Yamaha MT-10
Yamaha's hyper-naked flagship — the YZF-R1's crossplane inline-four (CP4) repackaged in upright streetfighter clothing. The 2022+ third-generation brought a sharper chassis, TFT dash, and improved electronics. UK riders pick it as the all-rounder of the litre-naked class: less aggressive than a Triumph Speed Triple, more sophisticated than a Kawasaki Z900, and with the unmistakable musical-bass throb of the CP4. The trade-off is theft risk in London postcodes (the MT-10 is a regular target) and modest fuel economy if you're keeping pace with its performance.
- Engine
- 998 cc
- Power
- 165 PS
- Weight
- 212 kg
- Seat height
- 835 mm
- A2 licence
- —
Inline four-cylinder, liquid-cooled, crossplane (CP4)
wet
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 83 · Insurance 6 · Theft 35
The Yamaha MT-10 holds its value strongly for a bike (around 18% lost over three years, against the 25-32% bike norm) and is expensive to insure (group 16). Theft risk is high.
A bike-specific blend of value retention, insurance and theft risk (weighted 40/35/25). Bikes carry no MOT reliability data, so reliability isn't scored. Higher is better.
Variant: MT-10
Engine
Petrol · 998cc
Power
165 ps
Torque
112 Nm
Weight
212 kg
Seat
835 mm
Transmission
6-speed manual
Economy
42 mpg
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.
Estimated market value
£10,999
Range £9,899 – £12,099
HIGH CONFIDENCE
Holding value
Bikes hold value far better than cars — typical motorcycle 3-year depreciation is 25–32%, against cars' 40–50%. Some bikes (Hayabusa, Gold Wing, classic Z1000) actually appreciate in the 7–15 year zone as cult demand outstrips supply.
New
£14,200
At 5 years
—
At 10 years
—
Value loss by phase
Each band shows the share of original value lost during that window — not cumulative. Appreciation (green, marked +X% gained) is real for bikes that develop cult status.
UK new price by year
How we estimate this
These figures are specific to this model rather than a shared default, but they are indicative estimates and not yet derived from a recorded sample of UK sale prices. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count and crash-damage signatures. Figures assume a clean, fully-stamped example.
What it costs to own
Indicative running costs at 3,000 miles a year — the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics. Chain-drive bikes carry a chain/sprocket consumable line; tax (typically £25–£100/yr) and depreciation are excluded — see the section above for value retention.
3-year total
£3,513
Per year
£1,171
Per mile
£0.39
Service costs assume independent specialist labour and OE parts. Tyre intervals reflect typical UK road riding — track-day usage burns through rear tyres in <2,000 miles. Fuel uses the variant MPG at the current DESNZ pump price of £1.60/L (week commencing 03/08/2026). Electric bikes are costed from battery capacity and published range at the current domestic electricity price; where a bike has no published range we show no energy line rather than guess. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.
Estimated insurance
Group 16 of 17 (very high — superbike/cult) · Comprehensive · 5 yr NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this bike. Bike insurance is far more sensitive to licence tier and rider age than cars — pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Licence
Age
No-claims bonus
5 yearsRisk profile
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39
£1,600/ year
Roughly £133 per month
Typical
Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-21 | £2,640 | £3,520 | £4,928 |
| Age 22-29 | £1,620 | £2,160 | £3,024 |
| Age 30-39Selected | £1,200 | £1,600 | £2,240 |
| Age 40-49 | £1,056 | £1,408 | £1,971 |
| Age 50+ | £960 | £1,280 | £1,792 |
How we estimate this
Premiums combine licence tier, rider age, no-claims bonus and a risk-profile multiplier on top of a bike-specific baseline. Bike insurance is materially more sensitive to licence tier (CBT / A1 / A2 / A) than car insurance, and young riders pay considerably more than older riders even on the same machine. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Theft risk
Bike-specific · Met Police + insurance reporting
UK bike theft rates are an order of magnitude higher than car theft. Nakeds and supersports lose more to professional gangs; large adventure bikes and tourers are statistically much safer.
Theft risk score · 1 to 4
3/4High risk
High risk
Frequent theft target — appears regularly on UK police hot-lists, especially in London. Expect insurers to demand Thatcham chain + ground anchor + disc lock; tracker can knock 10–15% off premium.Theft hotspot postcodes
Postcode prefixes only; full London hot zone runs across E, N, NW, SE, SW, W boroughs depending on the model.
What this means for you
MT-10 is a defined ride-away target. Tracker + ground anchor + chain + disc lock essential in any city postcode.
How we set this band
Bands derived from Met Police bike-theft reporting (most-stolen lists) cross-referenced with insurance industry underwriting data. Model + postcode are the two biggest factors in motorcycle theft risk in the UK, materially more than vehicle value.
What goes wrong
5 known issues · sorted by severity
Documented failure modes from UK owner forums, dealer service bulletins, and aggregated mechanic feedback. Mileages are approximate — different riders see different intervals depending on use and maintenance. Always address "high"-severity items before resale.
