Yamaha has launched the Y-AMT new technology on the 2024 MT-09 showing off the semi-auto gear shift tech first - technology that Yamaha hopes will bring synergy improve the symbiotic relationship between rider and machine on the road, and ultimately further make the joy of riding easier for all – whether new to riding or a seasoned veteran.

I was invited out to the launch event in the Pre-Pyrenees region of Catalonia, Spain, to enjoy a fantastic motorcycle and learn exactly what the Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission (Y-AMT) is all about.

We tested the technology in all weathers over 200 miles of twisty mountain roads including fast-flowing sections and some low speed riding in towns with everything in between, and overall the Y-AMT system is brilliant at allowing you to focus on the road ahead, keeping the rapid gear shifts at your fingertips. Despite a few minor flaws, it’s a great tool that will undoubtedly have many great applications in the future.

Let's dive into exactly what the Y-AMT system is, with the good and the bad thrown in.

Simply put, Y-AMT stands for 'Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission' and first seen launched on this 2024 MT-09. In use, it removes the clutch lever and moves the gear selector from the left peg to the left switchgear, operated with a see-saw switch. Priced at an additional £550 from launch, the Y-AMT is a new model designation as opposed to an accessory, and after this MT-09 it will be due on other Yamaha models in the future. No official word on which bikes may get it yet, and it's distinctly not a 'learner tool', penned more as a performance aid - hence the reason for launching it on the supreme Hyper Naked of the MT-09 - and not a more 'beginner friendly' machine.

On the road you have fully automatic mode (AT) with two automated shift maps: D (which will prefer to hold higher gears with lower revs) and D+ (opts for holding lower gears at higher revs), whilst manual mode (MT) gives you all of the control and allows you to select the normal riding modes from the MT-09 (Sport, Street, Rain, Custom modes), easily flicking between the two with a trigger on the right switchgear.

As a whole, the whole motor unit remains the same – in this case the CP3 triple – with no change in power or performance. Both the gear and clutch gain actuators are placed with the existing motor and frame layout, and with no additional width to the CP3, meaning the Y-AMT system doesn’t visually alter the style too much – the additional weight is 2.8 kg for the Y-AMT system.

The crucial difference here, one that most riders may question, is that the clutch lever is no longer there – particularly for low speed manoeuvres. On the Y-AMT the clutch operates automatically, meaning you can’t stall the bike when rolling to a stop. It does take a little bit of getting used to if you’ve never operated a bike with an automatic gearbox before, though Yamaha says that 80% of riders will be used to the system within 10 minutes.

Yamaha does stress that the Y-AMT technology is an option, and not going to replace manual motorcycles. They also noted that they are not pushing for automatic motorcycles with this, rather that automatic mode is more for when you’re being lazy and just cruising along on a boring road, recommending riders use manual mode more often than not.

As for the design itself, I quite enjoyed the see-saw switch location and feel, as you keep a full normal grip on the bar with your left hand and can use your index finger to shift up by pulling back, or flick forward to shift down – alternatively your thumb can press the button to shift down.

Having your left leg free does mean you can get a little bit more involved with foot placement in successive corners, and I would be quite interested to see if a rear brake move to the switchgear (or secondary switch) could complete the ‘racer’ feel…

The same CP3 motor unit from the MT-09 is fitted with actuators for the clutch, and the gear lever (that’s also integrated with the 3^rd Generation Quickshifter as used on the Tracer 9 GT+ and XSR900 GP). An integrated spring in the shift rod also pre-loads the gearbox for fast shifts – in just 0.1 seconds. On the road it works smoothly and rapidly, at no point taking away from the ride.

To operate the Y-AMT your firing up procedure is effectively the exact same, though you need to pull in the front brake lever to fire the starter, the system remembering if you left it in manual mode or automatic mode – as well if it was in gear or in neutral.

Gearing structure is re-ordered to N-1-2-3-4-5-6 as opposed to neutral in between 1^st and 2^nd for slicker shifts for the computer, and no parking break is required as you can leave the bike in gear and it won’t roll away, though once the bike starts the clutch will be ‘pulled in’ so you can roll around freely – so starting the bike on the hill will absolutely need that brake to be pulled in.

When riding in automatic mode, the Y-AMT system will react to your speed, revs, and throttle position to determine when to shift up and down. Despite the MT-09 having a six-axis IMU, the two systems don't communicate, so you may find the bike shifting up mid-corner if you’re hanging on to a steady throttle to maintain speed (around 10-20% open and held steady).

