Another iconic Dream Ride at the Bike Specialist, the homologation special Yamaha YZF-R7. For BeMoto motorcycle insurance, head to bemoto.uk/moto... #dreamrides #yamaha #yamahar7
Not only is this bike just rare to see in person, but there are a serious lack of videos and photos of it on the internet. Thanks for sharing this gem!
I spoke in great length about the R7, truly an absolute gem. We're sorely missing the whole 750cc class of bikes to be honest. The class is dead and that makes me super sad
I road 750 and 1100 superbikes in the 80's and early 90's and at 57 I now own a 60th Anniversary Edition modern R7 with a few minor mods and absolutely love it. While it may be down on power compared to an R6 it is so much fun to ride and it never feels like it wants to kill me even when I am pushing it. Congrats on getting to experience the OG R7... 😎🤘🎸🏍
I race the R7 back in the day, a prototipe build by Folch Endurance, they called R71, and it was indeed a R7 with a R1 engine. This was in Montmelo 24 h, early 2000s. Chasis was awesome, not color against an R1 chasis of that time.
I've been patiently waiting for this video! I know they aren't the fastest or best thing in the world but I would give me left plum for one! Wouldn't even have to consider it. Proper, proper dream ride for me!
Spectacular bike. Back in 98 I had one of the very first R1s in the US and Harris offered an R7 kit that would change out the bodywork and fuel tank. If I’d had the funds I would have done it.
Another great video Chris. I remember when the OWO2 was released and Dan Harris had one (he worked for Superbike at the time) the amount of work and money that was thrown at it was huge and it still wasn't as competitive as some of the other manufacturers offerings, a real thing of beauty though! I could be wrong but I don't remember any teams, other than the official Yamaha one running them in WSB.
Absolute stunner of a bike! I recently turned 51 so this bike represents the pinnacle of 90s Superbikes we all dreamt of owning.. I think if pushed, I would still prefer a mint UK RC30, but this and the OW01 come a very close second. Sadly I only have the cooking models for the more poor peasants of the day, a ‘90 ZXR750 H2, ‘99 Fireblade & ‘98 750 SRAD, plus a few other bikes.. but I love them all 😊👍🏼
This was a bike I truly lusted after (thanks Haga 😊) But couldn’t afford. And then some lucky guy showed up at our local track with one - the envy of the track day for a good year or two!
REVS YOU HEART! 🤘 Great viewing, one of the greatest machines in design terms on 2 wheels for sure. Had myself a 2002 R6 and I remember the headlines upon its release, like the R7 a racer straight from the crate.
A mate of mine had one here in Australia. just changing the throttle unleaashed a few more horses. It was part of the race kit but the local bike shop found a stock one of another modal that did the trick way cheaper.
Yeah Boyeeee! The actual race homologation bike from thee 90s👍🏻 I met some guy back in the day that actually owned one. Slower than the series 1 R1, but only cos it was detuned deliberately by Yamaha. As a WSBK race bike it was a winner. Awesome bike👍🏻
Not that long sold one of these. I owned it for a few years and it was a genuine privilege to own, but i struggled more and more with it on the road, mostly for the reasons your said, its stiffness and extreme riding position but also its low down rpm manners and lack of grunt made it a very difficult bike to live with and ride. Also its physical size and weight. i seem to recall mine came in fully fuelled on the PB scales of justice at around 205 kilos. She was a heavy old thing for sure. The RC30 is so much smaller and easier to live with for sure and honestly is quicker A - B than most homologation specials on real roads being so usable and confidence inspiring. No doubt when the planets align and things are just right, the OW02 was a formidable machine and will always be seen as one of the best looking bikes ever made.
This great series has definitely thrown up some interesting conclusions. Your disappointment in the RC45 and your highest praise for this thing wasn’t expected though.
Great vid, lovely bike. Sounds amazing. I keep forgetting how much I miss the sound of a screaming i4 middleweight. Odd that Yamaha took this route with the R7 but it somewhat made sense at the time I guess. Although that's not the point is it. No surprise Yamaha didn't make many of them or for very long but that makes it all the more special.
There is one of these at the Birmingham Motorsports Motorcycle Museum. In person, it is a gorgeous Motorcycle that does not look dated at all. The race kit is probably as valuable as the motorcycle if you can find one.
Best looking Yamaha ever! I don't know why Yamaha didn't make the R1's look exactly like this.... better looking than the OW01, which sort of sat on its ass.
Back when Yamaha was in the beauty game. Early 2000's they made stunning shapes. I'm guessing only a change of business management took that business model into the beat-with-and-ugly-stick that Yamaha has been doing for nearly 2 decades now.
Unless you spent the extra $40 grand US at the time, a stock GSX-R750 of the day would run circles around this thing. Pretty bike of course since it takes after the R1 that debuted a year earlier, but I never quite understood the hype around this bike. If Yamaha mass produced it like they did R1s and R6s I doubt any of you would care so much. And yes...for $40,000 extra at the time for the race kit, you could make your own bike a lot more special too and even throw some Ohlin's on it. That would be about $72,000 extra in today's dollars by the way. Nice bike but I think it may be a bit overrated.
Love it love it, accept the giant trash can mounted to the side of it. I know a purest would kill me. But if I owned this priceless piece of history . I’d rip it off 😂 sorry not sorry
@@LeeTillbury the YZF750 was raced in world superbikes between the OW01 and the OW02, I remember Haga and Edwards sliding around on it, amongst others. There was a homologation version ('sp'), but it wasn't sold in the USA. The sp had an adjustable swingarm pivot, flatslides, single seat, better suspension among other differences to the standard YZF750R
You like the Ducati. I would sell my mum to ride the original R7! 😂 Truth be known I can’t even afford the twin pot R7 and for this reason my mum is safe 😂
How does it stack up against the Aprilia Mille you reviewed a couple months ago? They're similar in power, for similar people. I'm too young to have ever sat on either bike let alone own one, but I'm tempted to get a 1st gen Tuono for my next bike.. that sharing the mille's frame makes me very curious how it stacked up vs this beautiful R7. Loved the video!
The mille makes more horsepower and much more torque in the lower rpm's. The R7 is a special bike but mostly because it's so rare, I wouldn't want to ride it on the streets with that tall 1st gear and lack of torque. A Tuono is a great bike for the streets and you can keep up with a lot of modern bikes, especially if you get the R or Factory model!
@@tubejorrit yeah that's how I feel, they are so underpriced for what they are! A nice low mileage one is only £3500. Plus you have the kudos of riding something rarely seen on the road. I'd still love to know the difference in the chassis / handling between the R7 and it though...
The R9 will come closer to doing it justice even if comes with current bone stock MT09 motor and frame...I think anyway I mean it wont scream like a 3 but it will have a wonderful 100+ honest hp and if they even use the MT09 SP suspension it will be fine enough street bike
