Updates for 2023 Yamaha MT-07 and MT-125

Having had a stranglehold on the affordable roadster market for the last few years Yamaha’s MT-07 might have had a shock a few weeks ago when Honda unveiled its new CB750 Hornet. Not only does the Honda pack an extra 65cc and 18hp as well as additional tech features but it manages it at a £6999 price that undercut the 2022-spec MT-07 by a couple of hundred quid.

Now Yamaha is hitting back with an upgrade to the MT-07 that brings its on-board technology up to the Hornet’s level by introducing a smartphone-connected TFT colour dashboard to the 2023 version.

The new gauges come in the form of a 5-inch flat panel, replacing the LCD cluster used on the previous version and offering a choice of two display styles. ‘Street’ includes a bar-style rev counter and a digital speedo, while ‘Touring’ switches over to a circular tach.

By shifting across to the new instruments, Yamaha opens the door to smartphone connectivity, and like other models in the firm’s range the 2023 MT-07 can take advantage of the ‘MyRide’ app to connect via Bluetooth, giving info about calls, emails and texts on the bike’s dash. The system also notifies riders about problems by sending a message to their phone and can even be set up to forward that notification to a dealer or any other contact that the owner wants to be kept in the loop. MyRide also records routes, distance ridden, acceleration, top speed, and lean angle, allowing the info to be downloaded and shared online.

Another update to the 2023 MT-07 is that the bikes will come pre-wired for a quickshifter, making it easier to fit, while the revised bikes also get a new, painted front mudguard and revised bar switches to operate the TFT dash.

The big question of price – and whether Yamaha will respond to the low-cost Hornet by reducing the MT-07’s RRP – remains unanswered at the moment. That will be announced in December, when we’ll also discover when the updated bikes will reach dealers.

The MT-07 isn’t the only model to get a new TFT dash, as its baby brother – the MT-125 (above) – also receives the same upgrade.

An identical, 5-inch colour panel is used on the 2023 MT-125, but its software is a cut-down version that only includes the ‘Street’ display layout. The smartphone connectivity is also identical, giving phone notifications on the bike’s dash and relaying technical info and riding data back to the phone.

For 2023, the MT-125 is also upgraded with a traction control system for the first time, while its remaining technical specifications and colour options are unaltered. As with the MT-07, we’ll have to wait until later in the year to find out how the changes will impact the bike’s price and when the revised model will be available.