Yamaha MT-01

Nothing quite like it and it will be a collector in years to come – I bet if Yamaha had released the MT01 today instead of back in 2005 then it would have been a huge sales success. This bike was way ahead of it's time and only now is this style of good handling retro Nakedbikes really coming into vogue. Its not perfect but in part that is its appeal, it's a fun good handling bike to ride and and at 120 kph it… Read more

feels like 120mph and that's the difference between this style of big air cooled V-twin bike & today's sports and touring bikes, you don't have to ride the big MT at huge lock up speeds to have fun on it. 5 stars to Yamaha for building this special bike, ten stars if they built a new version. I for one would buy it.

mt01 – Still the best bike ever. from "just bought it today" Jan 8 2015. Took it for a blast today after 2 weeks not riding it and it not only fired up instantly but it seemed to want to be ridden. Laying it down into corners and rocketing out of them is just so easy and so much fun. The engine not only gets up and goes when you crank it,its engine… Read more

braking is also amazing,meaning those state of the art brakes should last forever. Yamaha had performance kits available back in the day. stage 1,2@3. the stage 3 kit cost $8000approx which sounds expensive but boosted the mt's already great performance by 30%. A "race what you ride", quarter mile legend! All that (used bike and the stage 3 kit) for half the price of some other big twin brands.

a beast! – big torque, a bike with its own identity, perfect mix of sport and custom bike, reliability of yamaha you already know, a little high for small person

Pure muscle – I've own mine for over 3 years and I ride it almost everyday. It has almost 60 000kays on her. And the motor is still running sweet, even though I give it a hard time. Love taking up a mountain and eating sports bike with it's sheer torque. And dose it handle? Just have to look at my tyres and see no chicken strips. But I have touch my header pipe… Read more

down as well as my oil tank, but man your have to be really over to do that. This bike I'll keep forever as there is nothing else like it. And yes it draws lots of attention, even from people that aren't into bikes. Anyway if you haven't already check out the MT01 owners forum and meet other lucky buggers fortunate enough to have one. These will be collector bikes one day and be worth a lot of money.

MT01 is the best of both worlds – I bought mine a few days ago, first impression was "OMG the vibration", but after a while i began to enjoy it. The power it has via the torque is awesome and will probably out run any bike on accelerating. Top speed isnt all that high, she will hit just over 200KPH but that is not what the MT01 is for. I always preferred the sound, pull and style… Read more ·  1

from the cruiser engine, however I did not like the low seating nor the handling, but I love the handling of a sport bike, but the sports whining engines really don't impress me. Buying the MT01 gave me my sports style naked bike but with the added luxury of the cruiser engine that will more than pull the skin off any rice pudding. The seating is very good and very comfy compared to many bikes, the weight is not too bad and Im not that tall (5'10") but I can reach the ground no problem. The bike is not produced any more, so finding one is getting harder, mine had been sitting in a showroom for the past 4 years until I bought it, now she pounds the roads daily. The MT01 is a stunner and no matter where you park she attracts a crowd, even other bikers will come over and have a gaze at her to try to work out what she is. The MT01 is really the best of both worlds, you can feel quite at home cruising beside your mates with their cruisers, or you can go sport riding with your mates on their sport bikes, it really is an all round bike for all occasions. The fuel tan is only 15 liters, she will do around 200K per tank depending on your riding style, then the reserve comes on and gives you another 50k, the tank could be bigger, but in all honesty it is nice stopping to fuel up as everyone in the servo will look over in admiration of the beast you are riding. I love the cruiser engine with the naked sports style, the sound and performance. To be honest I love everything about her. Fuel tank could have been bigger, but to be honest it is not really a problem.

More than I bargained for – I knew it had a 220km range and no luggage space when I bought it. Didn't know that it would exceed all my expectations of pleasure. I leave my car at home and urban commute 22km each way daily - yes it wasn't made for congestion, but the clutch is awesome! I've got a purpose built Ventura luggage rack (only purpose built I found - and great… Read more ·  1

quality - thank me for that hard sought tip). My complaint is the vibrating mirrors. Swap for bar-end mirrors - function first, but also turn out to be cafe racer cool. Oberon Streetfighter style - I went for cheaper Somerset Cafe Racer due to budget. Finally, you spend so much time happily in the first half twist of the throttle, that it's a shock when you sometimes venture into the second half, rarely prepared! Beast, character, Cafe Racer when bar end mirrors fitted Mirrors vibrate, sw for bar ends.

