Photoshoot of the Week: August 12th-18th 2019 – BikeGirlParis & Yamaha MT-07

Just like for BikeGirlParis, the MT-07 has taken the whole Europe by storm – and is now one of Yamaha’s best-selling bikes of all time. And it’s easy to see why so many riders have chosen to ride this exciting Hyper Naked.
The 689cc liquid-cooled DOHC 4-stroke, 8 valve twin parallel-twin engine has a 270° crankshaft, with irregular interval firing, that produces 74 horsepower at 9000 rpm and 50.2 pound-feet of torque at 6500 rpm. Right there with the MT-07 in power is the Ducati Scrambler Cafe, which produces an almost identical 73 hp but only 39 lb-ft of torque. This puts the MT-07 in the very competitive middleweight naked bike class, with competitors like the Kawasaki Z900, KTM 790 Duke, and new-for-this-year Husqvarna Vitpilen 701.
All that power accelerates the MT-07 from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds, pushing to a top speed of 130 mph. This power translates through the throttle in one of the smoothest applications I’ve seen in any motorcycle. You’re given access to this massive amount of usable torque that propels you through the curviest curves and the straightest straights. Every rider never wanted more power and I never wanted less: the words “kinda perfect” sum up this aspect of the MT-07.
As a middleweight naked bike, you don’t get the full spread of Yamaha’s tech, specs, or features, but have no fear. You’ll never want for anything shy of a little suspension upgrade, as the front forks sacrifice sporty dampening for cruising comfort and with non-adjustable front forks, you get what you get. That being said, adjustable preload and rebound damping can be found in the rear. Aside from the suspension woes, the dual 282mm front brakes and 245mm single rear had more than enough stopping power. Shifting was crisp and although there is no slipper clutch, I had mistakenly said there was in my video because downshifts were just that smooth.
Information for speed, revolutions per minute, fuel level, gear indication, and trip information is all located on the well placed, digital display. Nothing to write home about here, as you start to see some of the cost savings techniques surface over the more expensive models in the MT line-up.
We have a 403-pound wet weight with a wheelbase of 55.1 inches, a seat height at 31.7 inches, and overall width of 29.3 inches. When comparing it to a more traditional entry level bike, the Kawasaki Ninja 400, you’re looking at a 33-pound increase in weight and a 0.8-inch increase in seat height. All these numbers boil down to one of the most comfortable naked bikes I’ve ridden to date. A fact that became even more true the moment I pulled away on the bigger, more aggressive MT-09. The MT-07 is like sitting in your favorite chair, with your favorite pup, in your house pants.
Summing up: the MT-07 exceeded all of the expectations: this motorcycle is a fantastic choice for all riders, beginner to over-the-hill-and-back-again experts.