Yamaha FZ09/MT09 - (Almost) triple perfection

When it's 12 °C and wet on the roads, but you're still smiling, you know you're riding something good.

I'm riding Yamaha's completely new FZ-09 (or the MT-09 as it's known outside of the Americas). The FZ-09 is the replacement for Yamaha's FZ-08. But while last year's bike was based on an inline four, the new FZ-09 is all about the never-used-before 847cc inline triple.

It's not the first triple for Yamaha. In the 1970's, there was the XS750, which later became the XS850. The last of those rolled off the line in 1981. Since then, Yamaha, like most of the motorcycling world, has conspicuously ignored the triple in their sportier bikes even despite it's comeback for Triumph.

So, why return to the triple? In a statement, Yamaha said: "A triple offers more excitement and better throttle response at lower RPMs than a four cylinder." It's part of what Yamaha calls Synchronized Performance which "allows the rider to enjoy the feeling of complete control in everyday riding situations".

Google Translate doesn't offer Marketing-ese as a language, but I can tell you that means the bike is designed to be light, comfortable, easy to ride and above all, performance oriented.

Specs

First Impressions

Throwing a leg over the FZ-09 you soon appreciate one advantage of a triple - the engine is both narrow and light. In fact, the Yamaha is just 188kg (414 lbs) fully fuelled. That compares very favourably with Yamaha's own YZF-R6 at 190kg (417 lbs). It also looks pretty small, but that's somewhat deceptive. I'm 6' and had no comfort issues after a full day's riding. @Marina, at just 5'4", also found it comfortable and was able to get both feet on the floor.

The riding position is standard for a naked sports bike. Feet are tucked well back on the rear-set pegs with excellent ground clearance. Hands fall naturally to the handlebars which are both high and wide making for easy steering without fatigue.

In short, it's a very positive riding position that makes you feel actively engaged with the bike.

But while the FZ-09 is comfortable, I do have a niggle about the pegs. Sometimes I'd find the heel of my boot rubbing on the left side of the swing arm. It's not a major deal, although in some corners when you're working the suspension I found it disconcerting to find my foot lifting. It's something that could be fixed with a heel plate or even accommodation to my riding style. You might also find your boots catching the engine cases as I did. Again, not a problem as there's enough shielding to alleviate any heat problem but your feet can feel constrained.

Fire up the starter (which is a funky one-piece unit integrated with the kill- switch) and you're met with a pleasing throaty, burble from the under-engine exhaust. The engine revs freely and with a definitely pleasing sound. It's not loud, but it has a nice hint of menace to it.

Urban Riding

Yamaha calls the FZ-09 a sports bike for everyday riding. I'm getting my first taste of what that means on the freeway as I head out of town. Traffic is snarled and slow moving, like normal, but the motorcycle threads through traffic with ease.

Riding at normal Toronto highway speeds - slightly slower than a brisk jog - gives me a chance to test the balance. It's impeccable. A positive clutch, precise brakes and a very light weight motorcycle make it easy. The throttle is in B-Mode (reduced mapping) which means I have control at slow speed and I've not had to put my foot down in about ten minutes of freeway crawling. When traffic moves, the engine is capable enough to take advantage of gaps and responds instantly. The FZ-09 stops well, too. I can see this bike being popular among the stunt-brigade.

Highways

As I see traffic start to free up, I switch the engine map to Standard Mode. This is done by closing the throttle and hitting the MODE switch with your right thumb. Unlike some bikes that need you to have the engine off, mapping can be changed at any time with the Yamaha. While B-Mode is reduced power (and slower delivery), Standard is the default you'll get when you start the bike and is the full 115bhp. The A Mode is the same power but has a more ‟rapid” response when you open the throttle.

As with most naked motorcycles, ride above 120 km/h (75 mph) or so and you start to feel the wind. By 140 km/h, it was almost unbearable. That might be a good thing though: ride that fast normally and your license will disappear just as quickly as time melts away when you're riding the FZ.

Once I acclimatized to the pace, I found the FZ to be perfectly at home on the highway. I could leave the bike in sixth gear all day and still have enough torque to pull a passing manoeuvre. The only downside for the serious mile- muncher is the scant 14 litres of fuel the tank can hold. Yamaha gives the FZ-09 44 mpg and I found that to be spot on. In real world terms, expect to stop for fuel every 225 km (140 mi).

Some journalists mention a "jerky" power delivery when opening the throttle in the Standard and A Modes. I did notice some "off-on" transition happening as I opened the gas but to be fair to Yamaha, it's not uncommon with a number of EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) motorcycles and nowhere near as bad as say MV's F3. On the highway, I had no problem holding a constant throttle. If you need a negative it will do, but it's not something I would call a problem. It's a feature of the bike you'll get used to and I expect Yamaha will have an updated map by the time your first service comes around.

In the twists

My test ride destination was the twisty roads of the Haliburton Highlands and Muskoka area of Northern Ontario. The Yamaha was more than a match for the twisties. Even with damp, leaf-strewn roads, the FZ rarely felt out of shape. The bike was more than happy to be pushed hard into turns and accelerated out harder. For the most part, I was using the A Mode throttle map because these are precisely the type of roads you don't want problems on. After taking it easy to start of with, I found I was able to push the bike right to the edge of my comfort zone with no adverse effects. Despite the wet roads, I never once felt the rear slip or the front lift (unless i wanted it to).

