Oh, I've tried the MT07 (not far) but it felt a bit like a big 390 Duke!! I know I could have an absolute hoot on it. But the only reason I was happy with the 390Duke was because I had a big bike to ride as well!! So I'm just worried that I'd get fed up of the 07 - but I may just be being a brat! Although I have friends about 6 hours away (on the motorway, 8-10 on the fun roads!) and want to go as far as Nice and Croatia, so that's another reason to lean towards the 09Taipan wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 1:43 pm The MT-07 has a beaut of an engine! Proper grunty little thing. I never felt confident with the front end for some reason, but the bike was a hoot to ride overall. Deffo try one, I cant imagine you'd not like it?
I think!
Mostly what Weeksy said. It's gonna be more about geometry and a bit about weight (depending on how the bike is balanced)Supermofo wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 6:04 pm Why would your arm be OK with the 07 but not the 09? Acceleration type thing holding on?
In theory the CB1000 I borrowed should have been fab cos I love the big honda engines. BUT, all the weight is up high and the bars were just too far away for me to comfortably lean in to bend my elbow; with those two combined, it was a bastard on mountain roads (which I would do a LOT of due to all the fab roads around here!!)
The Superduke I rode (probably a 990??) the weight was so much better balanced (and probably lighter than the old CB!) and yes, I could lean forward to get my elbows to bend enough to be comfy. But we didn't do mountains and I suspect that after a while the leaning forward that much would hurt my back?
The reason I need to have a bent elbow (right arm, but both cos of balance!!!
) is that when my arm is straight, all the vibrations and pressure of turns go up into the bicep area of my right arm. My long head bicep finishes just next to where the short head bicep starts (finishes??) naturally and the deltoid point is close too.
So, mostly due to the deltoid doing all the control/movement of my arm, and the LH Bicep finishing where it had to be fixed (due to being severed and not able to be fixed) that area is what hurts more than anything else (no pain in the shoulder currently as the prosthesis and the screws are all fine and actual shoulder joint is all metal!).
With a bent elbow the vibrations/pressure seem to stop at the elbow and creates a lot less pain than a straight arm.
I'm also kinda looking at sports bikes cos, definitely bent elbow and generally the weight is low down
) so yeah, nice and sensible really doesn't fit - if I can find something lairy that I can afford and doesn't hurt my arm!!! 
I'll try and dig out my MT09 test as hard to remember 5 years ago 
