Comparison test: three-cylinder nakeds

Posted on by admin

Yamaha MT-09, Triumph Street Triple and MV Agusta Brutale 800 in the test

Three-cylinder nakeds in horsepower comparison

Content of

With the Yamaha MT-09, a Japanese woman enters the arena with a triple for the first time in thirty years. In the test against Triumph Street Triple and MV Agusta Brutale 800, things get down to business: three bikes, three cylinders, one winner!

Tunnel, sound check. A crazy soundscape shakes the concrete pipe as the three hot three-cylinder Nakeds race through with their throttle valves wide open. The brand new Yamaha MT-09, Triumphs Street Triple and the thunder bolt MV Agusta B.rutal 800 fight over the golden tuning fork. This is an important aspect because the formula also and especially applies to three-cylinder engines: the more gripping the sound, the more flaming the emotions.

Yamaha MT-09, Triumph Street Triple and MV Agusta Brutale 800 in the test

Three-cylinder nakeds in horsepower comparison

Yamaha MT-09 has the largest displacement and should therefore also generate the highest sonority. But the typical goosebumps hissing is only generated shortly before five-digit speeds. But then the MT-09 growls so greedily that the pilot would like to permanently staple the throttle to the stop. On the other hand, the Yamaha sounds good at low revs, and at idle speed only pricked ears recognize the combustion rate of a triplet.

Brutale goes one better in terms of sound

That can’t happen with the Triumph Street Triple. Even when idling, the Streety clearly comes out as a triple. However, high-frequency whispering while idling tarnishes the sound image a little, whereas only one thing helps: shower up! When the train pulls, the British sharpened her tone and the initial hissing turns into an impressive bark. No doubt about it, the sound of the Streety gets under your skin.

The MV Agusta Brutale 800 goes one better in terms of sound technology. In keeping with its name, the 800 snorts furiously from its three muffler pipes – a call to hell! No other triplet gets the blood flowing like the MV, especially at high speeds. Awesome Evil Goal! However, this is mixed with constant grinding and stirring, in contrast to the Streety and especially the Yamaha MT-09, the engine runs very rough mechanically.

Naked bike

Yamaha MT-09 and Triumph Street Triple tested

Three-cylinder battle in Croatia

read more

Naked bike

Yamaha MT-09 in the driving report

Big grin for little money

read more

Naked bike

Readers test Yamaha MT-09

MOTORRAD readers tested the new three-cylinder fun bike

read more

Yamaha MT-09 test ride video

Sound and emotions are certainly one of the reasons why Yamaha is finally rolling out a three-cylinder four-stroke engine again after three decades with the MT-09. The last Japanese triple fired the XS 850 – also a Yamaha – until 1983. Coincidence? Probably not, Yamaha was and is at last one of the most progressive Japanese motorcycle creators. The courage should be rewarded. Thanks to the 115 HP and 88 Nm strong three-seater, the MT-09 is already marching bravely forward from the lower engine speed, storming on with a steady, powerful attack and constantly increasing its performance up to the locking mark of 11500 rpm. Lovely! In addition, the triplet runs very cultivated. Heart, what do you want more. Perhaps a clutch that can be adjusted a little better, because the pilot sometimes either chokes the Yamaha MT-09 or the mechanics produce the frictional connection too abruptly.

Yamaha MT-09 prefer to move in B mode

With the riding modes “Std” (standard), “A” and “B” there are three setting options for the throttle response. However, this does not affect the power delivery. On “Std” and “A” the Yamaha accelerates quite briskly, which is why we recommend the somewhat gentler B mode even for sporty activities. Fies: After switching the ignition off and on again, the Yamaha MT-09 automatically resets to "Std".

