Yamaha is a very diverse company when it comes to engineering. It makes pretty much everything from musical instruments to all sorts of internal combustion engines and, of course, motorcycles. When it comes to two-wheelers, Team Blue is known for great chassis. That means, measured up to the competition, Yamahas usually offer much better handling balance rather than chasing outright power, despite being well known for developing engines for those who need them. This combination of expertise and focus means that Yamaha motorcycles are some of the best if you want a balanced combination of performance and handling. Yamaha Naked Bikes Have Proven Extremely Versatile Over The Years YamahaYamaha's range of motorcycles exhibits versatility no matter where you look. The Tracer 9, for example, nails the sweet spot between comfort and performance. It is the same with its modern sport bikes. At the same time, the YZF-R9 is the kind of sport bike that you can take to a track, have great fun, and then during the week use it for the commute; it will do both jobs really well.YamahaBut if you really want the most versatile Yamahas, you need to look at the brand's naked bike range. These wear the MT badge and are some of the best in the business. They also span right from the smallest displacement (125cc in Europe) to the largest (just under 1,000cc). All of these excel at doing city, highway, and track days without drama, but the flagship comes out on top. The Yamaha MT-10 SP Does City, Highway, And Track Days Without Drama YahamaNaked bikes are usually very versatile, but even by those standards, the MT-10 is surprisingly adept at a number of things. Whether it is hooning in the city, a weekend ride, or a day out at the racetrack, this YZF-R1-derived naked bike has all the bases covered. What's more, with the crossplane crankshaft and offbeat firing order, it has a lot more torque than you'd expect from an inline-four cylinder. As a result, it does pretty much everything without drama. We're particularly talking about the SP here, which brings more pizazz than the base bike. A Premium Price Is Asked For, But It Is Worth It Yamaha MotorsportsThe base MT-10 costs $14,999, but the MT-10 SP with the electronic suspension ups the price to $17,499. This might seem a little expensive considering you can get a premium European streetfighter for this kind of money, but remember that the MT-10 is a mature platform, and it has a lot of power and torque for the money. Also, you do not need to add any options to it; it is a complete bike with all the bells and whistles right from the factory. It still looks the business. From this perspective, it does have value, especially if you plan to keep it for a long time. Crossplane Inline-Four Engine Remains Unique YamahaThis is a very well-known engine, and it is one of the first engines to sport technology from racing. The crossplane crankshaft with the inline-four cylinder design remains unique to this day. It might not have as much power as some of its rivals, but in the real world, it has more power than most riders will ever need because of how well the torque has been spread through the rev range. This is a 998 cc DOHC layout with a short-stroke design and a compression ratio of 12.0:1. The result is 163 horsepower at 11,500 RPM and 82.6 pound-feet of torque at 9,000 RPM. This is put through a six-speed manual gearbox with an assist and slipper clutch and a two-way quickshifter. Top-Flight Chassis Components Are Among The Best In The Segment YamahaThe MT-10 might be a decade old, but you wouldn't know it from the chassis specifications. This once again has a chassis derived from the fastest Yamaha of all time, the YZF-R1 superbike. That means an aluminum Deltabox frame (what Yamaha calls a diamond frame) that uses the engine as a stressed member. Up front, there are 43 mm inverted forks and a monoshock at the rear. Both come from Öhlins and they have full adjustability electronically with 4.7 inches of travel at both ends.The brakes consist of two 320 mm discs at the front with radial four-piston fixed monobloc calipers and a 220 mm disc at the rear with a single-piston caliper. A Brembo front radial master cylinder was added with the last refresh in 2022, so it has brakes as good as any other today. 17-inch alloy wheels and tubeless radial tires round off the chassis. Compact Dimensions Elevate The Package This is a perfectly normal, full-size naked bike that is approachable both because of its size and its weight. However, it is one of the widest nakeds because of the inline-four cylinder configuration; it is 82.7 inches long and 31.5 inches wide, with a 32.9-inch seat height. The wheelbase is a relatively short 55.3 inches, which makes it perfectly fun. It has a ground clearance of 5.3 inches and a fuel tank that can hold 4.5 gallons. When it has a full tank of fuel and all its fluids on board, it weighs 472 pounds. The Electronics Are Cutting-Edge Even Today YamahaThe MT-10 SP shows its age a little in its smallish 4.2-inch TFT instrument cluster, but other than this minor point, it is as cutting-edge as they come. You get by-wire throttle and a six-axis IMU, which means you have access to power modes, engine brake control, wheelie control, traction control, and rear-wheel slide control. All of these have cornering functions where applicable, and there are user modes where you can fine-tune individual parameters to your liking.YamahaWe would like to talk again about the electronic suspension. This is fully adjustable, and it is a top-shelf item from Öhlins. It needs to be reiterated because you will not find electronic suspension in this segment for under $18,000; you'd have to go over $19,000 for it. Other features on the MT-10SP include all-LED lighting, a 12-volt power socket, a titanium exhaust muffler, and standard cruise control. Varied Competition Has Something For Everyone Yamaha PowersportsSince we're talking about Yamahas, we have to mention the MT-09 SP and the YZF-R9. Both of them approach the problem that the MT-10 solves from different directions. The MT-09 SP is exactly like the MT-10 but in a smaller, more usable package. It is an everyday performance bike that quietly does everything right, whereas the YZF-R9 is biased towards track days but isn't a single-minded sports bike; it can be used daily as well. However, we are talking about the MT-10 SP, so let's have a look at its direct competition.TriumphThe liter streetfighter segment is really very varied, with every single kind of engine configuration available. We're going to leave out super-premium and budget liter nakeds as they aren't in the same price bracket as the MT-10 SP. The first similarly priced rival is the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS, as it combines lightweight agility with oodles of torque. The company has newly given it electronic suspension as standard, and it has quality components like Brembo brakes and that fantastic inline three-cylinder engine.ApriliaIf you want something more premium without paying a premium price, the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory will be a great addition. It has made sports bikes feel unnecessary with possibly the best electronics suite in the segment, and it is track-configured right from the factory. Finally, if you want an old-school bruiser with all the torque of a V-twin engine, there is the KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo. This one pulls no punches, but it can be a little too high-strung for city use.Source: Yamaha Motorsports