YAMAHA MT-10

ON THE ROAD...

- WORDS: BIG MAC

All of Yamaha's MT range of bikes have always been designed primarily with the road in mind. For this reason, you'll be hard pushed to find a bad word written about either the MT-07, MT-09 or, as in this case, the MT-10 when it comes to riding one on the road. By not placing any real ambition on being all-conquering on the track, the MT-10, just like its siblings, is a wicked bike on the road.

The root of all that's good about the MT-10 is how Yamaha has managed to marry a supple, easygoing chassis that makes hustling a doddle, with an engine that has a very, very naughty side to it. The CP4 engine from the R1 is deceptive with how it sounds docile and even a bit flat thanks to its unique firing order, yet when you ask for some horsepower, the engine spins up at a rate of knots that are at complete odds with the soundtrack. The next thing you’re doing unspeakable speeds, or massive wheelies, or both at the same time...

At first, when you sit on the MT-10, it feels incredibly alien compared to the others. The riding position is by far the most relaxed of all the bikes here thanks to a low seat and low pegs, which, together with the high handlebars and tall fuel tank, combine to lead you to believe that the MT-10 is going to be a bit of a sofa and ask where the excitement and naughtiness could come from. Yet somehow it really works, something that will remain a mystery because the Yamaha doesn’t ride anything how your brain expects it to.