The Yamaha MT-09 is a fairly new model, having only been launched in 2014. It is an interesting motorcycle as it toes the line between a naked sport and a streetfighter-style body and power. Using a crossplane inline 3 engine, it produces approximately 115 HP at the crank and has plenty of low RPM and mid-range grunt to get it going and to pull cleanly and confidently out of corners.
Since 2017, all MT-09’s have had fully adjustable suspension, traction control, dual-zone ABS, a slipper clutch, and LED highlights. As well, compared to many other naked sport bikes, the MT-09 features a double-sided rear swingarm.
The Yamaha MT-09 starts at $8,999 US/$10,199 CA
On this page:we’ve curated specs, features, news, photos/videos, etc. so you can read up on the new Yamaha MT-09 in one place.
Single shock, adjustable preload, and rebound damping; 5.1-in travel
Brakes Front
Dual 298mm hydraulic disc; ABS
Brakes Rear
245mm hydraulic disc; ABS
Tires Front
120/70 ZR 17
Tires Rear
180/55 ZR 17
Fuel Tank Capacity
14 L (3.7 US gal.)
Color
Ice Fluo, Matte Raven Black
ELECTRICAL
Ignition
TCI: Transistor Controlled Ignition
Spark Plugs
Headlight
LED
Tail Light
LED
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length
Overall Width
Overall Height
Wheelbase
56.7 in (1440mm)
Ground Clearance
5.3 in (134mm)
Seat Height
32.3 in (820mm)
Curb Weight
425 lbs (192kg)
WARRANTY
Warranty
1 Year (Limited Factory Warranty)
Extension
2020 Yamaha MT-09 Features
TOP FEATURES
The Class-Defining Naked Sportbike
Packing aggressive style and impressive performance, Yamaha’s original Hypernaked blew open the sportbike segment. Now wearing the MT-09 badge and more refined than ever, it features a potent inline-triple motor, adjustable traction control, a fully-adjustable fork, ABS, and an aggressive look unlike anything else on the road.
Powerful Inline-Triple
The MT-09’s 847cc CP3® engine combines advanced electronic systems—including YCC-T®, Yamaha D-Mode and multi-mode traction control—with a crossplane concept crankshaft to deliver an exciting, torquey and quick-revving engine character built around rider-centric control.
Sporty, Agile Chassis
Thanks to the compact motor and narrow frame design, the MT-09 weighs in at only 425 pounds. Combined with optimized chassis dimensions and rider ergonomics, the MT-09 achieves a sporty, light and neutral handling character, with an upright riding position ready for just about anything.
Adjustable Suspension
With a fully-adjustable fork and two-way adjustable laydown Monocross® shock, the MT-09 brings improved tuneability across a wide range of road conditions and riding styles, with outstanding front-end feedback and confidence.
Cutting-Edge LED Lighting
With a brilliant quad LED headlight assembly and bright LED taillight design, the MT-09 illuminates the road ahead and provides exceptional road visibility with a high-quality appearance.
ENGINE
Advanced 3-Cylinder Engine
The MT-09 is powered by an 847cc liquid-cooled, inline 3-cylinder, DOHC engine with downdraft intake and ride-by-wire throttle control. With a 78.0mm x 59.1mm bore x stroke and 11.5:1 compression ratio, it produces an exciting, torquey and quick-revving engine character, perfectly splitting the best characteristics of both 2- and 4-cylinder motors in a compact, lightweight package.
Crossplane Concept CP3 Design
The MT-09’s “Crossplane Crankshaft Concept” engine provides linear torque development in response to the rider’s throttle input, for responsive engine thrust with a strong feeling of power in the low- to mid-rpm range. To boost refinement and provide a smoother ride, the CP3 engine uses a compact counterbalancer to cancel out vibration.
Offset Cylinder Block
The CP3 engine mounts its three cylinder bores 5mm forward, towards the exhaust side. This offset reduces piston to cylinder wall friction, for more power and improved fuel economy.
Fracture-Split Connecting Rods
The forged connecting rods are made using the fracture-split method—where the big-end ring of the connecting rod is purposefully fractured and then reassembled—to ensure an unparalleled degree of manufacturing accuracy. This creates a pair of perfectly matching halves that produces a much more precise mating surface when they are bolted together again around the crankshaft.
Unique Staggered Intake Funnels
To develop the MT-09’s broad torque curve and create its unique intake sound, the three intake funnels have been designed with uneven lengths. This staggered design gives the CP3 engine an excellent spread of torque across the entire rev range.
