Lawrence Photographic

I am looking for an 'urban' street motorcycle for using with my hobby of photography, especially 'street photography' and I like the idea of the lighter weight of the Yamaha MT-07, it's shorter stance on the road and it's maneuverability for street use in heavy traffic.

This review is made up of -

• The Yamaha MT-07 instruction manual, specifications and accessories

• YouTube video MT-07 review examples

• My own review and conclusions (includes a section on the Ohlins Advanced Kit Suspension Upgrade)

The MT-07 Instruction Manual is well worth checking and check out the Yamaha MT-07 Specifications.

Check out all the colours available for the 2015 Yamaha MT-07 Motorcycle.

The bike would have to have ABS brakes with all that power, especially on wet roads in city traffic as most cars these days have ABS brakes - the MT-07 has independent ABS to the front and back wheels. It has a 689cc engine which is less 'wheelie happy' on takeoff but with more than enough power for my city use.

I put together an MT-07 ABS Motorcycle Configuration List -
 

Check out all the Accessory Images from my MT-07 ABS configuration list.

The Optional Comfort Seat
I would pay the extra for the Yamaha comfort seat for although the stock seat is relatively comfortable the optional seat should prove even better. I have spoken to Yamaha in the UK who state that the optional comfort seat will not raise the seat height by any measureable amount -

 

Yamaha MT-07 Ohlins Adanced Suspension Kit Fitted - Triumph Street Triple Comparison Pricing
The Yamaha MT-07 has excellent suspension for city urban use and within certain limitations it is more than adequate for countryside trips and sweeping corners. However for those riders who desire the ultimate in suspension front forks and rear shocker configuration you can 'retro fit' the Ohlins Advanced Kit - see the Suspension Section of my review. With the Ohlins Advanced Kit installed the MT-07 ABS retail price comes in at £6,739.00 vat inclusive in the UK and by comparison the Triumph Street Triple ABS (not the R version) comes in at £7,449.00 vat inclusive in the UK.

Please Note: Fitting the Ohlins Advanced Kit to the Yamaha MT-07 motorcycle by yourself may invalidate the bike's warranty so therefore it is advisable to have the kit fitted by a qualified Yamaha/Ohlins Dealer.

Statement received from Yamaha regarding fitting the Ohlins Suspension  - "whilst we can advise that the fitting of an Ohlins Suspension Kit may not necessarily automatically void the machines warranty, should a problem occur at a later stage which may be attributable in some way to the Ohlins Suspension fitted, in such circumstances, the claim may be rejected in part or full". 


Check out the GIVI B37NT Blade Tech Top Box with smoked reflectors which is one of the latest Monolock Boxes from GIVI. This mid-sized box has the capacity to comfortably fit one full face helmet and is available in a variety of colours. It comes with a universal fitting for mounting the box onto the (optional) rear fitting frame of the bike.

The standard finish for this box is black and it features an automatic opening/detaching system: the top push button enables the opening of the case, while the lower push button detaches it from the plate. As this is the tech version of the B37NT it comes with grey smoked lenses -

• universal fitting kit included
• maximum load: 3 kg
• volume: 37 litres
• sizes: 330 x 440 x 495 mm (height x depth x width)
• capacity: will take one motorcycle helmet

The Yamaha MT-07 (FZ-07 in the USA) - Note: The videos are Non ABS Models -

Bike comparison (Honda/Kawasaki/Suzuki) videos - one after the other -

The Yamaha MT-07 ABS vs Kawasaki ER6N -

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The Yamaha MT-07 (Non ABS) Test Ride                    

Well I finally managed to get my hands on a Yamaha MT-07 demonstrator (01/11/14) and take it out on the road for a few hours - unfortunately the only model available did not have ABS brakes but it did have the optional Akrapovic exhaust and a fly screen fitted. I enjoyed a mix of weather, bright, warm, sunny and heavy winds on the dual carriageway. My thanks to Saltire Motorcyles for the use of their bike.

