Original 'MT' nameplate
2005-2012, then reborn
MT-01 was the first 'MT' badged Yamaha — short for 'Master of Torque'. Sold in tiny volumes, killed 2012. Yamaha then used the MT name for parallel-twin MT-07 in 2014, which became Yamaha's biggest seller. Modern MT lineup (MT-03, 07, 09, 10) shares the name but no DNA with MT-01. Different lineages.
Why it ended 2012
Euro 3 + niche
MT-01 was killed by Euro 3 emissions costs combined with tepid US/EU sales. The XV1700 air-cooled OHV V-twin was hard to homologate for tighter NOx limits, and the 'power cruiser naked' niche never broke through. Same fate as Yamaha BT1100 Bulldog (gone 2007).
vs MT-10 in 2026
Different engine entirely
MT-10 (1000cc CP4 four, 165bhp): modern, sharp, electronic, sportbike-derived. MT-01 (1670cc air-cooled V-twin, 89bhp / 150Nm): traditional, torque-monster, R1 forks. Same name; totally different bikes. MT-01 is the original 'character' MT; MT-10 is the modern 'performance' MT.
Real cost trajectory
+30% since 2020
£9,099 MT-01 in 2006 (£15,300 today). Used market 2020: £2.8-4k clean. Used market 2026: £3.5-6k clean low-mile. Significant appreciation as cult collectible status emerges. Air-cooled bikes are gone — the few survivors are appreciating fast.
Cheapest way in
£3.5k
A clean MT-01 from 2005-2009. 89bhp / 150Nm air-cooled V-twin, R1 forks, that classic 'big torque, simple controls' feel. Pay attention to FI mapping (early bikes), reg/rec, clutch action, fork seals. The cheapest way to a 1700cc V-twin Yamaha.
Rider aids count
1
MT-01 had FI as the only rider aid. No ABS, no TC, no electronics. Modern MT-10 has cornering ABS, TC, ride modes, full TFT — totally different generation. The MT-01 was at the start of the modern electronics era.
Why riders love it
Air-cooled torque
MT-01's appeal is unique — air-cooled OHV V-twin character (rare in 2026), big torque, R1-quality suspension. Nothing modern combines those traits. Riders who own MT-01s tend to keep them — used market is thin and pricing has risen 30%+ over 2020-2025.
