VOLUME 58 ISSUE 15 APRIL 13, 2021 P95
Early iterations of the then
FZ-09 were equipped with inno-
vative ride-by-wire throttle control
that played poorly with even
the most subtle of right wrists.
Steady evolution cured those
teething issues, and the outgo-
ing MT-09 has perfectly decent
fueling. It's the 2021 model,
however, that finally delivers on
the promise of throttle-by-wire.
Right-hand feel is spot-on for
smooth street riding in the sec-
ond of two ride modes. Switching
to mode one makes the power
snap on a little harder at full
whack. Not too complex. Just the
kind of differentiation you want
in an everyday bike. Better still,
all the expected rider aides are
comfortably and invisibly inserted
between the brilliant powerplant
and the user. Think R1 here
and you'll get the drift: Wheelie-
limiting launch control, razor
sharp gearchanges from an up/
down quickshifter, and all of the
benefits of a six-axis IMU, includ-
ing cornering, braking and ABS
control. Basically, the technology
that batted around the early FZ-
09 has now been fully cooked.
(Right) Despite
Euro5's best
efforts, Yamaha's
coaxed a little
more torque
out of the now
890cc triple.
