Yamaha MT-07

I finally managed to ride Yamaha's new toy after never quite getting the chance. The MT-07's price had already caught my attention in the Turkish market, and riding it made it even more interesting. My long wait to try one rather matches Yamaha Turkey's pace in bringing the bike to market. I would like to criticise them a little: plenty of people have paid deposits and are waiting in line to buy this bike. And what does Yamaha do? After selling its first batch, it raises the launch price, even for bikes on which it has already taken deposits, although the exchange rate was higher back at launch. I am sure they would have an explanation if I asked, but it does not look good from the outside. Even at the increased price, an MT-07 with ABS still ranks highly for value for money.

Let's look at the bike itself now. It looks small, but the front is fairly broad. It does not look bad even with a big bloke like me on it; or am I fooling myself? It is quite light, weighing 179 kg wet, in other words ready to ride. You notice that as soon as you sit on it. The riding position is comfortable and looks likely to suit beginners and relatively short riders too. It has an all-digital instrument panel and an interesting starter button that reminds me of keyless bikes. There is no screen at the front. I imagine optional ones will appear soon, because the key is quite far forward, positioned more within reach of someone standing in front of the bike than of the rider.

One thing I had reservations about was the non-adjustable conventional fork. Together with the basic rear shock it reminded me of the Fazer 9, but the suspension copes with a rider of my weight and with our road conditions. No need to worry. It has good brakes and a wonderful engine. Yamaha's crossplane-equipped engine exceeds my expectations (77 hp, 68 Nm of torque). On my first attempts it accelerates sweetly, with nicely controllable power delivery. There are no fancy riding modes or complicated throttle electronics. A little movement of my wrist lifts the front wheel in second gear, and I grin as I gently roll off.

It is economical too, by the way. Despite still being in its running-in period, it used around 5 L during the test. With its 14 L tank, it looks as though it could cover more than 300 km even at that consumption, although I did not ride that far. The tank is rather stylish as well. It is surrounded by attractive textured plastics that give it a high-tech feel to my eye. There is also a nice scratch protector made of the same material where your belly would touch. The picture alongside shows an adhesive camera mount; just ignore that. :)

When I sit on the seat and switch on the ignition, the all-digital dashboard starts its little dance. I am getting used to these displays, but still do not particularly like them. Everything you need seems to be there. Speed, revs, engine temperature, fuel level, clock and gear indicator are all readable. It looks good too, but the area in front of me feels a little incomplete and empty.

I had a little trouble adjusting the clutch; the bite point is a bit high for my taste. The adjuster is rather flimsy and looks borrowed from a commuter bike. The gear lever is much the same. It did not really bother me, but I did not like it either. I understand the need to use cheap parts to keep the price down, but this is not that cheap a motorcycle. :(

The riding position is comfortable. Reaching for the handlebar and placing your hands on the grips puts you in a slight forward lean. Your feet find the pegs easily and your knees hug the tank. I find myself thinking that long journeys would be comfortable, provided I can find luggage that suits the bike without spoiling its looks.

I pay a little attention to the brakes. Although the front brakes feel slightly weak on their initial bite, they are easy to modulate. The ABS does not intervene unnecessarily, though it occasionally joins in at the rear. It is worth choosing the ABS version of the MT-07; I think it justifies the extra cost.

The calipers look nice and the discs are stylish. :P What matters is that they do their job properly and work well with the suspension. I had heard that some MT-07s come with Michelin Pilot Roads; the ones I rode had Bridgestone Battlax BT23s, which are not particular favourites of mine. They suit the bike well. I hardly felt the 180-section rear tyre squirm at all, and, to be fair, they always inspired confidence under braking.

I return to GiS Park and enjoy riding around inside for a while too. After stopping, I look the bike over a bit more. I like the coolant level indicator, but wonder whether a stone hitting it would break it. As for the engine oil sight glass, I do not know whom it was designed for, but to see it while holding the bike upright I had to bend down until my forehead almost touched the ground. Nice design, I mutter, but Yamaha ought to give the lads a few more lessons in ergonomics.

Moving to the other side, my eye once again catches a brake pedal that looks as if it came off the cheapest Chinese bike. Just ahead of it I notice the water pump and coolant pipes, also positioned where they are exposed to damage in a fall or from flying gravel. I find myself thinking that a decent crash bar is needed.

As has become fashionable lately, the exhaust sits just behind the right footpeg. It is fairly small and very quiet. Just the sort we would call ripe for a slip-on. :)

While looking at the exhaust, I notice the hero blob beneath the footpeg. It is both long and cheap-looking, giving me the impression that it is just waiting to scrape the ground and bend; I try not to mind. Looking at the rear tyre, I realise I have leaned the bike over quite far, but I do not remember the peg feeler touching down.

I stop inspecting it and ride some more. It is an enjoyable, rider-friendly motorcycle. It also says it is ready for a bit of mischief. After another happy lap or two, I park beside one of its current rivals, the KTM Duke. The MT-07 appeals to me more. It is just the thing for hearts newly smitten with motorcycling. I think you will be seeing plenty of these on the roads this year.

Thanks again to my friends who lent me their motorcycle for this review. The MT-07 is a very well-balanced package that exceeds my expectations. Price, looks, performance and stopping power: put them all together and it is fantastic. Enjoy the ride. :)