DJP Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 Any owners on board? I've tried a load of bikes on for size, and the MT09 is the front runner. Use would be commuting and general fun. I'm looking at reliability, longevity, servicing etc. etc. Your experiences please. Quote
Bender Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 Great bike, cheap suspension, not great with pillion. Think that's the general opinion. Quote
Stu Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 They go pretty well This is speaking from experience when I was chasing my mate on his when I was off on one to get home for a piss Quote
Mississippi Bullfrog Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 I looked at one for a work bike a while ago. Very impressive bike for the money. Just make sure you get a thorough test ride before committing. 2 Quote
DJP Posted November 8, 2021 Author Posted November 8, 2021 Well, I had a good 50 mile test ride on the MT09 the other day and frankly, I'm not sure. It's a nice enough bike: Easy to get on with, comfortable enough for me (apart from the overly firm suspension, but I could live with that). Nice fuelling, dripping with tech and decent performance (although not as fast as the claimed power and weight figures might suggest). I've ridden the XSR900 and several previous incarnations of the MT09 and the 2021 is the best yet. Gone are the fuelling glitches, odd riding position and wayward handling. Yamaha have undoubtedly addressed all of the previous shortcomings of the model and it's a much better bike. But, well... I dunno. Maybe I'm a Luddite, but I was kind of put off by all the tech and it just felt a little bit... well, cheap. Except that it's not cheap at over £9k. If I'd liked it just a bit more, I'd have opened the chequebook there and then but as it stands I'm not sure that I like it that much. Which is a bummer 'cos I'm not sure what I'm going to do now. Quote
Mississippi Bullfrog Posted November 8, 2021 Posted November 8, 2021 11 minutes ago, DJP said: Well, I had a good 50 mile test ride on the MT09 the other day and frankly, I'm not sure. It's a nice enough bike: Easy to get on with, comfortable enough for me (apart from the overly firm suspension, but I could live with that). Nice fuelling, dripping with tech and decent performance (although not as fast as the claimed power and weight figures might suggest). I've ridden the XSR900 and several previous incarnations of the MT09 and the 2021 is the best yet. Gone are the fuelling glitches, odd riding position and wayward handling. Yamaha have undoubtedly addressed all of the previous shortcomings of the model and it's a much better bike. But, well... I dunno. Maybe I'm a Luddite, but I was kind of put off by all the tech and it just felt a little bit... well, cheap. Except that it's not cheap at over £9k. If I'd liked it just a bit more, I'd have opened the chequebook there and then but as it stands I'm not sure that I like it that much. Which is a bummer 'cos I'm not sure what I'm going to do now. Which is exactly why choosing the right bike is so difficult. A bike can be technically very good but if it's not stirring your heart and soul then walk away and look again. You will regret buying the wrong bike. It is especially true if you only have one bike that has to fulfil several roles. It's why I keep my CBF for work and practical things. And the Bobber for playing out on. I spend ages looking for the right fun bike. I went to every dealership for miles around and just sat on everything I could. Most were an instant no. Many were a tantilising maybe. Just one was an instant - I gotta have this. You'll know when you find it. 3 Quote
Bender Posted November 8, 2021 Posted November 8, 2021 Yup, if its not right keep looking, do you want to ride a bike that you think is mehhh. Quote
Stu Posted November 8, 2021 Posted November 8, 2021 But on the other hand you don't always get the feel of it on a short 50 mile ride! In fact I have gone out on a bike I have owned for years and not felt it so ended up turning around and going home. Why not see if you can get an extended test ride? Quote
DJP Posted November 8, 2021 Author Posted November 8, 2021 (edited) Nah. Thing is, I'm fairly specific in my requirements and I have a test route that replicates the roads that I ride pretty much exactly. If a bike doesn't work for me there, then it just doesn't work for me full stop. That said, the MT09 did nothing wrong. I can't seriously fault it. It was instantly familiar and I could quite easily live with it. But it just didn't float my boat. If I'm honest, I was put off by the electronics: There were couple of times that the quickshifter got in my way (when it tried to do what I was already doing) although I could get used to that, but I have a nagging feeling that quickshifters are not good for the gearbox long-term. Also, I can't help wondering about the reliability and longevity of the various electronic bits - especially given the overall cheap feel of the bike which really doesn't inspire confidence. Dunno, maybe I'm doing it a massive injustice, but they just aren't the kind of thoughts that I want in the back of my mind when I'm about to hand over £9k for a motorbike. Edited November 8, 2021 by DJP typo Quote
