2024 Yamaha MT-09 review | The most complete sub-litre naked money can buy?

Since Yamaha released the very first generation of the MT-09 in 2013 it’s been an incredible hit, lifting the Japanese brand out of many tough years with 100,000 sales in Europe alone. However, it was by no means perfect; although the engine was sublime in its delivery of excitement, the chassis and suspension set-up bucked the truly sporty naked style with a hybrid Supermoto stance, which resulted in a vague front end for normal riding. Yamaha have worked hard to rectify this and to bring the MT-09 closer to a traditional sporty naked, and in 2021 they heavily updated the whole machine to be more in line with its sub-litre rivals at the time, such as Triumph’s Street Triple R, KTM’s 890 Duke (at the time) and Ducati’s Monster.

But for 2024, Yamaha have taken that ethos even further. Although the 890cc CP3 motor, chassis, swingarm and subframe remains largely unchanged, the riding experience of the new MT-09 has been altered, thanks to a more aggressive riding position, alongside revised geometry and suspension settings.

The result? It’s the MT-09 that we’ve always hoped for, as a machine that is now far more comfortable being pushed to its limits, which feel further than ever before. The front end is more responsive and engaging, however it isn’t too extreme in its riding position, and still retains a high level of comfort and usability. It’s still not the most focused machine for track riding in the sector, but it strikes a brilliant balance between being both serious and fun.

Of course, the engine is still the gem in the 09’s armoury, as one of the finest motors that you can buy today. It provides a feisty, playful and punchy riding experience that is just as happy cruising at 70mph as it is on one wheel, with a broad spread of torque available from the very bottom of the rev range. In fact, it’s so good, it knocks on the door of the supernaked sector. The new quickshifter also drastically improves the riding experience, in its slick deliver of gear changes.

What makes the latest MT-09 so good is how it has evolved, from being a one trick pony for having fun on, to a complete machine that truly does everything, from skids and wheelies to riding fast on the road with ease. The chassis, suspension and riding position allow now allow for quick, precise riding as much as it allows for having a bit of fun, which is also something that can be kept in check by the brilliant suite of electronic rider aids. Yet thanks to the additional of cruise control and the slightly comfier seat it can also be ridden on longer stints too, which is no mean feat for a bike that is £10,100. It truly is a machine that does it all.

Although it’s only been tweaked, the changes to the suspension, geometry and riding position make the MT-09 that bit more engaging to ride, improving the whole experience from the previous generation.

The riding position is now more poised and aggressive, but don’t let that put you off as it’s still not as focussed and single minded as other sub-litre nakeds. It’s still roomy and comfortable enough to accommodate for riders of pretty much any size, and even after a day in the saddle, it’s not uncomfortable for a naked.

For the ’24 model, the handlebars are 34.4mm lower and 1.5mm back, while the footpegs are 30.6mm back and 9.5mm up which makes the riding position more engaging by pushing the rider further over the front end, which ultimately gives more feedback and more feel straight through the wrists. The forks are now equipped with a stiffer spring and the front end has a slightly more aggressive geometry, which results is a more precise feeling on the way into corners, and the MT-09 is now happier holding a line at lean angle too.

Although the suspension is firmer at the front, the rear has been softened off slightly which means that it doesn’t get fazed by dodgy tarmac and speed bumps. When ridden harder it does have a tendency to squat under heavy acceleration, but it’s not too big of an big issue and you can still steer on the power without copious amounts of understeer. For those who want a little more support and feeling, the MT-09SP model offers higher specification suspension, including an Öhlins shock.

The new Brembo master cylinder has also improved the feel through the front brake lever too, giving more bite on the initial pull.

The engine is still an absolute peach, proving itself to be one of the most exciting and engaging motors on sale today. It’s what makes the MT-09 such a potent and addictive weapon.

With a whopping 64lb-ft of torque on tap it pulls from the bottom of the rev range, and is happy enough sitting a few gears too high, with the ability to pull with intent from just a few thousand RPM. In fact, it pulls so hard and so aggressively, that it could easily be mistaken for a machine that houses far more than the 117bhp figure. And then there’s the noise; Yamaha have been clever in the design of their intakes, in order to accentuate the frequency sound. Although it doesn’t jump out excessively, it has a gorgeous roar to it and more raw noise than a lot of Euro5+ machines can offer.

Yet the beauty of that CP3 motor is, it’s got such a wide operating window. It’s happy to be docile too, with the ability to still pull with intent, even when sitting in high gears, at a low rpm.

It can be tailored to the riders’ desire too, as there are four engine modes which alter the throttle map; mode 1 actually gives more power than the throttle asks for which makes it a bit too aggressive, while mode 2 of the 4 strikes a perfect balance between not being too jerky, while still being impressively responsive.

Although the looks will split opinion (the face looks like Iron Man’s first helmet), it’s hard to fault the build quality of the new MT-09. Up close everything looks well finished and even though it’s priced well in the current climate, there’s no visible evidence that Yamaha have cut any corners.

The platform is also used across a whole host of other machinery such as the XSR900 and Tracer 9 range, where there have been some issues with small items such as the indicator fitment and bolt corrosion, but it’s been a reliable package as a whole.

With the changes making the 2023 MT-09 a truly sporty sub-litre naked, the price point of £10,100 looks more than reasonable, especially considering the level of specification as standard. Perhaps its closest rival comes in the form Triumph’s Street Triple R which is not only slightly cheaper at £9,795 but also has a single extra bhp – however, not only does the MT-09 pack an extra 8lb-ft of torque, but is also has cruise control as standard, alongside a slightly more advanced suite of electronic aids.

On the more expensive end of the equation is Ducati’s Monster which starts at £11,295 and comes with that illustrious Italian badge, alongside KTM’s more powerful and more potent 990 Duke which will set you back £12,999, which is more basic electronically.

The MT-09 is so exciting and complete at road speeds that it could tempt buyers away from the likes of the firm's own MT-10 and BMW S1000R, which start at £14,310 and £13,100 respectively.

For a bike that’s just a snip over the £10k mark, the MT-09 comes packed with a serious amount of equipment. Electronically, it has pretty much all the bells and whistles with a six-axis IMU powering a plethora of riding aids: lean angle sensitive traction control, ABS, wheelie control, a new motor slip regulator to aid on downshifts and a suite of rider modes, which are all fed through a new, bigger, 5" TFT dash with connectivity as standard.

Yamaha have also fitted the standard model with a really slick up/down quickshifter, self-cancelling indicators and cruise control which are all incredibly welcome, while the USB-C charger under the seat is handy too.

Although the suspension isn’t gold (you have to pay the extra £1,700 for the SP if you want snazzier forks and an Öhlins shock, among a few other goodies) it’s still decent quality, as is the new Bridgestone S23 tyres that it comes shod with.