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First bike - Yamaha MT07 vs Kawasaki Z800

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First bike
Kawasaki Z800
24%
 24%  [ 6 ]
Yamaha MT07
76%
 76%  [ 19 ]
Total Votes : 25

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dornam
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PostPosted: 17:49 - 14 Apr 2018    Post subject: First bike - Yamaha MT07 vs Kawasaki Z800 Reply with quote

Hi guys,

I'm looking to buy a new bike and so far I was quite happy to get an MT07. However, I was looking at some Kawasakis today and came across the Z800 which looks amazing so I was wondering what would be a more suitable choice for me at this stage.

Both bikes are priced around £5k. I prefer the looks on the Kawasaki but I do realise it's a much bigger bike than the MT07 - 805cc vs 690cc, 110 HP vs 74, about 30kg heavier as well.

This would be my first bike so I don't want to buy something that's very powerful and difficult to handle given that I have no experience. I don't want to buy anything smaller than the MT07.

Thanks!
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doggone
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PostPosted: 19:12 - 14 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

The MT07 is a big seller which means great availability for parts, and would be easy to sell on if you change in a couple of years.
Nothing wrong with either of them though.
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 19:40 - 14 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blimey, that Z800 is a heavy old lump.

Definitely test ride before deciding - it'll depend on how you want the engine to deliver its fun.

Why no love for the Street Triple?
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dornam
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PostPosted: 19:53 - 14 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't like the front of the bike at all, if I had one it would annoy me every time I see it.
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andyscooter
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PostPosted: 09:00 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
I don't like the front of the bike at all, if I had one it would annoy me every time I see it.



cant see it when you are on it Cool
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NJD
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PostPosted: 10:57 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

First bike ever? So your experience is training for your Module 1 & 2 plus the CBT?

£5,000 is a lot of money for a first ever bike. There's nowt wrong in buying what you like the look of if you can afford it without batting an eyelid but keep in mind there's the potential for mishaps during manual handling and riding on the whole. MT-07's are A2 friendly, with a restriction kit, so have been handled, albiet with reduced power, plenty of times over so wouldn't be a bad choice.

Saying that, though, you can get an MT-09 for a shade under £5,000 it really just depends on how long, at this point in time, you think you want to keep the bike.

Just to be a killjoy you're probably going to want a tracker for a bike of that value and given that, at one point, MT-07's, in London at least, were the go after bike. Some heavy security and TPFT or Fully Comp insurance would come in handy, too (remember if the excess is more than the policy price don't buy it).

Look on the used market as there's plenty of models for £5,000 that you could walk away with (although do ask what reasonable prices are given its not uncommon for both private and deal sellers to overprice their goods. The former because "pride and joy" and the later because overheads).

MCN reviews, youtube videos and sitting on some bikes may help make your mind up, too.
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dornam
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PostPosted: 15:11 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, first bike ever.

It's not necessarily that I want to spend £5k on a bike, but I was quite keen to buy the MT07 after getting my licence. I was looking for cheaper bikes as well but I can't really say I liked them as much as I liked the MT07 so that's how I decided on the MT07 until I came across the Z800 a few days ago.

There is something about MT09 that I don't like, looks tall, a bit like a touring bike which I just don't fancy.

Quote:
remember if the excess is more than the policy price don't buy it


What do you mean by this?
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NJD
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PostPosted: 15:26 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
What do you mean by this?


"What happens to your car depends on the severity of the damage. If the insurer decides that the vehicle is not economical to repair, the car will be written-off and you’ll be offered the market value at the time of the accident.

Your insurer is entitled to deduct the value of your policy excess from the value you receive for your accident damaged vehicle. If you have a very high policy excess, you may not receive as much as you might expect from your insurer."


So, in summary, if excess is more than policy price (unlikely given your a first time rider but stranger things have happened in the world of insurance) then you won't receive a payout.

