Nowadays, every fourth Yamaha sold is a Yamaha MT-07. Reason enough for the Japanese to bring their undisputed bestseller into the modern age with gentle retouching. — Text: Daniele Carrozza — Photos: Alessio Barbanti, Jonathan Godin Impressive figures are flying around our ears at the official press launch of the new Yamaha MT-07. Since 2014, every second Yamaha sold is said to be part of the MT family, with the Yamaha MT-07 accounting for 45 percent of the volume. 1,176 units of the lively entry-level naked bike were newly registered in Switzerland alone last year, meaning the MT-07 comfortably leads the local registration statistics - very comfortably, in fact. It goes without saying that Yamaha wants to hold on to the bestseller status with the MT-07. But four years have passed since the launch of the lively price-performance bomb. So it's high time to give the Yamaha MT-07 a facelift. Updating a bestseller is a tricky business. If you're too conservative, the competition will overtake you and the bestseller status will go down the drain. If you intervene too enthusiastically, there's a risk of overshooting the mark in terms of design and especially price. The trick is to find the happy medium between caution and innovation. In the case of the Yamaha MT-07, to be honest, we were a little worried when we first saw the 2018 model at the EICMA. "They haven't done anything!" was our first reaction. But if you take a closer look, you'll quickly have a few "Aha!" moments.
Ergonomics, chassis,
Yamaha knows from customer surveys that 70 percent of all MT-07 riders use their bike every day. The everyday qualities needed to be improved accordingly. This was done by revising the newly combined seat cushions for the rider and passenger, although the accessible seat height of 805 mm remained unchanged. Both cushions were extended, with the rider's seat being given a new contour in the crotch curve and also being pulled further forward under the tank. Yamaha also saw a need for action in the chassis. The nimble Yamaha MT-07 is known to encourage sporty cornering, and it is far more capable here than one would give it credit for. However, the generally somewhat underdamped suspension elements eventually reached their limits. Accordingly, the 2018 model was tuned a notch tighter. On the 41 mm telescopic fork, new springs with a six percent increased spring rate and the use of a fork oil with a lower viscosity. The rebound damping force is said to have been increased by 16 percent. At the rear, a completely new Kayaba central spring strut is used with a more user-friendly mechanism for adjusting the spring base. It also offers the option of regulating the rebound damping and comes with a spring rate that has been increased by 11 percent. The rebound damping force in the high-speed range has been increased by 27 percent, and the compression damping force by a whopping 40 percent.
Design less playful
The design remains, which is a little less playful and therefore more grown-up in the 2018 model year. New are the tank shell, which is now made up of three instead of five components, the one-piece front fender (previously three individual parts), the pretty side deflector wings at the rear and the new MT-09-style tail light. The headlight with two side daytime running lights instead of one central one is also a completely new component. Yamaha justifies the fact that the headlight design is still rather tame with the very broad target group. They can best be addressed with a "majority-appealing" design. In addition, the MT-07 should be clearly differentiated from the more aggressively designed MT-09.
Love at first ride
So what can the new MT-07 do, which is now available in black, blue-black and yellow-dark grey for 7590 francs – the 300 francs extra compared to its predecessor is due to the higher quality components? The winding, but mostly soaking wet roads in the hinterland of Marbella in southern Spain will help us answer this question. As we leave the hotel, my love for the CP2 twin with 689 cc displacement, a maximum output of 75 hp and 68 Nm of torque is renewed. A wonderful drive with an incredibly smooth response, full pressure even from the very bottom, exemplary linear power delivery and a really refreshing joy of revving. Whether it's going with the flow in the city rush hour, leisurely touring (even with a partner) or sporty grinding on the pegs on the pass – the CP2 is not above any discipline. And yes, the valiant inline two-cylinder engine has remained exactly the same, but in our opinion there was and is absolutely no need for any changes. The crisp, precise gearbox and the cleanly dosed two-finger clutch leave nothing to be desired. Fortunately, everything on the engine side remains the same. This also applies to the dull sound, which resembles a V2 thanks to the 270-degree crankpin offset.
Nimble chassis thanks to new components
A clear step forward can be seen in the chassis of the mid-range MT, which weighs 182 kg when ready to ride - especially on marked asphalt: It remains as nimble as a bicycle, but the new chassis components dampen noticeably more confidently, rock less and also provide clearer feedback. This creates confidence - especially in the rain. Whether there is a more suitable rubber than the Bridgestone BT-023 is debatable. But not the fact that this is an almost perfect mix of handling and stability. Not even the brakes: They are not too aggressive in terms of response and are therefore beginner-friendly, they are easy to dose and can also grip really hard if desired. ABS? Top! The ergonomics remain: Space? Better especially for tall people. Comfort? At a very high level - despite increased sportiness.
TÖFF magazine subscription with competent research, well-founded tests and model presentations, fast-paced reports and opulent photography and extensive service topics. If you would like to read the TÖFF magazine regularly, we recommend that you subscribe to TÖFF. Here: Subscribe to TÖFF MAGAZINE
