Can you believe it’s been 10 years since Yamaha took the wraps off the original MT-09 and ushered in its current era of three-cylinder domination in the middleweight roadster class? Now the bike is entering its fourth distinct generation with a more aggressive look and improved technology for the 2024 model year.
Pros & Cons
Three-cylinder engine promises even more character with airbox tweaks
New bodywork adds a sportier style
Improved comfort and technology
Not everyone will love the looks
2024 Yamaha MT-09: Unleash your Darkness
Celebrate a decade of the Hyper Naked line-up with the MT-09, the purest MT born from the Dark Side of Japan.
Yamaha says the 2024 MT-09 isn’t due in dealers until next Spring so the company hasn’t fixed the pricing structure yet – but given the fact its underpinnings are largely carried-over from the previous model the prices aren’t likely to be a radical departure when they’re officially confirmed. For reference, the 2023 model started at £9,810.
What is known is that the bike will be offered in three colour schemes – Midnight Cyan, Icon Blue and Tech Black – a similar choice to that offered on the 2023 model. An ‘SP’ variant with higher-spec suspension is also likely to come later, as it did on earlier generations of the MT-09.
The 890cc three-cylinder engine is mechanically unchanged for 2024 and retains identical performance as before with 117.3hp (119PS, 87.5kW) at 10,000rpm and 68.6lb-ft of torque (93Nm) at 7,000rpm but Yamaha has ensured the engine is compliant with the latest EU5+ emissions regulations and tweaked the airbox to boost its aural appeal.
The new design gets revised air intake ducts that Yamaha says accentuate the high-frequency sounds of the engine, feeding them directly to the rider via acoustic amplifier grilles on top of the fuel tank, flanking the fuel filler and ignition key slot, to improve the visceral connection with the engine.
As in the past there’s a host of electronics controlling the interplay between the engine and the rear wheel, with the assistance of an IMU, and these modes have been uprated for 2024 with three standard riding modes – sport, street and rain – complemented by two custom-set modes that let you choose levels of power, traction control, slide control and wheelie control, all adaptable via the instruments or using your smartphone via Yamaha’s MyRide app.
The IMU-assisted tech is also improved for 2024 with the addition of a Back Slip Regulator (BSR) that stabilises the rear wheel during engine braking by controlling the torque fed to the wheel.
Finally, Yamaha has added its ‘third generation’ quickshifter to the six-speed transmission, offering clutchless up and down changes during most riding conditions. The quickshifter won’t operate at particularly high or low revs, though, or when the bike is at a steady speed, encouraging you to use the clutch in those situations with a display on the dash.
Although the essence of the bike’s chassis is, like the engine, carried over from the last generation – which was completely revamped for the 2021 model year – the 2024 MT-09 still gets some useful improvements on this front.
The suspension is updated with 41mm KYB forks, still fully-adjustable but with new factory settings aimed at the best compromise between stability and handling. At the back, there’s a new suspension linkage and an adjustable KYB shock, slightly reducing rear wheel travel from 122mm to 117mm. The castor angle is also tweaked from 25 degrees to 24.4 degrees, and Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S23 tyres are added instead of the previous S22s.
The brakes are essentially the same as before, but gain a Brembo radial master cylinder to improve the feeling of connection between the lever and the calipers. Weight increases slightly for the 2024 model, rising from 189kg wet to 193kg.
Part of the new look for 2024 is a redesigned fuel tank and Yamaha claims the new version offers more freedom in terms of the riding position while also addressing one of the rare complaints we had with the last generation of MT-09 – limited steering lock. The bars can now turn further than before because the tank has a lower-profile shape.
The tank itself is made using a new press-moulding method that’s claimed to give sharper, more defined edges than before, and is joined by a new seat and that redesigned headlight for a noticeably new look.
It’s not just the tank’s shape that changes. Yamaha has also revised the riding position with lower bars and higher, more rear-set pegs than before, giving a sportier posture. The bars and pegs are both adjustable, too, each with two possible positions to choose from to tailor the posture to suit riders of different sizes.
The new seat splits the rider and pillion sections, introducing a noticeable step between them while retaining the same 825mm seat height, and there are new brake and gear shift pedals, intended to be easier to use. The adjustable clutch lever is also new.
Fuel consumption and emissions are unaltered, with the same claimed 5l/100km (56.5mpg) economy as before, and while the tank is reshaped it’s still got the same 14-litre capacity so the bike’s overall range to empty is still 280km (174 miles).
A new colour TFT dash is at the heart of the 2024 MT-09’s equipment improvements – 5-inches across and mounted horizontally it offers four different themes and gives access not only to the improved rider-assistance technology but also to a suite of smartphone-connected tech including the usual media controls and a Garmin StreetCross navigation system. An under-seat USB-C socket brings the bike’s power supply options up to date.
The are also new bar switch units associated with the instrument panel, giving fingertip control for the riding modes and smartphone functions. These also add self-cancelling indicators with two functions (a soft-click gives three flashes for lane changes, a harder press keeps the indicators on for 15 seconds or 150 meters, whichever is sooner) and add a cruise control system, previously available only on the MT-09 SP.
The MT-09’s three-cylinder layout and appealing cost/performance balance mean it’s always been a hard bike to beat in the middleweight roadster class, but consider these alternatives too:
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What is MCIA Secured?
MCIA Secured gives bike buyers the chance to see just how much work a manufacturer has put into making their new investment as resistant to theft as possible.
MCIA Secured gives motorcycles a rating out of five stars (three stars for bikes of 125cc or less), based on the following being fitted to a new bike as standard:
A steering lock that meets the UNECE 62 standard
An ignition immobiliser system
A vehicle marking system
An alarm system
A vehicle tracking system with subscription
The higher the star rating, the better the security, so always ask your dealer what rating your bike has and compare it to other machines on your shortlist.