Insurance is a minefield. Do keep an eye out for compulsory excess when comparing policy quotes before buying one. Sometimes a cheap-er bike and TPO with high security is the better option until you have some NCB and friend computer decides they like you, all depends what way the winds blowing.
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pinkyfloyd
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PostPosted: 15:42 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd go for the z800. Having ridden both the Zed is much more bike for the money. quicker, more powerful and way more fun to play on. The 07 felt gutless and the twin engine I never really liked. My colleague had the first year of MT07 and it has been scrapped. Riddled with electrical problems and then the rear wheel collapsed. Even he hated the machine by the time he had owned it a year.
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grr666
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PostPosted: 16:22 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
There is something about MT09 that I don't like

It's definitely not 'first bike ever' material in any case.
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dornam
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PostPosted: 16:50 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pushing it a bit, what do you guys think about the Z900? It's £1000 more expensive but reviews say it's a much better bike?
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barrkel
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PostPosted: 18:08 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
Pushing it a bit, what do you guys think about the Z900? It's £1000 more expensive but reviews say it's a much better bike?

What does "better bike" mean to you?

All bikes are compromises. Any "do-it-all" bike will be mediocre at most things. Therefore you need to know what's important to you in order to figure out if one bike is better than another.

Do you want to tour? Ride on a track? Blast down country lanes? Green laning? Pose in front of the pub on Sundays? Pose in town? Cut through traffic? Are you buying the bike for its abilities (which abilities, specifically?) or how it looks to other people?

Do you want to buy the best bike you can afford right now, and have nowhere to go when you want a step up? Or do you want to pace yourself?

Do you want a bike you can scare yourself on, or something you can push closer to the limits and learn on?

If I were you I'd buy a simple 3 to 5 year old commuter naked (since you seem to like nakeds), preferably with ABS (so you can panic-brake in wet weather without worries), and figure out which aspects of biking you prefer, and then move on to a bike that's much more suitable for your purpose.

Buying the shiniest bike with 120+hp as your first bike seems like a recipe for early scares and hanging up your boots sooner rather than later to me. But maybe that's what you want.
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Kentol750
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PostPosted: 18:15 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Z900 Reply with quote

Mt07 and z900 are leagues apart. New z650 is more of an equal to the mt07. Nothing wrong with z800 or any of your choices, but you're looking at vast differences in power.

On another note, ignore the comment;
'So, in summary, if excess is more than policy price (unlikely given your a first time rider but stranger things have happened in the world of insurance) then you won't receive a payout.' It's nonsense.
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Bozzy.
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PostPosted: 18:18 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
Pushing it a bit, what do you guys think about the Z900? It's £1000 more expensive but reviews say it's a much better bike?


Get yourself a Street Triple for half the amount and have more fun.
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dornam
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PostPosted: 18:42 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Given the price of these bikes, I would like to keep it for a few years. I'm not interested in riding on track at this point, I want to use the bike for commuting every now and then and for fun. It won't serve a specific purpose apart from my own fun. Looks are important as I don't want to buy a bike that I do not like.

I want to buy the best bike for 5k. The only thing that puts me off the MT07 is many people saying that it's fun at the beginning and soon after that, they feel the need to go on a bigger bike. If that's the case, might as well buy a bigger bike from the beginning.
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bacon
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PostPosted: 19:53 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
Pushing it a bit, what do you guys think about the Z900? It's £1000 more expensive but reviews say it's a much better bike?


I test rode a z900, 765 Street Triple R and ended up buying an MT09 last month.

z900 was incredibly smooth, best throttle response of the three (proper cable, not ride by wire), smoothest gearbox I've ever used and incredibly fast. It was also the heaviest but once on the move it handles it very well. Brakes well, handles well etc. Lacks a few toys compared to the competition though so doesn't feel as good value for money.

But as it is very smooth in its power delivery you could probably get on ok with it as a first bike. But open up the engine to the upper revs and you will get a very very fast turn of speed to get yourself in trouble with.