Whilst in Edinburgh, I managed to capture an image of the bike outside the Traverse Theatre in the city centre with my Fujifilm X100s compact camera -

First Impressions
The Yamaha MT-07 is a mean looking machine with angular sections that give it that space age look, especially the one I was given because it was matt grey. I liked the instrument panel which is well laid out and centre positioned in front of the handlebars (the MT-09 is off centre) and although I usually dislike a digital display, this one perfectly matched the aesthetics of the bike. I liked the rear fat tyre which added a "I mean business" look and a reassurance that this bike should be safe on the road. When you sit on the Yamaha MT-07 it feels as if it has been chopped off at the front and the instrument panel is well out of your peripheral vision. It takes a little while to get used to it compared to my larger Suzuki GSX-1250FA sports/tourer as the MT-07 is compact in length, slim and lightweight. 

Starting the Bike and Moving Off
The Yamaha MT-07 is equipped with a immobiliser system which is coded to your ignition key so no other key can be used. A master re-registering key is provided in the sales package to code the 2 ignition keys supplied with the bike. If required, you can take the bike and the 3 keys along to a Yamaha dealer and get the ignition keys re-registered with new codes. Currently (2014) Edinburgh has a high rate of motorcycle thefts which is mainly down to the absence of police on the street preventing crime, so it is here that the Yamaha MT-07 with it's immobiliser (true coded key) system comes into it's own. It is easy to snap a steering lock and turn an ignition switch but without that code the bike will not start - so joy riders in Edinburgh are likely to choose another bike. However a sturdy disc lock fitted to the front disc is an advisable accessory and you can purchase one with an audible tamper alarm. Make sure that you check the size of the disc lock assembly as smaller disc locks can slip through the hole in a larger bike's disc plate.

To unlock the steering lock the ignition key is used in the normal ignition switch which sits slightly down just in front of the handlebars. Interestingly enough you only require to be in neutral to start the bike using the ignition switch and the starter button which is a reverse throw of the engine RED cutoff switch; the clutch lever does not have to be depressed (unless you are in a gear). However, if the side stand is down the engine will cutoff immediately you select a gear or if you are in a gear the bike will not start, even with the clutch depressed - the stand must be up before any gear can be selected prior to moving off, a nice safety feature.

Once started the MT-07 barks, growls (thanks to the Akrapovic exhaust) and you can feel the vibration coming through the handlebars. You know this thing has some fierce twin cylinder power and it is a lot louder when your visor is up. The two mirrors were easily adjusted and gave me enough rear coverage without protruding beyond the handlebar ends and the overall width of the bike. The main controls are well placed and very easy to use although I am not a fan of the horn button (positioned above the indicator switch) and the RED reverse throw cutoff switch for starting the engine.

The throttle is very responsive and controlled, there is no sudden uncontrolled spurt from rest unless you want to open it up and then you will feel that surge as the bike rockets forward. I have to hold my hand up because I inadvertently did a 'wheelie' in second gear (see suspension section) because I opened up the throttle more than I should have. However, that was easily controlled and it was not something that I repeated during my test ride. I could use the clutch lever all day without any hand pain which is ideal for use in heavy traffic where there is a lot of stopping and starting.

Coming from my Suzuki GSX-1250FA sports/tourer, I found that the Yamaha was a delight to sit on with my feet easily reaching the ground and with much more leverage at my disposal. The bike has a low centre of gravity so I felt really confident and relaxed with my feet down and the handlebars were nearer which took away any doubts that I had about supporting the bike. In fact I adapted to the seating position and the foot pegs without any trouble as they were not dissimilar to my own bike.

Coming from a larger bike the MT-07 felt like a toy and at first I was not sure about it's cornering ability, it just seemed so lightweight and compact but after a few miles I was right into it and the MT-07 can just toddle along or if you wish you can unleash the power surge that this bike possesses and have some great fun.