In contrast to the Yamaha MT-09 and MV, the Triumph Street Triple only offers one driving mode. Although she accelerates a bit jerkily, the load changes are still within acceptable limits. It is always refreshing to see how lively and almost cocky the British woman whips through the entire speed range. Stressed out and in a bad mood? A short trip on the Streety is enough and the world is right again! Even when it comes to driving performance, she is at least hot on the heels of the Yamaha. It’s hard to believe that the Triumph only delivers 106 hp and 68 Nm maximum output. Shortcomings? On the drive side there’s at most something to grumble about because of the slightly resinous gear changes. But in the end this only marginally diminishes the otherwise great properties of the engine.

With the MV Agusta Brutale 800, things are a little different. Her hooked gears are just one of several items on the still-to-do list. Depending on the driving mode, the either too impulsive or slightly delayed throttle response bothers. A simple experiment shows that the programming of the engine control ("mapping") is still in need of improvement: If you open the throttle a little while stationary and hold it in this position, the engine reacts with "saws", ie significantly fluctuating speeds.

Naked bike

Comparison test: Naked bikes from MV Agusta and Triumph

MV Agusta Brutale 800 and Triumph Street Triple R in comparison test

read more

Naked bike

MV Agusta Brutale 800 in the test

The Brutale’s big sister 675

read more

Chopper / cruiser

MV Agusta Brutale 1090, KTM 1190 Adventure, Yamaha YZF-R1 and Ducati Diavel Carbon in the test

Concept comparison of naked bikes, enduro, athletes and cruisers

read more

Naked bike

BMW F 800 R, Kawasaki Z 800, MV Agusta Brutale 800 and Yamaha FZ8 in the test

Middle class motorcycles with 800 cc

read more

Unclean response behavior and difficult metering

When driving, this manifests itself with unclean responsiveness and difficult control. The new rival shows that there is another way. Except for the intake ducts and the exhaust gas discharge, exactly the same engine works in it as in the Brutale. But in contrast to the naked bike, the Supermoto runs exemplary. MV Agusta likes to emphasize the uncomplicated updating of the mappings by the dealers. So it is high time to develop such a mapping for the MV Agusta Brutale 800 – it really deserves it!

Until then, brutal drivers also have to live with the uneven power delivery. Violent tugging of the chain alternates with noticeable drops in power, which, in addition to show-worthy wheelies, also makes it difficult to shoot out of curves. The 800, on the other hand, is fun on a straight stretch with a completely taut cable. There she demonstrates her great potential and shoots off as if she were being driven by the incarnate. But be careful: In the lower gears, she mercilessly lifts her front wheel!

If the MV Agusta Brutale 800 can easily be categorized as a beast and thus assigned to a specific clientele, categorizing the Yamaha MT-09 is much more difficult. No other bike in the trio combines so many contradictions and leaves potential target groups in the dark as the Yam. Proofs? Sports fans are happy about the power engine and, thanks to the pronounced wheelie inclination, celebrate hearty unicycle artistry. They also appreciate the snappy stoppers and find the grip of the super sporty Bridgestone S20 in the special specification "M" great.

Passive seating position on the Yamaha MT-09

The rather leisurely group does not start much with it. On the other hand, the very sensitive should like the comfortable, but somewhat inactive seating position with the high handlebars mounted close to the driver. They certainly also cheer for the comfortable chassis, because it makes the Yamaha MT-09 the undisputed queen of bad country roads. The fat two-wheel drivers are bothered by the fact that there is clear movement in the chassis when the canter is extended and the passive seating position dilutes the feedback a bit.

Chassis disturbances are also the reason why Yamaha has limited the top speed of the Yamaha MT-09 to 210 km / h. According to its own information, the manufacturer does not want to sacrifice the handling-friendly geometry to absolutely stable straight-line stability. The top speed is okay for a naked woman, even die-hard full-throttle freaks seldom burn faster over the track with such bikes – especially not permanently. On the country road, stokers like Schleicher feel the somewhat wobbly driving behavior of the 850s in slow bends. In faster corners, on the other hand, the pilots have to initiate a slight steering impulse so that the MT-09 angles as desired.

