Triple Trouble: 2021 MT-09 vs Street Triple R

Published October 29, 2020
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2 min read

Can Yamaha’s latest hypernaked take on the desirable Triumph Street Triple?

The inline triple surely isn’t the most commonplace engine configurations out there, but it’s almost certainly one of the best sounding. We’re happy to see these engines live on in the Euro 5 era, first in the Triumph Street Triple, and now also in the Yamaha MT-09, which has just been updated for the 2021 model year with a cleaner burning motor. So, how does the new hypernaked from the ‘dark side’ take on the comparable Triumph Street Triple R?

Engine

	2021 Yamaha MT-09	Triumph Street Triple R
Engine	890cc liquid-cooled DOHC inline-triple	765cc liquid-cooled DOHC inline-triple
Bore x Stroke	78 x 62mm	77.99 x 53.38mm
Compression Ratio	11.5:1	12.5:1
Power	119PS @ 10000rpm	118PS @ 12000rpm
Torque	93Nm @ 7000rpm	79Nm @ 9350rpm
Gearbox	6-speed	6-speed

You might wonder how Triumph has managed to achieve an almost identical power output despite being a significant 125cc down on displacement, and the answer to that is the Street Triple’s more high-revving oversquare motor. At the end of the day, there really is no replacement for engine displacement and that shows in the MT-09’s superior torque figure. Thanks to its less oversquare architecture and lower compression ratio, the Yammie’s motor is likely to feel more relaxed too.

Underpinnings

	2021 Yamaha MT-09	Triumph Street Triple R
Frame	Diamond Frame	Aluminium Twin-spar Frame
Rake/Trail	25 degrees/108mm	23.5 degrees/98.3mm
Suspension	F: KYB 41mm upside-down fork, fully-adjustable, 130mm travel R: Linked KYB monoshock, fully-adjustable, 122mm travel	F: Showa 41mm upside-down fork, fully-adjustable R: Showa monoshock, fully-adjustable
Tyres	F: 120/70 ZR17 R: 180/55 ZR17	F: 120/70 ZR17 R: 180/55 ZR17
Brakes	F: Twin 298mm disc brakes, 4-piston calipers R: 245mm disc brake	F: Twin 310mm disc brakes, Brembo 4-piston monoblock calipers R: 220mm disc brake, Brembo single-piston caliper

In this department, it’s the Trumpet that seems to have the upper hand. With a sharper rake angle and shorter trail, the Street Triple should be the more agile bike of the pair. It edges ahead in the braking department too. Bigger discs and hardware from Italian specialist Brembo should make it the better stopper.

Dimensions and Weights

	2021 Yamaha MT-09	Triumph Street Triple R
Wheelbase	1430mm	1405mm
Kerb Weight	189kg	168kg (Dry)
Seat Height	825mm	825mm
Fuel Tank Capacity	14-litres	17.4-litres

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Take into account the Triumph’s pretty sizeable 17.4-litre fuel tank, and the Triple’s kerb weight will be quite a bit more than the 168kg dry weight figure, putting it pretty close to the MT’s 189kg. Both bikes have a somewhat lofty 825mm seat height, but Triumph offers a lower seat option of 780mm.

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