Yamaha MT-07: Review

PH2 liked the MT-09 triple; might the baby MT-07 twin be even better?

After a few tough years, you get the feeling Yamaha has eventually woken up from a long sleep and is now starting to fight back. Having unveiled the excellent (if a little abrupt on the throttle) MT-09 last year, it has now followed it up with a smaller capacity sibling - the MT-07. And having spent a day thrashing it around a very windswept Lanzarote, PH2 has high hopes for this brilliant parallel twin and wouldn't be at all surprised to find it in the top five of the UK's best selling bikes this year. Did we mention it costs just £5,199?

Jon finds a solution to the hard to read clocks

Master Torque...
Yes, it's a fairly cheesy acronym, but the MT stands for Master Torque, something Yamaha has been busily trying to instill into its bikes through the 'cross-plane' philosophy. As the MT-07 (and MT-09) can't truly be called cross-plane due to the fact that their planes aren't crossed (only the in-line four is actually X-shaped when you look down the crank) the 689cc parallel twin does have an uneven firing order thanks to its 270-degree crank spacing, which is claimed to reduce torque fluctuations and is therefore 'cross-plane philosophy'.

Whatever the arguments, this is a brand new parallel twin engine, built to power a range of models and with 75hp and 50lb ft of torque, it knocks the spots off the likes of the Kawasaki ER-6n and Honda CB500 when it comes to performance. And the price.

At £5,199 you would have imagined the MT-07 to be a bit budget. Nothing could be further from the truth. Despite being just £200 more than the Honda CB500FA and £200 less than the (suddenly a bit cheaper - coincidence?) Kawasaki ER-6n the MT-07 appears far better built. Every component is bespoke (aside from wheels shared with the MT-09 and familiar looking monoblock brake calipers) and Yamaha claims that, like the MT-09, it has kept the prices down with cash-saving engineering techniques. So, with this in mind, the MT has no ride-by-wire, no traction control, no fuel models and optional ABS. And you know what, it's a million times better for it.

Budget price but looks the biz and goes well

Get on and ride
When you fire up the MT-07 it is initially very disappointing. The exhaust note is, quite frankly, pathetic - a wet fart at best. I'd get onto Akrapovic and order a race pipe before I left my garage if I owned an MT, it really is that wimpy. But once you get going the exhaust is the last thing on your mind as the power delivery is amazing. The parallel twin is almost vibration free and ultra smooth. Once you open the throttle the bottom end is so strong the little bugger merrily hoists the front up in the air. And it'll do it in second if you try. And third with a bit of clutch. Hang on, isn't this a budget commuter?

That's the brilliant thing about the MT-07. Despite its cheap price tag, it delivers 100 per cent on fun. Don't think the engine is some wheelie happy animal, it isn't. If you want to just take it easy then the motor is more than happy to burble around with a slick gearbox, lovely throttle response and light clutch action, but should you wish to play the fool, it will happily oblige all day long. And the handling is equally accomplished.

We get the impression he rather likes it

With just 179kg to throw around, the MT-07 is remarkably light and agile. The low seat height makes this perfect for commuters or newer riders (it can be restricted to become A2-licence compliant) and it is far from intimidating at low speed. But it gets even better when the pace increases. While the suspension is a little budget (you only get spring preload adjustment on the shock to play with) the MT-09's wheels mean you are running proper sized rubber, allowing you to hoon around bends and push the Yamaha far further over than you would anticipate. Unlike the CB, which can tie itself up in knots when you get the hammer down, the MT-07 remains composed and seems to positively enjoy getting thrashed. Even the brakes are excellent, although we didn't test a bike with ABS fitted. After a full days riding the only thing I could criticise was the clocks. They may be nice and clear and come with a gear indicator and fuel gauge, but they seem set a little low on the bike, making it hard to check your speed with a quick glance. That said, mine (along with the front wheel) spent most of the day parallel with the horizon and in full view...

Chuckable, characterful and most of all fun!

So much more than just a commuter...
The MT-07 really surprised me. Before riding it I though it would be a 'worthy' commuter that got on with the job in hand but failed to really throw up any thrills or excitement - how wrong I was. This parallel twin is nothing at all like the Honda CB500 range and instead is stacked full of fun and mischief as well as handling superbly and looking great. Although the engine is the real star of the show, I honestly can't find much to fault about the whole bike. I love the styling, the budget suspension is still very accomplished in its performance and even the brakes are top draw. I haven't enjoyed a day riding a bike as much as I did the MT-07 for a long time, in fact I think the last time I smiled as much was when I was on the MT-09. Although, where the triple did have a few rough edges (or as Yamaha call them, character traits) the parallel twin is quite simply brilliant.

Like Triumph did a few years back Yamaha has certainly turned a corner and instead of releasing Universal Japanese Motorcycles (UJMs) like the FZ8 or FZ1, they are now unleashing models that have a very definite reason to command ownership. They stand out from the crowd rather than blend into the background. Long may it continue.

YAMAHA MT-07
Engine: 689cc parallel twin
Power: 75hp@ 9,000rpm
Torque: 50lb ft@ 6,500rpm
Top speed: 130mph (est)
Weight: 179kg (wet)
MPG: 65mpg (est)
Price: £5,199 (£5,499 with ABS)

Some onboard with Jon from the launch event here.

'Rise up your darkness' (nor us) Manga-style promo vid here.

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J B L

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