Yamaha India launched the MT01 motivated by the government’s announcement for permitting to import bikes with capacity bigger than 800 cc. Yamaha got the 1670 cc MT01 that has the potential of giving a torque that could go up to 150.3 Nm at 3750 rpm. Now where are you? Off? Settle down. Power or looks? You can’t say which is the attractive point of the new Yamaha MT-01. It contents the heart with its truly macho looks.
Indeed I find Yamaha MT01 as a bike that has a combination of style, power and comfort and it seemed to be as a bike worth waiting. You can go bonkers over the bike while riding on the highway with full release of the throttle. Let me be honest, it is the utmost reality for majority bike lovers. While bike lovers awaited for the bike with bated breath, competitors waited with skepticism to see how Yamaha MT-01 will look like and it is sure going to be love at first sight for anyone.
Looks: Yamaha MT01 is not a bike but an aggressively designed and styled rocket (c’mon to have a 1700cc engine packaged in a bike is not all that joke), but Yamaha could unleash a grunt close to 2k and it scares one and all with its looks and grunts equalling a beast on the road. The bike seems to be massive and heavy but CF die-cast technology offers less weight to the bike and makes it easy to manoeuvre the beast. Although looks wise its big enough to appeal, it’s indeed narrow enough to cut through the traffic without too much of a hassle.
What catches everyone’s immediate attention, is the two big exhausts that resemble like cannons or rocket launchers almost extending up to the end of the rear seat. The headlight is designed in the traditional way but it is a multi-reflector 51/55-watt headlight that is quite powerful. The dash panel is stylish with 3D effect analogue tachometer.
The bike features radial tyres that are tubeless and has 4 spoke lightweight mag wheels. The digital speedometer shows in well-lit panel. The bike has disc brakes and twin exhaust pipes are slung upward that makes them look like rocket launchers. The MT 01 also features 43 mm inverted forks, low-slung rear shock, radial-mounted callipers and shows off aluminium sport-derived chassis with a truss swing arm similar to the R1.
Control and Comfort: The MT01 runs on a V-twin 1670cc engine and is powered with air-cooling technology and the engine gives a torque that is no less than mind blowing. The engine generates a maximum power of 66.3 kW, 90 bhp @ 4,750 rpm. The bike has a tall-ratio gearbox to get the maximum output. It also features digital fuel injection system and sports a TCI ignition. The seats of MT01 are very comfortable that does not strain you on long drives and the bike has powerful rear and front suspension. In spite of an over powered V twin engine the Yamaha MT01 can boast of a smooth clutch and switching gears is easier. At normal speed level the bike tends to vibrate but will zoom quite smoothly once accelerated.
Yamaha MT01 feels like a sports bike with almost a blowing effect of the back-blast when given full throttle. The bike is all-engine vehicle and the testimony is the thunderous torque. The five-brake system is more than sufficient and overtaking is amazingly effortless. Performance wise, you get what you expect from a V twin 1670cc engine. Initial couple of kilometres will look challenging but then it takes you off to a road of pleasure if you get used to the astonishingly loud noise it makes.
The MT 01 is priced at whopping 10.5 lakhs and is available in three colours: Lava Red, Competition White and Midnight Black. The overall performance of the Yamaha MT01 keeps up to the expectations of a powerful engine and will be one of the dream come true bikes of a bike enthusiast. The bike is very comfortable and is appealing in terms of aesthetics’ too. It might have been exuberantly priced but the owner won’t repent one bit. Even if the bike sports the conventional pipes the bike maintains to look the best. Yamaha MT01 for sure is a head turner so go lay your hands if you get an opportunity to test drive it, and if you are one rich jerk and can afford an MT01: Man! I envy you a lot.
