[MOTO] 2021 Yamaha MT-09 showcased: Lighter, more powerful and tech-loaded!

[Nikhel Nice]

2021 Yamaha MT-09 showcased: Lighter, more powerful and tech-loaded!

 

Yamaha has just dropped a first look at the 2021 MT-09, with more power, more tech and more punch than the motorcycle it replaces.

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Powered by a new 890cc cross-plane motor inline triple with 117bhp and 93Nm.
• 6-axis IMU adapted from the Yamaha YZF-R1.
• 2021 Yamaha MT-09 weighs 3kg less.

 

 

The Yamaha MT-09 has always been one of the most formidable street fighters out there, although the arrival of tech-loaded rivals seems to have spurred Yamaha to completely overhaul their middle-weight naked without taking away from the MT-09s iconic presence.

Changes on the MT-09 start at the front with a new design for the headlamps, replacing the old unit is a new single projector LED that is flanked by two LED strips. The new lights are a full departure from the twin-projector on the present generation of the MT. Although it is arguably less sinister in terms of appeal, it sets the tone for the rest of the 2021 MT-09. The tank too has gone under the knife with noticeably more angles and sinews.

Under the skin is a new Deltabox frame for the MT-09 that's lighter than before and has 50 per cent greater lateral rigidity to improve the MT-09's stability while riding in a straight line. The 2021 MT-09 also gets a brand new swingarm made of aluminium, that is 250gm lighter than the one on the current motorcycle. All found the new frame and the lighter engine weight have resulted in a 3kg drop in the MT-09s weight with the new bike set to tip the scales at 189kg. Suspension duties are divided between fully-adjustable 41mm Kayaba USD fork and a preload plus rebound adjustable Kayaba mono-shock at the rear.

The 2021 MT09 will also feature a shorter wheelbase and slightly more in the form of ground clearance as well (140mm). As a result, you get slightly tweaked ergonomics but Yamaha has also left space for some customisation on the part of the rider. The handlebars can be rotated for better reach, the footpeg height can be adjusted by 14mm and can be set 10mm either forward or behind, depending on what suits the rider.

However, the biggest change features on the new cross-plane inline-triple engine. Added displacement takes the headlines with the MT-09 motor growing from 847cc to a well-rounded 890cc, courtesy a longer stroke. Forged pistons and other engine bits contribute to a lighter more powerful engine, that now make 117bhp at 10,000rpm and 93Nm of torque. In addition, the MT 09 will also feature a 6-axis IMU from the R1 that should help the MT keep that power down and ensure that most of it is available to the rider.

The Yamaha MT-09 has always been at the premium end of the middle-weight segment and with the slew of updates is likely to be well north of the 12 lakh price tag on the BS4 motorcycle. Yamaha sure has given the MT-09 everything it needed in terms of kit, but with the competition, like the 790 Duke and the Triumph Street Triple already on sale and with similar kit pricing will be key.