2022 Yamaha MT10 – The Darkest Side of Japan


A KNOX ARTICLE

2022 Yamaha MT10
The King of the MT lineup is back!

WRITTEN BY OLLY MILTON

PUBLISHED: November 24th, 2021

More power. More Torque. This is the strapline Yamaha have given to launch the new and improved 2022 Yamaha MT10 and Yamaha MT10 SP. The styling and the launch of the new bike mirror the Dark Side of Japan mantra, the night-time urban based location showcasing the bike perfectly in that setting.

Like the all new MT09, those eagle-eyed amongst you would have noticed the rider has been kitted out in the Knox Handroid Pod MK4 – we are very proud to be part of this. Since the bike was launched in 2015, very little has been changed in terms of styling or performance, until now. There’s no denying the fact that Yamaha have absolutely smashed it with their MT range over the last decade, literally tens of thousands of bikes have been sold all over the globe. For the new 2022 MT10, Yamaha promise to provide more power, more agility, and more feel to their range topper. In this article we will outline the main changes to its predecessor. Let’s get into it.

Starting with the revised styling. The aesthetic isn’t massively different to its predecessor so the MT10 is still instantly recognisable. However, the overall design has been modernised and is more in line with the newest generation of smaller capacity MT bikes. A new and tidier headlight unit has been added with the addition of large LED DLRs which we think look great. The tank has been reshaped to allow the larger air intakes either side of the headlight unit, which also gives a smoother overall look to the front end.

At the rear end, a new and sleeker tail unit has been installed, which in my opinion is much better than the previous boxy unit. Along with the tail unit, the seat has also been restyled to give a claimed better riding position than before. The new model is available in 3 colourways, Cyan Storm (as seen in pictures), Icon Blue and Tech Black.

Next are the engine changes. The crossplane block in the MT10 is without a doubt the showpiece of the bike. The MT10 has always been known to be the hooligan of the group in press reviews, and with more power and more torque for 2022 we’re sure this won’t be any different. Despite the previous bike having ‘only’ 158hp, the way the power delivered is a distinctive of the MT10. Instant power for punchy corner exit and enough torque to rip your arms off if you aren’t careful.

I own a 2016 Yamaha R1, and the power delivery is savage and has to be ridden to be understood. The spec sheet doesn’t tell the whole story of the Yamaha crossplane motor! You can read more about my Yamaha R1 here – https://www.planet-knox.com/yamaha-r1-top-5-things/ . In any case, we’re sure riders won’t be left wanting more from this bikes power delivery…

For 2022, the MT10 features an updated CP4 engine that now delivers 163.6hp and 82.6 lb. Ft torque, with aim to provide more midrange thrust between 4,000-8,000rpm. It has an all-new titanium exhaust, muffler and new ‘acoustically tuned’ airbox to deliver the distinctive cross plane soundtrack.

New for the 2022 are the Yamaha ‘YRC’ (Yamaha ride control) system, this gives the rider 4 preset riding modes, ranging from A to D (A being the most sporty, D for wet weather riding). Like the previous bike these can all be fine tuned on the new colour TFT dash. Alongside these rider modes is a new variable speed limiter function, very useful for motorway riding and keeping your license. Cruise control has also been added as standard. More in the way of tech, the 2022 MT10 features the 6 axis IMU from the new R1 which in our opinion is pretty much market leading and highly sophisticated. In our recent review of the new Yamaha MT09 which features a similar package, we were blown away with how good the electronics package was and we expect more of the same from the MT10. A bi-directional quick shifter has fitted as standard to the 2022 bike allowing for seamless gear changes.

Yamaha have added a Brembo Radial Master cylinder to the bike for better braking power. Unfortunately, the braking system on the current R1 and MT10 does lack some power/feel, and on track brake fade rears its head pretty quickly during heavy braking. By adding the new Brembo master cylinder, Yamaha have looked to remedy this. It doesn’t look like the bike has been fitted with braided line as standard, but the SP model does. In our experience from the MT09, actually the Yamaha hardware is pretty good, but the ABS electronics definitely have some room for improvement. Let’s hope they’ve addressed this with the new model.

As for other upgrades, new 90-degree wheel air-valves have been fitted for easier pressure monitoring and a new Accelerator Position Sensor Grip (APSG) throttle has been added for a more natural and efficient feeling throttle.

Like the latest MT09 and previous MT10, Yamaha have also included the ‘SP’ model for 2022. The MT10sp offers a more premium overall package, including the latest next generation semi-active Ohlins suspension front and back. This latest version uses ‘spool valve dampening’ tech to give a greater range of dampening adjustment and a higher degree of response. The suspension has different rider modes which adjust depending on the type of riding you are doing, for example sports through to tour riding. Alongside the latest gold goodies from Ohlins, the MT10sp gets braided brake line and a new three-piece belly pan to compliment the R1m inspired graphics.

2022 Yamaha MT10sp gallery

There is no disputing, the King of the MT range is back with a bang. The new bike integrates the latest tech from Yamaha as well as some cool design alterations which we think puts the bike back into contention with the other hyper naked’s on the market. How will it stack up against the competition? Hopefully, we’ll get the chance to test one ourselves to see how good it really is!

P.s Did you know ‘MT’ stands for Master of Torque? Now you do… 😉

Thanks for reading, please let us know your thoughts in the comments!

2022 Yamaha MT10 gallery

Knox products featured!

Written by Olly Milton

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