Initially I was drawn to another Beemer, the R1200RT. My OH likes going pillion and I figured a proper tourer would be ideal but, as she pointed out, I already have an 1150GSA and a Caponord which are both fine for pillion use and she really didn’t want another Beemer in the garage. So with that in mind it was decided I should get a bike for me. My biking history is quite limited – a couple of TDMs, a few Beemers (Rockster, 1100RT and the current GSA) and an SV650, so it was kinda like being handed the keys to the sweet shop.
For a couple of weeks it was the Ducati Diavel that topped the list, then a Tuono V4 (despite me having nowhere near the skills to enjoy it properly), then I settled on the XSR900, partly after reading the thread on TRC and having listened to Maccecht rave about his Tracer, I thought I’d look at the MT-09 too. (The Tracer didn’t appeal.)
So a couple of weeks ago the OH and I went to look at an MT-09, more to rule it out if I’m honest as I preferred the XSR. OH fell in love with the MT the second she saw it – she doesn’t have much of a poker face, exclaiming that I should just buy it and forget about the XSR I was looking at later that afternoon. Nevertheless, I wanted to see the XSR. It was £3k more expensive than the MT but was the one that I preferred.
I get to the dealer’s mid-afternoon. Park up my bike and wander round to the front of the store. The XSR is out on display. I got about 3ft from it before deciding the MT was the better purchase for me.
A few text messages and a couple of days later and I’m the happy owner of a 2015 MT-09 with 15k miles on the clock, FSH and one owner from new.
As you’d expect with a 15k mile bike, it’s not immaculate but it is pretty mint, had a recent service with new tyres, chain and sprockets and brake pads. It has a couple of extras on it – full road-legal titanium Akra system, Bagster ‘comfort’ seat, R&G tail tidy and Woodcraft clip-on adaptor plate to replace the standard handlebar which give it a more café racer look. Standard parts came with the bike and first thing I’ll be doing is putting the standard handlebar back on. The Woodcrafts look good and are not actually that low but the swept angle is more than I’m comfortable with so the standard handlebars will be going back on.
Have only covered 150 miles since buying it so can’t really comment on it other than to say it’s mental fun. The engine, and I appreciate my frame of reference is quite low given my current bikes, is outstanding, even compared to the Caponord (and I thought that was a cracking engine). Even with the fly screen, up to 80mph and you start to feel like you’re hanging on a bit, anything above that is just rollercoaster-esque. The OH says the pillion seat is comfy and position isn’t too cramped but bear in mind she’s only 5’ 2”. She does say it’s a bit precarious without a top box behind her so I’ll be fitting a Renntec grab rail.
Other than that, the suspension is on the to-do list. I am not a fast rider but having recently fitted Nitrons to my GSA even I can feel the difference with decent suspension – it doesn’t make me ride faster, just more relaxed with fewer bum squeaks.
Very happy with it.
It looks so tiny stuck in between the GSA and the Capo.
