A Real Street Fighter With A Rowdy Tipple Engine Could Be Your Forever Bike
It’s certainly a privilege to be able to have more than one motorcycle in your garage. For most ofus, whether it’s due to lack of space or funds, one’s all we get. And unlike a car, which pretty much has the same experience from model to model, a motorcycle experience can vary from brand to brand and model to model.
So settling on a single motorcycle to last you years, if not forever, can sometimes be a long process. It may take you several motorcycles to get to the one you truly love. It’s a real Goldilocks situation. Especially if you have a small-capacity bike that you’re starting to outgrow, and as your risk-versus-skill balance starts to improve.
Finding Your Forever Bike Isn’t Easy
So you’ve completed your MSF Basic Rider Course. Congratulations, you now know how to ride in a parking lot! This is where the real fun begins. You get to pick your first motorcycle and take it out into the real world. But how do you know what motorcycle to buy? Who do you listen to? Your friends are telling you to get one thing. Your MSF instructors may have recommended something else entirely. And social media is pushing you toward a third, fourth, and fifth option.
You Won’t Be Ready For Your Forever Bike For A While
The truth is simple. Each one of us has a very personal relationship with our bike. It may take us several tries to get to the one we truly love. Maybe you tried a cruiser, a sports bike, and a café racer before you settled on a sports touring bike. Your buddy may have tried a naked standard, a scrambler, and a touring bike before falling in love with a dual sport. But that journey is part of the adventure. Learn to love it.
The Yamaha MT-09 Can Do It All
Starting MSRP: $10,899
One metric of success for any given brand’s model is how long the owners tend to keep it. Yamaha, which has been around the block when it comes to producing best-selling models, continues to dominate with the MT family of bikes. Introduced in 2014 as the FZ-09 in the United States, the MT-09, as it is currently known, rapidly ascended to the top of the food chain. It was quick, comfortable, affordable, and full of character, and owners quickly grew to love the street fighter character it projected.
MT-09’s Comfort And Features Can Last You A Lifetime
Frankly, it’s remarkable what Yamaha was able to pack into the MT-09 for $11,000. It has a very powerful, full-color, five-inch TFT display that connects to your phone so you can answer calls and listen to music. You can also use the screen for turn-by-turn navigation and recall a wide variety of bike data, if you’re so inclined. You can also find a massive suite of state-of-the-art electronic Yamaha rider aids, like lean-sensitive traction, slide, lift and brake controls.
From The Track To Crossing The Country
Taking the MT-09 racing with those powerful, electronic features is a no-brainer. But you can also tour on it. The seat is fairly comfortable, and the rider sits a reasonable 32.5 inches up from the ground. The ergonomics, though somewhat sporty, are fairly neutral, with a standard handlebar that keeps the rider in a more back-saving, upright position.
Yamaha also delivered a slew of additional features, tailor-made for long-distance travel. The fuel economy on the MT-09 is 48 MPG from a 3.7-gallon tank. There’s a six-speed transmission that helps with high cruising speeds. And to help you bring the 425-pound bike to a stop, Yamaha outfitted it with dual front disc and single rear disc ABS brakes.
Smart Tech Is MT-09’s Calling Card
Because of the ride-by-wire system, the MT-09 has cruise control. The smart turn signals have several settings. Integrated handlebar switches help you deal with the TFT display. And a handy USB-C socket is conveniently located under the seat to power your phone, camera or any other device. And if that’s not enough, Yamaha’s accessories will fill in the rest. From comfort seats to luggage and windscreens, you’ll have plenty of choices to customize the MT-09 into the ultimate sports touring machine.
That Rowdy Triple Engine Is Where It’s Really At
Of course, if you aren’t convinced by any of that just yet, there’s one compelling reason to get (and stick with) the MT-09. The motorcycle market is flooded with parallel twins right now, due to their abundance, relative economy, and ease of maintenance. But if you want to stand out in the parallel engine crowd, you’ll really want to get into triples.
Unfortunately, there aren’t that many to be had, with only MV Agusta, Triumph, and Yamaha producing anything worth looking at. MV Agusta makes expensive exotic machines that you can’t readily find parts or service for in the States. Triumph’s triples are certainly legendary, but they can get quite pricey as well. Fortunately, Yamaha knows how to make a sizzling triple, at an affordable price.
Standing Out From The Crowd With An Engine Full Of Raw Character And Muscle
The 890 cc, CP3 liquid-cooled triple that’s inside the MT-09 is widely considered to be one of the most characterful triples in the business. Yamaha doesn’t disclose its power figures, but according to Motorcycle News, it makes 117 horsepower and 67 pound-feet of torque. And that’s nothing to sneeze at.
Its Polarizing Looks Have Come A Long Way
One of the biggest hurdles to MT-09 ownership is its styling. They have always been aggressive, technical, sharp, and edgy. The same is true for the rest of Yamaha’s MT lineup, though recently Yamaha has begun to refine the MT aesthetics. The MT-09s of the early 2020s were deemed by many to be too polarizing. It’s quite possible that Yamaha tried to one-up KTM’s transformer-like Duke models of the time.
But the newer 2026 model looks a little more mature and refined, while at the same time remaining aggressive, and true to its naked sports bike origins. So if you were put off by the looks of those earlier models, maybe it’s time to check in with the MT-09 once again. And this time, it might just end up being your forever bike after all.
Source: Yamaha
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