Scim77
Member
Hi Group. Three weeks ago I bought an MT-07 from another forum member, GAZ2212. It has been extensively and thoughtfully modified, regardless of cost and I am now benefitting from the experience and competence of Gary, the previous owner. You are probably aware of this bike, since Gary has posted many times. I have already enjoyed nearly 1000 miles of smiles and love every minute on the bike.
My very first bike as a teenager in the 60's was a 250cc AJS Model 14. Later I restored a Velocette 500 Venom to concours standard. This was one of the most difficult bikes to kick start that I have ever experienced. You had to follow the Velo owners manual to the letter, other wise it would either not fire up of it would break your leg.
I then had a 30 year non-bike period, due to family and work responsibilities but then got a 1973 Norton Commando 850, which I ran for 9 years. The Commando was a thrilling bike to ride but became a bit heavy for my lightweight ageing body to man-handle when stationary, so I swopped on to a delightfully nimble Moto Guzzi V50. This is probably the best handing bike that I have ever ridden. It was like wearing an old pair of slippers. Temperament and vice-free. But I missed the Commando grunt.
So I started to research fast lightweight modern bikes. I short-listed the Ducati Scrambler, KTM 690 Duke and Yamaha MT-07. I road-tested all three, even hiring an MT-07 fro 24 hours to make sure.
The Ducati was full of character, massive engine torque and nice handling but with a ferociously aggressive throttle from idle. I was also uneasy about the potential servicing costs.
The KTM 690 Duke was brilliant. Light, nimble and very fast but it felt restless under 3500 rpm and was unhappy poodling around town, unless you kept the revs up. Finding neutral required the lightest of touches and the box felt potentially fragile. It went like the clappers and was very chuckable but sounded like a bag of chisels at low revs. Power to weight ratio was stunning, as was the handling.
The Yamaha MT-07 addressed the issues that the other bikes had not. It was smooth and tractable from low revs but pulled like stink when you opened the throttle. It sounded mechanically refined, was easy to ride and reasonably light, if a little top heavy. The front suspension felt like a pogo-stick but it still handled ok. Overall the MT-07 was the bike that I realised I could live with long term.
Gary who owned my bike from new had addressed all the issues and shortfalls that let the MT-07 down, plus adding a lot of bling that was probably more style over substance, but nice to have, nonetheless. I will need to have the Maxton suspension re-sprung and valved eventually, since Gary was 19 stones and I am only 10 stones,so it is far too hard for me at the moment but I still love every ride out in the beautiful lanes of Surrey and Sussex.
My very first bike as a teenager in the 60's was a 250cc AJS Model 14. Later I restored a Velocette 500 Venom to concours standard. This was one of the most difficult bikes to kick start that I have ever experienced. You had to follow the Velo owners manual to the letter, other wise it would either not fire up of it would break your leg.
I then had a 30 year non-bike period, due to family and work responsibilities but then got a 1973 Norton Commando 850, which I ran for 9 years. The Commando was a thrilling bike to ride but became a bit heavy for my lightweight ageing body to man-handle when stationary, so I swopped on to a delightfully nimble Moto Guzzi V50. This is probably the best handing bike that I have ever ridden. It was like wearing an old pair of slippers. Temperament and vice-free. But I missed the Commando grunt.
So I started to research fast lightweight modern bikes. I short-listed the Ducati Scrambler, KTM 690 Duke and Yamaha MT-07. I road-tested all three, even hiring an MT-07 fro 24 hours to make sure.
The Ducati was full of character, massive engine torque and nice handling but with a ferociously aggressive throttle from idle. I was also uneasy about the potential servicing costs.
The KTM 690 Duke was brilliant. Light, nimble and very fast but it felt restless under 3500 rpm and was unhappy poodling around town, unless you kept the revs up. Finding neutral required the lightest of touches and the box felt potentially fragile. It went like the clappers and was very chuckable but sounded like a bag of chisels at low revs. Power to weight ratio was stunning, as was the handling.
The Yamaha MT-07 addressed the issues that the other bikes had not. It was smooth and tractable from low revs but pulled like stink when you opened the throttle. It sounded mechanically refined, was easy to ride and reasonably light, if a little top heavy. The front suspension felt like a pogo-stick but it still handled ok. Overall the MT-07 was the bike that I realised I could live with long term.
Gary who owned my bike from new had addressed all the issues and shortfalls that let the MT-07 down, plus adding a lot of bling that was probably more style over substance, but nice to have, nonetheless. I will need to have the Maxton suspension re-sprung and valved eventually, since Gary was 19 stones and I am only 10 stones,so it is far too hard for me at the moment but I still love every ride out in the beautiful lanes of Surrey and Sussex.
i'm looking at the hyperpro street box suspension kit i'll post my findings soon as i manage to get my grubby little paws on them