The upgraded MT-09 has a new engine in a new frame with new suspension components

MY2021 brings a ground-up rebuild for the existing Yamaha MT-09. The factory doubles the “09” lineup by adding the top-drawer MT-09 SP to the mix. A new engine rides in a new frame with new suspension components and ride-quality electronics to make this a genuinely new version of Yamaha's second-largest “Master of Torque” model.

The newly-rebuilt engine powers both of the entries in the MT-09 bracket, the MT-09 and the MT-09 SP. It's an inline triple-banger with newly-ground dual over-head cams that actuate a quartet of poppets per combustion chamber. New pistons, fracture-split con-rods, and a new crank all come packed in a new crankcase.

The factory stretched the stroke by three mm to a total of 62.1 mm with a 78 mm bore for a total displacement of 890 cc with a medium-hot, 11.5-to-1 compression ratio. Power figures as stated by Yamaha for the MT-09, measure 117 horsepower and 69 pound-feet of torque with MT-09's top speed around 136.7 mph. This is plenty enough to get yourself in a whole heap of trouble.

The new engine rolls with a robust electronics suite. A six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit logs the forces operating on the machine and supports some of the other gadgets. A ride-by-wire, Accelerator Position Sensor Grip, and YCC-T reconcile the difference between rider demand and engine capability for seamless transitions throughout the range.

The traction control feature comes with a trio of profiles – two premade and one for manual inputs – and is lean-angle sensitive for extra traction protection. Slide Control and wheelie prevention also come stock and operate hand-in-glove with the IMU for even more confidence when operating near or at the top of the range.

A slipper clutch couples engine power to a six-speed transmission for another layer of safety with a two-way Quick Shift System to bang your way up and down the range like a boss sans clutch action.

Yamaha's aesthetic changes to the MT-09 start right up front with a revised front fender. It has a drip edge behind the foil-shaped uprights that steer the incoming air around the USD fork tube to lower drag and prevent it from accumulating road grime.

Blackout fork stanchions and similarly dark triple clamps carry over from the 2020 MT-09, but the revised headlight housing dropped the dual lights in favor of a two-in-one cyclops lens. The new headlight uses a number of LED projectors to shape the light field in front of you.

Position lights and turn signals finish the forward lighting, all with bright LEDs that are clearly visible, day or night. On the downside, the front turn signals are still mounted in the same place as prior models, but the LED lightbars have a much cleaner look, more so than the old bulbous style to give the new model a fresh visage.

Updated instrumentation rides in a new, 3.5-inch, color TFT display, but that's just the beginning of the revisions. The new triple tree rides lower on the steering head, and very tall risers make up the handlebar height difference. This maintains that relaxed upper line and concurrent upright riding position. If you don't like the shape of the rider's triangle, both the handlebar and the footpegs are adjustable to suit.

A reimagined fuel-tank hump changes the overall look more, though it carries the same, 3.7-gallon payload as before. The tank maintains the strong upper ridge that flows into the dual intake scoops to show a more integrated continuity of design.

The rider's saddle puts your butt 32.5 inches off the deck. That is a little tall for shorter inseams, but the narrow waist allows for a direct path for your legs from hip to ground.

As for the gear in the rear, the factory opted for a subframe-mount mudguard/plateholder this year. It moves weight off the swingarm but perhaps doesn't look as good as the single-side hugger out back that the 2020 model carried. A redesigned taillight lens rides up under the tip of the tail as usual, and like the rest of the lighting, it comes with LEDs for maximum visibility from the rear.

Weight savings was clearly a front-burner topic for the MT-09 design team that manages to pare eight pounds off the heft. It now weighs in at 417 pounds. The new die-cast aluminum frame and box-section swingarm increase chassis rigidity by as much as 50 percent for greater stability underway. That's backed up by the die-cast aluminum subframe to finish off the standing structure.

A difference between the base and the “SP” model is in the suspension. The “09” rides on inverted KYB forks that deliver adjustable preload as well as compression and rebound damping. A KYB rear shock with adjustable preload and rebound damping.

The “09 SP” rocks USD KYB forks, as well, but with high- and low-speed compression damping control for a little lagniappe. Instead of KYB out back, the top model carries an Öhlins shock with the full trinity of tweaks on board. No matter which you choose, you can count on 5.1 inches of travel up front with 4.8 inches out back, which is plenty for civilized roads.

