P98
RIDE REVIEW I 2021 YAMAHA MT-09
The best and biggest changes
to the 2021 MT-09 come in the
handling department, and they
address the old bike's flaws with
gusto. Yamaha claims its new die-
cast aluminum frame is 50 percent
stiffer. The steering head pipe is
more than an inch lower, and the
fork is shorter in turn. Suspension
travel is reduced by 0.3 inches
front and rear. Springs in the ad-
justable KYB-built suspension are
perceptibly stiffer.
Lighter wheels and a redesigned
swingarm cut down on unsprung
weight. Indicating the scope of the
MT-09's redesign, that new swing-
arm is mounted to the inside of the
frame, rather than the outside, as
on the outgoing 2020 bike. They're
big, positive changes that make
themselves known just as soon
as the urban environment starts to
recede in your mirrors.
STILL A LITTLE
CHEAP AROUND
THE EDGES?
While the bargain-bin feel of the
old FZ-09 has been almost entirely
relegated to the past, a few nods to
cheapness will catch your eye. Ex-
posed and taped-up bits of wiring
still protrude from the headlamp.
The rear brake pedal is stamped
and chintzy. Up front, sharp eyes
will notice standard brake lines in-
stead of fancy steel braided ones.
The color dash display is—fine.
Maybe a little frozen in time, and
not in a cool Triumph kind of way.
The MT-09 comes
fitted standard
with Bridgestone's
excellent S22
rubber. A small but
important point
in the newfound
handling prowess.
