Yamaha 1670 MT-01 Kit phase 1 2008 — Specifications

Promising to stay objective in front of a machine like this is lying to yourself before you've even turned the key. Forty-eight hours with the MT-01 in Kit Phase 1 configuration is forty-eight hours that leave their mark — and not just on your arms.

This version is no ordinary MT-01. The solo seat, the carbon rear cowl, and above all the Akrapovic exhaust system transform the beast into something considerably more radical. On the exhausts, let's be clear: the result justifies the investment, both visually and acoustically. The solo seat, on the other hand, raises questions. The perch is firm, and the slimness of the unit allows engine heat to rise through with a disconcerting honesty over long distances. More noteworthy is the instrument cluster with its monumental tachometer — redline set at 5,500 rpm — backlit in pale blue and paired with a compact digital display. The whole thing is functional, understated, typically Yamaha, with the trip master switching to countdown mode as soon as you hit reserve.

The startup alone tells you what you have on your hands. Find an empty yard, press the red button, and let the 1,670 cc V-twin speak. The unstable, almost frantic idle sets the tone. The first twist of the throttle — slightly stiff — sends the Akrapovics barking with a brutality that has nothing artificial about it. This is a long way from the polished roadster, from the domesticated twin bred for the commute. The 150 Nm of torque arrives at 3,750 rpm and pulls at your arms with a conviction that few two-wheeled machines can replicate. On deceleration, the sound from the pipes is a spectacle in its own right.

The weight doesn't hide. The 240 kg dry, mounted relatively high, demands real concentration at parking lot speeds. The wide seat forces your legs apart in a way that does nothing to simplify slow maneuvers. That's the price of this format, and you need to be aware of it before buying. But the moment the machine is moving, the physics shift sides. The phenomenal torque dispatches the 265 kg fully fueled with disconcerting ease. The R1-derived suspension, the radial four-piston calipers on twin 310 mm discs up front, the reinforced swingarm — all this supersport-derived chassis gives the MT-01 a handling precision that surprises with its rigor. You can attack with confidence, provided you don't forget the mass under late braking and keep an eye on the rev limiter, which cuts enthusiastic acceleration with an irritating regularity.

What is fascinating about this machine is its ability to unite opposing motorcycling sensibilities. Big American twin fans will find the soul of a long-stroke engine here — 97 mm bore, 113 mm stroke. European roadster riders will read a direct lineage. Fans of transalpine design will appreciate the taut lines. All of this for €15,614 in this Kit Phase 1 configuration — €13,263 base price plus the Akrapovic system, the solo seat, and the carbon protectors. It isn't cheap, but it's consistent with what the machine delivers. The MT-01 is not a motorcycle for beginners, nor even for riders in a hurry. It is a radical proposition, built for those who want to feel the engine alive beneath them — not just move fast.