The Beast MT-09, My Dream Come True

It was a Sunday on 21.4.19 and the routine servicing schedule for the Yamaha FZ150i is due. So, off to the workshop I went in the morning. After dropping off the bike with the professional technicians, I went to check out the bikes on display at the showroom. And straight to the Yamaha MT-09 I went. The 2018 model is sold at RM48,000 and the OTR price would be around RM53,000. A bit steep for my budget. So, off to the next shop. And this bike caught my attention. It was shouting to me to own it. Pre-owned 2014 for RM33,000 with less than 5,000 km mileage. Cool down, I told myself. And later in the evening, I went back to the shop to confirm purchase and filled in the form to confirm the booking. Wow! I thought to myself. This is it. After obtaining the full B license last year, this purchase culminates a 3 year journey to owning this beast. OTR RM36,000

Immediately set to record my memories of the FZ150i. A bike which had brought me many kilometres of fun around the country over the past 4 years, bringing me to foodie joints for breakfast during the weekends. The 1,470 km ride from Shah Alam - Penang - Kota Baru on 26.6.17 was memorable as well as strenuous. Followed by the 917 km southern ride to Endau - Mersing - JB on 9.9.17. It's final log is 44,422 km on the odometer. Fuel consumption was about RM25 for 440 km.

Took ownership of the beast on 29.4.19. Riding with trepidation as a slight twist of the throttle will get it surging forward - like a beast uncaged. First ride on 1.5.19 to Titi for breakfast, soaking up the long curves and enjoying the cool and green scenery as the villages whizzed past. Excited for another long ride, found me riding to Malacca on 4.5.19. Very stable and no longer blown around by the wind. Overtaking vehicles with ease and green scenery whizzed past as we rode through the rustic kampungs. Sure goes a long way towards giving riding confidence. Fuel consumption is about RM20 for 200 km. Half the FZ150i.

Big bikes don't have the centre stand. An attempt to reduce weight? I won't know. So, this necessitates the purchase of a paddock stand at RM170.00. It'll help for the wheel wash and chain scrub and lubrication. It's not difficult to use and I usually get my kids to help get the paddock stand into position. It's another experience, amongst many other experiences in Life, for me. The beast gets a wash every weekend and chain lubrication is performed every 2 weeks. At the same time, inspecting for signs of wear and tear.

The beast is really a beauty, for me at least. Weighing in at 188 kg, it's not to difficult for me to handle compared to the FZ150i. With the seat height at 815 mm, I can easily rest both my feet on the ground and this gives the confidence to handle the bike. You know why it rushes forward like a beast? Well, that is contributed by it's 113.45 HP from the 847 cc engine. Throw in the 87.5 Nm torque, that explains the surge. And it gives the lovely growl from the exhaust as the throttle is squeezed and the manipulation of the 6 gears transmission.

I enjoy riding because of the peace and calm I enjoy as I cruise along the road and highways. It's almost a meditative practise for me. While some would prefer beer, I'd go for riding anytime! The wind whistles past and the blow of the wind on the body - aah, you have to experience it to appreciate it. Riding is definitely dangerous but as long as you're mindful of the road condition and surroundings, other than the regular inspection and maintenance, the bike will take care of you.

Preferring to cruise along, I prefer the 'B' mode of riding. I'm not really a fast rider and at 'B' mode, it already provides sufficient acceleration for me to enjoy the roads. Keeping to the left lanes and respective speed limits, I'm a happy rider - just me and the beast and it's growl as we swallow up the kilometres. And the sound of the ignition kicking - it 's just like the Ducati Multistrada 950, which I've had the opportunity to test ride a year ago, an overnight ride to Bentong where we stayed the night.

Should I have gotten the beast much sooner? Nay. It should be a progressive manner, riding a smaller bike first to understand basic bike handling and moving to bigger bikes later. Had the privilege of owning an Aprilia RS125 for the period 1997 - 2003 when I was working in Singapore. This would be my first and final big bike. Will keep it for a long time to come. Maintenance isn't cheap. Tyres are a minimum of RM1,000, servicing the engine is almost the cost of servicing my car. The rear shock absorber costs at least RM2,000. Pray with me, that it'll provide me joy at low maintenance costs. 😆