KatanaAl
New member
Currently ride a Honda CB1000R tricolour and a Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere. Took Ian Bell's demo MT09 out today for a great run around the fantastic Northumberland countryside. Tried all three engine modes but really liked the sports mode, the bike really came alive with a very aggressive throttle response and made a wonderful noise even with the standard exhaust fitted. The bike was fitted with the Yamaha screen and this did a great job at higher speeds of keeping the wind blast off.
The Honda is well typically Honda, I have to say it looks better then the Yamaha, it's very smooth, very fast and feels very planted and is in truth a little bit boring compared to the MT09. The Yamaha felt brutally powerful, wheelied off every crest on the road and was brilliant fun to ride. I got off the bike with a grin from ear to ear. Mind it is the sort of bike that encourages you to ride fast, a bit like a KTM Supermoto (I've had a 690 and a 950 over the years) it's just not the sort of bike for gently pottering along the country lanes.
I have had a trade in price for the Honda against the MT09 but can't really see the point at this time of year. I bought the Honda second hand, one careful owner, under two years old with 2,000 miles on the clock with top quality colour matched belly pan and hugger, carbon Remus hexacone can, R&G crash bungs and heated grips. Think I'll wait and see if I can get a nicely spec'd MT09 next year.
The Honda is well typically Honda, I have to say it looks better then the Yamaha, it's very smooth, very fast and feels very planted and is in truth a little bit boring compared to the MT09. The Yamaha felt brutally powerful, wheelied off every crest on the road and was brilliant fun to ride. I got off the bike with a grin from ear to ear. Mind it is the sort of bike that encourages you to ride fast, a bit like a KTM Supermoto (I've had a 690 and a 950 over the years) it's just not the sort of bike for gently pottering along the country lanes.
I have had a trade in price for the Honda against the MT09 but can't really see the point at this time of year. I bought the Honda second hand, one careful owner, under two years old with 2,000 miles on the clock with top quality colour matched belly pan and hugger, carbon Remus hexacone can, R&G crash bungs and heated grips. Think I'll wait and see if I can get a nicely spec'd MT09 next year.