Yamaha really hit on something when it made the MT-07 and MT-09 motorcycles – two machines that still offer plenty of features and fun, while enjoying the benefit of not emptying the bank account.
Similarly, we have already seen that the Yamaha MT-07 makes a convincing track bike, especially when you change out the lower-spec components and add a full set of fairings.
Today, Oberdan Bezzi imagines a similar treatment for the Yamaha MT-09, with a slant toward endurance racing duties, which we find very appealing.
The idea is the same as with the MT-07. You take the very affordable Yamaha MT-09 street bike, and fill in the gaps where Yamaha skimped to hit its price point.
Brakes, wheels, and suspension are all low-hanging fruit for modification for any track-going machine, so there are no worries there, and these mods make for a quick performance increase over the stock components
Race bodywork gets added for better wind protection, and it looks like a larger fuel tank is incorporated as well, which borrows its design from the Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP race bike.
To keep with the endurance racing spirit of the concept, Bezzi has added a single-sided swingarm, which is a bit much for your typical track day enthusiast.
And even for endurance racers, the quick-change kits for double-sided swingarms have all but made single-sided units obsolete. Still, it does look nice, and if you have the means…why the heck not?
Flights of fancy aside, Bezzi’s concept is intriguing, and hopefully it spurs some track riders to look down-market for their fun. We imagine you could put together a potent MT-09 track weapon for less than $10,000, if you start with a used bike.
Because of this math, the Yamaha MT-07 and Yamaha MT-09 are slowly taking over from the Suzuki SV650 as the budget-racer’s platform of choice, and with MotoAmerica adding its new Twins Class, these 700cc-ish motorcycles are looking like a lot of fun.
Will we see a similar push with this 847cc three-cylinder bike? There are certainly some racing classes at the local level that would support it. It should be interesting to see what develops.
After all, there is a certain satisfaction that comes with riding a slow bike fast…right?
Source: Oberdan Bezzi
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