Think forgotten bikes on sale today, and the Big Four from Japan come to mind. That’s because these bikemakers continue to sell several products, several of which are discontinued elsewhere in the world. Out of these, Yamaha has the fewest number of forgotten bikes, thanks to its recent lineup overhaul. Understandably, this made our life difficult for this story, but there is a clear winner when you look at the lineup. This is a streetfighter that gets little attention today, mainly because not much has changed in several years. Let’s dive in.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from authoritative sources, such as Yamaha Motorsports.
The MT-10 SP Is The Forgotten Yamaha That Still Looks The Business
Price: $17,299
Just like its Japanese peers, Yamaha has a few motorcycles that fit the “forgotten” bill well. Out of those, it’s the MT-10 SP that justifies the “looks the business” bit best in our books. Why? Well, it seems snazzy wherever you look. The fascia has a unique bi-projector headlight with V-shaped DRLs. This is accentuated by massive tank-mounted air intakes on the sides and bulky radiator shrouds.
All of it slims down towards the rear, where you find an alcantara-like saddle cover. A special shoutout also goes to Yamaha’s racy Liquid Metal livery. It has an aluminum-like tank finish (like the Ducati Panigale V4 R), amped up with a polished swingarm, blue wheels, and color-matched pinstripes on the tank. The golden Ohlins is like the cherry on top.
Another forgotten Yamaha that looks nice is the Bolt R-Spec. We like it because of its evergreen design, boasting elements such as blacked-out mechanicals, a Harley-like air cleaner, and a slim single-piece seat. But we can’t get over the fact that Yamaha has put in no effort to make its cruiser up to date. In fact, the bikemaker hasn’t even introduced new colors in forever. It’s the same story with the FJR. This tourer will surely turn heads and qualify as handsome, but at the end of the day, it’s a really old design without any changes.
The MT-10 SP Backs Up Its Head-Turning Design With Cutting-Edge Electronics
Drawn Straight From The Track-Spec YZF-R1
We’ve established that the MT-10 SP is a looker, and it will certainly grab eyeballs. But it keeps that premium feel going once you hop on the leather saddle. The electronics package is top-notch, drawn from the Yamaha YZF-R1. We start with a six-axis IMU that lets you enjoy bits like wheelie control, traction control, and rear wheel slide control.
Then there are power modes and engine brake control to make the motorcycle easier to live with. A two-way quickshifter and cruise control round things off. Oh, and let’s not forget, Ohlins electronic suspension is present, too. All that makes this one of the most loaded naked bikes in standard trim today, especially near the 17 grand mark. Only the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 comes close, but that misses the Ohlins.
Yamaha MT-10 Features
- TFT instrument cluster
- Power modes
- Brake control
- Engine braking management
- Slide control
- Traction control
- Wheelie control
- Two-way quickshifter
Smart Ohlins Suspension Gives You Fine Control Over The MT-10 SP’s Riding Feel
Paired With An Aluminum Chassis
Like the electronics, the MT-10 takes heavy inspiration from its racy sibling. So you get an aluminum deltabox chassis under the skin, paired with a racetrack-derived aluminum swingarm. While this is identical to the standard MT-10, the standout addition is the Ohlins electronic suspension. With 43 mm forks and a monoshock, you get three semi-active damping modes (A-1, A-2, A-3), as well as three manual setting modes (M-1, M-2, M-3). The former helps adjust rebound and compression automatically to improve your riding feel. Whereas, manual mode lets you fine-tune the parameters yourself.
Elsewhere, the suspension joins hands with 17/17-inch aluminum alloy wheels. The hoops house 320 mm disc brakes at the front and a single 220 mm rear disc. Surprisingly, you get unbranded calipers here, which is a clear giveaway of the fact that Yamaha hasn’t updated the MT-10 in a while. Steel braided lines are present, however. Coming to dimensions, we’ve mentioned some key numbers for your perusal below:
- Wheelbase: 55.3 inches
- Seat height: 32.9 inches
- Ground clearance: 5.3 inches
- Weight: 472 pounds
- Rake: 24 degrees
A MotoGP-Derived Engine Powers The Yamaha MT-10 SP
Peak Power: 163 HP
Last but not least is the liter-class engine here. And you might not get 200 horsepower here, but this is very much one of the highlights of the MT-10. Why? Because it has a unique crossplane crankshaft setup with an inline-four header layout. In layman’s terms, that equates to serious grunt all over the rev range. That’s why the flagship MT can keep up with rivals like the KTM 1290 Super Duke R and BMW S 1000 R even after its sizable peak power deficit.
Oh, and it sounds properly raspy, too. Going an extra mile, Yamaha has thrown in something called “Acoustic Amplifier Grilles”. Team Blue explains that “sound is heightened further by Acoustic Amplifier Grilles positioned on the front left and right of the fuel tank, transmitting this tuned induction soundtrack directly to the rider”. While you enjoy that, there’s a six-speed transmission helping you put all that power down.
Yamaha MT-10 Engine Highlights
Yamaha YZF-R1 Engine Highlights
- Crossplane crankshaft
- Inline-four layout
- 270° – 180° – 90° – 180° firing order
- 10-hole injectors
- Titanium four-into-one exhaust
- Titanium connecting rods
- Finger-followed rocker arms
- Linear torque delivery
Yamaha MT-10 SP Engine Specs
|
Capacity |
999cc |
|
Layout |
Inline-four (crossplane crank) |
|
Power |
163 HP @ 11,500 RPM |
|
Torque |
82.6 LB-FT @ 9,500 RPM |
|
Transmission |
Six-speed |
|
Fuel efficiency |
36 miles per gallon |