Yamaha MT-09 Y-AMT (2024 – ) review

With this bike it’s all about the transmission. And with the likes of BMW and KTM working on their own automatic options Yamaha was keen to take the initiative and set itself apart from Honda’s proven DCT gearbox. The latter has proven popular on big tourers, adventure bikes and commuters but Yamaha’s choice to launch it on the MT-09 is a statement of intent that these systems can work on sportier machines as well. It's a simple yet effective system, too. Motors operate the clutch and shifting managed by some clever electronics and controlled via a mode selector switch on the right grip and a rocker switch on the left for manual override, these replacing the conventional clutch lever and foot-operated gear selector. There are fully automatic D and sportier D+ modes which are novice-friendly and good for bumbling around town but the manual MT setting where you simply flick up and down the ‘box with finger and thumb really let you exploit the MT-09’s existing dynamism to keep even the most experienced riders happy and living out their GP hero fantasies.

With the base bike pretty much unchanged you might think the Y-AMT version makes little difference, and mostly you’d be right. Riding position and ergonomics are as per the 2024 MT-09 and as balanced and sporty as you’d hope. But with no gear shifter to worry about you find yourself sitting slightly different and keeping your left foot in situ on the peg, meaning unless you’re riding particularly hard you move around on the bike a bit less. Apart from that, the Y-AMT version is just like the standard MT-09 in being a well-proportioned, slightly sporty naked. Yes, it’s still an upright roadster so not as protected from the elements as a faired bike. But of the breed, and like the standard MT-09 and recently added SP version, it’s about as good as they get.

The addition of Y-AMT affects the MT-09 more than you might expect in terms of practicality as well – in a good way. The easy, instant choice of transmission modes (via the MT/AT button on the right bar) means, once accustomed, you find yourself spoilt for choice when it came to the type of riding you happen to be doing. If riding spiritedly along twisty roads we found ourselves defaulting to the MT manual setting, still with the familiar spread of five different engine riding modes. But in town or on dual carriageways D or D+ mean you can forget about changing gear altogether. Beyond that the base bike is, of course, the same as the standard MT-09 in being straightforward, comfortable, good fun and great around town, so much so that it pretty much does it all.

As the Y-AMT version of the MT-09 is essentially the MT-09 with the Y-AMT system bolted on so the automatic version’s performance is, in theory, identical. Which is a great starting point. The 890cc, 119 horsepower triple is one of motorcycling’s great engines with a thick mid-range, bassy soundtrack and enough top end to truly excite. What IS new is the automatic experience, which takes some getting used to. The default D setting is a great introduction. You simply start the engine (keylessly, like the SP), select drive and then pull away like a twist’n’go scooter before it shifts up or down according to speed and throttle load. In D+ the engine holds onto the gears longer but in these fully automatic modes the timing of the shifts isn’t always ideal and you don’t have the precision under hard braking you’d have with a fully manual shift. Which is where the MT mode comes in, offering true sports bike speed and sharpness to the extent you might begin to consider traditional shifting with a clutch and gear lever is somewhat archaic. There are a couple of ‘buts’, though. Experienced riders may doubt the need on a bike as involving as the MT-09, while seeing why it might work more favourably on a novice bike like the MT-125 or a sports tourer like the Tracer 9. It does also require some re-education, and where we were happier using an index finger to shift up and down others preferred to use the switch’s clever rocker design to do it with finger and thumb. Even then for those raised on manual bikes it wasn’t quite as intuitive as a conventional shift might be.

No significant changes here from the base MT-09, bar what we already mentioned about moving about on the bike less than we might have on a manual bike. That adjustment in style may come with a few more miles and it’s certainly not worth docking a mark for. Per the regular bike the ride is firm and controlled if lacking the refinement of the SP version and the MT-09’s attitude encourages a sporty riding style, which it delivers on with its precise steering and willingness to be chucked around.

Y-AMT adds £550 to the price of the standard MT-09 against the £1,000 (or more) Honda charges as a premium for its DCT gearbox, so it’s good value in that respect. That apart, its engine and chassis is largely identical so running costs should be little different. Given the middling power hunger for consumables such as chains, brake pads, fuel and so on shouldn’t be anything to be concerned about. Residuals are unknown, but those of the standard MT-09 are good because of its popularity.

The MT-09 Y-AMT is brand-new and the automatic transmission system, although in part derived from Yamaha’s old, simpler YCC-S system on its FJR1300AS, is likewise untested. That said, the foundations, especially the engine, are proven and the MT-09’s 10-year lifespan has a strong reliability record. There’s always the possibility of a glitch on new tech, in this case the auto system and switchgear, but apart from that, we have no reason for concern.

As with the base 2024 MT-09, the Y-AMT version comes with Yamaha’s standard manufacturer-backed warranty covering all parts and labour, which lasts for two years with unlimited mileage. Servicing is unchanged at annually or every 6,000 miles, with no additional demands for the transmission.

Again, the Y-AMT version gets all the equipment of the base model, which remains worthy of its existing full five-star rating and carries over here with the addition of the automatic transmission and modified dash and switchgear to go with it. As before there are three riding modes with two customisable options, a slick TFT dash with Bluetooth connectivity, cornering ABS, traction control and more. No longer is the base MT-09 the poor relation to some other bikes in the class, either. The Y-AMT version also gets keyless ignition, as per the SP but not the base model.

There’s a dilemma with the MT-09 Y-AMT, mainly for the simple fact the base MT-09 is already so good. The auto transmission system works impressively well, and Yamaha is to be applauded for both its slick execution and its introduction on an already popular bike where back-to-back comparisons are easy to make, not to mention a sporty one likely to be chosen by more enthusiastic riders. That helps demonstrate proof of concept more than if it had been launched on, say, the Tracer. The problem being the standard manual version of the MT-09 will probably remain the default choice for the target audience. But if you’re a younger rider, an enthusiastic early adopter or for one reason or another unable to use a conventional manual shifter it’s a great option. And in future applications on novice bikes, tourers or even track-focused sports bikes it’s likely to become the no-brainer choice before too long.