JT09
New member
Hi Everyone.
a couple of months ago I bought my MT09 and wrote my first impression for my immediate circle of biker mates. Thought i'd share it with you all.
So to kick off I will at first re-affirm my love for the 09 Ninja. I still absolutely adore the build and brilliance of Kawasaki and won't think twice about having another in the future.
The NInja was hard, fast and capable of doing amazing things. On a hot sunny day with an empty road and a big smile it was the best thing I've ever ridden. Throughout my whole Europe trip last year I kissed it and professed my love to it as I would rather have been on no other machine.
The problem was that all of the above only formed about 10% of my riding. The other 90% was spent on bumpy roads, filtering in traffic, low speeds and usually in less than perfect weather. Here the Ninja was rock solid and overly aggressive. The seating position felt extreme and instead of using the amazingly smooth savage power, I was now feathering the clutch and slipping around in first and second.
A friend and I got together to test the MT07 and MT09. I would love to make comment on the 07 but in reality I paid absolutely no attention to it. The whole experience was dominated by my mate revving and blasting past on the MT09 laughing like a child. 3 days later I went back and rode it myself........Then bought it the next day.
The MT09 is certainly not a razer sharp scalpal like the Ninja. It's no beautiful red Panigale neither a smoothly sophisticated and practical cruiser. It's simply a huge assuault on all the sensations a motorcycle is there to provide. It makes as INSANE noise (Aka with baffle out), it rears up on its suspension when you turn the throttle, spits flames on its overrun and makes sure your fully involved with the experience.
Going out with the Ninja was like being invited to a really expensive night out to one of those clubs where you don't know anyone. You kinda feel slightly out of place, a little under dressed for the occasion and the only reason you got in is because the friend you're with knew one of the owners.
A date with the MT is like being invited to a college frat party by a drunk fitty with a pleasing lack of inhibitions. Inside everyone is drinking out of plastic cups, having a good time and you're pretty much guaranteed a shag!
It's an 850cc triple with a properly fat torque curve that pretty much negates the need for a gearbox. It'll rev to 11,200 rpm if you like the sound but the party starts at 3. It weighs 166kg dry which is lighter than an R6 and the drive out of corners is staggering. In the real world and on real roads .......It's Fast.... and more importantly it FEELS fast and highly exciting.
The paintwork on the tank is beautiful. Deep and dark with a painted asymmetrical stripe running down its back. The frame is a one off unit and from it hangs the engine which again is a joy to look at and beautifully finished. At the front we have long gold forks, and at the rear an asymmetrical swingers clutching a fat tyre. Its an oddball to look at and kind of brutishly handsome rather than supermodel pretty.
Make no bones about it, it's a pretty budget bike really. Brand new they're £7,000 and you can guarantee that 75% of the R&D budget went into the engine, it's a masterpiece. The suspension and brakes couldn't hold a candle to the ninja and the finish on some of the 'out of sight' components will need a lot of care and diligence with the ACF 50.
If you sit on it and move about at a standstill it almost feels comical. The forks and shock bounce up and down and it feels like a rocking chair. All inputs on the move are exaggerated as the front dives under breaking and rears its head when you open the taps.
This is however everything that’s brilliant about it, it just adds to all the drama and sensation of speed which is everything I loved about biking in the first place. In the hands of a professional rider the Ninja would run rings around the MT but in my grubby mits the MT is the one that makes you feel like the hero. You ride the Ninja around with a serious face with later vision. You curse yourself for not being as talented as 'it' is and it's frustrating to know how much faster you could have gone round then bend if you were better at riding.
On the MT you simply don't care. You came out to have fun and you needn't to keep the receipt. It's got me properly excited about biking again.
JT
a couple of months ago I bought my MT09 and wrote my first impression for my immediate circle of biker mates. Thought i'd share it with you all.
So to kick off I will at first re-affirm my love for the 09 Ninja. I still absolutely adore the build and brilliance of Kawasaki and won't think twice about having another in the future.
The NInja was hard, fast and capable of doing amazing things. On a hot sunny day with an empty road and a big smile it was the best thing I've ever ridden. Throughout my whole Europe trip last year I kissed it and professed my love to it as I would rather have been on no other machine.
The problem was that all of the above only formed about 10% of my riding. The other 90% was spent on bumpy roads, filtering in traffic, low speeds and usually in less than perfect weather. Here the Ninja was rock solid and overly aggressive. The seating position felt extreme and instead of using the amazingly smooth savage power, I was now feathering the clutch and slipping around in first and second.
A friend and I got together to test the MT07 and MT09. I would love to make comment on the 07 but in reality I paid absolutely no attention to it. The whole experience was dominated by my mate revving and blasting past on the MT09 laughing like a child. 3 days later I went back and rode it myself........Then bought it the next day.
The MT09 is certainly not a razer sharp scalpal like the Ninja. It's no beautiful red Panigale neither a smoothly sophisticated and practical cruiser. It's simply a huge assuault on all the sensations a motorcycle is there to provide. It makes as INSANE noise (Aka with baffle out), it rears up on its suspension when you turn the throttle, spits flames on its overrun and makes sure your fully involved with the experience.
Going out with the Ninja was like being invited to a really expensive night out to one of those clubs where you don't know anyone. You kinda feel slightly out of place, a little under dressed for the occasion and the only reason you got in is because the friend you're with knew one of the owners.
A date with the MT is like being invited to a college frat party by a drunk fitty with a pleasing lack of inhibitions. Inside everyone is drinking out of plastic cups, having a good time and you're pretty much guaranteed a shag!
It's an 850cc triple with a properly fat torque curve that pretty much negates the need for a gearbox. It'll rev to 11,200 rpm if you like the sound but the party starts at 3. It weighs 166kg dry which is lighter than an R6 and the drive out of corners is staggering. In the real world and on real roads .......It's Fast.... and more importantly it FEELS fast and highly exciting.
The paintwork on the tank is beautiful. Deep and dark with a painted asymmetrical stripe running down its back. The frame is a one off unit and from it hangs the engine which again is a joy to look at and beautifully finished. At the front we have long gold forks, and at the rear an asymmetrical swingers clutching a fat tyre. Its an oddball to look at and kind of brutishly handsome rather than supermodel pretty.
Make no bones about it, it's a pretty budget bike really. Brand new they're £7,000 and you can guarantee that 75% of the R&D budget went into the engine, it's a masterpiece. The suspension and brakes couldn't hold a candle to the ninja and the finish on some of the 'out of sight' components will need a lot of care and diligence with the ACF 50.
If you sit on it and move about at a standstill it almost feels comical. The forks and shock bounce up and down and it feels like a rocking chair. All inputs on the move are exaggerated as the front dives under breaking and rears its head when you open the taps.
This is however everything that’s brilliant about it, it just adds to all the drama and sensation of speed which is everything I loved about biking in the first place. In the hands of a professional rider the Ninja would run rings around the MT but in my grubby mits the MT is the one that makes you feel like the hero. You ride the Ninja around with a serious face with later vision. You curse yourself for not being as talented as 'it' is and it's frustrating to know how much faster you could have gone round then bend if you were better at riding.
On the MT you simply don't care. You came out to have fun and you needn't to keep the receipt. It's got me properly excited about biking again.
JT
