Yamaha hits its MT-10 base model with the buff-hammer yet again ahead of MY2022. New bodywork and upgraded electronics join with LED lighting and an updated engine to complete the package. A new unique colorway sets the 2022 apart at a glance.

Power for the MT-10 comes from a liquid-cooled fourbanger that rides in a transverse-mount arrangement in the chassis. Bigly oversquare, the MT-10’s engine runs a 79 mm bore and 50.9 mm stroke. This gives it a 998 cc total displacement with a hot 12-to-1 compression ratio that’ll take high octane fuels to prevent knock/ping/dieseling.

The MT-10 produces 160 horsepower and 82 pound-feet of torque. Since the proper name for this model spells out as “Master of Torque,” I’d expect it to have respectable grunt numbers. It certainly does not disappoint, though I’d say the horsepower deserves some good press as well.

It all points to a stupidfast bike that boasts an MT-10 top speed of 155 mph, up by 3 mph for this model year. It has a blisteringly quick 0-to-130 mph time of only 8.95 seconds.

The power flows through a slipper-type clutch. It delivers a light lever pull weight with some backtorque-mitigation protection that prevents rear-wheel hop on hard downshifts. A six-speed transmission crunches the ratios with a tough, chain-type final drive to carry the juice to the rear wheel.

As for the electronics, the factory added a six-axis inertial-measurement unit to inform a handful of features. Lean-sensitive traction control joins a Slide Control System, wheelie control, and Engine Brake Management to complete the ride-control goodies.

Yamaha abandoned the Transformers look on the MT-10. It has a new overall appearance that takes inspiration from the R1.

New dual headlights split the night. Like the rest of the illumination this year, they benefit from LED technology for the high-visibility/low-heat performance it brings to the table.

The front blinkers mount to the radiator shroud in a rather exposed position. In this position, a drop in the parking lot is going to do damage, but what are you gonna’ do?

Leaner and cleaner, the front end gives this new generation less overall bulk while maintaining its muscular mien. Also, new-for-’22 is the 4.2-inch TFT screen. The display handles all of the instrumentation and acts as a rider interface for the ride-control electronic features.

The MT-10 maintains enlarged ram scoops that define the tank-cover area. It carries 4.5 gallons of fuel to give the MT-10 some long legs indeed.

The cover tapers back toward the saddle and narrow waist to leave room for body English. There’s a bit of a lift to the pillion pad that comes stock along with the requisite fold-up footpegs, so you can share the fun with a very brave friend right off the showroom floor.

The LED taillight dominates the tip of the tail. The rest of the gear in the rear mounts to the mudguard with a swingarm-mount hugger to complete the rear-wheel fling containment. Also new for this year is the Improved Quick Shift System delivering clutchless shifts both up and down the range.

The bones borrow from the YZF-R1 for its Deltabox design. It uses the engine as a stressed member to reach its final rigidity.

Built for handling, it rocks a compact 55.3-inch wheelbase with 24 degrees of rake and 4 inches of trail to put it firmly in nimble territory. The steering head comes with a steering damper that soaks up the kickbacks when the front end gets light.

KYB supplies the stems with a pair of 43 mm inverted forks ahead of a piggyback, coil-over shock. Both ends come with 4.7 inches of suspension travel and the full trifecta of tweaks.

Rather than running clip-ons, the MT-10 comes with a one-piece, short-rise handlebar with a short riser under the clamp. This gives the rider the ability to push off for a relaxed, upright position, or tuck in when you give it the wick.

The box-shaped members form a perimeter frame. The yoke-style, gull-wing swingarm is perhaps more heavily engineered with a complex shape for lightweight strength.

Cast wheels come in a light, five-spoke design with a 17-inch diameter, front, and rear. They come shod with Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S22 hoops. The hoops come in a “Z” rating for high-speed performance, so they’ll handle all you can dish out and more.

Dual, 320 mm discs and four-bore, opposed-piston calipers slow the front wheel with a 220 mm disc and single-pot anchor out back. ABS comes stock and also benefits from the IMU input so it’s the lean-sensitive variety for maximum protection.

Choose between two colorways this year. Matte Raven Black is a carryover from last year, but the Cyan Storm rocks turquoise rims that set it apart. Both models come with copious amounts of blackout treatment. The 2022 Yamaha MT-10 costs $13,999 MSRP. It doesn’t matter which color package you choose, they’re both the same price. If you’re looking for a Yamaha MT-10 for sale, the new models are available from March 2022.

There’s no shortage of domestic competition for Yamaha, but I wanted something different. I looked toward Europe’s Boot for the Ducati Streetfighter V2.

Built as a sports-naked model, the Ducati carries a little more in the way of bodywork. However, it’s naked enough to call it one.

The V2 has a Showa front end and Sachs rear with the full trinity of tweaks and a Sachs steering damper. This breaks even with the Yamaha in suspension goodies.

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV rubber makes the connection to the concrete for the Italian ride with a “Z” rating to match the MT-10. Brembo calipers and Bosch Cornering ABS support deliver the goods and break even yet again.

Ducati leaves a few cubes on the table with its 955 cc V-twin engine that produces 153 horsepower and 74.8 pound-feet of torque against 160/82. This cedes the power advantage to the Japanese machine.

Ducati puts together a robust electronic suite that more-or-less meets Yamaha point for point. This is up to and including a quickshifter feature.

The Streetfighter comes with a pair of colorways, but it’s the sticker that makes for the biggest sticking point. At $17,495, there’s a lot of cheddar on the table in favor of the Yamaha machine which may well be the dealbreaker for many.

“Cool bike, but as is so often the case, all that performance is pretty much a waste if you aren’t on a track of some sort. You’ll never do it justice on public roads, but at least the programmable speed limiter can prevent you from getting a little too jiggy with it. Also, I kind of prefer this look to the previous style, so there’s that.”

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “Called the FZ-10 prior to 2018, the MT-10 is a more street-focused derivative of the YZF-R1. The addition of a six-axis IMU is the biggest improvement for 2022. This latest generation IMU adds the tricky-leany stuff and the higher electronic features.”

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