Motorcycle specifications Yamaha850 MT-09 SP 2019 MT-09 de rigueur

Well, I'm not going to give you a glowing review of the MT-09. There's no need. It's got a great engine, a bike that's as playful as they come, a mouth like a viper and a lot of thrills. No further explanation is really needed to legitimize its success. However, the MT-09, then as now, still suffers from one flaw: a rear suspension that can be routed. With a little Öhlins, the SP version aims to overcome this. And not only that.

You don't have 10 minutes before you start acting like a... the happy rider on the MT-09. On the first version, it took even less time to put the chassis to the test when you started to attack. Version II has improved matters, but degraded road surfaces and hard riding are likely to overtax the rear shock absorber.

The MT-09 SP has arrived to satisfy those who attack with vigor. The highlight of this bike is the adoption of an Öhlins S46HR1C1S shock absorber. A beautifully crafted piece of equipment, with multiple settings and easy-to-use knobs. Now that the rear has been handled with adequate rigor, let's take a look at the front. The fork remains unchanged, but you'll be able to fine-tune it even further, as each tube can be adjusted for rebound and compression. On the standard MT-09, each tube has its own function. Thus suspended, this machine will be able to give the road a nice dose of whip. The 115-hp 3-cylinder engine is just waiting for generous hands to express itself, efficiently supported by its 3 riding modes, shifter and traction control.

Yamaha wanted to mark the occasion. The MT-09 SP is adorned with a symbolic deco. The Silver Blue Carbon color scheme is directly inspired by that of the MT-10 SP, itself derived from the R1M. It's a sobering thought to have Yam's top-of-the-range sports bike as a reference. The equipment also includes a saddle with blue stitching, black handlebars, levers and fork crowns, and a negative display for on-board information. Unlike the MT-09, the instrument panel here displays data in white on a black background.

There are those who will welcome the arrival of this MT-09 SP as a judicious "Performance" version of Yamaha's star roadster. There are others, like wam, who think that the SP should be THE basic version of the MT-09, so deserving is this bike of quality damping. But let's not shy away from the idea, and let's even salute it, because this special series is a beautiful machine. And this time, we'll be hard pressed to find any criticism.

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