The Suspension
The MT-07 suspension setup was excellent and for travelling around town it handled the rough roads without any undue pain in my rear end. However, with my long arms and my 33" inside legs, I found that I wanted to sit further back on the seat and from time to time my tail bone was slightly pressing against the raised pillion seat. Unfortunately, I have suffered a severe injury to my coccyx (tail bone) due to a fall in my younger days so any pressure on my rear from the MT-07 pillion seat is a big deal but I suspect not a problem for anyone else.  The riding position with the handlebars and the foot pegs is an almost half/sports posture and the weight is distributed enough to take the main body weight off my rear so even after 2.5 hours riding I got off the bike without any serious discomfort other than a stretch of my legs. Having stated that, I would probably still go for the optional comfort seat to replace the stock seat and I have spoken to Yamaha in the UK who state that the optional comfort seat will not raise the seat height by any measureable amount which is great news.

The front suspension is light and this is only noticeable when the bike is rising over crests on the country roads at faster speeds. The MT-07 front is not so well planted on these occasions and you can feel the lightness in the steering until the front suspension settles. I found this unsettling a bit because often the crest was followed by a corner and I was slightly touching the front brake or rolling off the throttle before the corner to put her nose down. It's not a big deal because I would be purchasing the MT-07 primarily for 'urban' use and not for getting the knee down on corners. I may be wrong but this lightness in the front suspension could be more down to me weighing in at around 15 stone and positioned further behind the engine by sitting as far back as possible on the seat causing the rear to dip down more when travelling over a crest on the road. I notice that younger and lighter weight riders seem to sit much further forward on this bike against the tank and there is a reasonable gap between their rear and the pillion seat. 

The rear suspension can be made harder with less rear dip, tightening up the back of the bike by adjusting the shocker assembly which has preload settings from 1-9 with 1 being the softest and 3 being the (default) standard. The suspension at setting 3 is fairly hard so any shift towards the 9 setting (for me) would make the optional comfort seat mandatory. Check out the The MT-07 Instruction Manual - page 3-23 for adjusting the shocker assembly. Suspension adjusting should be carried out by a qualified service centre which will match the adjustment to your style of riding because any adjustment for country road riding on the twisty corners may impact on the safety aspect for city riding, especially in wet weather.

The MT-07 is very limited in your ability to adjust the suspension as rear shocker preload is the only setting which can be adjusted. This is far from ideal and only addresses manual adjustment when carrying a pillion passenger or in my case addressing my extra weight sitting far back on the rider's seat.  

MT-07 Suspension Upgrade
For those riders who wish to adjust the front and rear suspension to suit their needs and especially for sharper handling when rising on crests and cornering at speed, the MT-07 can have it's front and rear suspension modified with readily available third party parts which together cost around £990.00 vat inclusive in the UK -

Front Suspension Modification - ANDREANI CARTUCCIA FORCELLA MT-07 REGOLABILE cartridge fork with hydraulic high performance which guarantees exceptional cornering and braking. It has 20mm diameter pistons, adjustable in compression and rebound, spring preload, complete with springs.

Rear Suspension Replacement Shocker - Ohlins Shock 46 DR, 46mm piston, 16mm inner-tube, adjustable rebound with manual preload.

The front and rear suspension parts can also be purchased in an advanced kit along with the oil -

 

For an in-depth understanding of sag/pre-load, compression, damping and rebound, please check out this link to Go Star Racing where you can also download a PDF file on the subject and check out these videos BUT remember these are overviews on example bikes and the actual adjustments on the MT-07 Ohlins Advanced Kit may be different -

 

 

Please Note: Fitting the Ohlins Advanced Kit to the Yamaha MT-07 motorcycle by yourself may invalidate the bike's warranty so therefore it is advisable to have the kit fitted by a qualified Yamaha/Ohlins Dealer.

Statement received from Yamaha regarding fitting the Ohlins Suspension  - "whilst we can advise that the fitting of an Ohlins Suspension Kit may not necessarily automatically void the machines warranty, should a problem occur at a later stage which may be attributable in some way to the Ohlins Suspension fitted, in such circumstances, the claim may be rejected in part or full".

