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Yamaha

MT-07

RM04· 2014-2017 naked Top pick

Before you buy

4 known problems
Learner legal
LAMS version onlyOnly the LAMS version. A full-power version was sold too, and it can look the same.
How to tell
MT07. Engine number must start with M405E.
Watch for
medium
Underdamped forks and soft rear shock
Any (from new) · $400-1800
medium
Advertised as an MT-07 when it is an MT-07LA (or the reverse)
Any
Running cost
Valve check every 40,000km · $5.5k–$9k used est. Aug 2026
All 4 problems ↓ At-the-bike checklist →

Recalls

1 on record
REC-001520 25 Jul 2018
Defect: The bolt fixing the drive chain guard to the swing arm may loosen due to vibration during riding because of an inappropriate design.
Hazard: The screw may come out of the chain guard, hit the drive chain and break; the broken part may fall onto the road.
Remedy: Contact a Yamaha dealer to arrange a repair.
Official notice: vehiclerecalls.gov.au · details checked 1 Oct 2026

Ask the seller for proof the recall work was done; a dealer can check by VIN. Search any bike at vehiclerecalls.gov.au.

Price (AUD)
$5.5k–$9kest. Aug 2026
Type
Naked
Origin
Japan
Built in
Japan

Overview

The bike that reset the middleweight class in Australia. The 689cc CP2 parallel twin has a 270-degree crank, which gives it the uneven firing pulse and character of a V-twin from a cheaper, lighter, simpler engine. Sold here in both full-power and LAMS form, and the LAMS bike is worth understanding properly: the MT-07LA is not a restricted 689 but a purpose-built 655cc version with a 2mm smaller bore, made for this market. Same chassis, same brakes, same bodywork — so a learner was not buying a decontented bike, but they also cannot uncork it later. Yamaha's cost-cutting is all in the suspension and brakes, which is exactly where the aftermarket fixes it cheaply and where a used example may already have been improved.

Engines & variants

689cc CP2 parallel twin (full power)

Engine
689cc liquid-cooled DOHC 8-valve parallel twin, 270-degree crank
Config
Parallel twin
Capacity
689cc
Power
55kW @ 9000rpm
Torque
68Nm @ 6500rpm
Seat height
805mm
Weight
179kg wet (182kg with ABS)
Final drive
Chain
Cooling
Liquid
ABS
Optional
Traction control
None
Fuel
14L
Economy
4.3 L/100km claimed
Service
10,000km / 12 months
Transmission
6-speed
Valve clearance interval
40,000km
Timing chain / belt / gear
Chain-driven

Pros

  • Torque low in the rev range makes it genuinely easy to ride
  • Light enough to be unintimidating in traffic
  • CP2 engine has an excellent reliability record
  • Huge aftermarket and cheap consumables

Cons

  • Suspension is the weak point, front and rear
  • ABS was optional, so plenty of used bikes don't have it
  • Front brake feel is poor by class standards

Known problems

medium
Underdamped forks and soft rear shock
The budget went into the engine, not the suspension. The non-adjustable forks dive heavily under brakes and the rear shock is underdamped, which shows up as a vague, wallowing feel over undulations at speed and a front end that runs wide when pushed. It is a design cost decision, not a fault or a wear item, so a low-kilometre bike behaves the same as a high one.
Fix: Fork emulators or a cartridge kit and a revised rear shock. Australian suppliers do MT-07-specific kits. Many used bikes already have this done — worth more than the same bike with stock suspension and low kilometres.
Any (from new) · ~$400-1800
low
Front brake power and feel
The standard front brake is adequate rather than good; the lever feel is wooden and it needs a firm pull for hard stops. Compounded by the fork dive above, which makes the whole front end feel less settled under brakes than it is.
Fix: Braided lines and better pads transform it for modest money. Master cylinder swaps are a common next step.
Any · ~$150-500

655cc CP2 parallel twin (MT-07LA, LAMS)LAMS approved

Sold as the MT-07LA. This is a genuinely smaller engine, not a restricted 689 — Yamaha built it at 655cc with a 2mm smaller bore specifically for the Australian LAMS market, so it clears both the 660cc and the 150kW/tonne limits on its own hardware. It cannot be derestricted, because there is no restriction to remove.

Check it's actually the LAMS one

Compliance-plate model code: MT07

  • Engine number must start with M405E.
  • The LAMS bike is 655cc; the full-power MT-07 is 689cc.
NSW, QLD and VIC learner-approved registers, cross-checked Aug 2026
Engine
655cc liquid-cooled DOHC 8-valve parallel twin, 270-degree crank. 78.0 x 68.6mm — same stroke as the 689, 2mm smaller bore.
Config
Parallel twin
Capacity
655cc
Power
38.3kW (52.1hp) @ 8000rpm
Torque
57.5Nm @ 4000rpm
Seat height
805mm
Weight
184kg kerb
Final drive
Chain
Cooling
Liquid
ABS
Optional
Traction control
None
Fuel
14L
Economy
4.3 L/100km claimed
Service
10,000km / 12 months
Transmission
6-speed
Valve clearance interval
40,000km
Timing chain / belt / gear
Chain-driven

Pros

  • Same chassis, brakes and bodywork as the full-power bike — the LAMS model is not decontented, only smaller in the bore
  • Holds value well — the LAMS market is deep in Australia
  • Torque peak at 4000rpm makes it genuinely easy for a new rider, not just legal for one

Cons

  • Same suspension shortcomings as the full-power bike
  • Cannot be uncorked on an open licence — moving up means selling it and buying the HO, which is the main ownership cost people don't plan for

Known problems

medium
Advertised as an MT-07 when it is an MT-07LA (or the reverse)
The LA and the HO look near-identical and private ads routinely use the wrong name. This matters in both directions: a learner who buys what turns out to be an HO is riding an unapproved bike on their licence, and a rider on an open licence who pays HO money for an LA has bought 24 fewer horsepower than they think.
Fix: Check the engine number and the compliance plate rather than the badge or the ad. The LA is the 655cc engine; anything reading 689cc is the HO regardless of what the seller called it.
Any

Common problems (all variants)

low
Corrosion on fasteners and brackets
Finish quality on exposed fasteners, brackets and the rear subframe area is ordinary. Bikes kept outdoors or ridden near the coast show furring and surface rust well before anything mechanical is worn, which makes a sound bike look neglected and a neglected bike look terminal.
Fix: Cosmetic on its own, but treat it as a signal: check whether the chain, brake fluid and coolant were kept up on the same bike.
Any, worse on coastal bikes · ~$0-300

More like this

Closest in class and capacity to the Yamaha MT-07.

Triumph Trident 660 2020-current Naked LAMS (some) Aprilia Tuono 660 2021-current Naked LAMS (some) Honda CB650R 2019-current Naked LAMS Suzuki SV650 2016-current Naked LAMS (some)
LAMS naked bikes → All LAMS lists →