I'd get yourself down to a dealer and get test rides on several bikes that interest you, you might find that the z900 is far too fast for you to enjoy with no experience.


How about a KTM 790? 105bhp hoon dog. I've been reading about them today and I have to say, its got "next bike" written all over it, maybe in a couple of years when I feel like parting with the MT09.

I wouldn't reccomend the MT09 for a first ever bike either btw, I absolutely love mine, but I wouldn't say it's user friendly at all.

I would reccomend a Street Triple though, I had a 2013, fantastic bike.
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Bozzy.
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PostPosted: 20:43 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
Given the price of these bikes, I would like to keep it for a few years. I'm not interested in riding on track at this point, I want to use the bike for commuting every now and then and for fun. It won't serve a specific purpose apart from my own fun. Looks are important as I don't want to buy a bike that I do not like.

I want to buy the best bike for 5k. The only thing that puts me off the MT07 is many people saying that it's fun at the beginning and soon after that, they feel the need to go on a bigger bike. If that's the case, might as well buy a bigger bike from the beginning.


OP,

People have suggested the Street Triple to you as they are a fun, lightweight bike which is predominantly a super sport bike without the fairings and clip ons. The inline triple engine is an absolute peach, delivering what many believe is the right amount of power for the real world with just over 100bhp. Handily, this power is delivered in a smooth, none threatening way from 4000 rpm right up to the limiter. Oh, and did I mention the noise? There’s plenty of bikes around from around £3000 upwards and it will be a good bike for a few years until you decide to go balls out with a super naked.
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asta1
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PostPosted: 22:59 - 15 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not a lot of love for the MT-07 in this thread, so I'll be contrary.

I bought a brand new MT-07 as my first ever bike about 18 months ago. I chose it because it was (in my opinion), the best A2 restrictable machine money could buy. In the interest of full disclosure, if I'd had a full A license at the time, I'd have bought a street triple (or an R1), no questions asked.

That said, the MT-07 has actually been an excellent first bike for me. Even in its A2 form it is not a slow machine, especially for a noob coming from 'normal' cars. It's also quite a friendly bike in the way it delivers power and rides, which is good for the first few months when you're a bit wobbly, and actually also quite good later on as it lets you rag it without worrying you're going to stuff it into a tree. There is plenty of power there if you want it, and it's very easily accessible, coming from low revs with a decent lump of torque, so it can be good fun as well.

Now I'm not a particularly aggressive, or even an especially good rider, but I've done 6,000 miles on mine during my ownership, and I'm certainly not bored of it by any means. Now I'm doing my A license, I'm still not going to swap it for a few more years.

The machine will do anything at least reasonably well. It's no superbike, but it'll go quick if you want it to, it's no tourer, but I've done plenty of long distance 8 hour days with no issues. It's an extremely capable commuter, and as a city bike or a weekend 'toy' it also excels. Only thing it doesn't really do is pose.

The thing is relatively light weight. That's handy all the time, obviously, but for me at least, the fact that you can 'manhandle' it a bit saved me from an embarrassing drop whilst pushing it out the garage. An extra 20KG, that could've been expensive.

It's also pretty comfy. Seat height is low, so you can flat foot if you want, but I'm over 6ft and I don't feel cramped.

Mine has an Akrapovic system on, so it sounds good as well.

You have £5k, you want a noob friendly bike that'll be enjoyable for at least a couple years, you won't go far wrong with the -07.
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Powderhead
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PostPosted: 10:53 - 16 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

It depends what you want to use it for.

My MT-07 is perfect for the type of riding I do (mainly central London commuting and the occasional Sunday blast), but I wouldn't want to do a trackday on it every weekend or or sit on the motorway for hours every day.

What sort of riding are you planning to do?
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 12:34 - 16 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
I was quite keen to buy the MT07 after getting my licence.

What stage are you at just now?