On the Dual Carriageway + Emergency Braking at 70mph
I roared (lovely Akrapovic exhaust note) up the slip road onto the dual carriageway and joined the flow of traffic. The bike snarled and the gear changes were slick and effortless, both up and down the box. The MT-07 demonstrator was well run in so I opened it up and it reached 70mph in a blink and as usual the Edinburgh Bypass was being blasted by heavy winds. The bike and me cut through the wind and the cross winds without any fuss or threatening behaviour which was surprising considering how lightweight the bike felt when I got on it. Although it is a naked bike and there was a small fly screen fitted, I never felt that the heavy wind was buffeting me and causing any kind of instability, even at 70mph. The bike was well planted and I felt that if I opened it up, the heavy wind would still not pose a threat to the stability - for such a compact bike the MT-07 has a massive amount of torque and the low centre of gravity certainly pays off in high winds. I was never out of 6th gear, overtaking lorries and cars from 50mph to 70mph in an instant without bothering to shift down - very impressive.

The instrument panel displays everything you require, speed, gear indication, rev counter and the indicator right/left lights are set well apart so there is no mistaking which one is on. I would fit an audible bleeper to remind me that an indicator is on because after driving a car for the last 49 years, I sometimes forgot that the MT-07 indicators are not self cancelling. The fact that my own bike has an indicator audible bleeper did not help the situation. Okay a small downside is that the instrument panel is below the peripheral vision and if you want to check your speed it requires slightly more than a glance but I found that I tended to make that glance to check my final 1st gear position when stopped at traffic lights and the odd glance when checking my speed in a 30mph city zone. The horn (tiny) button is a nightmare as it is situated above the indicator switch and it is so easy to hit the indicator switch by mistake. Another downside has to be the RED engine cutoff switch which doubles as the starter switch when thrown in reverse (downwards towards you) to start the engine.

You can feel the vibration of the twin cylinder engine through the bike and the handlebars which I love in comparison to my sports/tourer which is very clinical. Its a pleasing vibration and not in the least bothersome and that snarly Akrapovic exhaust is the dogs bollocks BUT not too loud unless you want to go illegal and remove the baffles. As the bike gathered momentum and the torque thrust her forward I was delighted to note that the mirrors were steady enough for me to clearly see my rear view with no double imaging. The right mirror was good enough for me to see the full outside lane and I required a lifesaver to cover the very small blind spot before changing lanes.

The MT-07 as I have mentioned already did not have ABS brakes and because the bike had been well run in I decided to try an emergency stop. I waited until the traffic was totally gone from the back of the bike and popped on the brakes at 70mph in a straight upright line for a couple of seconds. I was disappointed with the front brake which seemed slightly weak and the rear wheel immediately locked up, even when I eased off a bit on the rear brake and the tail end of the bike snaked a lot on the dry road before I let the brakes go. I dread to think what could have happened if the road had been wet. In fairness my own bike which I use as a comparison has serious ABS and it easily brakes hard in the dry or the wet straight and true so I guess the MT-07 without ABS would require a steep learning curve in braking manoeuvres. Fortunately the MT-07 has the option of independent ABS brakes for the front and rear which should remove rear wheel locking, reduce braking distances, especially in the wet and steady the bike under harsh braking conditions. Front fork preload, compression, damping and rebound also play an important part in the 'nose dive' braking ability of the MT-07 which is factory preset (fixed at the front and preload adjustment only at the rear) so improved braking at those higher speeds could be achieved by upgrading the suspension using the Ohlins Advanced Kit as outlined in the suspension section of this review.

Slipping between stationary cars and lorries in the dual carriageway lanes at 15mph is a breeze, even at 6mph and I always felt in total control even with both my feet on the pegs. This bike has a low centre of gravity so very slow (almost stopped) speeds, are not a problem and much easier to control than my higher seated and heavier sports bike. Popping the MT-07 up to the front at the lights and then a crisp acceleration with a snarl from the exhaust is a great feeling as the traffic is left behind. The low seat on the Yamaha with the slightly rear positioned foot pegs and (nearer the chest) handlebars is still a commanding position and encourages confidence in your riding at all speeds.

