Words by: Phil West
Published on 18 May 2021 | 0 min read
This racy-looking sportster is the latest newcomer from Yamaha – the R7.
And, being a middleweight, affordable sports machine based on the already hugely popular MT-07 twin cylinder roadster but with a sports chassis and styling inspired by Yamaha’s legendary R1 superbike it’s sure to appeal to both relative novices and even more experienced riders alike. Although the newcomer revives the famous R7 name, as first used on Yamaha’s ultra-exotic, £20,000 world superbikes racer in 1999, it’s a very different, more affordable and real-world friendly machine. Instead, being based on MT-07 mechanicals and designed to fit neatly into Yamaha’s modern sports bike like up, which currently includes the R-125, R3, R6 and R1, the R7 is, says Yamaha “a new kind of Supersport that has been created to appeal to a younger audience, and is built to introduce the next generation of riders to the thrills, excitement and pride of ownership that comes with every R-Series”.
And, being a middleweight, affordable sports machine based on the already hugely popular MT-07 twin cylinder roadster but with a sports chassis and styling inspired by Yamaha’s legendary R1 superbike it’s sure to appeal to both relative novices and even more experienced riders alike. Although the newcomer revives the famous R7 name, as first used on Yamaha’s ultra-exotic, £20,000 world superbikes racer in 1999, it’s a very different, more affordable and real-world friendly machine. Instead, being based on MT-07 mechanicals and designed to fit neatly into Yamaha’s modern sports bike like up, which currently includes the R-125, R3, R6 and R1, the R7 is, says Yamaha “a new kind of Supersport that has been created to appeal to a younger audience, and is built to introduce the next generation of riders to the thrills, excitement and pride of ownership that comes with every R-Series”.
At its heart is the ‘CP2’, 72bhp parallel twin engine which has proved so popular and successful in not only the MT-07 but also the Ténéré 700 adventure bike and Tracer 7 sport-tourer, and is famous for its characterful, flexible drive and lively, entertaining top end.
However, in the R7’s more sporty form, its lightweight chassis gains new, fully-adjustable, 41mm inverted forks, redesigned monoshock rear end, sharper steering geometry and radial front brakes. With the MT-07 already being a sharp, nimble handler, the new R7 promises scalpel-like steering and one of the most entertaining handling packages in the class. All-new bodywork, meanwhile, not only carries over the styling of Yamaha’s other R bikes but is also claimed to be the slimmest and most aerodynamic of all Yamaha sportsters, further aiding its performance. Meanwhile the new R7’s nose not only features a single LED headlight recessed within the iconic M-shaped air duct, additional LED position lights are located within the twin-eye ‘face’. Meanwhile, inside the cockpit there’s a newly-designed lightweight LCD instrument console with a high-contrast negative mode display that, Yamaha says, gives clear and easy to absorb information. Finally, there are lightweight, 10-spoke cast alloy wheels wearing a 120/70 x 17 front tyre and fat 180/55 x 17 rear, all up wet weight is an ultralight 188kg which should help make it both incredibly nimble and unintimidating to ride and the new R7 will be offered in traditional ‘Icon Blue’ or menacing black colour options. The new R7 will be available in dealers from October this year. There’s no word on price but with the current MT-07 £6,902, Ténéré 700 £9,502 and new Tracer 7 £8,202 we’d expect it to be around £9,000 – or less!
However, in the R7’s more sporty form, its lightweight chassis gains new, fully-adjustable, 41mm inverted forks, redesigned monoshock rear end, sharper steering geometry and radial front brakes. With the MT-07 already being a sharp, nimble handler, the new R7 promises scalpel-like steering and one of the most entertaining handling packages in the class. All-new bodywork, meanwhile, not only carries over the styling of Yamaha’s other R bikes but is also claimed to be the slimmest and most aerodynamic of all Yamaha sportsters, further aiding its performance. Meanwhile the new R7’s nose not only features a single LED headlight recessed within the iconic M-shaped air duct, additional LED position lights are located within the twin-eye ‘face’. Meanwhile, inside the cockpit there’s a newly-designed lightweight LCD instrument console with a high-contrast negative mode display that, Yamaha says, gives clear and easy to absorb information. Finally, there are lightweight, 10-spoke cast alloy wheels wearing a 120/70 x 17 front tyre and fat 180/55 x 17 rear, all up wet weight is an ultralight 188kg which should help make it both incredibly nimble and unintimidating to ride and the new R7 will be offered in traditional ‘Icon Blue’ or menacing black colour options. The new R7 will be available in dealers from October this year. There’s no word on price but with the current MT-07 £6,902, Ténéré 700 £9,502 and new Tracer 7 £8,202 we’d expect it to be around £9,000 – or less!
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