Yamaha MT-07

Had a look at the Yamaha dealer in Hat Yai today, he has several MT-09 and SR400 but no MT-07.
 
Meanwhile 'Motorcycle Thailand' are saying this.

"At the moment we have no idea when they will launch the Yamaha MT-07, or FZ-07 as they will probably follow the US model names,
but we expect it will be somewhere mid or the end of the second quarter of this year... (but that is an educated guess..) "
 
This is what I was told at Yamaha Square (CNX) today.

The 'MT' designation is for Europe; in Thailand the same bikes will become 'FZ'.

They currently have two black FZ-90s in their showroom for 435,000 baht.
They are also available in black, yellow and grey.

There is also a FZ-09 (Street Rally) model for 489,000 baht.

The FZ-07 (aka MT-07) will be unveiled at the "Bangkok Motor Show" (not sure if this is the actual name of the event) in May 2015.
It will cost "about 300,000 baht".

Also at that same motor show the FJ-09 Tracer will be unveiled.
 
The FZ-07 (aka MT-07) will be unveiled at the "Bangkok Motor Show" (not sure if this is the actual name of the event) in May 2015.
It will cost "about 300,000 baht".


That's a very good price for a Japanese made bike
 
Just a young salesman's guess Colin.
Surely it will have to be in the very high 300s, if not low 400s.
 
^ They should be more expensive than the 650 Kawas assembled here.

But if the bigger three-cylinder FZ-09 is only 435,000 baht 350,000 sounds reasonable.

Fortunately 75hp is way too much bike for me here - I'll wait for a nice second hand CB500X somebody's dumping because he wants an upgrade...
 
This is what I was told at Yamaha Square (CNX) today.

The 'MT' designation is for Europe; in Thailand the same bikes will become 'FZ'.

They currently have two black FZ-90s in their showroom for 435,000 baht.
They are also available in black, yellow and grey.

There is also a FZ-09 (Street Rally) model for 489,000 baht.

The FZ-07 (aka MT-07) will be unveiled at the "Bangkok Motor Show" (not sure if this is the actual name of the event) in May 2015.
It will cost "about 300,000 baht".

Also at that same motor show the FJ-09 Tracer will be unveiled.

What does the FZ-09 Street Rally model look like?



EDIT: just had a look at both the Street Rally (don't like it) and Street Tracker (do like it) on Youtube, but I agree with Thump. All a bit too much for Thai roads. I think it's going to be a CRF250L for me. Nice and steady. :cool:
 
^ I just got back from a two day 1,000 km trip and the CRF is doing fine as long as you don't want to go fast.
I went 110-120 km/h and was passing about 90% of the traffic on the hiway.
Of course the CRF is not made for traveling but once in a while it's not impossible. Heck, I did 3,000 km in a month on a Nouvo 135!
I'm eyeing the CB500X but can't justify spending that kind of money on a bike I'd use only when I'm on holiday.
And for short trips into the countryside and around town the CRF is hard to beat! Light, economic and quick enough.
 
^ I just got back from a two day 1,000 km trip and the CRF is doing fine as long as you don't want to go fast.
I went 110-120 km/h and was passing about 90% of the traffic on the hiway.
Of course the CRF is not made for traveling but once in a while it's not impossible. Heck, I did 3,000 km in a month on a Nouvo 135!
I'm eyeing the CB500X but can't justify spending that kind of money on a bike I'd use only when I'm on holiday.
And for short trips into the countryside and around town the CRF is hard to beat! Light, economic and quick enough.


Exactly, Thump. It's a handsome bike as well. Do prefer the supermoto version of the CRF?
 
I hardly ever go offroad, I like to take small backroads through the countryside, so I got the M.

Two years and 26,000km later I'm still happy!
 
If the FZ-09 is 435,000 baht, I think it is a far better propostion than the Ducati Scrambler and probably more reliable. Probably too fast for Thailand, though.

EDIT: are there any roads in the far north where you can open a bike up a bit?
 
Too fast for Thailand, I agree! Since Thailand is one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to traffic deaths I rather take it easy.

Just did a 1,000km two day roundtrip going 110-120km/h and realized that I was passing about 90% of the traffic!

But maybe it's worth spending the money on a bike that gets very quickly to 120km/h. :)
 
Thump, I lived in Tokyo in the early 90s for a few years. I had an Africa Twin and a Suzuki DR250SH. Whenever I was riding solo in the city, I opted for the 250 as it was far more fun. I even toured once on it two-up (petite Japanese girlfriend) before I got the 750. It's a long time since I had a bike as small as the little DR (an MZ ETZ301 when I returned to England in 1993), but I'm sure I'll enjoy the CRF.
 
