Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/953622
2018 YAMAHA MT-07 FIRST TEST P92 apart from the old one in terms of ride quality, but it has a bit more braking stability and doesn't wallow about as much when you hit a bump while cranked over midcorner. Helping the stability is the 180-section Bridgestone BT-023 rear tire. Whereas something like a Kawasaki Ninja 650 uses a 160-rear tire, the MT's wider rear rubber makes for a more secure ride as well as opening up the rider to a wider range of perfor- mance tires. The brakes on the MT-07 are not superbike-level stoppers, and those with a keen eye will see they have been used on many different Yamahas in the past, but that's because they work and work well. Recently I've noticed quite large variations in braking performance between bikes with higher-spec calipers than the MT but with a cheaper master-cylin- der: the Yamaha's is middle-of- the-road in terms of price point, but the front master-cylinder and dual four-piston calipers are qual- ity units that provide predictable and repeatable braking perfor- mance. There are no electronics on the MT aside from ABS, which is good because you don't need them, and thus won't have to pay for them. Yamaha's engineers have instead gone for the more traditional route of good mechani- cal grip via a well sorted chassis and an engine that does what it says on the packet, and nothing else. Besides, it makes the little MT great for customizing as the lack of wires and control units means you can get real creative without blowing up something valuable! The ride position on the MT-07 is pretty much the same as be- fore, although the rider's seat is noticeably wider and a bit plush- er. That 30 percent increase in seat space is more angled at the back of the seat rather than the front, which is itself changed for this year as the tank cover is now 10mm shorter front to back, mov- ing the rider closer to the front wheel. Shorter riders are going to love this, but taller pilots may find the overall ride position a little cramped. This isn't helped by the fact the handlebar is, for me, not quite wide enough. I asked a Yamaha technician about this and he informed me that widening the bar was a design priority, but due to the bend and material used, the engineers were at their max width and thus couldn't change it. Changing the bar would also mean changing the dash mount and the top triple clamp, so stick- ing with what the bar/devil knew was the way to go. Regardless, the MT-07 is still one of my favorite bikes for street riding, regardless of engine size. It's got a great mo- tor, a comfortable and versatile chassis that can handle proper canyon scratching and touring, and it's priced super competi- tively. Yamaha did so well with the original, better than the MT-09 in my opinion, that there was no need to really screw with it this time around. The MT represents excellent value and you get a lot of bike for the money, and it isn't necessarily a bike you'll want to get rid of once you get your expe- rience up. CN S P E C I F I C A T I O N S 2018 YAMAHA MT-07 ($7599) ENGINE: ....Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-stroke, 8 valves, parallel twin DISPLACEMENT: .................................689cc BORE X STROKE: ....................80 x 68.8mm COMPRESSION RATIO: ......................... 11.5:1 CLUTCH:................................Wet multi-plate TRANSMISSION: .............................. 6-speed CHASSIS: ................................. Tubular steel FRONT SUSPENSION: .41mm KYB inverted fork, non-adjustable REAR SUSPENSION:....... Single KYB shock absorber, preload and rebound damping adjustable FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL: ....................... 5.1 in. REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: ......................... 5.1 in. FRONT BRAKE: .282mm dual semi-floating discs, 4-piston calipers, ABS standard REAR BRAKE:... 245mm disc, single-piston caliper, ABS standard FRONT TIRE: .....120/70 ZR 17 Bridgestone BT-023 REAR TIRE: ....... 180/55 ZR17 Bridgestone BT-023 RAKE: .....................................................24.8° WHEELBASE: ......................................55.1 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ..................................... 31.7 in. FUEL CAPACITY:................................. 3.7 gal WEIGHT (WET, CLAIMED): ..............403 lbs. COLOR: .. Team Yamaha Blue; Matte Gray; Intensity White