Spin-forged, 17-inch aluminum hoops round out the rolling chassis. Since the wheels lost weight ahead of this year, they generate less inertia so they are more eager to dive into a turn and then stand back up out of it.

Both models rely on a radial-mount Nissin front master cylinder to deliver a linear brake response that requires very little pressure to bind the front wheel. Dual, four-piston calipers bite 298 mm front discs with a single-pot anchor and 245 mm disc out back, all with a stock ABS feature across the board.

Yamaha's new base model MT-09 costs $9,399. It comes in Storm Fluo, Matte Raven Black, or Team Yamaha Blue. If the MT-09 SP version is more to your taste, you can expect to shell out $10,999 and you'll have to wait till March to score one.

As a member of the Japanese Big Four, Yamaha has no shortage of domestic competition so I didn't have far to go to find a worthy competitor in Kawasaki's900.

As usual, Kawasaki's entry has oodles of that Kawasaki look perhaps best described as angular aggression. The blackout treatment runs throughout, and in that, these two share a common thread through Kawi lofts its pillion pad to provide stadium seating for your passenger and it has an impact on the fly line that sets these two apart visually.

Like the MT-09, the Z900 has a somewhat relaxed rider's triangle that lets you push off to give your wrists and shoulders a break but maintains the room you need to tuck in or throw some English in the curves. The Z900's stems fall behind a bit with less adjustability, but its brakes are just a skosh larger and ABS is constant across the board.

Kawasaki gains an edge in displacement with its 948 cc inline-four engine, and while it comes with Riding Modes, Traction Control, and Power Modes, the Yamaha definitely takes the cake with its lean-sensitive tech. Kawi claims 73.1 pound-feet of torque for another small victory, and I do mean small, but Kawi backs it up with an $8,999 sticker for another slim margin in its favor.

“Yeah, I'm thinking that the Master of Torque wins the above quite handily. The price difference is not enough to pass on the higher electronics Yamaha brings to the table on its new MT-09, and neither is the slight performance gain. As a matter of vanity, I like the look of this particular model, my complaint about the rear fender notwithstanding.”

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “The MT-09 has been a favorite in the Yamaha naked stable. It's been a nice overall bike for under $10k. This update makes it more so. New for 2021 we find the new 890 cc engine with a whole host of internal improvements. The MT-09 came back from fat camp with a new frame and new suspension with an eye on improved performance and handling that makes the popular MT-09 an even better choice for the under-$10k category.”

In standard form the BMW M8 GC has 600 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. These figures remain largely competitive with the Audi RS7 and AMG GT 63 S. The RS7 delivers a cool 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque while the heavier AMG GT63 S is good for 630 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque.

In standard form, the M8 Gran Coupe can hit 60 mph in 3.1 seconds on the way to a top speed of up to 190 mph when properly equipped. In comparison, the M8 GC’s main competitors – the Audi RS7 and AMG GT63 S can sprint to 60 mph in 3.5 and 3.1 seconds, respectively. The RS7 tops out at the same 190 mph when properly equipped, but in the long run the AMG GT63 S will win with a top speed of 196 mph.

It’s not exactly a fault, so to speak, but the M8’s iDrive infotainment system isn’t the most intuitive out there. This is generally okay as the system has been around since 2001, has improved drastically over the years, and consumers simply upgrading to newer models will find themselves right at home. If you’ve never owned or driven a BMW for an extended period of time, you’ll find that the iDrive system does have a bit of a learning curve. Once you’ve played around a little, however, you’ll find that the system works well and won’t distract your while driving. It should also be noted that of the models it competes with from Audi and Mercedes, the M8 is the only model that still offers touchscreen and dial control.

As a large, four-door car, the M8 Gran Coupe does offer a fairly decent amount of interior space. It does suffer from a small lack of rear headroom, but it’s still inline with Audi’s RS7 Sportback and falls just shy of the AMG GT63 S. Front and rear legroom are also largely impressive, the latter of which is part of what contributes to such a low amount of available cargo room. It should be noted that BMW claims that the M8 Gran Coupe offers seating for five, but this is really a car designed to accommodate four people. A fifth person could fit in the middle of the rear seat, however, they’d have to straddle the extended center console – an uncomfortable feat for them and something that impedes on the comfort of other rear passengers.

