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2022 · Hyper Naked · Buyer's Guide
R1 Soul, Street Ready
The MT-10 is Yamaha's flagship hyper naked. Its core is the crossplane CP4 inline-four derived from the YZF-R1 superbike, here at 998 cc with 165 hp at 11,500 rpm and 83 lb-ft at 9,000 rpm. The crossplane crank gives the four an irregular firing order, and Yamaha puts that sound up front with an acoustic intake amplifier. It all sits in an aluminum Deltabox frame. Yamaha says the R1-derived electronics package is standard on the base bike: a six-axis IMU, cornering ABS, multi-level traction, slide and lift control, plus an up/down quickshifter and cruise control. This is the Dark Side at full volume. No half measures!
On paper, this engine is built for low and midrange grunt more than a peaky top end. The crossplane layout delivers torque from low revs and still carries R1-derived performance at the top. It weighs 467 lb (212 kg) wet, the seat is 32.9 in (835 mm) high and the wheelbase is 55.3 in (1,405 mm). Add adjustable suspension at both ends, a steering damper and a slipper clutch, and the hardware points to a rider who wants fast back roads and mountain passes. Cruise control and the TFT dash take care of the ride out to the good stuff. That's its home turf.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 165 hp (121 kW) @ 11,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 83 lb-ft (112 Nm) @ 9,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 998 cc1000cc Motorcycles → |
| Engine | Inline-fourMotorcycles With Inline-Four Engines → |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 55.3 in (1405 mm) |
| Seat height | 32.9 in (835 mm) |
| Wet weight | 467 lb (212 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.5 gal (17 L) |
| Fuel economy | 36 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
This picture comes from years of listening: paddock talk, conversations with owners, club nights, and the messages riders send me directly. On the RN78 MT-10 the pattern holds steady. Riders keep coming back to the engine, the sound and a riding position that is easier to live with than they expected. Their complaints center on the front brake and a few everyday gaps.
The praise that comes up most is how tractable the midrange feels for a liter-class naked, and the intake sound remains a constant favorite. A good number of owners also call the ergonomics comfortable and upright for the class. They point to the wide bars and a roomy seat-to-peg relationship, which they say make it more usable on the road than racier rivals like the Streetfighter V4. Some mention the price, which typically lands below the Super Duke R and Tuono V4 with comparable electronics on paper.
The most frequent gripe is the front brake. Riders call it adequate but say it lacks the initial bite and feedback of the best-equipped rivals. Others miss turn-by-turn navigation on the dash, which is an optional extra rather than standard. Under hard riding, some report range dropping below about 124 miles (200 km). The small flyscreen gives little shelter at sustained highway speed.
Recall 25V248000: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:THROTTLE:THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS)
Pure Sports Distributing Inc. (Yamaha of Hawaii) is recalling certain 2022 MT-09 Tracer GT, 2021-2025 MT-09 SP, 2021-2025 MT-09, 2022-2023 and 2025 MT-10 SP, 2022-2024 MT-10 and 2022-2024 XSR900 motorcycles. The brushes inside the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) may slide excessively due to improper ECU programming, possibly causing unstable idling or an engine stall.
Throttle response abruptness in Mode A / Sport (early MY2022 units)
Several owners and reviewers reported snatchy on-off throttle transitions in the most aggressive ride mode on early 2022 production units; Yamaha addressed throttle mapping in later production and via dealer ECU updates.
Where this Yamaha MT-10 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the MT-10 is actually built for.
Of these three riders, you're the best fit: crossplane torque from low revs, lean clearance to spare and the R1-derived electronics Yamaha fits as standard. It's built for the run from city traffic up into the canyons.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail Scenic Byway · Big Sur Coast Highway
A strong match, just behind the canyon rider. Lean clearance, adjustable suspension at both ends and an IMU-based rider-aid suite give you plenty of room to keep working on your technique.
Made for WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · Barber Motorsports Park · Circuit of The Americas
A good match for repeat runs on tight East Coast twisties: strong low-end pull and generous lean clearance. At 467 lb (212 kg) wet, though, it brings muscle to the Dragon more than featherweight agility.
Made for Tail of the Dragon · Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2016–2021
The R1 Engine, Street-Ready
Compare to the previous model →The Yamaha MT-10 also comes in these variants, models and special editions. Each has its own page covering only what differs from the standard MT-10 — equipment, electronics, specs and used price.
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Yamaha MT-10. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2025
Superbike Soul, No Fairing
~$10,500 pricier used than this bike at 1 yr
Competitor · 2022–2024
Carbon, Status, Actual Menace
Roughly $34,000 pricier used than this bike at 3 yr
Competitor · 2021–2024
The V4 Apex Predator
~$1,200 pricier used than this bike at 3 yr
Similar Character · 2014–2019
The Beast That Actually Works
Compare it with every bike that shares the same spec or equipment.
