The Yamaha MT-10 has so many lines, slabs and hard surfaces it looks like an animatronic extra that couldn’t make the cut for Star Wars. But it’s also really freaking badass. Round-and-retro sure is popular right now, but it’s time to move into the hard, brutal future.

Don’t bother watching the promo clip if you’re still sober.

The new MT-10 is basically a YZF-R1S sport bike with a different engine and dressing. Or complete lack of dressing; this would fall firmly into the “naked sportbike” category sometimes called a “streetfighter.”

A 998cc CP4 crossplane engine is tucked below a few stray bits of fairing, which the seems to think will make 165 horsepower and 75 lb-ft of torque, moving a speculated ridable weight of about 440 pounds.

With a tiny wheelbase just over 55 inches, the MT-10 is supposed to be a viciously maneuverable machine with a powerband that’s got all the meat in the midrange. Should be a riot to run around in and annihilate onramps with. Or whatever it is you do with something like this. (After watching that commercial I’m just not sure anymore.)

ABS, traction control and selectable rider modes are standard. Plus cruise control, in case you ever get tired of doing wheelies and running circles around sports cars.

If it’s priced right it could be a solid BMW S1000R rival. Looks like a European-market machine only for now, but keep your eyes on this one. Unless you can’t stand to see the thing.

I really dig the naked look. Reminds me of my old GSXR, which I’d always ride without the fairings to make inevitable roadside service easier. But even the evil-insect face of this thing has grown on me in the time it took to write this post.

Are you into it yet or what?

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Images via Yamaha

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