This year’s model features an updated 5-inch TFT dash with a multitude of settings and prebaked riding modes along with phone connectivity. Yamaha has reoriented the rider triangle into a sportier position, stiffened the suspension, refined the rigidity and balance of the chassis, and reworked the overall aesthetics of the machine. While the changes may not seem major, they do hint at a new philosophy infiltrating Yamaha’s “Dark Side of Japan” models.
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SportsTranscript
00:00Hey there, I'm Jen, and this is the 2024 Yamaha MT-09.
00:11I think the MT series has always had a little bit of a reputation for being raw, you know,
00:17and a little uncouth sometimes, but I would have to say after riding this newest edition
00:21of the MT-09, Yamaha's made just the right amount of refinements, so it's still really
00:25fun and sporty, but it's not so in-your-face and trying to fight you on the ride.
00:30Alright, so it's the same triple that we all know and love here in the MT-09, and that
00:34is really a good thing.
00:35They didn't have to make any changes there because it has such a playful power band.
00:40Down low, and even when you're getting up 6, 7,000, 8,000 RPM, this thing is still hauling
00:45the mail, and that's what riders want out of a street fighter machine.
00:49One of my favorite things about this MT-09 is the updated quick shifter.
00:53I really tried to confuse this quick shifter.
00:55I definitely tried to shift when I'm idling, when I'm aggressive on the throttle.
00:59This might be the smoothest shifting MT today.
01:02Alright, so as a shorter rider, I really pay attention a lot to levers and foot selectors,
01:08things like that, because I normally have a little bit more trouble getting a reach
01:11on all those different things.
01:12So I really like that the MT-09 does have adjustable levers for both the front brake
01:16and the clutch, and also I think the riding position in general is going to suit smaller
01:19riders as well.
01:20So Yamaha told us about some changes they made to the riding position.
01:23At first, I was a little concerned.
01:24It sounded like it was going to get a little too aggressive and sport bike-like.
01:28Now after riding all day on this MT-09, I would want to say that I think that verbiage
01:31is just a little over the top.
01:34This is still a really relaxed riding position, especially compared to the sport bike models.
01:38So if you're a rider and you're worried about this thing getting a little too sporty, don't
01:41worry about that.
01:42I was still comfortable all day, nice and upright, no soreness in the shoulders.
01:46Alright, so out here in Cupertino, California, and all the way through Santa Cruz, we found
01:50a lot of tight technical roads.
01:52I was definitely doing some heavy trail braking into a lot of these corners, blind corners,
01:57not sure where I'm going to be going next, and I'd have to say the MT-09 was a really
02:00great dancing partner in that aspect.
02:02And so if I needed to make a quick, fast dive, the MT-09 was there with me all the way through.
02:08So Yamaha did update the suspension with stiffer settings.
02:12Now me being a smaller and shorter and lighter rider, I do notice things like that.
02:16I would say the suspension is a bit stiff for my liking.
02:19Now I like that into tight technical corners, but I would have to say for the casual riding,
02:24going through town, hitting potholes and bumps, you're going to feel a little bit more of
02:27that getting transmitted up through the seat of the pants.
02:30So the good news here is of course that the suspension is adjustable on the MT-09.
02:35The MT-09 has seen some refinements in the electronics department as well.
02:38It now has three pre-baked rider modes, rain, street, and sport.
02:42Before it was up to riders to individually select TC, ABS, and other rider aids independently,
02:47but now the pre-baked modes take all the guesswork out.
02:50And you also have two custom maps, you can fine tune that to whatever you like.
02:54I tried out rain mode, it works as advertised, nice gentle setting.
02:58Now between street and sport, you know, I actually find they're both pretty aggressive,
03:03really sporty and fun.
03:05So I'd say in either of those modes, you're going to have a good time.
03:08All right, so new for this year, Yamaha has taken another look at the front end and they've
03:11updated it here, the styling and look of it.
03:14It's a little bit more aggressive and brooding looking.
03:18I personally like it.
03:19I think previous MTs were a little friendly looking, you know, they had like a smile in
03:23those headlights there.
03:24So for this year, you can enjoy a little bit meaner look to the dark side of Japan.
03:29The MT-09 still rides like the aggressive street fighter machine it has always been,
03:33but it has gotten even more aggressive.
03:35With the new riding position and stiffer settings, it is definitely inched back toward a sporty
03:39and not a casual riding experience.
03:41All right, so that's going to do it for our first ride review on the 2024 Yamaha MT-09.
03:45If you want to see more about this bike, head on over to CycleWorld.com.