The BMW M8 Gran Coupe might excel in a lot of areas, but cargo room isn’t one of them. The rear cargo area of the M8 Gran Coupe can swallow up just 11 cubic-feet, putting it in dead last compared to the 12.7 cubic-feet available in the AMG GT63 S and the Audi RS7’s 18.9 cubic-feet.

The BMW M8 Gran Coupe measures 200.9-inches long, 76.5-inches wide, and 55.9-inches high. It rides on a 119.2-inch wheelbase. When transitioning the M8 from coupe to gran coupe, it took more than just adding two doors, so it shouldn’t surprise you that the M8 Gran Coupe is quite a bit larger than the M8 Coupe. In fact, it’s 9.7-inches longer, 1.6-inches wider, 2.9-inches taller, and it’s wheelbase has grown by 8.1-inches.

The BMW M8 Gran Coupe tips the scales at 4,480 pounds, a figure that makes it lighter than both the Audi RS7 at 4,552 pounds and the AMG GT63 S with an estimated weight of 4,508 pounds.

Audi just released a revamped RS7 Sportback in 2020 and along with impressively sexy looks, the RS7 Sportback is more capable than ever. In terms of performance, though, don’t expect it to beat out the M8 in most situations. It falls just a little short in the horsepower department at 591 ponies (vs. 600 horsepower) but it does offer a bit more torque at 590 pound-feet (vs. 553 pound-feet). The RS7 is some 70 pounds heavier than the M8 GC, though, and it shows as it will take you 3.5 seconds to hit 60 mph. That’s 0.4-seconds slower than the M8. That said, if you’re in it for top speed, the RS7 will deliver as it tops out in standard guise at 174 mph vs. the Bimmer’s 155 mph. Both can be upgraded to max out at 190 mph, though, so in the end, you’ll still even out.

In terms of interior appointments, the RS7 won’t disappoint. It’s generally on par with the M8 GC in terms of interior space with exception of falling short in front headroom (by two inches.) It does offer a hair more legroom in the rear, and its 18.9 cubic-feet of cargo room bests the M8 GC and the other rival, the AMG GT63 S. Interior materials are exactly what you’d expect from Audi with plenty of leather and fancy trim. We prefer the Audi’s digital instrument cluster and infotainment system over BMW’s iDrive system but they are generally the same in terms of functionality, responsiveness, and ease of use. The Audi RS7 starts out at $114,000, which makes it some $16,000 cheaper than the M8 Gran Coupe as of December 2020.

The Mercedes-AMG GT63 S 4-door has been on the market since the 2019 model year, and while it does resemble a worked over CLS in more ways that we can count, it’s also a brutal machine that commands authority. To differentiate the 4-door from the CLS, AMG worked over the hood and fascias. In 63 S guise, the GT 4-Door is as equally aggressive as the M8 GC. In fact, if you swapped out the grilles and headlights, you might not be able to tell the two apart if you’re not in the know about both brands. Under the hood sits a beastly 4.0-liter V-8 that pumps out 630 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque – 30 ponies and 111 pound-feet more than the M8 Gran Coupe can muster on its best day. It’s also the only of the three we’ve discussed here that has a nine-speed transmission.

The AMG GT63 S isn’t all that much heavier than the M8 GC at 4,508 pounds (est), but that doesn’t help it in terms of acceleration. Just like the M8 GC it competes with, the GT63 S can hit the 60-mph sprint in just 3.1 seconds and will top out at an astounding 196 mph – 6 mph faster than the M8 even with the optional top speed update. It’s not quite as fuel efficient, but that’s not why you’re looking at the GT63, M8 GC, or RS7 anyway, now is it? Pricing for the AMG GT63 S 4 door starts out painfully at $161,200 and can come pretty close to the $200,000 mark if you’re not careful. Is it worth the extra $31,000 over the M8 GC? Well, it just might be if you like Mercedes.

TJ got an early start from his father and other family members who owned and rode motorcycles, and by helping with various mechanical repairs throughout childhood. That planted a seed that grew into a well-rounded appreciation of all things mechanical, and eventually, into a formal education of same. Though primarily a Harley rider, he has an appreciation for all sorts of bikes and doesn’t discriminate against any particular brand or region of origin. He currently holds an Associate’s degree in applied mechanical science from his time at the M.M.I.