What We Know About the Yamaha MT-09 Y-AMT
Automatic transmission model tabbed as 2024 model, and likely delayed to 2025
A couple of weeks ago, Yamaha joined the ranks of motorcycle manufacturers announcing some form of automatic manual transmission system, joining Honda, KTM, and BMW. The new Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission (Y-AMT) will be offered on a range of models from sportbikes to tourers to commuters, but its first application is expected to be on the MT-09.
As we initially reported, Yamaha has submitted homologation filings in Australia for an MT-09 variant designated the “MTN890-S”, with a listed weight that is 3 kg heavier than the standard MTN890 MT-09 model. Yamaha claims the components of Y-AMT weigh about 2.8 kg, and an accompanying photo shows an MT-09 that lacks a clutch lever, making it quite apparent the MTN890-S was the automatic-shifting model.
As we dug deeper, we discovered more information that not only confirms an MT-09 with Y-AMT is on the way, but also that it was originally supposed to be announced as a 2024 model and is now likely delayed for 2025. Here’s what we’ve discovered so far.
The Australian filing included a sample vehicle identification number (VIN) that indicated the MTN890-S is a 2024 model. With that information as a starting point, we were able to find more evidence of a MT-09 variant in several other markets.
An emissions filing in Taiwan was particularly illuminating, confirming the MTN890-S has an automated transmission, and that it was a 2024 model.
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, we were able to confirm not just the existence of the MTN890-S, but we also have a good idea of exactly how many there are in the country, with exactly 20 MTN890-S models registered with license plates in April.
In Switzerland, Yamaha has registered three different variants, a full-powered model, a 35kW model for A2 licensing, and a 70kW A3 model that can be restricted to 35kW for licensing purposes. All three have different model codes from the manual transmission MT-09, and a homologated weight that is 3 kg heavier.
Perhaps the most interesting find was a German Yamaha dealer that has published a parts catalog, including labeled diagrams, for a 35kW variant, designated as a 2024 MT-09 Y-AMT. Comparing the diagrams with those of the manual transmission MT-09, we were able to identify the specific parts that differentiate the two models, including the actuators controlling the clutch and the transmission, plus the addition of a transmission control unit
Yamaha MT-09 Parts Diagrams
The parts catalog confirms that the clutch and transmission from both variants are exactly the same, with the Y-AMT version simply adding the actuators and removing the shift pedal. The handlebar switchgear is also different, with the MT-09 Y-AMT also losing its clutch lever.
The one mystery that remains is whether the MT-09 Y-AMT will still come out as a 2024 model. We’re now officially in the second half of the year, and with no announcement imminent, it’s looking more likely to be a 2025 model, despite 20 motorcycles already receiving license plates in the Netherlands and getting homologated in multiple markets as a 2024 model. It’s possible the MT-09 Y-AMT was delayed for logistical reasons, or it could be for strategic reasons, with Yamaha hoping to launch the technology across multiple models at the same time.
Either way, we expect more information to come out in the months ahead.
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Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
More by Dennis Chung
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Hmmm... https://www.instagram.com/p/C9Rs-3XNDdB/
If I ever buy another street bike it will be an automatic transmission like Honda's DCT. I also think like cars, manual shifts will go away in favor of automatics.