If you’re a fan of hotshoes sliding big, snarling Twins around a flat dirt track, you probably dig the Harley-Davidson XR1200 as much as we do. But that’s not the only approach to designing a historio-moto-fantasy bike. After all, 650cc Yamaha Parallel Twins were known and feared on racetracks from San Jose to Peoria.

So in an homage to the Yamaha 650, Italian motorcycle designer Oberdan Bezzi has penned this concept “MT-02.” It’s his take on an updated machine that’s more café-racer than dirt-tracker. It uses the 1000cc V-Twin motor from the Yamaha XS-V1 Sakura concept seen at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, a tube frame, 17-inch wheels and an inverted front end.

The MT-02 name? That would fill in a hole in the “MT” lineup, a trio of tough-styled roadsters in Yamaha’s European model line. The MT-01 is a 1670cc pushrod V-Twin that makes 110 ft.-lbs. of torque in a streetfighter package, and the MT-03 is a 660cc Single done up like a supermoto. So why not a retro café racer-cum-flat-tracker? If that’s not hip enough, Oberdan also sketched up an MT-02S, with a solo seat and racing fairing.

And if you’re wondering where the street-legal TT racers are, here’s something special for you: Oberdan also penned the MT-OX, a restyled version of the Euro-only XT660X supermoto with cool dirt-track styling that is “funner and more attractive than the MT-03: global gratification!” Peoria here we come

MD Readers Respond:

• Just wanted to reply re: the MT02 concept … it looks fantastic and I
  would definitely consider it. The real challenge it will face is
  pricing given that it is coming from Yamaha.
  The MT-01 has been available in Canada for a number of years and has not
  been a sales success by any measure but Yamaha Canada, in my opinion,
  only has itself to blame. I think it is a great bike … torquey,
  unique, well equipped (brakes and suspension) but WAY over-priced in our
  market. The 2009 list on an MT-01 is $17,599CAD. That is a $3,600CAD
  premium over a 2009 Monster 1100 and $1,600CAD premium over the 2009
  Monster 1100S (with full Ohlins suspension). It is very hard for me to
  justify that kind of premium for a Yamaha and I think the sales figures
  show I am not alone. Thanks, Paul
  
  PS – I am a huge fan of your site. Please keep up the excellent work.
  

• Oh yes, I like all of those. For some reason no one makes anything like any of those bikes. I’d rather have a parallel twin than a V though, it would be more “Yamaha” than smacking “Harley wannabe”. These look so great that there is no chance Yamaha (or anyone else for that matter) will produce them for the US. -todd
  

• If Yamaha is willing to start taking orders for the MT-OX, they will
  have mine ! looks like a winner. Nick
  

• Heck I’d buy one of each while I had the chance. I used to ride nothing but Yamaha’s, till they started with the rockets and cruiser only bikes. The last thing I had to come out of the Tuning fork camp was a TDM 850. Now I have a Versys,not as nice but still sweet. Mark
  

• Love it! It’s built pretty close to my Cafe’ racer I built on a Honda
  500-4 in the “70’s. Only difference was the colors were Honda Gray,
  Red and the obvious inline-4.
  
  I love bikes like this, I’d by one now, if Guzzi would build a new
  updated Le Mans I’d buy one of those, if somebody would build a new
  Norton and stay in business long enough to make more then 2, I’d buy
  one of them, and what happen to the new Vincent Blackshadow, where’s
  the Honda V-5. Crap I all most to old to ride them now even if they
  did build them. Michael
  

• I would buy an MT-02 right now. If Yamaha does not
  want to make an MT-02, please tell Yamaha to import
  the Sakura so I can make an MT-02. John
  

• All the models shown are sweet. I might like even more a Japanese version of the Aprilia 550 V-twin w/ six-speed wide-ratio transmission. The Italian is cursed w/ a 5-speed, IED (improvised explosive device) reliability & unacceptable parts/service/dealer support. jimbo
  

• Yes, those concepts look great! The only thing I would plead about is
  price. Please make them affordable. Doug
  

• Thanks for the article on the Yamaha designs penned by Italian designer Oberdan Bezzi. All three are STUNNING and Yamaha would be wise to take heed. If you choose to publish reader comments, please include mine under the “YES! Go for it, Yamaha!” category… Paul
  

• Hey, don’t show us this stuff if we have zero chance of seeing it in America. It’s like walking a starving man by a buffet without letting him eat. Fred
  

• That is really sweet. I wish would make a bike like that, they’d have a buyer here for sure. Rob
  

• Are we going to get the MT-02 , Mt-01 or the Sakura XS-V1 Here? Please!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!
  

• Where do I sign up? That bike, with or without the fairing, is pure sex.
  Makes me want to go back and watch “On Any Sunday” again to remember when
  one bike platform could be used to contest almost an entire Grand National
  effort. Ken
  

• hey, why the hell not? it couldnt sell any less than the MT-01…. Al

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