Yamaha MT-09 Street Rally (2014) - Review & Buying Guide

Price: £4500-£5500 | Power: 113.4bhp | Weight: 191kg | Overall BikeSocial Rating: 5/5

There is a fair chance you have never heard of, let alone actually seen, a Yamaha MT-09 Street Rally. So what is it? After the success of the MT-09, which arrived in 2013, the Street Rally was a bit of a case of Yamaha attempting to cash in on the MT’s success through some rather baffling marketing and a bolt-on dealer accessories kit. Yep, despite being an official Yamaha model, the Street Rally was actually just an MT-09 with parts slapped on it by your local dealer. Does this matter? Not really because as well as looking oddly cool, this weird MT-09 variant only lasted a year before fizzling out, making it strangely alluring through its exclusivity. Not only that, it is the only bike you can find that uses Rossi and a pack of wolves in its marketing pictures. Yes, seriously, what on earth was going on at Yamaha in 2014....

Yamaha MT-09 Street Rally (2014) Price

Back in the day the stock MT-09 cost just under £7000 with the ABS version adding £450 to the price tag – it really was a bargain. To get your dealer to crack out the tool kit and create a Street Rally cost you just £750 extra, which seems fairly good value for money. Nowadays a good Street Rally will set you back between £4500 and £5500, which will be about £300-£500 more than an equivalent condition stock MT-09. If you can find one that is, Street Rallys are pretty few and far between where MT-09s are plentiful.

Engine and Performance

There isn’t much to add about the CP3 engine that hasn’t already been said. An absolutely brilliant bit of engineering, Yamaha’s triple has formed the foundations of not only the MT-09 but also the Tracer 900 and XSR900 and while it is now bigger in capacity and with more power and torque, the original 847cc format is still a great motor.

Producing a very spirited 113.4bhp with 64.6lb-ft of torque, the Street Rally uses exactly the same quick-revving motor as the MT-09 – which is both a good and bad thing... The first generation of MT-09 did gain a reputation for being a bit lively on the throttle and that’s certainly something to be aware of. While you have three power modes to play with, to be brutally honest the throttle’s pick-up is quite snatchy in each of them so if you can find a bike that has been remapped by a professional dyno house, snap it up because it makes a world of difference to the ride quality. As the Street Rally is a 2014 model it has the updated ECU map (which Yamaha introduced in late 2013) but even this isn’t that good.

When it comes to buying used, the CP3 motor has proven itself very robust. Major issues are very few and far between and aside from the occasional sensor failing, you can buy an MT-09 in complete confidence that it won’t go pop. Just be aware that the valve-clearances require checking at 24,000 miles, which is starting to become a factor due to the age of the bike. Also, check the exhaust system for any cracks as it is a one-piece unit and that means if there is an issue, you are looking at having to replace the whole thing. If that’s the case, not only will a new system set you back about £200-£600 depending on manufacturer (used OE ones are just £90 as they are so plentiful and there are a fair few used aftermarket systems for sale online), you run the very real risk of seized header studs leading to headaches when it comes to swapping it over.

Yamaha MT-09 Street Rally (2014) Handling & Suspension

Ok, so what sets the Street Rally aside from the stock MT-09? The Street Rally adds a headlight cover, fuel tank shrouds, side number boards, wind deflectors and knuckle guards to the MT-09 to give it a kind of supermoto crossed with a flat tracker look. There is also a higher and flatter seat, but more on this in the Comfort and Economy section. What does it do to the ride quality? As with the motor, generally not that much different to standard.

The first generation of MT-09 came in for a lot of criticism about its shock and a bit less for its front-end feel. The shock is certainly very low quality and ideally should be upgraded for a quality aftermarket unit asap but the front-end feel is simply down to Yamaha designing the MT as a kind of big supermoto/naked bike hybrid. When you slap on the Street Rally kit you are in the mentality for this kind of bike more than a naked MT-09 so the slightly longer than normal travel forks and their feedback feels more natural, a sensation helped by the slightly different riding position. It’s not a huge difference but the Street Rally is subtly better to ride than a stock MT-09 – very subtly.

When buying used you need to be very careful about the Street Rally’s bearings and suspension linkages. A bike that tends to be ridden with enthusiasm, the head bearings will probably require changing fairly soon and if not stripped and regreased regularly the suspension linkages can become sticky or even seize – mainly as Yamaha are very stingy with the grease in their factory! Aside from these areas, watch out for corrosion as the MT-09 is built to a budget and always check consumable items such as the chain and sprockets, brake pads, tyres etc.

Comfort & Economy

The Street Rally’s seat is higher and flatter than the MT-09’s, which alters its riding position to a more ‘over the front’ off-road stance. Not actually that uncomfortable, this new stance gives the bike a bit more aggression and when combined with the added wind deflector and brush guards makes the Street Rally a bit more practical than the stock MT-09 – although not by much... You could probably outrun a pack of wolves but you wouldn’t necessarily want to tour Europe on one.

When it comes to economy, the Street Rally is the same as the MT-09 as the added aero makes next to no difference. Expect to average about 47mpg and have to start looking for a fuel station at 130 miles with 150 miles about your maximum.

Yamaha MT-09 Street Rally (2014) Equipment

Sadly the Street Rally doesn’t come with a pack of wolves – or Rossi. ABS was an optional extra simply because that was also an option on the stock MT-09 but that was about your lot from Yamaha. Unlike the MT-09, which does get a lot of trinkets added to it, most Street Rally models are left fairly standard. A bike that doesn’t really require any pimping up, it already has flashy bodywork and wheel tape from Yamaha so aside from a new exhaust system, crash protection and a tail tidy, generally that’s how they stay. If the bike has a new shock fitted or its forks’ internals upgraded that’s a great sign, as is any dyno work to sort the throttle pick-up, but expect it to be standard and treat any good add-ons as a bonus. And avoid any bikes with an aftermarket quickshifter, they were only standard on the 2017-onwards MT-09 and generally are bad news.

Yamaha MT-09 Street Rally (2014) Rivals

The Rally’s rivals are the same as the MT-09, so that’s the top-end middleweights. You could argue bikes such as the Hypermotard or KTM 690 SM or Duke, or even the 990 SM, but really it is the usual middleweight contenders.

Ducati Monster 821 (2014-2020)| Approx Price: £4500-£8000

Power/Torque: 112bhp/65.8lb-ft | Weight: 197kg

Kawasaki Z800 (2013-2016) | Approx Price: £4000-£6500

Power/Torque: 113bhp/61.3lb-ft | Weight: 229kg

Triumph Street Triple R (2013-2016) | Approx Price: £4000-£6000

Power/Torque: 105bhp/50lb-ft | Weight: 183kg

Yamaha MT-09 Street Rally (2014) Verdict

There is so much to love about the Street Rally – Rossi, a pack of wolves and an MT-09, seems like a match made in heaven to us! In all seriousness, if you are after an original MT-09 but want something a bit different, this is a great option. Yes it may cost you a few quid more than a stock bike but it’s worth it due to its exclusivity. Although you will have to put up with the occasional idiot asking if you have crashed your MT-09 and slapped on some aftermarket bodywork to hide the damage...

If you’d like to chat about this article or anything else biking related, join us and thousands of other riders at the Bennetts BikeSocial Facebook page.

Yamaha MT-09 Street Rally (2014) – Technical Specification

Looking for motorcycle insurance? Get a quote for this motorbike with Bennetts bike insurance