Stu Posted November 8, 2021 Posted November 8, 2021 Thats fair enough if you think that the route you are doing etc would replicate the type of riding etc When I rode my mates MT09 I must admit it felt strange! I felt like I was sat on top of the front wheel it didn't do it for me but he loved it! although he bought the bike with no test ride and probably just got used to it 2 minutes ago, DJP said: There were couple of times that the quickshifter got in my way (when it tried to do what I was already doing) although I could get used to that, but I have a nagging feeling that quickshifters are not good for the gearbox long-term. But this I have to say they take some getting used to! When I got the BM I kept fluffing the gear changes massively! some would be fairly smooth some would be damn right crude! it took some getting used to as I have been riding 20 years making clutch less changes with no issues but you have to relearn not to close that throttle etc My changes are now spot on As for damage to the box its not going to happen you would have heard load of stories by now of damaged boxes and not just on the MT I mean on all bikes with or without a quick shifter as essentially all you are doing is doing a clutch less change and the quick shifter is taking care of cutting the throttle rather than you closing the throttle Quote
geofferz Posted November 8, 2021 Posted November 8, 2021 Get a used mt10 for like 7k. Absolute weapon - I loved mine. Quote
fastbob Posted November 8, 2021 Posted November 8, 2021 (edited) I must agree with some of the earlier comments . It doesn't matter how efficient these modern takes on the UJM * are , you have still got to have some sort of emotional connection with your motorbike . * UJM , Universal Japanese Motorbike , a phrase from the 70,s when the main difference between the top bikes from the big four Japanese manufacturers was the name on the tank . Edited November 8, 2021 by fastbob 1 Quote
Mississippi Bullfrog Posted November 9, 2021 Posted November 9, 2021 10 hours ago, fastbob said: I must agree with some of the earlier comments . It doesn't matter how efficient these modern takes on the UJM * are , you have still got to have some sort of emotional connection with your motorbike . * UJM , Universal Japanese Motorbike , a phrase from the 70,s when the main difference between the top bikes from the big four Japanese manufacturers was the name on the tank . They say that imitiation is the sincerest form of flattery. I guess the same is true of modern cars. Ask a computer to design something that ticks all the boxes and you'll end up with a generic design that works for most people. The only thing is that bikes of that era have now become collectible. I very much doubt anyone will want to collect the current generation of tin boxes. Quote
S-Westerly Posted November 9, 2021 Posted November 9, 2021 1 minute ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said: They say that imitiation is the sincerest form of flattery. I guess the same is true of modern cars. Ask a computer to design something that ticks all the boxes and you'll end up with a generic design that works for most people. The only thing is that bikes of that era have now become collectible. I very much doubt anyone will want to collect the current generation of tin boxes. Won't be able to run them anyway as we won't be able to get fuel by then. Just be large ornaments. 1 Quote
fastbob Posted November 9, 2021 Posted November 9, 2021 Here you go , take yer pick . They all look the same to me . 1 Quote
Mississippi Bullfrog Posted November 9, 2021 Posted November 9, 2021 1 minute ago, fastbob said: Here you go , take yer pick . They all look the same to me . I can spot the difference. The two on the left are grey. And the two on the right aren't. 2 Quote
skyrider Posted November 9, 2021 Posted November 9, 2021 22 hours ago, fastbob said: I must agree with some of the earlier comments . It doesn't matter how efficient these modern takes on the UJM * are , you have still got to have some sort of emotional connection with your motorbike . * UJM , Universal Japanese Motorbike , a phrase from the 70,s when the main difference between the top bikes from the big four Japanese manufacturers was the name on the tank . i think the best balanced four cylinder bike i have had has got to be the xj550 Quote
Bender Posted November 9, 2021 Posted November 9, 2021 10 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said: I can spot the difference. The two on the left are grey. And the two on the right aren't. One has red wheels.... Quote
fastbob Posted November 10, 2021 Posted November 10, 2021 12 hours ago, skyrider said: i think the best balanced four cylinder bike i have had has got to be the xj550 I think the most unbalanced , lumbering , roaring , ugly four cylinder bike I ever had was my GSX1100 . And that's what attracted me to it . 2 Quote
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