While the throttle felt fine, the suspension did feel a little soft and braking hard sometimes lacked for ‟feel”. Suspension was set to factory, however, and with more time I'd have firmed things up a little. I suspect with a couple of clicks, it would handle just the way I want it.

In this day and age, it's surprising to see ABS is not available on the FZ, even as an option. However, the standard brakes were just about the best I've ever ridden at this price point. Aside from the suspension, the brakes themselves had great initial bite and a very progressive feel to them. I tried a few rapid stops and the FZ stopped really well. I did manage to skid the rear once or twice but at no point did I ever feel out of control.

The Triple

The quiet back roads gave me chance to get to know the real star of this machine a little more intimately: the engine. The triple makes more than enough power for most riders, and it delivers it in an almost completely linear fashion. Pick a gear and the FZ will pull anywhere from 1,500 RPM up to 11,000 when the rev limiter kicks in. I spent most of my afternoon running turns in second or third, and then turning round and trying it one gear higher. Then another. You really can be as lazy or aggressive as you want with this motor.

The gearbox also merits a mention. It's fantastic. Every change feels positive and I never had a sniff of a false neutral. For the most part, I was also upshifting without the clutch and the FZ felt completely natural doing it.

A word about Triples

I've been a triple fan for a few years now. I've gone through a first generation Daytona 675, a couple of Tigers (1050 and currently a 1200) and I have a Street Triple in the garage. You could say I am biased. Then again, I get to ride a lot of different bikes and I prefer to say it's an informed choice.

If you've never ridden a triple, you really should. In terms of engine feel, it's best to think of it somewhere between a torque-heavy V-twin and a rev- happy inline four. While this might sound like a compromise, it's not. Twins tend to rev out too early, while fours often need to be ridden near the top of the rev range to really appreciate them. The triple by comparison offers smooth, useful power across almost the entire range of RPM. It really is the perfect engine for every day riding.

Aesthetics

The FZ-09 will come in three colour schemes for 2014 - Dark Metallic Grey (as seen here), Vivid Red and a deep Metallic Orange. I have to say, I'd personally go for the orange or red as I am not a huge fan of the blue wheels on the machine I took out.

There's a few other niggles I have with the FZ-09 aesthetically:

The front end has a number of exposed wires and gaps behind the otherwise excellent - though oddly shaped - dash. Ride through a cloud of bugs and I suspect you may be cleaning them out for a while. With the position of the ignition barrel, it's hard to see how a screen could be installed to prevent it.

The radiator looks somewhat clumsy and large and should look more like it's part of the bike. Personally, I think some sort of plastic shrouding is in order to clean up the line.

The tail section is marred by a large license plate holder and the lights off an R6. You can blame your government for the plate hanger size and I suspect owners will head to their parts catalog for some smaller turn signals.

Lastly is the exhaust. It's hard to make an under-chassis exhaust look good, so a belly pan would be a good idea. With my FZ-09 review bike, at about 2000 km, it was already starting to look untidy.

Given that list, you might think I hated the look of the FZ-09. That's not true at all. Aesthetics are so personal and I have to say, I quite liked it. It's an excellently built bike that screams quality; I just didn't go for a few of the minor details.

Comparing the FZ-09

The most obvious comparison is to Triumph's 675 Street Triple and 1050 Speed Triple, but the Yamaha's larger displacement puts it squarely in the middle of those two machines.

Yamaha sees the 675 as the main competitor. On price alone, the FZ comes in at exactly $1,000 less in Canada at $8,999 compared with $9,999 for the Triumph.

For $1,000 more, I feel the Triumph is a better looking motorcycle and it's 6kg lighter to boot. However, Yamaha nicely counters by offering 10 extra horses and another 14 ft-lbs of torque. I find the stock suspension and throttle better on the Triumph, but it's a small gap between the two bikes. Both are simply superb and fun to ride. You won't have buyers remorse no matter which you choose.

Beyond Yamaha's FZ-09, you've a few options:

• MV Augusta Brutale 675 - Less power, much more expensive and an even twitchier throttle

• Honda NC700x - Cheaper, but far less engaging as a motorcycle

• Ducati Monster 796 - Less power and almost $3,000 more

• BMW F800R - More torque is going to cost you almost $2,000 more but you'll also be getting less power

• KTM Duke 690 - Similarly great fun, but more than $1,500 more expensive with a lot less power

My two cents

Yamaha set out to create something special with the FZ-09 and they've succeeded. The FZ sports a superb engine that's engaging and fun in a way few motorcycles can hope to match. That Yamaha has been able to deliver this machine at such as low price point is something very exciting indeed.

That's not to say it's not without it's minor niggles. Depending on your wrist control, the fuelling might be an issue, and I'd personally like to see an "R" model with updated suspension and maybe some body work to address those aesthetics. Beyond that, there's not much that you could do to improve the FZ. It really is that good.

The FZ-09 is a bike that begs to be ridden. Whether it's a chore you need to run across town, a highway commute to work or a weekend's corner carving, the Yamaha is almost certain to put a smile on your face and remind you just what it means to be a motorcyclist.