By NastyNils· ·
Motorcycle comparison · Naked Bike
Yamaha Niken (MY2023-GT) vs MT-09 (RN69)
Yamaha Niken vs MT-09: which one's easier to live with every day.
You'll feel the Yamaha Niken's two front wheels bite as you tip in, and it stays hooked up mid-corner even when the pavement turns sketchy. The Yamaha MT-09's light front end needs barely a nudge at the bars. It's diving for the apex the instant you ask.
So which one do you buy?
The MT-09 has the edge if…
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Nose ahead: MT-09
The MT-09 nudges ahead once the pavement starts to wiggle. Don't expect a night-and-day difference.
What makes each one tick
Niken
Up front, the Niken leans on two tires, and the pair holds extreme lean angles while the grip doesn't let go. A bump under that leaning nose doesn't unsettle the chassis. The triple's pull builds evenly.
MT-09
There's an intake howl coming off the MT-09's triple that climbs with the revs. The throttle wakes a twin-like shove at low revs, and the top end rushes on like a four. At 417 lb (189 kg), the bike doesn't fight you at walking pace in town. It flicks from bend to bend.
Nils rode the MT-09 in 2021 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The MT-09 has the lower wet weight: 417 lb (189 kg) vs 595 lb (270 kg).
- The Niken has the larger fuel tank: 4.8 US gal (18 L) vs 3.7 US gal (14 L).
- Smartphone Connectivity: standard on the Niken, not offered on the MT-09.
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Wrong job for both
Both of these get tiring on a long day. A proper tourer will treat you better on big miles.
A confidence-building first motorcycle
Not built for this
A first bike should forgive mistakes, and these two don't do that well enough. Come back to them later.
Nothing splits them on commuting and running costs. Ride both back to back and the decision usually makes itself.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Niken
What owners say
Strengths
- Incredible cornering stability and grip
- Smooth and refined inline-triple engine
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"
Known problems to check before you buy
Niken
No confirmed faults on file yet. That's not the same as fault-free.
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.
What they share
- Displacement
- 890 cc
- Engine
- Inline-three
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Peak power at
- 10,000 rpm
- Peak torque at
- 7,000 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
Where the spec sheets split
| Niken | MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 32.9 in (835 mm) | 32.5 in (825 mm) |
| Wet weight | 595 lb (270 kg) | 417 lb (189 kg) |
| Niken | MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 115 hp (85 kW) | 119 hp (88 kW) |
| Torque | 67 lb-ft (91 Nm) | 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) |
| Niken | MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel capacity | 4.8 US gal (18 L) | 3.7 US gal (14 L) |
| Niken | MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Front tire | 120/70-15 | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 | 180/55-17 |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Niken | MT-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Smartphone Connectivity | Standard | Not offered |
| USB Charging Port | Standard | Not offered |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
