2020 Yamaha MT 09 SP

Those SP initials originally stood for Sport Production, but have come simply to mean something a bit Special, especially when attached to naked bikes that aren’t intended for racing. Over the years SP models have featured tuned engines, trick chassis, carbon-fibre bodywork and more. When Yamaha came to create an SP version of their hugely successful MT09, they didn’t have to think twice before deciding that its key components should be uprated suspension. The standard naked triple has been a huge and well-deserved hit since its launch in late 2013, when it led the Japanese firm’s charge back from the dark days of the credit crunch. That first 847cc naked hooligan machine epitomised Yamaha’s regained spirit and sense of fun, captivating everyone who rode it with its super-torquey and characterful three-cylinder engine, light weight, lean looks – and, equally importantly, with its ultra-competitive price of well under seven grand.