Yamaha MT-10 Top Speed & Acceleratiion

Yamaha MT-10 0-100 mph in 5.6 seconds

The Yamaha MT-10 was introduced at the 2015 EICMA show in Milan, Italy, and released to the public in 2016.

The MT-10 is the flagship model of Yamaha’s MT range, sitting above the MT-09, MT-07, MT-03, and in some markets,  the MT-25 at the bottom of the lineup.

The MT-10 is the successor to Yamaha’s FZ1 series. The FZ1 was essentially a naked version of the YZF-R1 that used a detuned version of the 180 hp R1 engine.

The MT-10 uses the brilliant crossplane inline-four engine from the then-new 2015 YZF-R1, but retuned to deliver strong low- to mid-range torque.

It shares the same individual gear ratios as the R1 but runs a taller final drive ratio of 2.6875 (43/16) compared with the 2015 R1’s 2.562 (41/16).

The styling is somewhat divisive, but the MT-10 has become very popular with riders who want the distinctive crossplane four-cylinder sound and character of the R1 in a package that is not as uncompromisingly track-focused as the supersport version.

This does not mean the MT-10 is a softened version of the R1 without fairings. It is very much an extreme hooligan motorcycle in its own right.

Yamaha MT-10 Dyno and engine performance

We have seen many engines from supersports, superbikes, and hyperbikes repurposed in a “detuned” state and fitted into naked variants of the same machines over the years.

The goal is usually to reduce peak horsepower and high-rpm torque while shifting more usable power and torque to the bottom and mid-range.

This makes the bikes far more enjoyable and practical at sensible road speeds compared with their fully faired donors.

Manufacturers have used many different methods to achieve this, with varying degrees of success.

When comparing dyno charts, it often appears that the “detuned” versions simply make less power and torque across the entire rev range.

In reality, much of the improved mid-range responsiveness comes from shorter gearing rather than a fundamental change in the engine’s character.

The MT-10 produces an impressive 141 horsepower at 11,500 rpm.

While that is around 40 hp down on the R1, the MT-10 is far more impressive where it matters most on the road.

Credit to Yamaha: the MT-10 actually makes considerably more power and torque than the R1 between 4,500 rpm and 8,000 rpm – exactly the rev range where most riders spend their time on faster roads and during highway overtakes

We will take a detailed look at the differences between the two engines in a future piece.

Like its donor bike, the MT-10 has a small dip in power and torque around 6,000 rpm. It then recovers quickly and delivers a strong, satisfying kick as the revs climb through 7,000 rpm.

Yamaha MT-10 in-gear Acceleration

The MT-10 is an absolute wheelie machine!

Thanks to its stronger mid-range torque and shorter gearing compared with the 2015+ R1 it borrows its engine from, keeping the front wheel on the ground is very difficult – but immensely fun.

Even though the MT-10 is down on power compared with the R1, 140 horsepower is still a serious amount and represents a big step up from its smaller sister, the MT-09.

It is also worth noting that the MT-10 makes more peak power than the original 1998 R1 right through to the 2003 models.

You would need a 2004 or later R1 to surpass the MT-10’s peak output.

The MT-10 is a very fast motorcycle. Like the MT-07 and MT-09, it feels faster than its paper figures suggest. Below 100 mph you would swear it had more power than a 2015+ R1 because it is so explosive off the throttle.

This comes down to engine character and gearing that is tuned more for instant drive than low-rpm fuel efficiency.

That said, at 70 mph on the highway, the engine is turning a relaxed 5,100 rpm, far from frantic.

Like its smaller siblings, the MT-10 is a natural wheelie machine.

Any big, powerful, lightweight motorcycle will always struggle to put its power down cleanly, so 0-60 mph times can vary widely depending on rider skill.

The MT-10 manages 0-60 mph in 3.08 seconds, which is slightly slower than the MT-09.

Both bikes are equally tricky to launch and require many attempts to get close to their best times.

Yamaha MT-10 speed in gears at 5000 rpm

This does not mean the MT-10 is slower to 60 mph in general; it simply reflects the conditions during this particular test.

0-100 mph comes up in a bonkers 5.60 seconds, which just edges out the MT-09’s 5.8 seconds.

Any motorcycle that runs 0-100 mph in under 6 seconds is seriously fast, but the MT-10 could be even quicker were it not constantly battling its own wheelies.

It is often said that you can effectively use only around 70 hp to launch a bike to 60 mph unless it is lowered or stretched.

The MT-10 continues to pull hard, reaching 130 mph in 8.95 seconds (or 0-200 km/h in 8 seconds) and covering the quarter mile in 10.59 seconds at 138 mph.

The Yamaha MT-10 has a top speed of 160.3 mph.

It hits 0-150 mph in an impressive 14.24 seconds before continuing to accelerate all the way to its rev-limiter-limited top speed of 160.3 mph.

This particular MT-10 must have received some ECU fettling, as stock models are usually not this quick and typically top out closer to 150 mph.

The quarter-mile terminal speed is also notably high. For the best acceleration times, shift around 11,500 rpm.

This will differ on US-spec models, where power starts to tail off earlier, around 10,500 rpm, due to heavier emissions restrictions. I

f your bike has a flashed ECU, the MT-10 will keep making power all the way to redline, just like the Euro-spec versions.

As with any naked bike, achieving strong acceleration times above 130 mph requires an excellent tuck, chin on the tank, knees and elbows pulled in as tight as possible.

If your tuck is poor or you are a larger rider, that 14.24-second 0-150 mph time could easily stretch to 20–25 seconds.

This is why we see such wide variations in tested times for naked bikes.

A headwind can also kill top-end acceleration far more than it does on fully faired machines.

The MT-10 is very fast and can match superbikes up to 100 mph. It will be interesting to compare it directly with its main class rivals, such as the BMW S1000R, KTM 1290 Super Duke, and Ducati Streetfighter V4.