2024 Yamaha MT-09 Review | First Ride

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The traditional gift for a 10th anniversary is tin or aluminum, neither of which is particularly fancy, but the latter certainly makes sense for the 2024 Yamaha MT-09. The 890cc inline-Triple-powered naked bike is built around a controlled-fill die-cast aluminum frame, its subframe and swingarm are likewise made from aluminum, and so are its lightweight spinforged wheels and other components.

A decade ago, I attended the U.S. press launch for the all-new Yamaha FZ-09 (as it was originally called) in San Francisco. Blasting around the steep, obstacle-course streets of the Golden Gate City on the fast and frisky FZ was a rollicking good time. The bike was fresh, exciting, and unique, and it felt like Yamaha had a hit on its hands.

Yamaha FZ-09 review — The 2014 Yamaha FZ-09 was a bold, unique entry into the middleweight naked segment. (Photo by Tom Riles)

The FZ-09 was the first model powered by Yamaha’s new “Crossplane Concept” inline-Triple, which was inspired by the YZF-R1’s distinctive crossplane inline-Four. The R1’s engine offsets each crankpin 90 degrees from the next, which creates a cross rather than the flat plane of a 180-degree crank, and it uses an uneven firing interval for smoother throttle response, better rear-wheel traction, and unique character. With one less cylinder, the FZ-09’s CP3 has each crankpin offset 120 degrees from the next, and they fire sequentially (1-2-3) in even 240-degree intervals, and the result is much the same as with the R1’s engine.

The lively motor cranked out about 110 hp, and it was bolted into a compact bike that weighed just 414 lb soaking wet. Duly impressed, in my review I claimed that “the FZ-09 looks, sounds, and feels different from any other bike on the road. It’s part sportbike, part supermoto, and part streetfighter.” That first iteration had some teething issues, including abrupt throttle response and a brick-like seat, but it was a blast on two wheels and a steal at just $7,990. So many deposits were put down before bikes started arriving at dealerships that Yamaha doubled production.

Ten years later, we’re now on the fourth generation of the platform known in America since 2018 as the MT-09 to match its global nomenclature. Updates every few years have been fueled by the bike’s popularity – more than 30,000 have been sold in the U.S. and nearly 200,000 have been sold worldwide.

As the MT-09 has grown up, it has become more refined and more sophisticated. But, unlike most teen rebels who become tax-paying adults, the MT hasn’t lost its edgy side. The biggest overhaul was in 2021, when it got a larger 890cc (up from 847cc) engine, an updated chassis, and an IMU-supported electronics package adapted from the R1.

2024 Yamaha MT-09 Review | What’s New

Updates for 2024 are mostly enhancements. Starting with the drivetrain, the transmission has new drive dogs and gears that improve shifting engagement and reduce backlash. Yamaha’s third-generation quickshifter now works at speeds as low as 9 mph and allows downshifts during acceleration as well as upshifts during deceleration. To improve intake sound, there are now two tuned intake ducts instead of three, a new intake opening in the airbox, and, like those introduced on the 2022 Yamaha MT-10, Acoustic Amplifier Grilles atop the fuel tank that project intake sound directly into the cockpit.

The MT-09’s updated styling and revised ergonomics begin at the front, with new LED headlights and position lights fitted into a stubby, Predator-esque facemask. The fuel tank was reshaped and repositioned for a more aggressive look and sportier ergonomics. Compared to the previous model, the tank is wider, lower, and has deeper knee cut-outs. The handlebar is now 1.4 inches lower, is a tad closer to the rider, and has more sweep and a sharper rise, but it also has two position settings and an additional four degrees of steering sweep on either side (32 degrees, up from 28). The net result of these changes is more weight on the front tire and a smaller turning radius, both of which make the bike easier to maneuver.

Ergonomic changes also extend to the saddle, with the former single-piece seat replaced by separate rider and passenger saddles. Seat height for the rider remains 32.5 inches, but the seat is flatter and 0.5 inch narrower near the front to make it easier to reach the ground. The rider’s footpegs have been moved rearward and like the handlebar are adjustable with two positions. Yamaha further sweated the details by making the clutch lever adjustable over 14 positions spanning a 0.4-inch range, making the mirrors larger, and replacing the cast brake pedal with a stronger forged unit.

