Top alternatives of Yamaha MT-07

In a very short period of time, Yamaha made a global switch from the old school ‘FZ’ series of naked roadsters to the new-age modern ‘MT’ series of the same. However, the ‘MT’ nameplate is not at all new for Yamaha, for the Japanese major has introduced the mighty MT-01 previously to the world. Though things have taken a massive turn now, and the MT range of big roadsters has replaced the FZs of the world. The motorcycles branded as MTs have something which nobody expected from Yamaha – leaner, sharper and with lesser bulk – giving them a more European feel than Japanese.

It is with this same strategy that Yamaha is now trying to strengthen its foothold in its home turfs – the Asian market. Taking the Malaysian market into consideration, Yamaha has employed two of its MTs in the South East nation, the MT-07 and MT-09. Out of these two, the MT-07 is serving as the first stepping stone into the world of big bike motoring from Yamaha in Malaysia. The Yamaha MT-07 sources its thrust from a 689 cc liquid cooled twin engine produces 74.8 PS of power and 68 Nm of torque, putting it right on the face of the already established stalwarts of this category. Which are those other stalwarts in the middleweight 650cc category? Let’s find out:-

Kawasaki Z650

The latest motorcycle in this segment, the Kawasaki Z650 is a huge departure from the motorcycle it has replaced, the ER-6n. Unlike its predecessor which was just the same motorcycle as the Ninja 650 but with a smaller headlamp, the Z650 carries some major differences from its faired Ninja version. Designed on the traditional Sugomi design lines, the Z650 looks much sharper and focused as compared to the ER-6n, with lesser bulk making it look much more athletic.

And it’s not only the design and the features like uber-cool fully digital instrument console which makes the Z650 a fantastic motorcycle. Like all the Kawasaki, the Z650 has a refined and stress-free motor, which displaces 649 cc and produces 68 PS of power and 65.7 Nm of torque. The only disadvantage we personally feel is that the Z650 weighs a bit too much at 187 kgs, which robs off the overall riding dynamics, though not by a big margin. Priced at RM 35,609, the Kawasaki Z650 is available in four color options – green, grey, black, and yellow.

Honda CB 650F

Like the Kawasaki Z650, the Honda CB 650F is based on a fully faired motorcycle, in this case, the Honda CBR 650F. However, unlike the Z650 which comes with tuning differences from the Ninja 650’s engine, the CB 650F is just a CBR 650F but without the bulky looking full fairing. What that means is – out goes the big fairing and in comes a snazzier and sharper looking vertical all-LED headlamp. This gives it the most modern looking face and stance compared to the rest of the motorcycles mentioned here. However, the bulky looking rear end and dated looking twin-pod digital meters lend it a slight old-school appeal.

However, when it boils down to performance, this middleweight Honda means serious business. At the heart of the Honda CB 650F is an inline four, 648 cc engine, which is simply the most refined mill in this list, thanks to the number of cylinders. And then, the performance too is simply the best in class as well – 87 PS of power and 65 Nm of torque. The Honda CB 650F is available in black, silver, blue, and red paint schemes. At RM 47,115, it is a bit costlier than the rest of the motorcycles here, however, it is worth the extra owing to the leveled up performance available on tap.

KTM Duke 690R

Love your motorcycle to be pure old school fun? Like it to be more thrilling to live with practicality on the back seat? The KTM Duke 690R is the machine you should place your bet, then. The oldest motorcycle on this list feels a bit dated in terms of overall design and equipment on offer. But make no mistake, the KTM Duke 690R remains one of the most enjoyable motorcycles to ride in this space mainly due to two reasons – engine and riding dynamics.

The Duke 690R is the only single cylinder motorcycle here – its liquid-cooled 690cc engine is the largest single cylinder engine among all the production motorcycles the world. With 76 PS of power and 74 Nm of torque on tap, the Duke 690R is in the same league as its Japanese competitors, albeit with lower refinement levels as compared to them. Also, being the lightest motorcycle in this segment coupled up with a fantastic chassis setup gives it the agility which still many motorcycles fail to match. Available in a single color option of white with orange and black inserts, the KTM Duke 690R is priced at RM 43,396.