Yamaha MT-07 2014-2017 problems & buyer's guide

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

MT-07

Overview

Engines & variants

689cc CP2 parallel twin (full power)

Pros

Cons

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

Pros

Cons

Common problems (all variants)

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