VOLUME 58 ISSUE 44 NOVEMBER 2, 2021 P75
THE MT-09 HAS
ALWAYS BEEN A BIT
NASTY, BUT A CLOSE
TO FULL REDESIGN
HAS BOUGHT A
LITTLE MORE CIVILITY
TO YAMAHA'S
LITTLE BRAT
P
inning the throttle on Ya-
maha's 2021 MT-09 SP is a
far more exciting experience
than it was in previous years. The
three-cylinder motor's capacity has
jumped from 847cc to 890cc, giv-
ing not just more power but a fuller
torque curve, and the feel at the
twist grip is of a bike that's been on
the juice and does CrossFit.
From 4000 rpm all the way to
10,000 rpm, the bigger, stron-
ger motor pulls like a 16-year-old
browsing on the family computer
incognito. You're dancing on the
shift lever, throwing gears via the
sweet-action up-and-down quick-
shifter as 70, 80, 90 mph rush past
on the new 3.5-inch TFT dash.
The speed is mated to a glori-
ously loud roar from the stumpy
exhaust that exits near your right
heel, proving that although Ya-
maha's original Dark Side of Japan
machine has grown up somewhat,
it's still a punk rocker at heart.
BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT PALMER
P
far more exciting experience
than it was in previous years. The
three-cylinder motor's capacity has
BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT PALMER
YAMAHA'S
LITTLE BRAT
GROWS UP
