MotoGP Racers Give Their Verdict on Yamaha’s Y-AMT
Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins have swapped MotoGP for MT-09, as they test out a pair of the Y-AMT-equipped nakeds
Yamaha’s factory MotoGP racers have been getting a taste of the two-wheeled variety over the winter break, although it is a decidedly less high-performance bike than the near 300bhp M1 they are used to riding.
It may have half the power of a full-fat MotoGP bike, but that doesn’t stop Yamaha’s MT-09 from being one of the best-selling mid-weight naked machines on the market. Yamaha is hoping to get a few more bikes into the hands of new owners in 2025, thanks to its Y-AMT system, which allows push-button or fully automated gearshifts.
As complex as automated gearshifts can be (see the Honda DCT system) the Y-AMT is actually fairly simple. Two actuators effectively become an electronic hand for the clutch, and a foot for the gear lever. Fed information from the bike’s ECU, the changes can either be done via plus and minus buttons on the bars, or through a fully automated mode - which has different shifting schedules.
Now, automated or push-button gearshifts aren’t a ‘thing’ in MotoGP yet (although never say never) but what better riders to test Yamaha’s latest auto-shift offering than its own MotoGP racing pairing of Alex Rins and Fabio Quartararo?
Aside from the predictable amount of gushing from the two Yamaha employees around how agile and great the bike is to ride (it is an MT-09 after all) it does seem like the two quite enjoy the semi-auto life. Indeed, both riders complimented the gearbox and seemed to delight in being able to hoik the front wheel in the air despite not having the assistance of a clutch lever.
You can check out our Yamaha Y-AMT review here.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