I lived in Tokyo from 88 to 91, we may have met! I wouldn't ride a bike in Tokyo traffic, though. Well, I wouldn't recommend to ride in BKK, either but I did.

In big cities less can be more!

Talking about the MT-07, I'm sure it's a great bike, I love triples (had BMW K75S) and I'm sure lots of riders will enjoy this bike on trips. I'm eyeing a CB500X but since my CRF250M is doing everything I need around town and on short trips, spending 215K on a bike I use only on holidays is not justified.
 
Where in Tokyo did you live, Thump? Did you go to Roppongi? Gas Panic, Déjà Vu, Charleston? I lived in Gyotoku between November 1989 and June 1991. Then in Shiroganedai (near Gotanda) from then to December 1992.

Tokyo was a dangerous place to ride. I was taken out on the DR by a young lad who was trying to overtake me in his car. At least he stopped. Very painful. Swollen hand, concussion and a broken collarbone. And it took Suzuki 4 months to supply a new frame.

It's the MT-09 that's the triple. The MT-07 is a parallel twin, although I'm sure you know that. I thought I wanted the Ducati Scrambler if indeed I went the big bike route in Thailand, but I'd prefer the MT/FZ-09.
 
Of course I went to Roppongi! One of my favorite pasttimes was to sit in a bar, sip gin tonic and watch the never ending stream of dolled-up girls coming up the stairs from the subway station, ready to party! I think I got there at the end of '88, a couple of months later the Emperor died and the country came to a standstill. No jobs, no work, no money, at least for us foreigners. I lived in Kasai in Yoshida Guesthouse, a place of ill repute, full of foreigners and all the problems that came with them. I once watched a bloody fistfight between some Japanese karate guy who thought he could kick gaijin ass. The fight went over all the floors and the fighters slipped because of the blood on the floor. A British guy defended the honor of the foreigners and finally got the karate guy out of the building before the police came. It was like watching a cage fight live. Those were the days, I remember them fondlt but they're definitely in the past.
You're right, I didn't see the thread is about the MT-07 which I'd prefer over the MT-09 but only here in Thailand.
Do you remember the bosozoku, the crazies on their modified bikes? The police would follow them just to keep them in check. In the US they probably would have tried to stop them and it would have been a bloodbath; in Japan they just follow them and things stay controlled.
I never rode a big bike in Tokyo but I managed an artist and we had to transport his large sculpture through the city to the exhibition. I rented a flatbed truck with a crane and since nobody else wanted to drive I had to - right hand drive for the first time, shift on the left, through traffic looking like ants on an anthill with no idea of direction. It was an adventure!
Hope we haven't hijacked the thread too much! Well most bikes are made in japan, that's the connection!
 
Very interesting. We haven't hijacked the thread because no one's said anything for an age. Kasai, eh? A friend of mine lived there. Across Kannana Dori from the station, and three minutes later you're confronted by an apartment block (6F, I think) and only one apartment wide called the Genshichi Building standing behind a small square. I've good memories of Kasai. Gyotoku, too, of course. There were stacks of gaijin there. I used the DR250 on. more or less, a daily basis and the Africa Twin at the weekends. I'm looking forward to moving to Thailand for 7 or 8 months a year and exploring the whole country by bike.
 
I spent eight years in Tokyo ('91-'99) and I rode a variety of large sport bikes, including two GSXR-1100Rs (a '90 and a '94 model)- I found commuting in traffic to be no big deal due to the fact that drivers generally stuck to their lanes (rather than fighting to move up a spot like in LOS). I actually prefer riding in Thailand, though (of course, I don't live in BKK, which would likely give me a different opinion;)).

That said, I think the MT07 would make a terrific city bike at a really good price-point.
 
I have had a look on the Yamaha Chiang Mai website and there is no mention of the MT/FZ-09.

Better have a look at the Yamaha Thailand website at: Specs_FZ-09

vdo_fz09.png
 
Thanks, Lone Rider. Not a bad price given the fact it's Japanese built. More expensive than UK, but not prohibitively so, and certainly a much better prospect than a Ducati Scrambler, I feel.

Kawboy, we overlapped in Tokyo for a couple of years or so. I briefly had a friend with a GSXR 1100. We met re: bikes, but not so long before I returned to England. You say you prefer riding in Thailand, which is good news. I wonder which part you live in. I am not deterred by heavy traffic as I have done thousands of miles in London on top of my time in Tokyo. What do you ride?

I am moving over on a 7 or 8 month basis a year next year, but I am holidaying before that in October/November this year. Doesn't the humidity bother you when riding? Having asked that, it doesn't get much more humid than a Tokyo summer.
 
