Regular readers of Cycle World know that we are smitten by the lively 847cc triple in the Yamaha FZ-09 streetfighter. They also know that we thoroughly enjoy the Yamaha Super Tenere ADV bike. Problem is, for many potential customers, the Super T and its 1200cc engine are a bit too big and heavy for some off-road riding situations.
Here's one possible solution, as seen in the photo-illustration above provided by our friends at Young Machine magazine in Japan. We'll call it the MT-09X, and this motorcycle appears to be just what Yamaha needs—an ADV machine that can gobble up lots of miles on the highway while being lighter and easier to handle in the dirt. And while this illustration shows the bike outfitted with tarmac wheels and tires in a more Ducati Multistrada vein, who's to say that Yamaha won't step up and fit the MT-09 Tenere with DOT knobbies on a proper 18/21 setup? A lot of customers could be covered by a pair of models like this.
What do you think: Would you like to see Yamaha build an MT-09X, or at least a very similar machine? We would. An ADV Yamaha that's much lighter than the current Super Tenere would make a great addition to the lineup, powered by either the FZ-09's triple or possibly even the FZ-07's 689cc parallel twin. We don't get the XT660 Tenere in the United States, so we strongly suspect that this new Yamaha MT-09X would be a big hit on our soil. Agree?
