Thinking of buying an MT-07

[land_lubber]

Hi all, I just joined this forum after looking around for awhile. I currently own a Kawasaki ninja 300 and have been seriously thinking of buying a MT-07. I love my 300 and its loads of fun but I really hate sitting at 8000/9000 revs on the motorway for long periods and sometimes wish it had just that little more power. Most of my riding is commuting but I do live in the country so spend awhile before I actually hit traffic. Has anyone here gone from a ninja 300 to a MT-07? is it still as nimble? what is the fuel econ like compared to the ninja? I can only afford to have one bike at the moment otherwise I would keep my ninja as well as I have done lots of modes to it so is a good track bike.

 

[Donut]

Hi all, I just joined this forum after looking around for awhile. I currently own a Kawasaki ninja 300 and have been seriously thinking of buying a MT-07. I love my 300 and its loads of fun but I really hate sitting at 8000/9000 revs on the motorway for long periods and sometimes wish it had just that little more power. Most of my riding is commuting but I do live in the country so spend awhile before I actually hit traffic. Has anyone here gone from a ninja 300 to a MT-07? is it still as nimble? what is the fuel econ like compared to the ninja? I can only afford to have one bike at the moment otherwise I would keep my ninja as well as I have done lots of modes to it so is a good track bike.

I can't help with experience of going from an ninja 300 to an MT-07 or compare its nimbleness but I can say that I find the MT very light and agile and that mine ridden enthusiastically averages around 57/58mpg.

In town I've heard that it can go down to around 50mpg but with longer trips and not ridden so hard can be well into the 60's and even 70mpg.

Go and try one - cracking bike even with it's basic suspension.

 

[land_lubber]

I did go and sit on one in the weekend but didn't have my gear on me to take it for a ride. I probably will next weekend though or the weekend after. I must say, I have never been a fan of naked bikes but this one I fell in love with when I first saw it.

 

[badger27]

A test ride will give you the answers. I can say it's very light very flickable and ridden gently will do 65+ to the gallon. Of course if you give it some beans it's a proper grin machine a little soggy but you wouldn't notice unless pushing on
A great bike for very little money
Safe to say I love mine

 

[tw586]

before you commit to a MT07 just take a ride on the new R3. I bought my wife one 2 weeks ago and think its fantastic, I have always liked full faring bike, loved the MT07 way better when I bought it a last year. I have seriously thought about selling the 07 and getting an R3 for myself, but I can always ride hers and keep mine. Best of both worlds. The R3 is a little lighter, less torque but similar power, 42 vs 50 hp, it handles a little better and is more comfortable at high speed, the ride is not as harsh as the 07 and the engine is very smooth. Yamaha have made a twin that feel like a 4 cyl in the R3 the bike has 3 distinct personas 3 to 6 grand is a great city bike tractable and smooth in traffic, 6 to 10 grand its a fun open road cruiser for tooling around on the weekend, 10 to 13 its a screamer almost like and R6 with a lot less power.

 

[Donut]

before you commit to a MT07 just take a ride on the new R3. I bought my wife one 2 weeks ago and think its fantastic, I have always liked full faring bike, loved the MT07 way better when I bought it a last year. I have seriously thought about selling the 07 and getting an R3 for myself, but I can always ride hers and keep mine. Best of both worlds. The R3 is a little lighter, less torque but similar power, 42 vs 50 hp, it handles a little better and is more comfortable at high speed, the ride is not as harsh as the 07 and the engine is very smooth. Yamaha have made a twin that feel like a 4 cyl in the R3 the bike has 3 distinct personas 3 to 6 grand is a great city bike tractable and smooth in traffic, 6 to 10 grand its a fun open road cruiser for tooling around on the weekend, 10 to 13 its a screamer almost like and R6 with a lot less power.

What size and power is the MT-07 in New Zealand? In the UK it's 689cc with a claimed 74bhp

 

[tw586]

in Aust and NZ up untill this month all MT07's are limited to 50hp and 660cc to keep them learner legal. with the success of the MT all over the world Yamaha is now releasing the Full version down here.

 

[land_lubber]

before you commit to a MT07 just take a ride on the new R3. I bought my wife one 2 weeks ago and think its fantastic, I have always liked full faring bike, loved the MT07 way better when I bought it a last year. I have seriously thought about selling the 07 and getting an R3 for myself, but I can always ride hers and keep mine. Best of both worlds. The R3 is a little lighter, less torque but similar power, 42 vs 50 hp, it handles a little better and is more comfortable at high speed, the ride is not as harsh as the 07 and the engine is very smooth. Yamaha have made a twin that feel like a 4 cyl in the R3 the bike has 3 distinct personas 3 to 6 grand is a great city bike tractable and smooth in traffic, 6 to 10 grand its a fun open road cruiser for tooling around on the weekend, 10 to 13 its a screamer almost like and R6 with a lot less power.

