Yamaha MT-09
Yamaha's hooligan triple. CP3 890cc inline-three with cross-plane crank for character, 119 PS, aggressive ride-by-wire, and IMU-based electronics from 2021. Lighter and more focused than the Tracer 9 stablemate. Theft-prone — on UK police top-stolen lists — and insurance is correspondingly steep. The MT-09 is what you graduate to after outgrowing the MT-07.
- Engine
- 890 cc
- Power
- 119 PS
- Weight
- 189 kg
- Seat height
- 825 mm
- A2 licence
- —
CP3 inline-three 120° crank
wet
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 55 · Insurance 13 · Theft 10
The Yamaha MT-09 is expensive to insure (group 15). Theft risk is very high. The main thing to check on a used one is the cp3 rocker arm wear. We don't yet hold model-specific depreciation for the Yamaha MT-09; our default estimate is around 28% lost over three years.
A bike-specific blend of value retention, insurance and theft risk (weighted 40/35/25). Bikes carry no MOT reliability data, so reliability isn't scored. Higher is better. The value pillar uses our default estimate for this bike, not a model-specific figure.
Variant: MT-09
Engine
Petrol · 890cc
Power
119 ps
Torque
93 Nm
Weight
189 kg
Seat
825 mm
Transmission
6-speed manual
Economy
48 mpg
Volume MT-09. CP3 890cc triple, 119 PS, 93 Nm. 6-speed manual, chain. 189 kg wet. 825mm seat. IMU-based electronics standard from 2021.
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.
Estimated market value
£6,947
Range £6,252 – £7,642
HIGH CONFIDENCE
Holding value
Bikes hold value far better than cars — typical motorcycle 3-year depreciation is 25–32%, against cars' 40–50%. Some bikes (Hayabusa, Gold Wing, classic Z1000) actually appreciate in the 7–15 year zone as cult demand outstrips supply.
New
£10,099
At 5 years
£6,261
At 10 years
£4,302
Value loss by phase
Each band shows the share of original value lost during that window — not cumulative. Appreciation (green, marked +X% gained) is real for bikes that develop cult status.
UK new price by year
How we estimate this
We don't yet hold model-specific depreciation for this bike. The figures above are our default estimate for machines of this kind, currently applied to 3 models in the catalogue — treat them as a starting point, not a measurement of this model. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count and crash-damage signatures. Figures assume a clean, fully-stamped example.
What it costs to own
Indicative running costs at 3,000 miles a year — the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics. Chain-drive bikes carry a chain/sprocket consumable line; tax (typically £25–£100/yr) and depreciation are excluded — see the section above for value retention.
3-year total
£3,215
Per year
£1,072
Per mile
£0.36
Service costs assume independent specialist labour and OE parts. Tyre intervals reflect typical UK road riding — track-day usage burns through rear tyres in <2,000 miles. Fuel uses the variant MPG at the current DESNZ pump price of £1.60/L (week commencing 03/08/2026). Electric bikes are costed from battery capacity and published range at the current domestic electricity price; where a bike has no published range we show no energy line rather than guess. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.
Estimated insurance
Group 15 of 17 (very high — superbike/cult) · Comprehensive · 5 yr NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this bike. Bike insurance is far more sensitive to licence tier and rider age than cars — pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Licence
Age
No-claims bonus
5 yearsRisk profile
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39
£1,600/ year
Roughly £133 per month
Typical
Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-21 | £2,640 | £3,520 | £4,928 |
| Age 22-29 | £1,620 | £2,160 | £3,024 |
| Age 30-39Selected | £1,200 | £1,600 | £2,240 |
| Age 40-49 | £1,056 | £1,408 | £1,971 |
| Age 50+ | £960 | £1,280 | £1,792 |
How we estimate this
Premiums combine licence tier, rider age, no-claims bonus and a risk-profile multiplier on top of a bike-specific baseline. Bike insurance is materially more sensitive to licence tier (CBT / A1 / A2 / A) than car insurance, and young riders pay considerably more than older riders even on the same machine. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Theft risk
Bike-specific · Met Police + insurance reporting
UK bike theft rates are an order of magnitude higher than car theft. Nakeds and supersports lose more to professional gangs; large adventure bikes and tourers are statistically much safer.
Theft risk score · 1 to 4
4/4Very high risk
Very high risk
On police top-stolen lists across multiple UK cities. Insurance will demand the full security package (Thatcham chain + ground anchor + disc lock + tracker + secure overnight storage). Without these, premiums can exceed £2,000.Theft hotspot postcodes
Postcode prefixes only; full London hot zone runs across E, N, NW, SE, SW, W boroughs depending on the model.
What this means for you
MT-09 is on police's top-stolen list across multiple UK cities. London and Manchester especially. Expect insurance to demand Thatcham chain + ground anchor + disc lock + tracker; without these, premium goes north of £2,000.
How we set this band
Bands derived from Met Police bike-theft reporting (most-stolen lists) cross-referenced with insurance industry underwriting data. Model + postcode are the two biggest factors in motorcycle theft risk in the UK, materially more than vehicle value.
What goes wrong
7 known issues · sorted by severity
Documented failure modes from UK owner forums, dealer service bulletins, and aggregated mechanic feedback. Mileages are approximate — different riders see different intervals depending on use and maintenance. Always address "high"-severity items before resale.
