Automatic transmission on motorcycles is the new rage nowadays. I have ridden a few of these, but this is the one I have had the most fun on. I am talking about the new Yamaha MT-09 Y-AMT. It was the motorcycle that I was looking forward to riding the most when I visited Australia not too long ago. The Yamaha MT-09 is famed for being one of the most fun and friendly motorcycles around. The AMT system has made it even more interesting. 

My focus in this review will be the transmission but I will talk about other things as well albeit briefly. I’ll start with the looks. I am a fan of the MT line in terms of design. I like its futuristic robot-y vibe. There may be people around who may not find it appealing but I have no complaints in this department. With this MT, Yamaha has shuffled the signature design a bit. The twin projector now sits sort of on the forehead. It reminds me of Vision from the Avengers. 

The DRLs are placed slightly lower. The tank with its protrusions looks muscular and lends a lot of bulk to the front fascia. I also like the acoustic grille you have on the tank that lets you in on the induction noise which makes the triple sound even better. Moreover, it gives you a proper big bike feel when you sit on it. The underbelly exhaust also helps keep the design clean. 

The seating position has also changed a little since I last rode an MT. Those were a little too upright and slightly less engaging. This MT-09 has the handlebars lowered a bit therefore resulting in a riding position that is slightly sportier but not uncomfortable. Overall, the MT-09 looks very lithe and tightly packed. It also conveys its sporty intent quite well with its design. 

Now, let us move on to the engine. The CP3 is a gem. The inline-3 displaces 890cc and makes 119 hp of power and 93 Nm of torque. It is punchy and tractable. And it sounds amazing in the process of doing all that it does. It has all the right to be called the reason behind the Master of Torque which I feel is a good expansion of the MT name. It is also quite refined but for me, the best thing about the engine is the powerband. 

In terms of dynamics, the MT-09 is a typical Yamaha. It is very communicative, very easy to ride hard, and very friendly in the sense it is forgiving. The suspension is not adjustable but Yamaha has struck a nice balance between support for sporty riding and suppleness on bad roads. I had no complaints with the brakes either. Yamaha has been known to make motorcycles that are up there with the best when it comes to handling without being intimidating or requiring a lot of skill right out of the gate. 

That is what the MT-09 is all about. The addition of Y-AMT changes a few things though. Essentially, what you have is a motorcycle that does not have a clutch lever and a shift lever. That alone takes some getting used to. You have the option of automatic and manual transmission but the clutch duties are automated in both anyway. 

Starting with the automatic, you have two options, D and D+. D is a softer mode that shifts early and D+ is the sportier mode that lets you hold on to the revs for a little longer. The timing of the shifts though is out of your control and it is alright during city or highway riding but a little disconcerting on more winding roads. The system might even change gears mid-corner and that throws you off balance a little. If it was electronically controlled, it may have been able to sense lean angles and not shift midway through a corner. 

All you have to do to get going is to hold the front brake, start the motorcycle and then just roll off. At a standstill, the transmission always hones back to Neutral. It is a slightly laggy system since it is a new thing for Yamaha, but it does okay. Even in D+, the sensations improve a little but still, you need to anticipate and get used to when the system will change gears to make the riding experience better. 

When you shift to the manual mode, you can change gears when you want using the little paddle shifters. This too takes some getting used to but for old-school motorcyclists like me, this is better than the automatic mode. After you get used to it though, it feels like playing a video game. In this mode though, I had the most fun riding the MT-09 Y-AMT and this is the closest it gets to the riding experience of a standard MT-09. 

Now, the million-dollar question is… what’s the point of this system? To be honest, Y-AMT makes more sense on motorcycles like the Tracer which is inclined towards touring. A sporty motorcycle like the MT-09 is nothing but hindered by the system a little. That seems about right from the perspective of an enthusiast but there’s another side to the argument. It might bring newer riders to the MT family because of the ease of riding and it also makes sense for people with specific disabilities who still want to enjoy riding. 

I would personally go for the standard MT-09. The Y-AMT system can use some more work and it also makes the switchgear more complex than the standard bike. There’s no denying that there are merits to the system, it is something that I won’t prefer because motorcycling has always been about engagement for me and this takes a chunk of it away. On the flip side, you can tell how good the MT-09 is going to be if I tell you that even with Y-AMT, the motorcycle was a fun ride!

The venerable Axor Apex gets a carbon fibre shot in the arm with the Axor Apex Gloss Carbon helmet. Bonus… it goes well with this Dark Horse too!