivals. The MT bikes have mastered the darkish facet of Japan, and we wouldn’t hesitate to hitch the Dark Side in any respect. We’re with Darth Vader on this one.

2024 Yamaha MT-09 SP and MT-10 SP Specs

(Specs sourced from Yamaha)