Long Term Test: Yamaha MT-07

Yamaha’s MT-07 has survived the worst of the winter largely unscathed. For a budget bike the finish has held up well.

There are a few signs of wear and tear but probably nothing that could not have been prevented if I’d been diligent enough in the first place to whack some ACF50 all over the little beauty.

The front disc bolts are rusty and the outer disc has a tinge of orange. Some of the pipework is a little marked and the indicators went on the blink for 24 hours after a freezing night.

It takes a while to clean and in some places the design is so fiddly that it needs specialist bike cleaning brushes to really get into all the nooks and crannies. To get the bike gleaming again a good two hours is required.

Other than that, the little twin has buzzed through winter like a breeze. The soft power and light weight make it the perfect machine to tackle slimy roads. The official Yamaha accessory screen is a bit of a pain, with light reflecting through a small gap at the front and it can be quite distracting. A bit of foam taped in the gap would sort it but I’ve not got round to that yet.

The aftermarket Nitron shock (£350) has been a revelation and everyone who has ridden it since it’s been fitted has commented on how much better it’s made the bike handle over Britain’s bumpy roads.

With 5000 miles approaching, the MT-07 has been a sheer joy this year and it continues to put a smile on my face every time I ride it.