We Drove the New MT-09 Aussie Racing Cars Engine… Here’s What Surprised Me | Cody McKay

Aussie Racing Cars are heading into a major shift. After 25 years of running the Yamaha XJR1300, the category is rolling out the new Yamaha MT-09 three-cylinder package, with cars set to hit the track this season (including Round 1 at Bathurst). In this video, we head out and drive the MT-09 setup to see what it actually feels like on track — and I break down the real-world differences between the two engines so you can follow along with what’s changing (and why). In this video we cover: ✅ XJR1300 vs MT-09: carburettors vs fuel injection, air-cooled conversion vs full water-cooled ✅ Gearbox difference: 5-speed vs 6-speed sequential ✅ Power + torque expectations (and why numbers vary engine to engine) ✅ The real reason for the change: reliability + parts availability (especially cylinder heads) ✅ How parity will work: intake restrictors + weight differences (~30–35kg) ✅ What the MT-09 feels like: steering, corner drive, and the top-end difference ✅ The honest negatives: clutch feel and how that’s influencing rolling starts ✅ Our plan: why we’re staying with XJR a bit longer (for now) and what would trigger the switch I’ll be keeping you updated as the season unfolds, because the only real answers come once we’re lined up on the grid and the stopwatch starts talking. 👇 Got questions about the engine change, restrictors, parity, or Bathurst? Drop them in the comments. 👍 If you enjoyed the deep dive, hit Like and Subscribe, big season ahead. #AussieRacingCars #YamahaMT09 #MotorsportAustralia #Bathurst #RaceCar #Motorsport #Yamaha #RaceTeam #BehindTheScenes