Why is the MT-09’s suspension so bad?
Early models of the Yamaha MT-09, however, were panned for their suspension setup, but they’ve been praised for their engine and package overall. Riders complained of the forks diving under braking and generally a lack of refinement in how the suspension feels. In the years since, Yamaha made improvements, but whether the stock suspension is sufficient for aggressive riding, or for larger riders, is still up for debate. There are those owners that claim aftermarket upgrades are the way to go, while others who swear the stock setup is just fine for street use. When the discussion touches on whether Yamaha purposely left wiggle room for improvement to maintain a base price competitive, or is simply different rider, different style.
Yamaha did fix most of the early models issues. Now it's fine for normal street riding.
There is always a compromise with stock suspension. If you’re serious about performance, you will want to upgrade regardless of the bike.
I ride heavier and the stock setup was way too soft. A world of difference was made with an aftermarket rear shock.
They exaggerate the problems. It's more than adequate for street use, but set it up properly for your weight.
If you’re going to throw down your coin, the SP model with the Öhlins suspension is worth it every penny. Night and day difference.
Yamaha, I think, deliberately left room for improvement. This allows people to customize to what they want and keeps the base price down.
It's not great for track use even with the improvements, but with some tweaks it would be fine. It's totally fine for daily riding though.
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