If you're doing big bike training, what bike are you riding, and what do you like and not like about it?
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barrkel
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PostPosted: 15:47 - 16 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
Given the price of these bikes, I would like to keep it for a few years.

This goes both ways. Buy a cheaper bike and you can dispose of it sooner with less depreciation loss.

Quote:
Looks are important as I don't want to buy a bike that I do not like.

You seem to take it as axiomatic that looks are important for you to like it. That's an important clue. You can't really see a bike when you're on it, so it sounds like looks are what is most important. I personally wouldn't like a bike with poor handling no matter how nice it looks.

Quote:
I want to buy the best bike for 5k.

There is no best bike for 5k. My Brutale cost 5k (second hand); so did my SH300 scooter (retail 4.7k); which is best? I like both almost equally. They can't really be compared; apples and oranges.

It appears that the best bike for you is the bike that is best looking to you, so why not just buy the prettiest bike you can find?

Quote:
The only thing that puts me off the MT07 is many people saying that it's fun at the beginning and soon after that, they feel the need to go on a bigger bike. If that's the case, might as well buy a bigger bike from the beginning.

This mentality doesn't make any sense to me. You're spending thousands of pounds because you don't want to buy another bike for a while, and that forces you to make a really hard decision because you're spending thousands of pounds on a decision you can't change. You've created your own problem.

The way to solve the problem is to gather more information. The cheapest way to do that is spend less on your first bike, and keep it for a shorter period. Nobody on this forum can tell you how you'll get on with any specific bike. It's like trying to predict if someone will prefer doughnuts or steak, never mind apples vs oranges.

The other way to solve it is to buy the shiniest bike you can find, the one that most appeals to you visually, and not give a damn what it's like to ride. In which case you already have all the equipment you need.
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derillius24
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PostPosted: 16:09 - 16 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
many people saying that it's fun at the beginning and soon after that, they feel the need to go on a bigger bike. If that's the case, might as well buy a bigger bike from the beginning.


Just buy a 1290 Superduke and nail it absolutely everywhere. You'll definitely never have an accident.
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dornam
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PostPosted: 17:04 - 16 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

The looks of a bike are one of the reasons I like bikes, I'm not just gonna buy something on the principle that I'll never see it myself. I will see it every time I get on it and I don't want to be thinking that this is not a bike that I like. Just because a bike looks good doesn't mean that it needs to have poor handling. I'm pretty sure there are loads of bikes which do both very well.

Did my training on a Honda NC750S - I liked it but it didn't blow me away, can't say much since I haven't ridden so many bikes to compare them.
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Bozzy.
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PostPosted: 18:56 - 16 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
The looks of a bike are one of the reasons I like bikes, I'm not just gonna buy something on the principle that I'll never see it myself. I will see it every time I get on it and I don't want to be thinking that this is not a bike that I like. Just because a bike looks good doesn't mean that it needs to have poor handling. I'm pretty sure there are loads of bikes which do both very well.

Did my training on a Honda NC750S - I liked it but it didn't blow me away, can't say much since I haven't ridden so many bikes to compare them.


The NC750 is the bike equivalent of a diesel family car. A commuting tool but not something to take for a Sunday morning thrap.

Perhaps you may also consider;

Suzuki SV650
KTM Duke 690
Honda CB650
Ducati Monster 696
Kawasaki ER6n
Suzuki GSR750

Ducati Monster might be worth a shout if you want something stylish to pose on?
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 21:41 - 16 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

dornam wrote:
Did my training on a Honda NC750S - I liked it but it didn't blow me away

Isn't that Honda's marketing slogan for it? Whistle

Fair enough. How did you like the engine? It's got a comically low redline, but then again you're unlikely to see even that during training and tests.

If you want something similar will deliver roll on torque (gearing thread) then stick with a twin. If you want to chase the red line, IL4.

Definitely ride before you decide though - I can't get on with 600-650 IL4s, other people love them.
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