High severity
0
Medium
2
Low / cosmetic
3
| Severity | Part / issue | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| medium | Cam chain tensioner Cold-start rattle. CP4 platform pattern across R1 / MT-10. 20k-30k mi | £200 |
| medium | Regulator/rectifier Yamaha pattern — MOSFET aftermarket replacement runs cooler. 25k-35k mi | £200 |
| low | Front fork springs Stock dive on hard braking is widely complained about. Aftermarket springs popular. Any (preference) | £280 |
| low | Quickshifter calibration False neutrals on later models — recalibrate at dealer. 10k-15k mi | £80 dealer |
| low | Front tyre wear Sharp chassis chews fronts. Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV common OE. Every 7k mi | £180 |
How we score severity
High — strands the bike or causes consequential damage if left. Medium — service item that affects ride quality or risks failure. Low — cosmetic or minor inconvenience. Costs are independent-specialist UK rates for parts and labour together; main dealer prices typically run 30–50% higher.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Yamaha MT-10, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Variant comparison
The default — sole variant. The 2022+ third-gen is the one to buy; pre-2022 lacks the TFT dash and refined electronics.
Known issues
- Cam chain tensioner rattle ~25k mi
- Regulator/rectifier overheat ~25-35k mi (Yamaha CP4 pattern)
- Front fork dive — aftermarket springs common fix
Strengths
- +YZF-R1-derived CP4 inline-four — one of the great litre engines
- +Upright riding position friendlier than any equivalent supersport
- +2022+ TFT dash and rider modes match premium European rivals
- +Quickshifter standard from MT-10 SP / equivalent on later trims
- +Stronger residuals than Japanese rivals (Z H2, GSX-S1000)
Watch-outs
- −Very high theft risk in London/Manchester/Birmingham
- −Front fork dive on hard braking — firmer aftermarket springs popular
- −Fuel economy drops to high-30s mpg if ridden enthusiastically
- −Not A2-restrictable (over 95 PS limit)
- −Modest wind protection from stock screen
Related bikes
Common questions
Yamaha MT-10, answered from the data
- How much is a used Yamaha MT-10 worth?
- A 2023 Yamaha MT-10 in good condition with around 9,000 miles is worth roughly £11,000 (typical range £9,900–£12,100). Dealer asking prices sit higher than private sales, and a full service history, no crash damage and an unbroken theft record are what hold a bike at the top of its range.
- How quickly does the Yamaha MT-10 depreciate?
- The Yamaha MT-10 loses about 18% of its value over the first three years, against a 25–32% norm for bikes and 40–50% for cars. These figures are specific to this model rather than a shared default, though they remain indicative estimates rather than a measured sample of sale prices.
- Can you ride the Yamaha MT-10 on an A2 licence?
- No. The Yamaha MT-10 needs a full category A licence — 165 PS puts it beyond what A2 allows, and it isn't offered as a restrictable model.
- How much does it cost to insure a Yamaha MT-10?
- Expect around £1,600 a year to insure a Yamaha MT-10, typically £1,100–£2,400. That assumes Age 30, 3yrs NCB, suburban postcode. London/M/B postcodes and riders under 28 see £1900-£2600 easily. It sits in motorcycle insurance group 16 of 17. Bike premiums move far more on licence tier, rider age and postcode than car premiums do, so treat this as a starting point rather than a quote.
- What goes wrong on a used Yamaha MT-10?
- The wear and failure points we track for the Yamaha MT-10 are: cam chain tensioner (around 20k-30k mi, £200); regulator/rectifier (around 25k-35k mi, £200); front fork springs (Any (preference), £280). We don't publish a reliability score for bikes — the MOT dataset behind our car scores doesn't support one at model level — so treat these as the specific things to inspect rather than a verdict. A full service history and a fresh MOT without advisories remain the best protection.
- What does a Yamaha MT-10 cost to run?
- Expect around 42 mpg, about £519 a year in fuel or energy, £420 for an annual service, £320 a pair for tyres every 7,000 miles, £260 for a chain and sprockets every 12,000 miles. Figures assume 3,000 miles a year, the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics, and current DESNZ pump prices. The cost-of-ownership table on the profile breaks this down per year and per mile.
- Is the Yamaha MT-10 likely to be stolen?
- The Yamaha MT-10 is a high theft target. MT-10 is a defined ride-away target. Tracker + ground anchor + chain + disc lock essential in any city postcode. Theft is concentrated in E, N, SE, NW, SW, M, B postcode areas. A Thatcham-approved chain and ground anchor, a disc lock and a tracker are what insurers look for, and secure overnight storage moves a premium more than almost anything else.
Answers are generated from this bike's Forecourt data — curated specifications, our valuation model and the week's DESNZ fuel and energy prices — and update with the weekly data refresh.