Having ridden one of these a few years ago, I already know that the new Yamaha MT-10 is going to be my bike of the year for 2022.
This is the first significant upgrade of the bike since the original was launched back in 2016. The engine is ‘donated’ by the companies R1. It’s tuned differently to make it work better for a naked machine. The engineers have concentrated on torque over outright brake horse power.
There is a whole lot going on with this bike, but it all starts with that utterly brilliant engine. An updated 998cc cross plane four engine. This is the refined version of the legendary liquid-cooled CP4 crossplane unit. It develops increased power and produces a stronger feeling of torque. The updated design for this year features lightweight aluminium forged pistons, offset con rods and direct-plated cylinders. This ensures maximum efficiency, and has a number of new model-specific features which are all about that feeling of torque.
Boosting the road-focused midrange, steel conrods are used. This increases the moment of inertia at the crankshaft. This may, or may not, have a positive impact on front tyre wear…
Fuel economy has been improved, the CO2 levels reduced, and this more powerful engine meets all those sensible EU5 regulations. Housed in a lightweight aluminium chassis which delivers class-leading levels of agility and stability promise to make this one of the most exciting and rewarding motorcycles ever built.
With an uneven firing interval the crossplane engine emits a distinctive intake and exhaust noise. There’s a rumbling growl down low and a high pitched roar at higher rpm. Now Yamaha’s development team have custom-made a tuned intake sound for the new model by using an all-new air box that has with three intake ducts with different lengths and cross sections.
For 2022 a new Brembo radial brake master cylinder is featured, giving improved braking feel at the lever for increased controllability. It also has a Quick Shift System, a ride by wire twistgrip which works to deliver finite control when accelerating. The MT 10 has a full TFT screen. Here is where some of the magic behind using a bike like this lives. There are four riding modes; Mode 4 is to be used when lending it to your Ma, three is for torrential rain, two is for when you’re not too sure where the next petrol station is and Mode 1 is the button that god wanted you to press when you bought this most brilliant of machines.
The lean sensitive traction control system works with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) which can be set to prevent wheel lock ups, loss of traction or even wheelies. There are five settings to choose from something that would match Mode 1 all the way to completely switched off.
The Yamaha MT-10 is available from Yamaha dealers nationwide. Give Megabikes a call on 014784200 for more details.