MID-WEIGHT MAESTRO

For more than a decade, Yamaha's MT-07 has proven a staple choice for those in search of a naughty middleweight naked at real-world prices. To keep that case the same, the brand's cranked up the spec and tech of this much-loved protagonist.

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There are times in life when you find things you never knew you needed, which is perhaps a fair way to relate Yamaha's MT-07. Affordable, flexible, and as much fun as a free bar, it's proven a massive hit for Yamaha, which has flogged just under 200,000 of them in Europe during the last decade. From a commercial point of view it's been a massive hit, and the accolades its achieved are impressive, not only being the brand's bestseller above 125cc, but also Europe's most-sold naked for 10 years in a row. These are feats the Japanese brand is undoubtedly keen on keeping, so it's gone all-out in upping the ante of this fourth-generation protagonist.

From an aesthetic point of view, it's easy to spot how the image has matured, looking more substantial than ever, mimicking styling cues from its big brother, the MT-09. Keeping it in the family, the bike's face has been given a good seeing to, while also adopting a similar style projector main beam and aggressively styled twin riding lights. The rear seat is smarter too, while the bike's 14-litre tank is narrower near the saddle for added rider comfort and control. The MT's ergonomics become that bit more affable thanks to 10mm lower pegs and bars that sit lower, closer to the rider, and are a little wider. Another dead giveaway of the bike's evolution is the fitment of 41mm USD forks that sport twin radial four-pot calipers for added braking performance. Some people might not clock the new, lighter triple clamps but they're very much in the mix and mount the forks to the stiffer, heavily revised chassis. At the back of the bike, there's a new, stronger swingarm too, while Yamaha's pin-forged wheels help lower the bike's unsprung mass.