Cruising in the Countryside
The MT-07 performs very well, handling sweeping corners with ease and you can lean her over without any trouble. It does not get much better, the ability to cruise along sedately on country roads, to hear the snarl of the engine when you pop it a bit on a clear straight but always mindful of tractors and stray animals. I rode the bike on the sweeping bends on the Post Seton coast road (east to west) which has rising crests just before tight corners and here the bike did display limitations with it's default suspension settings and my 15 stone weight sitting far back on the seat. The front suspension rose up as I went over a crest in the road (at around 60mph) whereby the front tyre grip became very light and to get the bike into the tight corner that followed I had to slacken off the throttle to plant down the front wheel before hitting the corner.

It sounds like a serious problem but it is not, the MT-07 has limitations just like any other bike using default suspension settings as primarily it is a bike intended for 'urban' use and not as a sports bike for thrashing around country lanes. The rear shocker assembly can be tightened up from the standard 3 to a very hard 9 setting which would harden the rear suspension to compensate for the weight at the rear. Riders with less weight should not have nearly the same problem as me. Make no mistake, even in standard suspension mode the MT-07 is great fun on country roads as long as you remember it's limitations.

In the City Traffic
The Yamaha MT-07 is at home in the city for commuting to work, picking up a Chinese or Indian meal on the way home, shopping trips (carrier rack/top box fitted) and for meeting up with other bikers. The bike is fantastic, easy to control, a breeze for filtering through traffic and with plenty of power without any accidental wheelie when accelerating the bike forward away from the front of stationary vehicles at the traffic lights. Even over cobble stones in Edinburgh, the bike was straightforward to manoeuvre. I travelled up a very steep and negative cambered cobble road at the back of Edinburgh Castle without the slightest problem and because the bike is low, I was then able to ride/slow walk it at about 1mph through some crowds which had congregated at the top of the high street which is also cobbled, before slowly riding down the high street and negotiating a cobbled mini roundabout and onto the tar road again. This bike is ideal for city traffic, stopping, moving off, slow, fast and it goes exactly where you want it to go and U turns are a positive joy to negotiate. NOTE: I used the same very steep cobbled road as the road test on the Yamaha XV950R 'Bobber' Motorcycle - it is the ultimate for 'urban' testing of slow control manoeuvres, suspension and braking.

The Yamaha MT-07 is the ideal 'urban' motorcycle for all types of riders, even experienced ones. It will also suit the younger female rider because it is lightweight at 179kg (182kg with ABS) and has a low centre of gravity. It is not going to drop easily and even if you did stall it negotiating a slow tight turn away from traffic lights and you chose to drop it - it would be relatively easy to lift up again. After riding the MT-07 my own 257kg Suzuki GSX-1250FA felt heavy for a few miles until I got used to it.

I am a rider who tends to use the engine and gears a lot to decelerate more than using the brakes and in this respect the MT-07 is ideal. In the city the (non ABS) Yamaha MT-07 has a very powerful rear brake which could be used in many instances to slow the bike down in the flow of traffic without much fear of locking up, once you get used to it. Of course brake pads can very quickly be worn down as you are continually slowing down behind traffic and stopping at lights. The ABS model should brake in a similar manner but there is unlikely to be any lockup, especially in the wet.

The Akrapovic exhaust has enough of a snarl to produce loud pipes and heads turn, car drivers hear you, they see you and if there is any doubt, you can blip the throttle for a loud warning that you are there beside them. The bike is easy to park and if you have to dismount to move it into an awkward parking space, there is no hassle. The side stand is very supportive, relatively simple to operate and I like the small leg on the end that allows me to place the edge of my heel down on it to push the stand down - because of my age, I tend to put the stand down before I dismount.

Accessories
I put together a whole pile of accessories that I would fit to this bike for seating comfort, exhaust noise, crash protection and aesthetics to maintain the mean look. A carrier rack and top box are mandatory for trips into the city and does not spoil the look of the bike. Check out my Yamaha MT-07 Configuration Table further up this page and all the Accessory Images.

