YAMAHA MT-09 - If you like your bikes nutty, naked and packed full of punch, you'll love the fourth-generation Yamaha MT-09.

Ten years ago, I found myself a part of the maddest, baddest, and arguably most illegal motorcycling I've ever a put my name to.

The gig was called the Dark Dog Moto Tour, crossing from the north to the south of France over seven days, littered with road races, time trials, and (too many) pigs trotters for us hungry, tired competitors.

It was nothing short of bonkers, with rolled cars, crashed bikes and the occasional police chase for good measure. Befittingly, I had an equally bonkers bike to power me through in the shape of Yamaha's then box-fresh, audacious MT-09.

And that's when my love affair with this absolute headbanger began. Back then, there was nothing else on the market quite like it, blurring the lines between a motard, a naked and a sportsbike... or something like that. Here was a bike that couldn't be easily pigeon-holed - and which was half of the appeal.

Big torque, big wheelies, and a practical, comfy riding position helped sell the dream to the masses in a way Yamaha could have probably never imagined. Fast-forward a decade and the brand now claims to have sold more than 200,000 units globally, and for 2024 there's a new fourth generation on the cards, and I couldn't wait to see if it was as mental as I hoped.

Having bagged the golden ticket, I headed out to Lanzarote where we'd get the chance to put this new offering through its paces around the volcanic isle, but not until we'd got better acquainted with its new spec and tech. Building on the foundations of the gen three's uprated engine, frame, and sharper performance, the focus of the gen four is best described as the polishing of this rare gem, kitting it out with a raft of smart gizmos and refinements.

Aesthetically, the MT's moved on with a new face, projector headlights and split pillion and rider seats, mounted on a new rear subframe that's also narrower. The ergonomics have been tweaked too, with lower bars and more rearward pegs in a bid to give the bike a sportier feel and more connection with the front end.