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Hi from Manchester.


Tickly McNips

Tickly McNips

0
Joined
Oct 5, 2015
Messages
14
Location
Manchester
Hi all and greetings from sunny Manchester,

I'll be picking up my Sport Tracker tomorrow if not Thursday from Wigan Yamaha and can't I wait! I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve! I went for a few options including the high level Akrapovic system, crash protectors (much nicer looking imo than any 3rd party product) and the steel radiator cowl/guards because I think they address a problem with the proportions on the bike but that's just me being a tart.

I'm a daily commuter and i've part-ex'd my Street Triple for an MT09 for a number of reasons not least the number of electrical problems I was having with the Triumph.

It'll be interesting to see what the MT is like to live with on a daily basis as I must admit the ST was a joy (when it worked) and suited me perfectly, but the reliability issues became too great after 30,000 miles of use!

Anyway, I look forward to posting some pics when I pick it up.

Now i've just got to think about what number(s) to put on the sides ;)

Cheers :)
 
Pics

As promised. Picked her up yesterday. Brand spanking new. Couldn't be happier :)

Kept it in B mode for the time while I'm getting used to it and keeping it under 4k revs to break it in as well as possible.

IMG_20151007_132328.webpIMG_20151007_140401.webpIMG_20151007_140421.webpIMG_20151007_140600.webp
 
Had my std MT09 a few weeks now. I'm certainly not keeping to 4k revs, 6k maybe, and a little more at times.
Interested to hear your thoughts on the MT09 coming from Street Triple, as I was so close to buying one,
 
Hi mate and welcome aboard
She sure is a good looker, I've not seen the high level akra before.
Enjoy and ride safe
 
Initial reaction compared to a Street Triple after putting 100 miles on it and a couple of trips to work.

Day to day "take for granted" stuff:

- Build quality feels to me to be significantly better than my 2009 Street Triple. Wiring is neater, materials are more built to last and it just has a "quality" feel about it which was missing from the Triumph a little.

- Much louder horn!

- Can see that the brown "Sport Tracker" seat may be a bit too firm, but I need a good long ride to confirm if it's going to give me the dreaded numb bum.

- Headlight seems a little better lighting up the dark country lanes I commute on compared to the 2(!) on the Street Triple. (2 x Osram Nightbreakers!)

- Indicator switch is a little narrow and sensitive...accidentally knocked it on a few times but it's something I'll get used to I'm sure.

- OEM clutch lever require a surgeons grip! Maybe I'm just a complete pansy (office worker) but after a while it actually makes my hand ache using it! Definitely bumped up a set of aftermarket levers on my list of accessories to get!

- Much better steering lock for maneuvering it about at home compared to the ST.

Ride

- Much taller than the Street Triple. Feels even more upright with a more "Commanding" seating position which I like.

- Fairly "stuttery"/"snatchy" at low revs but its by no means unrideable or unpredictable. I think as long as the snatchiness, which I need to emphasize isn't that bad is predictable then it won't ever be a problem for me.

- Very linear/smooth torque curve up the revs I've taken it up to (probably up to 6k so far). Street Triple was a bit more irregular in it's power delivery.

- Suspension isn't nearly as ambiguous/vague as I've been lead to believe, especially not for "every day" riding to work and back. It inspires as much confidence as the Street Triple did on the front forks and I've been flopping it around mid/high speed corners without any issue. Could still stand to be a bit firmer if I was taking it on track days, but I think at the moment it's giving me a good balance of feel whilst still being soft enough to soak up the unpredictable road surfaces around Manchester/Cheshire...especially at this time of year!

- Twisting the throttle gives me an involuntary smile on my face, which says it all really. LOVE that exhaust note with the Akra system. Baffles are still in and I think I'll keep it that way.

- Brakes seem to work as well as you'd ever want them to, especially the rear compared to the Street Triple. Not used them to the point where the ABS kicks in but they're very keen, smooth and effective. (not sure what the OEM pads are?)


That's all I can muster at the moment. I'm by no means an expert rider and I'm sure my opinions will change as I ramp up the mileage but so far I'm very pleased! Overall I must say that the Street Triple/MT09 comparison which I've seen a lot of people draw seems a bit unfair. As far as I can tell, they're both 3-cylinder roadsters and the similarities end there. The character of each bike seems quite different and I'd liken the MT more to a Speed Triple than the Street Triple. I'm hesitant to claim some things are better or worse than the Street Triple just yet because at the moment to me it's just "different", but i'm beginning to see areas where the MT is objectively as well as subjectively better. :)
 
He can do one anyway!

Thinking about the breaking in bit, I don't think it's going to be too taxing at all. Nice little write up on first impressions (can't find thumbs-up icon...)
 
Fulfilled-09 said:
He can do one anyway!

Thinking about the breaking in bit, I don't think it's going to be too taxing at all. Nice little write up on first impressions (can't find thumbs-up icon...)
Click to expand...

I've heard lots of varying opinions on the breaking in "method" and I'm going for something in the middle of everyone's views as I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I'll keep it under about 6k for the first couple hundred miles and vary the revs by going up and down the gears and every now and then i'll give it a fistful but only in small bursts. I'll do that and ramp it up every hundred miles or so thereafter. It's getting cold in the mornings now so it doesn't make sense to me to start it up cold and immediately thrash it as that contrast from cold to hot surely can't be good for the metallurgy in the engine?

Either way, the bike is still making me laugh my head off every day :P
 
Tickly McNips said:
I've heard lots of varying opinions on the breaking in "method" and I'm going for something in the middle of everyone's views as I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I'll keep it under about 6k for the first couple hundred miles and vary the revs by going up and down the gears and every now and then i'll give it a fistful but only in small bursts. I'll do that and ramp it up every hundred miles or so thereafter. It's getting cold in the mornings now so it doesn't make sense to me to start it up cold and immediately thrash it as that contrast from cold to hot surely can't be good for the metallurgy in the engine?
Click to expand...

I think I'll go with something similar, 5-6k, but for the first 600 miles.

Either way, the bike is still making me laugh my head off every day :P
Click to expand...

Just what I wanted to hear. Only 2 more sleeps to go...
 
Hi Matey,

Im just round the corner form you in Sale, also new to the MT09 and to biking in general, give me a shout Ive found to good routes around partington/lymm etc..

Ski
 
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