Yamaha MT-10 SP
H aving run a long-term MT-10 for the past year, this was one I’ve been looking forward to. That is partly because I reckon my modified bike could be a match for it, true, but then I’m bound to be biased! When checking out the SP, I did wonder what exactly would make it that much better than the stock bike, which is already a cracking road machine. We already know just how good those electronic Öhlins forks are of course, having tried them on the R1M. And as a slightly shoddy stock suspension set-up was the stock MT’s undoing when the hammer goes down, this could be intriguing indeed to see what kind of difference it makes. Added to the golden legs and bum crutch is a similar colour dash to the R1’s, with a function ‘wheel’ on the right-hand bar and a few other different options. Aside from that, and the rather lovely paintjob, that’s your lot for an extra £2,600 over the stock bike. Let’s start with those looks though, as the paintjob and golden goodies do add an extra air of both sophistication and sexiness to the MT. In fact, it lookslk pretty darnd bossb I’d say. And while the dash is missing some of the R1’s little perks, it also glams up the cockpit nicely. That’s top marks for styling, and also proof of how even just a decent colour scheme (with nice shiny metallic finish in some areas) can drastically change a bike’s visage. Let’s put it this way – the word ‘transformer’ wasn’t mentioned even once, and given this is an MT-10, that’s saying something.
But just how much better is it than the stock bike? Having spent a year on one myself, one of the first things to notice when you sit on-board, is that compared to the others it’s a bit of a chopper. The arse is quite low and bars quite high, with hands placed almost on top of them. So far, so ‘standard’ for any MT-10. But it’s when you get on the move (via the occasionally snatchy clutch) that the difference in ride quality is immediately palpable.
The stock bike is a bit of a wet fish damping-wise out of the crate, this is beautifully suspended with a real quality feel to the fork’s stroke whether on the brakes, gently tooling around or going for broke. It does take a little to acclimatise to that high front-end, initially it may feel a bit too tall to boogie, butbt it doesd so with ith aplomb.l b
While the stock bike had a steering action that suffered from an ever-so-slight hesitation to peel in, here it steers (with the high bars supplying ample, controlled leverage) without pause.
The upgraded rear shock, even though low set in the seat department, also gives the MT added value in its handling arsenal. The stocker would, and did, wallow a touch when reaching the apex of a turn, be it fast or slow. The extra poise via the Öhlins means you can really push on, and it is most welcome, especially given the competition in attendance.
The key to this, however, is the throttle. The SP does suffer from the same malaise with its ‘A-Mode’, in that it can be a snatchy bugger. Moving down a mode smoothens everything out, the fuelling response is far more palatable and it’s easier to stunt on. A smoother response means less stress for the suspension when you get back on the gasser, less chance of unsettling it. But the very best engine response, the one that really zings, is in A-Mode, leaving one in somewhat of a quandary.
The only course of action, if you’re unwilling to give up that incredible zap the mode allows, is to learn to live with it. With time you adjust your own inputs to accommodate its immediate delivery. Sure, wheelies can occasionally be hectic affairs, but more time learning it will help and I’d implore any owners to stick with it, because that mode is where the real beauty of the crossplane motor lies.
As such, it really does fire off the throttle like a bullet, zinging you forward to the soulfuluu waila oof a wannabe V4, with the front pawing the air and heading sky high either at command, or if you hit even the smallest lump. Only in the upper reaches does it back off, as it would making less power than anything else here. It loses any yards it’s gained when speeds zap above three figures but, given UK roads, that won’t be an issue most of the time!
What the SP demonstrated was a very accomplished set of road skills, an inherent ability to act the fool, a near overwhelming sense of fun at every command but with an air of authority, quality and, possibly, superiority anything else here struggled to match. But what about on track?
I did find it much better than the stock bike, and it was nearly the KTM’s match in most areas and better than it in others. Just the low pegs digging in curbed progress and outright pace, as did the OE road tyres, and following riders on the MT down the straights they’d easily eat up the distance. But I was looking for a rubber-stamped improvement over the stock MT, and Yamaha has duly delivered a beauty. Job done!