Urban Brawler – I have had my MT01 for coming up on 4 years. In that time I have made it into a bike with more custom parts than geniune oem ones and it has taken an already unique bike and made it individually one of a kind. Extensive use of Carbon Fibre, multiple laser cut MT01 plates and etched highlights such as the levers, racing spools, etc are subtle yet… Read more ·  3

essential to the "Look" I'm after. The best thing about these additions is that nearly everything has been purchased on the net rather than at a dealer and as such the customisation has been quite affordable. I too am a big guy at 6"4 and 120kg so the MT was always going to get a look in as a suitable ride for me as my mates said I looked ridiculous on my TRX-850. (I didn't listen and rode it for 12 years), but overall the seat is comfy, the reach to the bars perfect, and the fat torque range means the motor and gearbox don't need to be flogged to have a blast.

Basically, in top gear going at 160kph, the bike is running at just over 3000rpm....its impressive when you experience it and with the 3500rpm being the fat part of the rev range there is still the ability to wind it on further....not that at 160 kph you should need to.....

I have seen a genuine 220kph on the speedo but thats about as quick as it gets, so if you want to keep up with the latest crop of superbikes...Forget it....but it will get off the line almost as quick and I have timed my 0-100 time as 3.5 seconds which is pretty quick for such a big bike. That said I have stripped nearly 20 kg off mine and it makes a big difference.(Custom pipes & K&N Filter also)

Negatives are the 15 litre tank which isn't ideal in Australia as long distances can be travelled so I pack a 5 litre jerry can when I tour or go to Phillip Island. Also the exhaust end caps snapped on three occasions and are stupidly expensive as an oem part and not worth what they ask...I ended up buying one piece billet items from Tecc-Design which are cheaper, look better and have lasted with no issues.

Overall its a great bike for a bigger bloke and has all the power you will ever need to cover the urban duties and with style....People stop me constantly to talk about my Urban Brawler so if you are the shy retiring type then the MT01 maybe isn't for you either......

Pictures available publically on Flickr under MT01, Monkeyboy.......this photostream depicts the evolution of my bike from naked silver beast to carbon laden monster. I have just purchased more Carbon Fibre this week so now I will remove the leather tank cover to expose the 2 tank cover pieces on order so the process continues and the gallery grows... Its a beast of a machine! fuel range, Oem exhaust end caps break easily and regularly.

Back to basics – I've had and tried many bikes. 1, 2, 3, 4 cylinders, 2 strokes, 4 strokes, naked, sports, tourings, cruisers, from all origins. I love all bikes and if I could, would probably have 20 parked in my garage. What's most appealing about this bike is it goes back to what a motorcycle is all about. Simplicity, character, passion. Design is different… Read more ·  1

enough that you either hate or love it, personally I just think it's one of the best looking bikes out there. Get rid of those stock mirrors and turn signals, and the looks cleans up pretty fast :) The torque is just so much fun. It's make this bike a blast to ride without having to put your license on the line everytime you go out (though you can if you must!). You could pull a 20' boat with this thing. Even with stock pipes it sounds just awesome. Posture is nice too. Just make sure you have legs long enough to have both feet flat on the ground cause when parking the bike in gravel for example, you'll feel the 100lbs more over a sports bike for example. Once in motion though the weight dissipates and it handles way beyond what you'd expect by looking at this massive beast. Torque, sound, looks, comfort, handling, character, oh and did I say torque? Autonomy (only 15L in tank), limited options for luggage.

wicked bike – what a ride im 6"3 120kg fits like a glove from the first time you get on. full on power from the get go good brakes need to sort out front suspension a bit for myself but handles brilliant the looks are killer get asked alot what is it glad i bought one look forward to many happy miles bigger tank would not have hurt Show reply

A beast – A very under-rated bike. It forms a great basis for long term ownership as it's an excellent platform to start from if you intend on modifying it. You can't go wrong with 1670cc, chain drive, top spec suspension and rigid chassis. With only 8.36:1 compression and a conservative cam as stock, the tuning potential is huge (you would exactly… Read more

describe it as 'slow' in the first place). XV1700 Warriors (which are the donor bike for the engine) have had a lot of development in the US - so these tuning parts can be used on the MT.

The bike will commute, 'race' and tour easily (though attaching luggage for touring requires some creativity). It's 'cons' can all be overcome with easily obtainable (yet a bit expensive) aftermarket parts. Overall, this bike is what motorcycling is all about. It's totally excessive, but it makes you want more.