Assist and Slipper Clutch
Yamaha’s assist and slipper clutch give the rider smoother, more confident downshifts when entering corners aggressively, as well as a lighter pull effort at the lever in day-to-day riding, all while easily handling the torque of the MT-09’s high-output motor.
Compact 6-Speed Transmission
The MT-09’s gearing takes full advantage of the low-to-midrange torque of the CP3 engine while being designed to be very compact: the crankshaft, input, and output shafts are “stacked” in a triangular layout to centralize mass and keep the engine shorter front-to-back, which allows optimized engine placement in the frame for outstanding handling.
Mass-Centralized 3-into-1 Exhaust System
By placing the muffler low in the frame and as close to the center of the machine as possible, overall handling is enhanced. Featuring a short, slash-cut exhaust outlet, the MT-09 howls with a sweet 3-cylinder exhaust note, too.
CHASSIS/SUSPENSION
Compact, Sporty Chassis
The MT-09 is built around a strong controlled-fill cast aluminum frame. The wheelbase, seat height, fuel tank width, rake and other dimensions are all set to work with the qualities of the compact 3-cylinder engine to achieve a sporty, light and neutral handling character, an upright riding position, and a narrow feeling chassis at the seat/tank junction.
Fully Adjustable Inverted Fork
The 41mm inverted fork is fully adjustable for compression damping, rebound damping, and spring preload. Not only does this allow riders greater flexibility in tuning their MT-09, the fork separates compression and rebound damping into separate fork legs, making it easier to fine-tune for the perfect setup across all 5.4 inches of fork travel.
Adjustable Horizontal Monocross® Shock
The rear suspension features a linkage-type Monocross shock, adjustable for rebound damping and spring preload. The shock features an almost horizontal alignment—this unusual position creates excellent mass centralization and a slimmer body design.
Lightweight Wheels
Lightweight 10-spoke aluminum wheels are used, fitted with a 120/70ZR17 front tire and 180/55ZR17 rear tire. The tires are built to Yamaha’s specifications that provides excellent all-around handling and grip.
Powerful Brakes with ABS
The MT-09’s front brakes consist of paired floating 298mm discs with radial-mount, 4-piston calipers, backed up by a 245mm rear rotor, creating an ideal combination of power and feel. An Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) comes standard, for additional confidence when slowing in less than ideal conditions.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Comfortable, Upright Ergonomics
Enjoy every ride thanks to upright ergonomics that balance front-end feedback with do-it-all practicality. The tapered aluminum handlebar, ideal placement of the seat and footpegs, and ultra-narrow frame and fuel tank create an excellent sense of feel between rider and machine. The long, flat seat improves rider comfort, and is roomier for a passenger, too.
LED Lighting
The MT-09 features LED headlights for brilliant illumination. The quad headlight unit produces a crisp spread of light for confidence in low-light conditions and is matched to a 3D taillight design for head-turning style.
Aggressive Styling
The MT-09 features an aggressive style with a high-quality modern look, centered on the floating-style headlight unit with quad LED headlights. Slim radiator shrouds and air scoops give a unified, mass-forward appearance, accentuated by the short tail section and swingarm-mounted fender.
Ready to Accessorize
The MT-09 is ready for a range of Genuine Yamaha accessories, including windscreens, luggage and more. Performance-minded riders can also install a Quick Shift System to allow for clutchless full-throttle upshifts for maximum acceleration.
ELECTRONICS
Advanced Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle
The ride-by-wire Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T®) system senses the slightest throttle input by the rider and instantaneously calculates the ideal throttle valve opening, and then actuates the throttle valves to actively control intake volume. This technology contributes to the rider’s feeling of torque and controllability from the 3-cylinder engine.
Adjustable Traction Control System
A Traction Control System (TCS) assists the rider in managing traction on various road conditions by quickly modulating throttle opening, ignition timing, and fuel volume. The MT-09’s TCS includes two modes to suit various road conditions, and can also be disabled by the rider if they so choose.
Selectable D-Mode Throttle Mapping
The MT-09 features Yamaha’s D-Mode system to allow the rider to choose the optimum engine character for their riding situation and preferences. The rider can choose from three throttle valve control maps (Standard Mode, “A” Mode, and “B” Mode) for different throttle response characteristics at the push of a button.
Advanced LCD Instrumentation
The lightweight, compact all-LCD meter is mounted to the floating-style headlight assembly for a technical appearance and features a digital bar-type display with prominent speedometer and gear position indicator, as well as readouts for TCS and D-Mode settings, a fuel gauge, and multiple trip computer functions such as average and current fuel economy.
