FEATURE YAMAHA MT-09
Ten years ago, I found myself a part of the maddest, baddest, and arguably most illegal motorcycling I've ever put my name to. The gig was called the Dark Dog Moto Tour, crossing from the north to the south of France over seven days, littered with road races, time trials, and (too many) pigs trotters for us hungry, tired competitors. It was nothing short of bonkers, with rolled cars, crashed bikes and the occasional police chase for good measure. Befittingly, I had an equally bonkers bike to power me through – in the shape of Yamaha's then box-fresh, audacious MT-09.
And that's when my love affair with this absolute headbanger began. Back then, there was nothing else on the market quite like it, blurring the lines between a motard, a naked and a sportsbike… or something like that. Here was a bike that couldn't be easily pigeon-holed – and which was half of the appeal.
Big torque, big wheelies, and a practical,for 2024 there's a new fourth generation on the cards, and I couldn't wait to see if it was as mental as I hoped.
