Yamaha MT-09 vs Triumph Street Triple RS vs Kawasaki Z900 Competition Check

Yamaha re-introduced the MT-09 in India with a price tag of Rs 10.88 lakhs (ex-showroom). The bike gets a few cosmetic and mechanical changes along with a BS-IV compliant engine. It directly competes against three bikes in the Indian market. We see how the Yamaha MT-09 fares against its rivals-

Design and Features

The Yamaha MT-09 looks radical with its sharp styling. The bike gets a beefy-tank and upright riding position along with a new LED headlamp unit, new seat, bigger air intake scoops and a revised tail section. It also sports new colours for 2018- grey with yellow, blue with black and a dark grey option. The bike rides on an upgraded 41mm inverted fork setup for the front and a link-type suspension for the rear. Braking is done by twin 298mm discs up front and a 245mm disc at the rear end. The electronics includes a 3-position D-Mode function that lets you adjust engine power, 2-mode traction control and ABS.

The Triumph Street Triple RS gets a traditional streetfighter styling with an aggressive stance. It shares its design with the standard Street Triple 765 and features the muscular rank and ‘bug-eye’ headlamps. It rides on 41mm Showa inverted forks for the front and a fully-adjustable Ohlins monoshock at the rear. Braking responsibilities are taken up by Brembo with twin 310mm discs up front and a 220mm disc at the rear. It is the only bike here that features Ohlins and Brembo hardware. The bike sports a 5-inch full-TFT screen that helps select the five-riding modes- Rain, Road, Sport, Track and Rider. These modes change the throttle map and the ABS and traction control settings.

The Kawasaki Z900 sports the manufacturer’s ‘Sugomi’ design and looks like a blend between the Z800 and Z1000. Although the design is futuristic, the Z900’s electronic package only features ABS as standard. It rides on 41mm inverted forks and a horizontal back-link type suspension for the rear. The 300mm twin petal discs at the front and the single 250mm rear disc takes care of braking on the Z900.

Engine

The Kawasaki Z900 is the most powerful bike here due to a higher displacement. It uses a 948cc in-line four cylinder engine that produces 123bhp and 98.6Nm of torque. This unit is mated to a slipper clutch and six-speed gearbox.

The Triumph Street Triple RS sports a 765cc in-line three cylinder engine that puts out 123bhp and 77Nm of torque. Power is transferred to the real wheel via a six-speed gearbox and quickshifter for clutchless upshifts. 

The Yamaha MT-09 is powered by the same 847cc in-line three cylinder, liquid-cooled engine which produces 111bhp and 87.5Nm of torque. It is mated to a six-speed gearbox with a one-way quickshifter. The MT-09 is the least powerful bike as compared to its rivals.

Pricing

The Kawasaki Z900 is the least expensive bike of the lot and is priced at Rs 7.68 lakhs (ex-showroom). Although it is not as electronically well equipped as the other bikes, it makes up for it with a powerful engine.

The Triumph Street Triple RS would set you back by Rs 10.55 lakhs (ex-showroom). But it justifies its price with the electronics package and track-ready characteristics.

The Yamaha MT-09 is now priced at Rs 10.88 lakhs – that’s an increase of Rs 97,000 over the outgoing model thanks to the upgrades.