High severity
1
Medium
4
Low / cosmetic
2
| Severity | Part / issue | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| high | CP3 rocker arm wear Listen for top-end rattle 60k+ mi | £500 |
| medium | Rear shock (pre-2021) Ohlins/Nitron common any | £800 upgrade |
| medium | Cam chain tensioner (pre-2021) 30k+ mi | £300 |
| medium | Rear shock seal leak 30-40k mi | £300 rebuild |
| medium | Stator/rectifier (older bikes) 2021+ revised parts more reliable 40k+ mi | £300 |
| low | Quickshifter sensor any | £150 |
| low | Fork seals 30k+ mi | £200 |
How we score severity
High — strands the bike or causes consequential damage if left. Medium — service item that affects ride quality or risks failure. Low — cosmetic or minor inconvenience. Costs are independent-specialist UK rates for parts and labour together; main dealer prices typically run 30–50% higher.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Yamaha MT-09, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Variant comparison
Yamaha's hooligan benchmark. Cross-shop Triumph Street Triple 765 (sharper, smaller bike feel), KTM Duke 890 (sharper still, more focused), Kawasaki Z900 (cheaper, less refined). MT-09 wins on engine character and electronic suite.
Known issues
- Stock suspension under-damped pre-2021 — upgrade ~£800
- CP3 rocker arm wear at 60k+ mi (£500 fix)
- Cam chain tensioner — early models (improved 2021+)
- Stator/rectifier on older bikes — checked at high mileage
- Rear shock seal leak at 30-40k mi (£300)
- Quickshifter sensor occasional failures
Strengths
- +CP3 triple engine — class-leading character at this price
- +IMU-based electronics package from 2021 (lean-sensitive ABS/TCS)
- +Light at 189 kg — flickable for a 890cc
- +Quickshifter standard from 2021
- +Strong residuals among Yamaha big naked range
Watch-outs
- −Top of UK theft target list — insurance reflects this
- −Pre-2021 suspension under-damped (vague stock damping)
- −CP3 engine rocker arm wear at high mileage (60k+ mi)
- −Aggressive throttle map in early models (smoothed in 2021)
- −Stator/rectifier issues on older bikes (improved 2021+)
Related bikes
Common questions
Yamaha MT-09, answered from the data
- How much is a used Yamaha MT-09 worth?
- A 2023 Yamaha MT-09 in good condition with around 9,000 miles is worth roughly £6,950 (typical range £6,250–£7,650). Dealer asking prices sit higher than private sales, and a full service history, no crash damage and an unbroken theft record are what hold a bike at the top of its range.
- How quickly does the Yamaha MT-09 depreciate?
- We don't yet hold model-specific depreciation for the Yamaha MT-09. Our default estimate for machines of this kind is a loss of about 28% over three years, against a 25–32% norm for bikes generally — treat it as a starting point rather than a measurement of this model. Bikes hold value considerably better than cars, which typically lose 40–50% over the same period.
- Can you ride the Yamaha MT-09 on an A2 licence?
- No. The Yamaha MT-09 needs a full category A licence — 119 PS puts it beyond what A2 allows, and it isn't offered as a restrictable model.
- How much does it cost to insure a Yamaha MT-09?
- Expect around £1,600 a year to insure a Yamaha MT-09, typically £1,300–£2,200. That assumes age 30, 3yrs NCB, suburban postcode. It sits in motorcycle insurance group 15 of 17. Bike premiums move far more on licence tier, rider age and postcode than car premiums do, so treat this as a starting point rather than a quote.
- What goes wrong on a used Yamaha MT-09?
- The wear and failure points we track for the Yamaha MT-09 are: rear shock (pre-2021) (any, £800 upgrade); cp3 rocker arm wear (around 60k+ mi, £500); cam chain tensioner (pre-2021) (around 30k+ mi, £300). We don't publish a reliability score for bikes — the MOT dataset behind our car scores doesn't support one at model level — so treat these as the specific things to inspect rather than a verdict. A full service history and a fresh MOT without advisories remain the best protection.
- What does a Yamaha MT-09 cost to run?
- Expect around 48 mpg, about £454 a year in fuel or energy, £300 for an annual service, £400 a pair for tyres every 5,000 miles, £320 for a chain and sprockets every 20,000 miles. Figures assume 3,000 miles a year, the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics, and current DESNZ pump prices. The cost-of-ownership table on the profile breaks this down per year and per mile.
- Is the Yamaha MT-09 likely to be stolen?
- The Yamaha MT-09 is one of the most stolen classes of bike in the UK. MT-09 is on police's top-stolen list across multiple UK cities. London and Manchester especially. Expect insurance to demand Thatcham chain + ground anchor + disc lock + tracker; without these, premium goes north of £2,000. Theft is concentrated in E, N, SE, NW, SW, W, M postcode areas. A Thatcham-approved chain and ground anchor, a disc lock and a tracker are what insurers look for, and secure overnight storage moves a premium more than almost anything else.
Answers are generated from this bike's Forecourt data — curated specifications, our valuation model and the week's DESNZ fuel and energy prices — and update with the weekly data refresh.