Having altered the front/rear weight distribution and always on the hunt for better handling, Yamaha also made changes to the MT-09’s chassis and suspension. The CP3 Triple is a stressed member of the chassis, and the right and left side engine brackets were made thicker for more rigidity in the middle. The headstock bracket, on the other hand, was changed to allow more compliance up front.

The MT-09 still uses a fully adjustable 41mm inverted fork made by KYB, but it has a higher spring rate and firmer damping. The KYB shock, which is adjustable for preload and rebound, uses a new linkage ratio with a flatter curve as well as firmer damping. The main brake components – dual 298mm floating front discs with 4-piston radial calipers, a single 245mm rear disc with a 1-piston caliper – are unchanged, but the front master cylinder has been upgraded to a premium Brembo radial setup.

2024 Yamaha MT-09 Review | Riding Impressions

Yamaha returned to the Bay Area for the U.S. press launch of the 2024 MT-09, but this time around we were farther south in the heart of Silicon Valley. That’s fitting since the latest MT is the most tech heavy yet. It has a larger, 5-inch (up from 3.5) TFT instrument panel with four display modes. Using the Yamaha Y-Connect app, a smartphone can be paired with the bike, allowing use of the free Garmin StreetCross app for on-screen turn-by-turn navigation.

The Yamaha Ride Control electronics suite has been simplified into three standard ride modes (Sport, Street, and Rain) as well as two customizable modes that allow all rider aids to be tailored to the rider’s preferences via the TFT menu or Y-Connect app. Parameters can be adjusted for throttle response, lean-sensitive traction control, cornering ABS, slide control, wheelie control, back-slip regulation, and the quickshifter. The handlebar switches have been redesigned to be more user-friendly and intuitive, and cruise control is now standard.

Gear Up

The MT-09’s engine alights with a familiar growl. Following the model-year 2021 update, there has been no typical exhaust pipe to speak of, just a metal box under the bike with an exit hole on the bottom. With the engines warmed up, we began our test ride on the city streets of Cupertino, where Apple is headquartered. It was a Thursday morning, and folks were driving their Teslas to Starbucks, driving their Teslas to work, or driving their Teslas to drop kids off at school. Our gang of gas-powered motorcycles might as well have been a group of Hell’s Angels.

At modest around-town speeds, the MT-09 is well-mannered. It’s easy to maneuver, its controls and functions make sense, and its exhaust burbles politely. As a lightweight, compact machine, it would be an ideal commuter, even more so when fitted with one of Yamaha’s accessory top trunks, available in 34-liter and 45-liter sizes.

But a sporty naked bike lives its best life in the curves. Leaving the flat suburban grid behind, we climbed into the rugged Santa Cruz Mountains, which are covered with towering redwoods and crisscrossed with fantastic roads, such as Skyline Boulevard and Big Basin Way. With its wheels wearing the latest Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S23 tires, the MT-09 clung to the road like a cat climbing a tree, and it handled the dozens of tight transitions with confident ease.

When riding at speed while leaned over, whether giving it throttle or applying the brakes, the changes to the MT-09’s ergonomics, weight distribution, and chassis clicked. The more committed riding position improves the rider’s sense of control, providing a more reassuring connection to the bike. Grippier tires with more weight on the front and firmer suspension damping help the MT-09 feel more planted. The bike does more of what it is supposed to do – what you want it to do – freeing up brain space for scanning ahead, judging corner speed, or admiring the blurred view out of the corner of your eye.

While the Acoustic Amplifier Grilles might sound like a gimmick, they actually work. They aren’t electronic; they’re not like tiny guitar amplifiers with a knob that goes up to 11. They are simply tunnels that allow intake sound to be projected directly toward the rider, kind of like those ear trumpets old folks used a long time ago, and the effect is greatest at mid to high rpm. The auditory boost adds to the visceral, spine-tingling feelings that make sport riding so addictive.

2024 Yamaha MT-09 Review | The Long Ride Home

Wanting to spend more time with the new MT-09 than our one-day test ride would allow, I opted to ride one home from the launch. Yamaha set me up with several accessories, including a 34-liter top case, comfort seats, and a radiator guard (see accessory pricing below spec chart). With gear stuffed into the top case and more in a duffel bag Rok-strapped to the passenger seat, I headed south for a greatest-hits tour of Central California roads.