Who is the target group for the Yamaha MT-09? Hard to say. One thing is clear: For a competitive price of 7495 euros without and 7995 euros including ABS, the Japanese offers a surprising amount of motorcycle. Therefore, there are guaranteed to be enough interested parties in each warehouse who are ready to make a few cuts.

Naked bike

Yamaha MT-09 and Triumph Street Triple tested

Three-cylinder battle in Croatia

read more

Naked bike

Comparison test: Naked bikes from MV Agusta and Triumph

MV Agusta Brutale 800 and Triumph Street Triple R in comparison test

read more

Naked bike

2012 model year of the Streety versus the new 2013 model

Triumph Street Triple R old versus new in the top test

read more

Naked bike

The Triumph Street Triple R

The sheer madness

read more

Triumph Street Triple mature and consistent

Streety customers hardly have to accept any restrictions, because their overall concept is very mature and coherent: seating position, steering behavior, accuracy, road holding, stability, feedback – everything is top notch. Compared to the Yamaha, it only leaves minimal springs when it comes to handling. The setup of the British with its non-adjustable spring elements is okay. Especially the rear damper of the Triumph Street Triple works very well. At the front, however, the set-up was quite tight, which means that the Street Triple only moderately dampens rough asphalt scars and guides them to the handlebars. But that is whining at the highest level. The island bike is and remains a great road sweeper with few weaknesses.

In terms of chassis, this also applies to the Brutale. The fork’s tuning turned out to be rather soft and that of the shock absorber, in contrast, quite tight. But with the right setup, the MV plows the streets very confidently. She only twitches the handlebars slightly when hammering over mogul slopes. In addition, it looks a little more cumbersome when wagging around corners than the Triumph Street Triple and the Yamaha MT-09.

The strengths of the MV Agusta Brutale 800 are clearly in the accuracy, cornering stability and feedback. It is simply sensational how precisely and safely the Italian arrows through the arches! When filing the last groove, neither the ABS of the Triumph nor that of the Yamaha MT-09 can fully convince. Both systems intervene very early and build up brake pressure only slowly.

In normal everyday life, on the other hand, the anti-lock devices do their job well. The MV Agusta Brutale 800 does not yet have an ABS, it should be available soon. There are clear differences in the braking effect. The stoppers of the Streety bite a little more cautiously than those of the Yamaha MT-09 and Brutale. The latter delivers the crispest pressure point, but the pilot has to use his irons for hearty delays. There are definitely differences between the three triples. Ultimately, however, they have one thing in common: boredom is a thing of the past!

PS data

MV Agusta Brutale 800:

drive: Three-cylinder in-line engine, four valves / cylinder, 92 kW (125 PS) at 11,600 / min *, 81 Nm at 8600 / min *, 798 cm³, bore / stroke: 79.0 / 54.3 mm, compression ratio: 13 , 3: 1, ignition / injection system, 47 mm throttle valves, mechanically operated multi-plate oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, G-Kat, chain

 Landing gear: Steel tubular space frame, steering head angle: 66.0 degrees, caster: 95 mm, wheelbase: 1380 mm, upside-down fork, Ø fork inner tube: 43 mm, adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression level. Central spring strut with deflection, adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression. Suspension travel front / rear: 125/125 mm

Wheels and brakes: Light alloy cast wheels, 3.50 x 17 / 5.50 x 17, front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 180/55 ZR 17, first tires: Pirelli Diablo Rosso II, 320 mm double disc brakes with radially attached four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 220 -mm single disc with two-piston fixed caliper at the rear

Measurements and weight: Length / width / height: 2080/870/1180 mm *, seat / handlebar height: 810/1000 mm, handlebar width: 760 mm,
186 kg with a full tank, v./h .: 51.8 / 48.2%