I've got a 2013 ZX-14R (the bike in my avatar). I've been spending a lot of time in the north lately. The heat/humidity is really only an issue 3-4 months of the year (thought there's also a rainy season, but it's not as bad as the one in Tokyo, which was pretty bad if you had to ride through it everyday, which I did;))- I've got different gear set-ups depending on the temperature, but there are some days where you are better off starting early and getting your riding done by noon (I love a sunrise ride, so this is no problem for me). November to March offers great riding weather, though.
 
Kawboy, I'm going to base myself in Chiang Rai. It was going to be Chiang Mai, but I've had two trips where I've spent time in the far north, and I like it better. I can always bike down to Chiang Mai for a long weekend every six weeks or so. I'm getting a one-piece kevlar mesh suit with perforated armour. It has a zip in liner for wet weather. Mesh boots and gloves will finish things off. Oh, and a helmet. I'm going to find it difficult not to buy an MT/FZ-09. Nice and light, tractable engine, and not that much more than they are in Europe.
 
Chiang Rai is a nice spot with some great roads.

If you're set on the FZ-09 (which is a nice choice) and you plan to do the (needed) suspension upgrades, buy the equipment in Europe and bring it with you as it's difficult and expensive to source here.
 
Kawboy, have a look at Youtube: Yamaha FZ-09 Full Review and V-Log. It's rather long, but he talks about the suspension. Also there's another one (forgotten the link. Different contributor) where he shows you how to adjust the forks. Unless you are incredibly heavy the front suspension suffices (I'm just over 14 stones or 200 lb). A rear shock can be fitted when it's worn. I could bring one on a subsequent trip.
 
I've ridden the bike, and I have a couple of friends who changed the rear suspension, and it was a night-and-day difference- the stock suspension might be OK for a very light rider, but you're not one (neither am I- we weigh about the same;))- you'll likely find yourself compressing it to the max with any kind of spirited riding. While I would certainly change the front fork springs and fork oil at a minimum (which isn't very expensive), it's the rear suspension that's the issue.

You can swap it out at any time, of course, but once you get to know the best twisty roads in northern LOS, I would bet you'll end up doing it ASAP.

The FZ-09 is an excellent bike, but- like pretty much every bike, including mine- it has a couple of flaws. At least they're easily remedied.
 
^ I guess you can't expect a perfect bike for little money!

Actually I prefer it this way. Buy it for a real good price and if you feel the need for improvement get the parts that do the job.

People like to modify and personalize their bikes, so why not spend money on fork springs or rear shocks instead of noisy slip-ons!

Of course you could improve the suspension and get a slip-on. :)
 
I see your point- you can always get the components later. It would just be easier to do it in advance and bring them in yourself (in checked baggage)- that way you can avoid shipping fees and a possible 40% customs hit. If you travel back regularly, though, you can get them at any time. I modified my bike quite a bit (full exhaust, brake lines, ECU flash, PC-V, etc), and nothing was available here in LOS (even though the bike is sold here- unless you ride a really popular model, aftermarket stuff is scarce) and everything had to be shipped in- it would have been much better had I brought the stuff in myself from the US myself rather than dealing with customs.

I just thought I'd give you a heads-up.;)
 
I agree with the logic in bringing the bits in yourself, Kawboy. I just want to make sure I actually buy an FZ-09 first. I intend to go back to Portugal (where I live) once a year for four or five months. I could easily get the parts sent from England (I'm from there and buy all my stuff from there by post/courier) and bring them in in checked in baggage. Although I have the hots for an FZ-09, part of me thinks the sensible option is the CRF250L ... in fact, a nice idea may be one of each ... eye pop
 
If you're going to be riding mostly for pleasure and living in Chiang Rai, 'sensible' really doesn't need to be a big concern- the FZ-09 will definitely be in its element. While buying both is certainly an option, you'd be leaving the Honda home most of the time, I'd bet. I'm currently looking into a second motorcycle, and it will likely be a literbike- I only ride for fun, though (and I have a Grom for runs to 7/11;)).
 
A Grom? A step-through or something, I'd imagine. When I was in Tokyo (a much bigger city than Chiang Rai), I tended to leave the Africa Twin at home if I was hammering round the city solo and take the DR250. Mind you, Chiang Rai is only really a town.
 
One thing to bear in mind we only have a Kawasaki dealer in CR, all other big bikes will need to be serviced in Chiang Mai
 
Ordered mine at bitec motorshow on the 9th of august, 2 months to wait to get it, it is very long !
 
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