First I had to slog through 50 miles of traffic-clogged freeway, which required a lot of lane changes. One of the upgrades on the new MT-09 is self-cancelling turnsignals. Once activated, they turn off after 15 seconds if the bike has moved more than 150 meters (492 feet). Also new is a dual-function turnsignal rocker switch. A short tap on either the left or right side of the rocker gives a short three-pulse signal for a quick lane change, while a full press gives a continuous pulse (another full press turns off the signal, or you can wait until it auto-cancels). All well and good, except that with my big gorilla thumbs I didn’t have enough finesse to do the short tap. And rather than the more common central button that you push to cancel, I’d often hit the wrong side of the rocker and mistakenly activate the other turnsignal, which meant I was giving mixed signals – literally – to those behind me. While I’m all for self-cancelling turnsignals, the dual-function rocker switch complicates what has long been a no-look, second-nature operation.

Now that I’ve covered that nitpick, let me get back to praising the MT-09, because there isn’t much else to complain about. South of Hollister is a 60-mile stretch of California Route 25 that runs parallel to the San Andreas Fault and hugs the western side of a valley between the Diablo and Gabilan mountain ranges. It was early May, and thanks to above-average winter rainfall, my ride on SR-25 was between green hillsides, lush pastures, and fields covered in wildflowers. SR-25 passes by the eastern entrance to Pinnacles National Park, and from there until its end at State Route 198, it is a playground of curves, dips, and dales. It was a Friday morning, and the road was all but empty. Bliss.

Crossing SR-198, I continued south on Indian Valley Road, a 40-mile roughly paved farm road that’s little more than a lane wide. Farther south, I wound through wine country on State Route 41, sliced my way through the tightly banked curves of the short but sweet State Route 229 (aka Rossi’s Driveway), and then enjoyed 65 gloriously curved and fast-paced miles on State Route 58 to the edge of the Central Valley. South of Maricopa, I climbed back into the mountains on State Route 166, rode around grassland hills and along ridgelines on Hudson Ranch Road, carved through canyons on Lockwood Valley Road, and snaked over mountains and through valleys on State Route 33.

It was a fantastic, 425-mile day in perfect conditions with sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s. The only downside was being a human bug catcher, splattering hundreds of flying insects as I hit them at speed. After returning home, I logged another 600-plus miles on the MT-09 over the next few weeks.

What did I learn? The MT-09 still has the untamed spirit of the original FZ-09, but it now feels less like an unbroken bronco and more like a hot-blooded thoroughbred. It’s a more self-assured machine, ready to give the rider what he or she wants when they want it. It’s more versatile too, better equipped to perform over a wider range of uses, from trackdays to sport-touring to weekend canyon carving to daily commuting. The riding position is more committed than before, but it makes sense for the MT-09’s core mission of sport performance.

Yes, the base price of the MT-09 seems much higher than it was in 2014, but not when you take inflation into account. The $7,990 MSRP from a decade ago would be $10,532 in today’s dollars. The 2024 Yamaha MT-09 is priced at $10,599 – just $67 more, yet the current model is a much better motorcycle with many more standard features, particularly its state-of-the-art electronics package. The original FZ-09 was a steal, but the new MT-09 is an even better deal.

Check out more new bikes in Rider’s 2024 Motorcycle Buyers Guide

2024 Yamaha MT-09 Specs

Base Price: $10,599
Price as Tested: $11,634 (see accessory pricing below)
Website: YamahaMotorSports.com
Warranty: 1 yr., unltd. miles
Engine Type: Liquid-cooled transverse inline-Triple, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 890cc
Bore x Stroke: 78.0 x 62.1mm
Horsepower: 117 hp @ 10,000 rpm (factory claim)
Torque: 69 lb-ft @ 7,000 rpm (factory claim)
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/assist wet clutch
Final Drive: Chain
Wheelbase: 56.3 in.
Rake/Trail: 24.7 degrees/4.3 in.
Seat Height: 32.5 in.
Wet Weight: 425 lb (factory claim)
Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gal.
Fuel Consumption: 41.3 mpg