Rear wheel power in last gear: 84.5 kW (115 PS) at 203 km / h

Consumption fuel type: Super unleaded. Average test consumption: 7.8 liters / 100 km, tank capacity 16.6 liters, range: 212 km

Base price: 10,990 euros (plus additional costs)

Triumph Street Triple

Drive: Three-cylinder in-line engine, four valves / cylinder, 78 kW (106 hp) at 11,700 rpm *, 68 Nm at 9200 rpm *, 675 cm³, bore / stroke: 74.0 / 52.5 mm, compression ratio: 12.7: 1, ignition / injection system, 44 mm throttle valves, mechanically operated multi-plate oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, G-Kat, chain

Landing gear: Light alloy bridge frame, steering head angle: 65.7 degrees, caster: 95 mm, wheelbase: 1395 mm, upside-down-
Fork, Ø inner fork tube: 41 mm, not adjustable. Central spring strut with deflection, adjustable in the spring base. Suspension travel front / rear: 120/126 mm

Wheels and brakes: Light alloy cast wheels, 3.50 x 17 / 5.50 x 17, front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 180/55 ZR 17, first-
Tires: Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa, 308 mm double disc brakes with conventionally attached four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 220 mm single discs with a single-piston floating caliper at the rear

Measurements and weight: Length / width / height: 2100/860/1250 mm *, seat / handlebar height: 805/1010 mm, handlebar width: 720 mm,
190 kg with a full tank, v./h .: 52.0 / 48.0%

Rear wheel power in last gear: 73 kW (99 PS) at 214 km / h

Consumption fuel type: Super unleaded. Average test consumption: 6.6 liters / 100 km, tank capacity 17.4 liters, range: 264 km

Base price: 8,490 euros (plus additional costs)

Yamaha MT-09

Drive: Three-cylinder in-line engine, four valves / cylinder, 84.5 kW (115 hp) at 10,000 rpm *, 88 Nm at 8500 rpm *, 847 cm³,

Bore / stroke: 78.0 / 59.1 mm, compression ratio: 11.5: 1, ignition / injection system, 41 mm throttle valves, mechanically operated multi-plate oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, G-Kat, chain

Landing gear: Light metal bridge frame, steering head angle: 65.0 degrees, caster: 103 mm, wheelbase: 1440 mm, upside-down fork, Ø fork inner tube: 41 mm, adjustable in spring base and rebound. Central spring strut with deflection, adjustable in spring base and rebound. Suspension travel front / rear: 137/130 mm
 

Wheels and brakes: Light alloy cast wheels, 3.50 x 17 / 5.50 x 17, front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 180/55 ZR 17, initial tires: Bridgestone S20 "M", 298 mm double disc brakes with radially attached four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 245 mm single disc with single piston floating caliper at the rear

Measurements and weight: Length / width / height: 2100/900/1270 mm *, seat / handlebar height: 810/1070 mm, handlebar width: 755 mm,
192 kg with a full tank, v./h .: 50.7 / 49.3%

Rear wheel power in last gear: 79.5 kW (108 PS) at 168 km / h

Consumption fuel type: Super unleaded. Average test consumption: 6.4 liters / 100 km, tank capacity 14 liters, range: 218 km

Base price: 7.495 euros (ABS: 500 euros), (plus additional costs)

PS judgment

1. Triumph Street Triple: The sparkling Streety remains queen of the middle class nakeds. It is very balanced, its concept coherent. She does not afford any real weaknesses. She also brings a lot of emotions over.

2. Yamaha MT-09: For the MT-09 it wasn’t quite enough to win the test. Your engine is sensational, it stands
a great future ahead. Because of its soft chassis and the inactive seating position, the Yam leaves many points. 

3rd MV Agusta Brutale 800: The hot-blooded Italian lands in third place. Design, power and sound are the finest, only the engine tuning is still a problem. A new mapping, plus ABS and the Italo-Feger is at the forefront.

Subscribe to MOTORRAD videos on Youtube

Related articles

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *