Nature of the Beast

Nature of the Beast Nature of the Beast 2022 Yamaha MT-10 SP

BY PAUL PENZO PHOTOS BY BEN QUINN

Yamaha’s Hyper Naked family of street fighters is designed to comfortably deliver sport bike performance and handling without the need to contort your body into fetal position. It is no wonder that these Masters of Torque (MT) models have become amongst the best selling in the Yamaha lineup, and the MT-10 SP is the most aggressive option available.

As a former pro national road racer on the Canadian tour for over 20 years, my now older body is happy to test this MotoGP/R1M inspired bike. And I am happy to report that Yamaha’s revamped MT-10 SP is a friendly beast. Powerful with a gnarly-sounding intake and the occasional downshift bark, all in a package that handles well and demands respect from a glance. Plus, it can be de-tuned with the flip of a few switches for a smooth comfortable ride via a 4.2-inch TFT display screen. Want to adjust things like power output, lift (a.k.a. wheelie) control, quick shifter, and suspension settings without touching a wrench? No problem. It also has cruise control.

Stuck in traffic standing on the highway a few minutes after picking the bike up, I am adjusting the front brake lever and fiddling with the new Brembo radial master cylinder when a woman next to me rolls down her window to get my attention. So I flip up the visor to listen in, and with wanting eyes she tells me I look sexy; the test starts well.

This is Yamaha’s top dog in the street fighter class, so the performance, aggressive stance, plus fit and finish are all very good. The minimalist combination of compact with a big motor, superbike-type swingarm and wheels, and the appearance of an almost floating seat over a wide 190/55-17 rear tire make the nods of appreciation a regular occurrence.

At five-foot nine-inches tall, I find the riding position upright and comfortable during both city commutes and long highway drones. Ergonomics have been improved this year, and it transitions to a far more aggressive track-day setup with ease. Well, more so after studying the 49 pages of the densely packed “Special features” and “Instrument and control functions” sections of the owner’s manual. And then doing numerous rides to test the variables and help get it better set-up for me; this bike comes with a full technology suite.

The special features include the Yamaha Ride Control (YRC) system that offers four distinctly different power delivery modes, a six-axis IMU for lean-sensitive traction control combined with a slide control system (SCS), ABS or brake control (BC), an engine brake management (EBM), electronic racing suspension (ERS) and Yamaha’s cruise control or variable speed limiter (YVSL).

Whenever tweaking the digital tuning options, remember that the lower the letter or number, the less the system intervention. In some variables I want a lower number and others a higher one. The pre-configured Mode A delivers the most aggressive ride, while Mode D the most restricted or soft one. To transform the MT-10 SP into an old-school superbike, I start with Mode A, turn off lift control (LIF) to enable the occasional unobstructed wheelie, and also turn off the slide control system (SCS) for a more aggressive drive out of corners.

In this configuration, the MT-10 SP is a beast. Rapid fire upshifts and downshifts that emit an intoxicating roar through a tuned intake system and torque a little birdie says will lift the front wheel under power in third at about 160 km/h or with a small tug on the throttle and bar cresting a hill at even faster speeds in fifth. And the suspension is very well tuned for the most aggressive of street rides I am willing to give it.

Whatever I want, it does so happily and well, while asking for more; plus, deceleration is good too. Close the throttle at whatever speed, and although somewhat present there is no undesired rear wheel drag on momentum. BC can be turned down but unfortunately not off, and while ABS can be felt fairly aggressively, it can be set to engage only when upright rather than when also at lean.

Regardless of whether you spend the time to personalize the ride modes available via the YRC menu or use the pre-configured settings, this Yamaha transforms from grandpa to street fighter mode (with two extra gradients in between) through the flip of one switch. This can only be done while at a stop when given the opportunity to contemplate and then be confined by that decision. While being able to change settings on the fly is useful in a racetrack environment, I like not relying on my constantly changing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde desires while on public roads.

This flip-of-a-switch also transforms me from an aggressive rider to a more tranquil one who enjoys varying landscapes and the aroma of a new summer, just like that. For me to get there and comfortably enjoy a law-abiding street ride requires selecting Mode D with its lowest power output and softest suspension settings, plus turning on cruise control. Aside from the dramatic reduction of power and subsequent need for almost excessive slipping to get started from a stop, the electronic interventions are almost imperceivable beyond the desired change in performance in the applicable category.

The cable-actuated clutch has a light pull, and the transition into

While it shares Yamaha’s proven 998 cc crossplane inline four (above right) with the base model MT-10, the higher spec SP model features Öhlins latest Gen-2 electronic suspension (middle right) with three preset modes and two user-defined modes which can be dialed in via the bike’s 4.2-inch TFT display (bottom right).

first gear is smoothest when the higher power settings are selected. The slipper clutch or engine brake management (EBM) works very well across options, and the transmission is both smooth and precise, never missing a beat. Power is linear and strong throughout the rpm range, although increasingly intoxicating from the upper midrange onward. The fuel injection system is smooth with no notable glitches from sport bikes of years past; there is no undesirable abruptness or jerking when modulating the throttle.

This is a smooth operator; so while finding flaws is hard, the fuel gauge is my biggest pet peeve. At the start of my first 20-minute ride, it shows a half tank and begins flashing to add gas while on route. On a highway cruise that starts on full, it shows a half tank 70 kilometres later, and then in a remote area have no idea how long I have to find a gas station. Plus, the menu screen shows an option for “Grip Warmer Setting” I could not activate when under-dressed, storage space is non-existent, and the mirrors take a lot of manoeuvring before becoming useful. That’s about it. All good otherwise.

The feature that most differentiates this SP model from the base MT-10 is the Öhlins latest Gen-2 Electronic Suspension system, or what Yamaha refers to as its electronic racing suspension (ERS). There are three automatic setting modes and two manual setting modes, which use traditional compression and rebound adjustment terminology. While not a fan of the technology in sport bike applications, given most racers I know replace it with Öhlins manual adjustment units, it gets the job done well here.

The SP costs $3,800 more than its base equivalent, and it may just be worth it. Much like I prefer a well-configured fuel injection system to manually tuning carburetors, I prefer the simplicity of the automatic ERS setting modes over fiddling with screwdrivers on a street bike. In all tests, the bike handles very well, and ERS is the main technical difference between this SP model and the base MT-10; other differences are limited to colours, belly pan, and steel braided brake lines. Either model will bring grins.

Whether naked or fully dressed, manufacturers whose goal is to mass produce EU5-compliant superbikes that can be enjoyed by the masses on public roads and racetracks alike require increasingly extensive electronic control systems. I tested Yamaha’s latest generation R1M super sport model at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park a couple years ago. As expected then, much of what became available on that flagship model then has trickled down to the MT-10 SP, and we will likely see similar features appear on more of Yamaha’s models as time progresses.

As for the MT-10 SP, with an MSRP of $21,099, it sells for $8,900 less than the R1M – in a configuration that is far more versatile, comfortable and desirable to me. Both have a 998 cc, 16-valve, liquid-cooled, inline four-cylinder engine with crossplane-style crankshaft originally developed in MotoGP. Except for valve adjustments that are needed every 42,000 kilometres, these motors are engineered to last forever.

Other similarities include a slipper clutch and a standard quick shift system (QSS) that allows for smooth upshifts and downshifts under acceleration (no need to decelerate during downshifts), and a closed-loop, Mikuni throttle body fuel injection system.

But it is the differences that make the MT-10 SP the more desirable bike for me. Its ergonomics, that ERS works well in the street fighter category, plus a flatter power curve, which this year received increases in the midrange, all help. Powerplant changes include a revised intake port, different cams and pistons, heavier crank webs and replacing the R1M’s titanium connecting rods with steel ones to increase reciprocating mass.

Motorcycles are a very subjective thing, and Yamaha’s MT-10 SP is a great all-round street fighter. If you are a competent rider with a good amount of self-control on public roads and would also consider the occasional track day, this might be the bike for you. It commands all sort of attention, some of which might just turn out to be very enjoyable too. IM

2022 Yamaha MT-10 SP

PROS:

+ Powerful, smooth engine with intoxicating intake growl + Comfortable, with aggressive eye-catching Samurai inspired styling

CONS:

- Fuel gauge displays a full tank too long, and then rushes to empty - The self-control required for the good citizen/husband in me to prevail

Suggested Retail: $21,099

Colours: Liquid Metal/Raven

Engine: Liquid-cooled, inline four-cylinder

Displacement: 998 cc

Bore & Stroke: 79 x 50.9 mm

Compression Ratio: 12:1

Power: n/a

Torque: 82.6 ft-lb at 9,000 rpm Fuel Delivery: 45 mm Mikuni throttle body fuel injection

Final Drive: Chain

Weight: 213 kg (470 lb), wet

Transmission: Six-speed

Frame: Aluminum Deltabox

Wheelbase: 1,405 mm (55.3 in)

Seat Height: 835 mm (32.9 in) Suspension (front): Fully adjustable inverted 43 m fork

Suspension (rear): Fully adjustable Öhlins shock

Tire (front): 120/70 ZR17

Tire (rear): 190/55 ZR17

Brakes (front): Dual 320 mm discs with radial-mount 4-piston calipers

Brakes (rear): Single 220 mm disc with single-piston caliper

Fuel Capacity: 17 L