The MT-9 was the 1971 successor to the K-650 and the model that gave the Dnepr its reputation for toughness. Its 650 cc flat twin produced 32 hp, the new MT804 gearbox had a reverse gear, and it was the first Dnepr with turn indicators.
Dnepr MT-9 at a glance
| Maker | KMZ, Kyiv |
|---|---|
| Production | from 1971 |
| Mass with sidecar | 320 kg |
| Engine | 650 cc OHV flat twin |
| Power | 32 hp |
| Torque | 4.7 kgf·m |
| Electrics | 6 V |
| Gearbox | MT804, with reverse |
| Fuel tank | 21 litres, then 19 litres from the end of 1972 |
| Fuel | A-72, A-76 |
| Top speed | 95 km/h |
| Equipment | first Dnepr with turn indicators |
The MT-9 is described in the English and Russian histories of the Dnepr marque; this page uses those sections.
History of the Dnepr MT-9
The K-650, improved
The MT-9 appeared in 1971 as the replacement for the overhead-valve K-650. It kept the 650 cc flat twin but raised output to 32 hp, and it received a new transmission with a reverse gear. The English history of the marque notes that the gearbox also had an automatic declutching mechanism built into the rider’s foot pedal, which made the outfit easier to handle. The MT-9 was offered both as a solo motorcycle and as a sidecar outfit, and its reliability earned it a reputation as perhaps the best of the “Cossack” models sold in Britain.
Equipment and detail changes
The first MT-9s had a 21-litre tank; from the end of 1972 the tank was reduced to 19 litres. The motorcycle kept separate rider and passenger seats, the old-style headlamp with a built-in speedometer and a six-volt electrical system. Its most visible novelty was a set of turn indicators, the first fitted to a Dnepr. The MT804 gearbox with reverse and the 32 hp engine made the MT-9 a practical sidecar outfit rather than a simple update of the K-650, and the model remained the basis for the MT-10 that followed in 1974.
In Britain and at home
Between 1973 and 1979 Dnepr motorcycles were marketed in the United Kingdom by Satra under the Cossack name, and the MT-9 was part of that range. At home the model was used as an ordinary road outfit and as a working motorcycle; its combination of a reverse gear, a shaft drive and a sidecar made it suited to rural roads and to service with public bodies. The MT-9 was eventually replaced by the MT-10, which kept the same engine layout but moved to twelve-volt electrics.
Design and features
- Reverse gear: the MT804 gearbox made a heavy sidecar outfit far easier to manoeuvre.
- Automatic declutching: a mechanism in the foot pedal simplified gear changes.
- Turn indicators: the first Dnepr to have them as standard equipment.
- Solo or sidecar: sold in both forms, which widened its market.
Dnepr MT-9 versions
- MT-9 solo: the solo road motorcycle version.
- MT-9 with sidecar: the standard outfit, 320 kg complete.
- Cossack export: the version sold in Britain through Satra from 1973.
The MT-9 replaced the K-650 and was followed by the MT-10. More models are in the Dnepr collection.
Sources
- Dnepr (motorcycle), English Wikipedia: gearbox, Cossack marketing, reputation
- Днепр (мотоцикл), Russian Wikipedia: specifications, equipment