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Conclusion (2nd November 2014)

I am rather taken with the Yamaha MT-07 motorcycle and make no mistake, it may be the underpowered version of the three cylinder MT-09 but it offers more than enough torque and power to satisfy experienced riders who desire an 'urban' bike with a mean streak. This bike is alive, it slightly vibrates, you feel the 'raw' power it can unleash and yet at a very, very slow walking pace it is easy to steer and control. These qualities make it the ideal bike for 'urban' travel in the city, a bike that has a reasonably low seat and a low centre of gravity so it does not pose a problem for manoeuvring, parking and for seamlessly slipping up the lanes of traffic. The throttle is well controlled and responsive so unless you roll it all the way back when moving away, you are not going to head of down the road only on your back wheel. The clutch control lever is effortless and even after an hour of travelling in the city, stopping and starting, again and again, my left hand had no pain whatsoever.

The 6 gears are slick up and down the box without a hint of any clunk and the gear indicator is excellent for ensuring that you are indeed in 1st gear when swiftly moving off from the lights when required - after all it would prove embarrassing if you have slipped up to the front of the queue and then you stall it right in front of everyone as the traffic lights change. The indicator warning right/left lights are well spaced on the instrument panel and easy to see although an audible bleeper to remind you to cancel an indicator would be a nice touch and could be third party fitted.

Unfortunately I test rode a MT-07 without ABS and because it has a rear brake that tends to lock the back wheel (default suspension settings) even when lightly pressed at 70mph, I would prefer ABS brakes. I am aware that many riders prefer non ABS because they can pop that back wheel into a place they desire for cornering and manoeuvring but in in the city virtually all the cars on the road have ABS. Fortunately the MT-07 has the option of independent ABS brakes for the front and rear which should remove rear wheel locking, reduce braking distances, especially in the wet and steady the bike under harsh braking conditions. Front fork preload, compression, damping and rebound also play an important part in the 'nose dive' braking ability of the MT-07 which is factory preset (fixed at the front and preload adjustment only at the rear) so improved braking at those higher speeds could be achieved by upgrading the suspension using the Ohlins Advanced Kit - see the Suspension Section of my review. In the case of ice or worse, black ice on the roads, the MT-07 would be sitting in the garage.

I would purchase the MT-07 purely for use in the city and of course it can be used on the dual carriageway and on country roads but it is not a sports bike for the ultimate in cornering manoeuvres using default factory suspension settings. When travelling over a small crest on the road at faster speeds the front suspension will lift and for a brief moment the grip on the front wheel is reduced and the bike at the front is unsettled before it plants itself down again. This is not a huge problem but if the crest is followed by a twisty tight corner, then you will have to decelerate or brake very slightly to plant the front wheel down before taking the corner. The rear suspension can be preload hardened (for me) to lessen the rear dipping and more evenly distribute my 15 stone weight on the bike and giving the front tyre more grip. The bike when accelerated hard can achieve a wheelie in 2nd gear where the front wheel comes up of the ground so it is wise to recognise the torque and power of the bike and treat it with respect. The MT-07 (default suspension settings) offers serious fun but in moderation on those rising crests and twisty country roads which for many riders is more than enough. Front fork and rear shocker preload, compression, damping and rebound also play an important part in the handling ability of the MT-07 which is factory preset (fixed at the front and preload adjustment only at the rear) so improved handling and grip at higher speeds could be achieved by upgrading the suspension using the Ohlins Advanced Kit - see the Suspension Section of my review.

The Akrapovic exhaust makes a very nice snarl when you blip the throttle and is well worth the money to complete the bike. I want to hear the exhaust when I move off, accelerate or just blip the throttle to remind a motorist that I am there. That is what the Yamaha MT-07 is all about, an 'urban' bike in the city which is terrific fun to ride and very hard to beat.

11th March 2015 - As much as I liked the Yamaha MT-07, the bike in the end was just too similar to my own Suzuki sports/tourer bike and after a great deal of deliberation, I finally placed an order for the Yamaha XV950R 'Bobber Style' motorcycle.
 

If you have enjoyed this article - please donate to my Charity of Choice   -   The Sick Kids

 

Richard Lawrence
Scotland
United Kingdom

 

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