** Update **

I still own the bike after 10 years and have modified it as follows:

- 56mm headers

- underbelly exhaust

- Barnett clutch (heavy duty option)

- removed Exup

- Reflash ECU -> 91rwhp 117lb/ft @ 32 degrees C The huge torque that launches you from the line or out of corners - you'll leave big dark lines out of tight corners! The sound (with pipes) - also makes you obvious in traffic. The vibes are low frequency and have obviously been tuned into the bike. Riding it is an attack on all the senses. The incredible amount of improvement from pipes, filter + powercommander. Great comfort, effortless high speed cruising. Cheap to service - air cooled, self adjusting valves. You just need to change the oil and check everything. The handling and brakes (for what it is) and its suspension adjustibility, and last but not least, the looks. Rust on header bolts. The painted swingarm and wheels chip easily. Sticky ignition lock from time to time. Excessive weight, with not much scope to shed any (all in the engine) - tends to push the front end because of the low centre of gravity - so you need a very sticky front tyre if you're pushing it. Weak clutch - tends to 'graunch' on hard take-off and also slips at high rpm through clutchless changes. Weak steering head bearings (they are ball type but can be replaced with roller type once they go - but the ease of wheelies makes them go pretty quickly). Uses a bit of oil - burns it on over-run as oil is sucked through the valve stem seals (not a big deal - typical for a big twin - especially one this big that's designed to be ridden the way it is). Lack of luggage attachment options. Not so comfortable for a pillion (pegs are too high).

Excellent – Simply love the bike. It's in a class of its own. The sound makes me want to leave it on idle outside the garage, which make my neighbours stare at me strangely even more now-a-days. It's far better than having to maintain a sports bike and a cruiser ... even a bit of a chook-chaser at times, despite the weight. The torque of this bike reminds… Read more

me of getting on a high speed electric train. From the moment the lights trun green to way past the point where your license is gone and you're probably locked up behind vertical bars, the accelleration doesn't want to stop. While it is a heavy bike, especially with me full of x-mas dinners on it, it handles surprisingly well through corners too. (It helps if you've got some racing training too.) I've just loved this bike from the day I first tested it a few months ago. I now ride it to and from work on a daily basis, place of my old XT660X, and the missus doesn't see me much on weekends either anymore. As some critics say, it does look like it came out of spare parts bins in Japan. However, this is not difficult to rectify without having to spend too much of the hard earned. The bike's looks needs simplification, removal of bits, rather than investment in new or modified parts. That's my next challenge: a bit of time, imagination and a few select tools should see to it.

I just time warped back 35 yrs – I own a ZZR1100 (ZX11) and decided to return to riding big V's after a 6yr hiatus on 4's. I always loved the look of the MT but 2 reasons prevented me looking at one, firstly was price, second was the requirement for pillion accommodation. She has her own ride now, hehehe! They are not common in NZ, although they are lurking around in most cities.… Read more ·  1

Anyway I purchased my MT white/black on Dec 23rd 2011. Facing a 400 mile ride home gave ample opportunity to get acquainted. Ample? try about 30miles! The bike just felt right almost instantly. The ride home was so enjoyable, the low revving but strong motor trundling along effortlessly at 100-110kph. Handling is actually better than the Zed's which was a slight shock considering they weigh the same, and the drive out of corners on the MT is just 'legendary'.

How to describe the 'emotions'? the bike pricks at? I guess if like many of my age group you rode, or owned old Brit iron like the Bonnie it reproduces the feelings through the seat of the pants you get from them (motor vibes) not high intensity vibes but you can feel that motor is under you. The low revs along with the exhaust note (standard pipes) just ticks the right boxes. I felt the same as riding my old Bonnie, without the fear of breakdowns, bits becoming detached or relying on 'illumination'? bt the Prince of Darkness, joe lucas. Forgive the brash comparison, but it's almost like owning a 'modern' Vincent, exclusive, different, and definitely has a visual individualism and I think it's a soon to be classic. For me it does simply tick the right boxes I love riding this and have a wide grin without the need for speed per the ZZR. The bike is 'hi tech/low tech' and I think it is a shame Yamaha didst target them the way they could have to seal them in numbers, and maybe reduction of original price was left too late. If you are looking for 'old school' like a new Triumph and the shop has an MT on the floor? try it, I think you'll love it. Low revving but sh*tloads of torque, it feels like an old school bike. You simply wear a grin without going 200kph to gain it. Poor pillion accommodation, low fuel range

Expensive toy that the fun wears off quickly – Great bike with lots of torque but becomes boring after a few weeks. Lousy fuel range and pillion accommodation. Be prepared to make a huge loss when you sell it. Mine took a year to sell and I almost had to give it away. Torque Lousy fuel range, passenger accommodation and resale value.Weak fork seals and steering head bearings.

I'd buy an SP as well , if the minister for home affairs would allow it – Owned mine for 3 1/2 years. Bought it new off the brochure and loved every day of it. Live in the Snowy Mountains and it just eats these mountains. Torque, torque and more torque. Would tow a caravan if it had a tow bar. Finish is impecable. Brakes and handles great rear shock is a bit doughy for my 120 kg

Excellent – OMG!! unreal she is fast, Loud and handls like a dream, Its a cross between my 2 bikes, I have a fatboy and a ducati. This bike is superfast, Cheap and rides like a dream Xmas wish list OMG what a machine, Rode my brothers bike, Un real power LOL there is nothing to dislike about this bike