You can always prompt gear changes in automatic mode yourself, or flick to manual mode - which even then still auto down-shifts when you’re slowing or stopping, and the system won’t allow you to request a shift that it deems to put the motor at risk of under or over revving.

There was a demonstration of the Y-AMT system and motor actuators in use on a CP3 motor, and it’s lightning fast to see in operation – check our video on YouTube to see it in motion.

When setting off on the launch ride, I decided to stay in automatic modes D & D+ to see how the system works, and see the exact limitations of the bike. As the weather was a pretty un-Spanish and gloomy with a threat of rain (the group ahead of us were caught in monsoon-like conditions), the pace was slow as we jumped on the motorway with our MT-09 noses pointed to the mountains.

On the motorway the Y-AMT in automatic was smooth and quick, and it was immediately apparent that D mode would be ideal for the long jaunts on motorways. When the roads started to get twistier I remained in automatic mode, but opted for D+ to let the bike hang onto gears at higher revs to enjoy the road – and it worked pretty well. The only gripe was when mid corner and holding a small steady throttle, when the bike would decide to shift up. As it’s so quick it didn’t quite cause a problem when riding, but it was a tad annoying.

Prompting a lower or higher gear in automatic mode works instantly, but should the software decide you’re wrong it will default back to what it decides. It’s at this point I figured that manual mode is certainly the go-to for more involved riding – particularly if you want to use some engine braking when cornering.

A quick hold of the mode button does allow you to tweak the power, traction control, stability control and lift control settings with number between 1 and 3 independently for D and D+.

By no means did I feel like there was something missing with the Y-AMT system on the road, if anything it really did allow me to focus on enjoying the ride and messing around with my body positioning on the bike, with gear selection at my fingertips.

Sure, a clutch would be nice for lower speed bits, and it may take a little bit of time to get used to the feeling of gears changing beneath you with no rider input, but overall it’s an impressive bit of kit for not much more money.

Yamaha distinctly says that the Y-AMT system will be on other Yamaha models and across different sectors. So it’s a very real possibility to see on practically any Yamaha motorcycle and scooter going forward, and at all capacities from 125 to 1000cc.

Naturally I’d imagine the CP3-powered Tracer 9 GT+ will be next up, though some more software will be needed to allow it to play nicely with the radar braking system. I can certainly imagine a 2025 Tenere 700 would work nicely with Y-AMT, to allow for easier shifting in tough terrain – though, again, some software may be needed to integrate well with off-road modes.

Scooters may also be a good step, with the TMAX Tech Max potentially eyeing up some more technology.

Test rides should be available from Yamaha dealerships in Europe and the UK from now, so it’s worth giving it a go – at the very least you’ll get to enjoy an MT-09 for a bit!

It’s tough to say if the Y-AMT system is objectively better than a quickshifter, as it’s a different way to interact with the motorcycle – I’d imagine some riders may love it, and some may wonder what the point is.

Either way, in use on this CP3 MT-09 the 3^rd Generation Quickshifter, so it feels much the same, with up and down shifts generating a lovely roar from the engine – particularly with this 2024 MT-09 with lovely induction vents on the tank.

The other question, is it better than a manual? Well no, not quite, but it’s just a different way of enjoying the motorcycle. As mentioned I didn’t feel like it took anything away from the enjoyment of the ride, and it was a spectacular route to enjoy the MT-09 on.

A lot of riders enjoy a direct and analogue feeling with a bike, but with ABS and throttle-by-wire connection in modern machines a lot of that direct feeling is already somewhat removed, so removing the gear lever from the foot is perhaps a step too far for some.

Though this is not necessarily a negative in my mind, I was thoroughly enjoying throwing the bike around the countless switchback corners, and not having to worry about my left foot being ready to shift gears (and to an extent right foot for the rear brake) was weirdly nice. Here I could continue to try and perfect my cornering technique – a task that will never be ‘complete’!

A system like this doesn’t come without any minor flaws, though I didn't find any of these to be huge issues on the ride.

First is the fact you have to roll completely off the throttle to change the bike into automatic or manual, plus when changing between rider modes – you can’t preselect the mode and roll off to confirm. Not really a huge problem, but a tad annoying when you’re riding in that group setting and enjoying the road.

Next is when you’re switching to manual mode, the computer will always stick you in Street mode, and you have to mash away at the mode button to get to rain mode (Street to Sport mode is one push, Rain is about 5 away). Again, not a huge problem, but not ideal when the road suddenly gets soaked in the mountains.

