YAMAHA MT-09 SPORT TRACKER

“IT WILL TURN YOU INTO A GIGGLING SCHOOL BOY AT A LOLLY SHOP, YOU WILL HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THE KIND OF CRAZY FUN YOU CAN HAVE ON A BIKE LIKE THIS”

THIS SPORTIN’ LIFE WORDS STUART WOODBURY PHOTOS NICK WOOD

Yamaha’s MT-09 has been selling like kisses from the French teacher at a school fete, and now Yamaha is offering a strictly limited run of an upgraded model: the Sport Tracker. We got to ride a mocked up version of the actual model that will come to Australia and it was a bag full of fun.

Essentially the Sport Tracker is a base MT-09 with some add-ons. The beating heart of the Sport Tracker is the raw 847cc 3-cylinder engine that generates huge levels of torque and strong high rpm power. It’s equipped with forged pistons and offset cylinders for strength and smoothness – this compact and lightweight engine is ready to bring the passion and emotion back to your two-wheeled experience. I like to think of the engine characteristics as those of a stunt bike with a number plate. It will turn you into a giggling school boy at a lolly shop. I doubt that you will ever have experienced the kind of crazy fun you can have on a bike like this.

To keep the Sport Tracker as light, slim and compact as possible, the CF aluminium die-cast frame has its weight low and it offers excellent rigidity and balance, which contribute to the bike’s agile handling. The suspension is quite soft, so think about some new springs front and rear, at the least.

What makes the Sport Tracker better than the standard MT-09? Starting at the front, you have the very tasty carbon fibre guard mounted to a brushed aluminium fixture. Next you move up to the aluminium front “number” plate, which goes with side “number” plates in aluminium. The tank gets knee pads for extra grip and control and your feet get wider off-road type footpegs.

The seat is a big change. It is a two-tone fl at item, for that truly sport tracker/scrambler look – one that I really like on this bike. As you will see in the pictures, our particular bike also has the accessory Akrapovic high mount full exhaust. Unfortunately this will remain an accessory and the bike being released here will come with the low mount Akrapovic, similar to the one mounted to our long term MT-07.

It is a shame that the high mount won’t come standard, but at $2200+ it would add quite a bit to the price tag, and one welcome thing about the MT-09 is the low base price tag, which Yamaha is no doubt looking at keeping as low as possible for the Sport Tracker.

Even though a final price is not known at this stage, I would take a stab in the dark and estimate a $13,490 price tag, which is giving you a discount on the price of the accessories fi tted to this bike.

The Sport Tracker will also come with a blacked out frame and matt bronze wheels for that extra special look over the standard MT-09.

Release a bit of your wild side and have a ball fun on the Yamaha MT-09 Sport Tracker. I would love one, but then again, I wouldn’t have a licence if I did – isn’t that half the excitement, though? As the Sport Tracker will be available in very limited numbers (we estimate around 60), get your order in as soon as possible to avoid disappointment and live as you’ve never lived before.

SPECS
YAMAHA MT-09 SPORT TRACKER

PRICE: N/A
WARRANTY: Two years,unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled in-line three cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BORE x STROKE: 78 x 59.1mm
DISPLACEMENT: 847cc
COMPRESSION: 11.5:1
POWER: 84.6kW @ 10,000rpm
TORQUE: 87.5Nm @ 8500rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, chain final drive
SUSPENSION: Front, 41mm inverted fork, adjustable preload and rebound,travel 138mm. Rear, monoshock,adjustable preload and rebound,travel 130mm.
DIMENSIONS: Seat height 850mm,weight 188kg (wet), fuel capacity 14 litres, wheelbase 1440mm
TYRES: Front, 120/70/ZR17. Rear, 180/55/ZR17
FRAME: Diamond
BRAKES: Front, twin 298mm discs with radial mount four-piston calipers. Rear, 245mm disc, single-piston caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.43 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 188km
COLOURS: Matt Grey
VERDICT: RIDE THE WILD SIDE

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