Yamaha’s Hyper Naked range – the MT-branded models – has been a massive success over the last few years. For 2017 all eyes are on the newly-added MT-10 SP, but alongside it Yamaha has just revealed the MT-10 Tourer Edition and it just might turn out to be the best of the bunch.
As its name suggests, this is an MT-10 with bells on. It uses the same R1-derived engine and chassis as the normal bike but gains a veneer of comfort and practicality. For the MT-10 Tourer Edition, the firm has added soft ABS panniers, a little on the small side but still useful. There’s also a screen, hand guards and a sat-nav mounting bracket.
Although it would have already been possible to build this bike from the normal MT-10 options list, the MT-10 Tourer Edition promises to reduce the cost. There’s also a deal for a reduced-price TomTom Rider 410 GPS, which can be had for €199 if bought with the bike, down from the usual €399.
Spec-wise, the bike is identical to the normal MT-10, which is no bad thing. There’s the same 160PS, 998cc four-cylinder engine, the same riding modes and traction control and the same quick shifter. Cruise control, also standard on the MT-10, makes much more sense on the MT-10 Tourer Edition, too.
While the bike’s fairing isn’t as extensive as rivals like the Kawasaki Z1000SX or Suzuki GSX-S1000F, it should still add a bit of the all-rounder appeal of those models. It’s worth pointing out that in some markets, including the UK, those faired models easily outsell their naked siblings. The MT-10 Touring Edition could give Yamaha a slice of that pie, at least until it creates a more complete Tracer 1000 sports tourer based on the same skeleton.