Today I’m at the press launch for the 2022 Yamaha MT-10 SP – the all-new version of a model that’s never been offered in the US before. The one sentence description is that it takes the already-fun MT-01 and adds Ohlins electronic suspension, steel braided front brake lines, and exclusive cosmetic bits for an additional $2,900 ($16,899 MSRP). Based on how much I enjoyed the MT-10, I already know I’m going to enjoy the SP. My main question is going to be if the extra parts are worth the extra dough and how this bike compares to some of the Euro competition at a similar price point.
This thing is crazy looking.
The core concept of the MT-10 is that it gets features from the supersport R1 but provides them in a more comfortable package: fully-adjustable KYB suspension, six-axis IMU with full electronics suite, and the R1’s CP4 engine which has been tuned for torque between 4k-8k rpm.
The MT-10 was heavily revised for 2022 – key upgrades in my mind were Brembo master brake cylinders, functional air ducts, and a TFT screen.
As noted above, the SP gets performance upgrades in the form of steel braided brake hoses (which address one of my very few complaints with the base model) and 2nd generation Ohlins electronic suspension which has 3 semi-active modes and 3 manual modes, is integrated with the IMU, and features Ti-Nitride finished inner fork tubes.
Stylistically, the SP gets a model-specific paint job in “Liquid Metal/Raven” which is “inspired” by the R1M and is complemented by a gold chain, blacked out components, and a brushed/clear-coated swingarm.
There’s also a 3-piece sub-cowl for a little extra plastic fantastic styling. Yamaha says it helps direct air to the oil cooler, as well.
The new MT-10 SP will have a MSRP of $16,899 with a destination charge of $475 and a freight surcharge of $375. That’s a $2,900 price bump: it makes sense considering the price of electronic suspension, but it’s a hefty bump. The MT-10 has been my favorite of the Japanese ~1,000cc naked sportbikes, but now we’re getting into some European price points – a base model Tuono V4 is $15,999, and I love that bike. So I’m going to be curious to see how good the SP really is at its increased price point.
Is the SP $900 better than this bike? Let’s find out!
Check out what Yamaha has to say about their newest bike on their site, then hit me with your questions in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them in my upcoming review, which is embargoed until the 16th.
Interestingly, Yamaha already has the site up for the 2023 model, which appears to be the same but will retail for $17,199 instead.