I found that you really have to understand when the Y-AMT system will want to shift, primarily so that you don’t catch it shifting up mid corner in auto mode. If you’re aggressive with your inputs I feel like you actually get more out of it, if you’re pootling around a corner with a slightly open throttle it’ll just assume you’re cruising on a stretch of road and shift up. If you’re braking hard into a corner and trail braking your way into it, with full throttle to power out, it’ll be more inclined to hang onto the same gear.

The lack of a clutch lever could be considered a minor irritation, as you can’t simply feather the clutch when doing some of the lower speed bits, like a U-turn. Honda’s E-clutch goes down the route of still giving you the lever should you need it, so perhaps consider that if you are after a semi-automatic bike but can’t do without a clutch lever.

As the Y-AMT system is tied in to the quickshifter, regular maintenance and keeping on top of chain tension will be vital, and it will be interesting to see how early adopters will get on with any maintenance and upkeep to the system long-term – this is something we won’t be able to test!

One last minor gripe was in acceleration in automatic mode, where the system would seem happier to hold onto your current gear than shift down for a quick burst of acceleration – easily remedied by prompting a downshift yourself.

I ended up riding in manual mode for the majority of the day because it was the most natural way of enjoying the spectacular Spanish roads. Flicking in to sports mode when the road dried, or rain mode for a portion of UK weather riding, allowed me to fully enjoy the MT-09's characterful CP3 motor with buckets of torque. Immensely addicting.

It was also quite nice that the system would, even in manual mode, automatically click down into first gear when coming to a stop to avoid under revving the motor and risking a stall.

I can’t talk from personal experience here, but some of the other riders on the launch were happily getting the front wheel in the air in manual mode too – clicking up through the gearbox with their hand whilst saluting the sky with rubber. Looked great.

Automatic mode with the Y-AMT still certainly has a place, and it’s perfect for those long stints on congested public roads to take some of the thought away from selecting the right gear. Though managing the gears has never realistically been an issue when riding a bike, it’s almost second nature, but it’s a good tool to help you out nonetheless.

Tackling some of the flowing sections in automatic mode was fine, and you can always prompt a gear change down for a burst of torque when needed. Though it’s so quick to change to manual mode that you’re almost better off switching between the two whenever you see the road getting a bit more exciting - particularly if you are quite overt with your throttle use so as not to tempt the system into shifting up.

But until then, it was nice to kick into automatic and let the bike decide what the best gear is - for instance when you're checking your next directions on the turn-by-turn navigation on the TFT. Speaking of, the new switchgear on this 2024 MT-09 (with joystick, rocker indicator switch, keyless ignition) is seriously impressive.

In traffic and at low speed, the clutch works nicely to keep the bike moving without being too jerky, and the delivery of power is smooth and natural with the clutch actuation. At no point during the day did the MT-09 bog down in low revs, and from low speed quickly twisting on the power felt instant.

Small inputs in the throttle give a similar feel to feathering the clutch – though you do have to get used to how the automated clutch system operates when at low speed, for example when turning in the road and blipping the throttle slightly to get just enough speed to not tip over. I did have to stick out a leg on a few occasions to steady myself. As you can’t quite spool up the motor and feather the clutch for those tiny inputs – you have to be quite positive and assured with moving around.

Low-speed riding will take a little bit of getting used to, but there were no glaring problems or difficulties once you know the feel of the clutch actuation. It was smooth and simple.

So, should everyone get the Yamaha Y-AMT, and can we expect it to become the new norm for two wheels? I think it serves as a nice option and alternative, but even Yamaha said that this is in no way them setting up for a clutch-lever-less world.

They are hoping that new riders may be tempted in by an easier to ride motorcycle with less to worry about, and enjoy the symbiosis of being ‘at one with the machine’. I can certainly see the appeal of the Y-AMT, and it’ll absolutely be a valuable tool for those who may have less mobility in their legs.

A key point was that Yamaha found that automatic options are beginning to outsell their manual counterparts (like the Honda Africa Twin in manual or DCT), so they are eager to get on the market with this option ahead of BMW and KTM (and likely others) who are working on similar tech. It's also a similar-ish feeling to the electric powertrains, with no clutch lever and gear selector, as on the Zero DSR and SR I tested earlier in the year.

Yes, it’s a great bit of kit, and at just £550 more it’s not restrictive on the wallet either. It’ll certainly be interesting to see which other models are given the Y-AMT as an option, and I would absolutely recommend giving it a go if you’re considering an MT-09.

Would I go for it? It’s not really vital on the bike for me, and I’d prefer to have a clutch lever – so I’d probably just go for the manual gears and quickshifter, but if the local Yamaha dealer only had a Y-AMT model MT-09 available I’d happily go for it.