The 2019 Yamaha MT-09 is here with a new color scheme

By using an ingenious platform-sharing strategy to expand its MT lineup, Yamaha has left its competitors dazed and confused.

The so-called ‘hyper nakeds’ of the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer has dominated the naked category, beginning with the MT-07 and the MT-09. The latter was immediately followed by the retro-styled XSR900 and the Tracer 900 sports tourer, both equipped with similar engines, wheels, electronic rider aids, and even color schemes. The former, meanwhile, paved the way for the introduction of the XSR700 and the Tracer 700.

The success of these two middleweights was phenomenal, triggering the birth of more MTs of varying engine displacements: the MT-10, considered the leader of the pack with its powerful 998cc in-line four engine; the MT-03 street bike, powered by a 321cc single-cylinder motor; and the MT-15, equipped with a 155cc single-cylinder mill that makes it perfect as a daily commuter. That’s one big MT family for Yamaha, with all models offered at competitive prices.

The 2019 Yamaha MT-15, which will sell for P159,000, is set to be launched at the Inside Racing Bike Festival on March 22, 2019, along with the new MT-09 and another exciting model that Yamaha PH is still refusing to divulge. Of the three upcoming MTs, only the MT-09 can already be seen in the metal at the YZone showroom in Greenfield District, Mandaluyong City. Let’s focus on the MT-09 for now since it’s still the undisputed bestseller of Yamaha PH in the big-bike category.

Still riding on the model line’s ‘The Dark Side of Japan’ slogan, the designers of the latest MT series came up with a striking new color scheme called Ice Fluo. “Consisting of super cool gray body color contrasted by fluorescent red wheels and a black engine, frame, forks, and headlamp, the new sexy paint job in the MT family underlines the assertive character of Yamaha’s naked bikes. It also creates an instantly recognizable look that strengthens the strong family feeling amongst MT owners,” reads the official spiel.

The term ‘fluorescent red’ distinguishes the MT’s exclusive wheel color from the signature orange paint job those naked motorbikes from Austria are known for.

The other new colors for the 2019 MT lineup are the stealthy Tech Black and the classic Team Yamaha Blue. If not for the difference in engine size, the new variants of the MT-09 and the MT-15 look very much identical when wearing the same color scheme.

Now that we’ve tackled the new colors, let’s zero in on the standard features of the 2019 MT-09. Did we say ‘zero’? Yeah, sorry to say that like the rest of its hyper naked siblings, it has no new features to speak of.

The standard amenities found in the 2019 MT-09 are hand-me-downs from the previous model: three-position D-mode function, adjustable traction control, a fully adjustable fork, a two-way adjustable laydown monocross shock absorber, ABS, floating twin headlamps and taillights with LED technology, and advanced LCD instrumentation that also shows average and current fuel consumption.

Given these points, do you think the 2019 Yamaha MT-09 is still the best naked for P569,000?

PHOTO: Yamaha

PHOTO: Yamaha

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