By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Naked Bike
Yamaha MT-09 (RN69) vs MT-09 (RN87)
2021 Yamaha MT-09 vs 2024 Yamaha MT-09: which one's easier to live with every day.
You'll feel these two split at the first slow corner, where the 2021 Yamaha MT-09 drops in and goes where you point it without a struggle. On the 2024 Yamaha MT-09, the front end's already tipping in before you've asked and wants to dig deeper. It holds that line without any fuss.
So which one do you buy?
The 2024 MT-09 has the edge if…
Daily commuting & city riding
A touch ahead: 2024 MT-09
For the ride to work, the 2024 MT-09 noses ahead. Don't let that alone make the call.
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Inches ahead: 2024 MT-09
Back-road fun leans slightly toward the 2024 MT-09. Put it down to more feel through the bars. It's a narrow call, so trust your test ride.
What makes each one tick
2021 MT-09
Low in the revs, the 2021 MT-09's crossplane three thumps like a twin, then it's rushing toward the redline like a four. There's torque everywhere in between. At 417 lb (189 kg), it'll roll into a tight bend on the Angeles Crest Highway off a light nudge at the bar. The intake howls on every pull.
Nils rode the 2021 MT-09 in 2021 (NastyNils Testride).
2024 MT-09
A taller gear through a twisty road doesn't faze the 2024 MT-09, whose three hooks up cleanly from low revs. The brake lever modulates cleanly in traffic. On a hard trail-braking entry, the stopping power hits its ceiling. The throttle meters drive mid-bend exactly as you dial.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The 2021 MT-09 has the lower wet weight: 417 lb (189 kg) vs 425 lb (193 kg).
- Smartphone Connectivity: standard on the 2024 MT-09, not offered on the 2021 MT-09.
- USB Charging Port: standard on the 2024 MT-09, not offered on the 2021 MT-09.
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Wrong job for both
Big miles aren't where either one shines. You'll be watching for the next rest stop.
A confidence-building first motorcycle
Not their thing
Both of these ask too much of a rookie. Spend your first year on something lighter.
Count running costs as a draw. The deal on the table and the condition of the bike matter more here.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
2021 MT-09
What owners say
Strengths
- CP3 engine character
- Class-leading electronics package
- Light wet weight
- Reliability rating from owners
Trade-offs
- ABS abrupt under hard braking
- Cosmetic build niggles
- Mirror vibration above 6,000 rpm
- Mode 4 power cap effectively unusable
- Standard seat is firm and "slippery"
2024 MT-09
Strengths
- Triple pulls everywhere
- Turn-in that never argues
- A front end that talks
- Seamless quickshifter and blipper
- Daily ease, full-fat motor
Trade-offs
- Suspension caps at track pace
- Brakes have a clear ceiling
- Seat shape fights your thighs
- Menu logic isn't intuitive
- Limited wind protection
Known problems to check before you buy
2021 MT-09
- Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) wear causing unstable idle/stalling (recall 25V-248) Recall 25V248000 Worn TPS due to excessive brush sliding from improper ECU programming leads to unstable idling, throttle hesitation, and stalling. Yamaha recall (NHTSA 25V-248) requires TPS replacement and ECU reflash for affected units.
- Engine stalling due to ECU programming (recall 22V-130) Recall 22V130000 Improper ECU programming can cause engine to stall unexpectedly, particularly when clutch lever not pulled fully or at small throttle openings from idle. Affects all 2021-2022 MT-09 models; Yamaha recall issued March 2022 for ECU reflash.
2024 MT-09
No confirmed faults on file yet. That's not the same as fault-free.
What they share
- Seat height
- 32.5 in (825 mm)
- Displacement
- 890 cc
- Engine
- Inline-three
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Power
- 119 hp (88 kW)
- Peak power at
- 10,000 rpm
- Torque
- 69 lb-ft (93 Nm)
- Peak torque at
- 7,000 rpm
- Fuel economy
- 47 mpg (US) / 5 L/100 km
- Fuel capacity
- 3.7 US gal (14 L)
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
- Rear tire
- 180/55-17
- Wheelbase
- 56.3 in (1430 mm)
Where the spec sheets split
| 2021 MT-09 | 2024 MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Wet weight | 417 lb (189 kg) | 425 lb (193 kg) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| 2021 MT-09 | 2024 MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Smartphone Connectivity | Not offered | Standard |
| USB Charging Port | Not offered | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