I did think of the R3 but I don't really like the look of it to be honest and to me the Ninja 300 has more pluses to it. I also think the power range it quite similar to the ninja, I know the R3 has a little more but I don't think it will be enough for what I am looking for.

 

[land_lubber]

in Aust and NZ up untill this month all MT07's are limited to 50hp and 660cc to keep them learner legal. with the success of the MT all over the world Yamaha is now releasing the Full version down here.

I might just wait for the full version to come out. Wonder if/when it will be released in NZ.

 

[leon_nerd]

Not sure where you are located but the advantage of having the MT-07 is the amount of torque and the range within which you have that. With 300s you have to change gears a lot to keep up with the traffic, slow Or fast. But with 07 you can cruise effortlessly on, say, 3rd gear. You don't have to keep revving the engine. It has a very torquey engine right from 3k upto 6/7k . You will love it.

Edit: Oh well, just noticed you are in Auckland, NZ.

 

[land_lubber]

Yeah we only have the restricted version here at the moment. I'm actually thinking of just waiting til summer and get the mt-09. I will see if I can go test ride the 07 in the weekend and see what I think of it.

 

[Donut]

Yeah we only have the restricted version here at the moment. I'm actually thinking of just waiting til summer and get the mt-09. I will see if I can go test ride the 07 in the weekend and see what I think of it.

The 09 is also a cracking bike, and very good value too. I just preferred the sound and feel of the twin 07 as well as the extra lightness and nimbleness but wouldn't blame you if you did get the bigger bike.

 

[land_lubber]

Haven't heard them in the flesh yet but I love the sound of that triple. 07 sounds awesome as well.

 

[robodene]

07 seems to have 1/2 the growl sound of the GP bike's four when you roll it on. Lovely.

 

[land_lubber]

So took the 07 for a test ride today. I really love it but expected a little more power I guess. Mind you we only have the restricted version here and they aren't too sure if we will get the unrestricted version or not. I can't test the 09 as I am only on my restricted and have to wait till summer when I get my full if I am going to test it. I may just put my bike up for sale now and wait until summer to test and 09 and maybe unrestricted 07 if we get it.

 

[land_lubber]

Out of curiosity can any of you guys in Australia put in some input of your restricted ones? can you get the front wheel off the ground?

 

[sdrio]

Got to say, if I was looking for something specifically for motorway riding, the MT07 wouldn't be my first choice. As with any naked bike, you are quite exposed.

It's a great commuter though. Will be much quicker than your 300, even in restricted form.

 

[Eddieh93]

I ride a mechanically restricted version of the 07 and I love it. The only thing I have found is that I have got used to using all of the throttle and nailing it most places.

It's happy cruising along at 100, not that I do ,although the neck probably wont thank you for cruising along at that speed, like sdrio said if your looking for a motorway riding machine this is probably not the best buy, although for everything else it is so fun. what I have noticed is a slight lack in power when trying to overtake while doing 70-80 but its not an issue I'm worried about as you get past fine anyway.

Front wheel comes up easy in 1st and just about in 2nd.

I've had it to 117(slight downhill) as well so its not a slow machine even when restricted.

 

[sdrio]

I ride a mechanically restricted version of the 07 and I love it. The only thing I have found is that I have got used to using all of the throttle and nailing it most places.

It's happy cruising along at 100, not that I do ,although the neck probably wont thank you for cruising along at that speed, like sdrio said if your looking for a motorway riding machine this is probably not the best buy, although for everything else it is so fun. what I have noticed is a slight lack in power when trying to overtake while doing 70-80 but its not an issue I'm worried about as you get past fine anyway.

Front wheel comes up easy in 1st and just about in 2nd.

I've had it to 117(slight downhill) as well so its not a slow machine even when restricted.

It is, in reality, not actually a very fast bike. It's something we've discussed here a few times, opinions do vary. Some of us have had more purposeful machinery before - eg I had a Honda Fireblade, and of course that kind of bike will wipe the floor with an MT07.

What the MT07 does have is good torque. It isn't a racer, but what speed it can do, it gets there in a splendidly grunty fashion. For commuters and country lane scratchers, that's pretty much all you need.

It's performance is theatrical, but you'll sometimes find odd things happening - I have been schooled by a spirited teenager on a scooter when out on mine. Admittedly he was lucky to be alive, and had to ride like a lunatic to do it, but fact remains, he got away from me

If you're planning high speed runs across the continent, or to go out chasing R1's, this isn't the bike for you.

 

[Eddieh93]

Completely agree with you sdrio about not being the fastest bike around all you go to look at all the sub 200bhp bikes that they are making going about 200mph!

Also I agree with it being more grunty! That's what makes this bike so fun!

Can I asked how you got done by a scooter on a 700? Unless it was a 172cc Gilera Runner as my mates topped out at 90!!!