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RIDE REVIEW I 2024 YAMAHA MT-09 SP
North Carolina can be so
pretty in the afternoon.
Like the base model, the SP
is equipped with one of the best
quickshifters in the game. The Ya-
maha unit is a bit different to regu-
lar quickshifters in that it allows for
seamless up and downshifts but
also lets you downshift with the
throttle open and upshifts with
the throttle closed.
This makes the MT-09/SP's
clutch almost unnecessary, needed
only for taking off and coming to
a stop. With innovations like this,
we might soon see the end of
traditional gear systems (hint: we
are, just ask Honda).
One of the joys of the quick-
shifter is the satisfying "bang" from
unburnt fuel igniting in the exhaust
during shifts when the ignition is
momentarily cut. It's a visceral expe
-
rience that electric vehicle drivers/
riders will never know—do this in a
tunnel to get the full audio effect.
However, the MT-09 SP's suspen
-
sion is where the bike sets itself
apart. The SP's gold-colored KYB
forks feature high- and low-speed
compression damping, and the
Ohlins rear shock features a re-
mote preload adjuster. The steering
geometry is the same as the base
model, but the modified linkage ra-
tio places more weight on the front
to aid stability and the rate of turn.
