I’m looking forward to a revzilla track day with this bike. Really want to know top speed and is it worth have as a track day only bike vs a used super sport.
@@Jay-yg8jj God he was an idiot back then. I also stopped watching for a couple years around that time. He's gotten older and less noobish, also has hired some new castmembers/staff that help make it fun. Became a track boi and doesn't street Rossi as badly. Probably the some of the funniest motorcycle content on the interwebs honestly. (If not exactly as enlightened as what you get from, say, a Zach Courts or a Michael Neeves.)
It’s a good bike for those interested in track days, but will do daily stuff 90% of the time. They don’t have to buy an MT-07 and do all kinds of aftermarket stuff to make it track prepped. In that way it does “make sense.”
@@jameswylie6671 some want a new bike for the track. And in the middle weight class the SV650 are kings. The R7 is basically a SV650 that is track ready
@@wolfgangrembeck Idk I still don't get it. A new bike for the track sounds like you'll just be too scared of scratching it to really push it to its limits
@@jameswylie6671 i totally agree with you. I would even buy the gladius since it's the same bike, just cheaper, and put full fairings on it. But i know some people who can only ride new bikes, even on the track
I don't understand why Yamaha made the R7, a MT-07 in a track bike package to ride uncomfortably on the street. You're better off just getting a MT-07. I wish Yamaha would redesign the MT-10 already.
Mt07 is ridiculously ugly. R7 will be the next big stuntbike. Extremely reliable, motor has tons of torque, only downside on the MT07 was the garbage fork and tank that was hard to modify (it was plastic tank with shroud). MT07 is the fastest growing stunt bike and this is better in every category. Just need others to wreck them so we can buy them for cheap lol
Zack this is such a awsome series. Would enjoy seeing a close up of the tally board as a final view once you end your daily rider review. Thanks for all your efforts. Damn I'd sure like to ride all those bikes!
I hope Yamaha brings out the R9 in the future with that same aggressive ergonomics package so it can be a Japanese reincarnation of the Daytona. Because the world needs another Daytona!
@@sterlingroberts6240the r7 is there because making euro 5 r6 is more costly and prob will end up like cbr 600 where they make it euro 4 and then change the ruling into euro5 making the bike a loss machine lol
@@sabbathperalta4119 The Daytona 660 is a fine middleweight sports tourer, but when compared to its latest predecessor its a terrible track alternative. Less aggressive ergonomics, non adjustable suspension, notably less power, and all around more budget components. If a person wants a sport touring style bike, its great, but its not a supersport.
It would be great if you guys could include metric conversions. I understand that this would be tricky for the host, maybe just as an on-screen text when he mentions something?
The song a good in-line 4 makes has no substitute. I don’t need the power, but I do need that song. I don’t know why ppl think the R7 sounds good. It sounds like shit to me.
I would have like to see the rider triangle split the difference between a R3 and R6. That is now what I would like to see with an R9. Pegs need to be high enough for track use, but the bars should be high enough for reasonably comfortable street use.
Hearing about the ergo's, I'd buy a used R6 over this if I was going to subject myself to the rigors of riding a dedicated sport bike on the road again.
The dude at the Demo Day today told me it's technically less aggressive ergos than the R6 (the fact that he said "technically" made me lol because I was laying down head-first the entire test ride and I am 5'11)
And that right there is the problem with this bike. Too little motor, or too little daily comfort. It needed to be a GSXR750 if Yamaha wants it to stay relevant
I don’t understand why they discontinued the r6 as a road bike. I heard it was because it didn’t meet Euro5, but the race version now DOES meet Euro5 meaning the engine is allowed for road use.
My guess would be because it’s probably a lot cheaper for them because they can use the engine, wheels etc. from the MT07, XSR700 and don’t have to design/produce as much specifically for the R7. It’s what most car and also bike manufacturers do nowadays to cut cost
I feel like this is similar to what Nissan did to the S13-S14 240SX in the US. They took a pretty capable chassis and stuck a low revving/low hp engine in it (KA24) while the rest of the world got a higher performance/higher revving engine (SR20) that suits the purpose of the car much more. Just like the 240SX became really popular once they became old enough that people start swapping engines, this bike might be popular in 10 years when there are big bore kits, higher revving cams, and if they cracked the ECU increasing the redline.
As a CBR 650R daily rider it does everything incredibly well - short of tours and distances you would be looking at a sports tourer/adventure anyways. 45mpg only city, 55mpg B-roads two up. Filters through traffic like nothing, puts a smile on your face every time. Ergos I'd consider good/comfortable for what is still a sports bike, pillion will complain an hour in. I'm 5'10 for comparison
I'd rather get a Ninja 650 for a more relaxed sportbike commuter, or if I had extra money the RS660. The more people review the R7 the more I realize they should've released the R9 first.
I was thinking this would be more relaxed. After test driving one today at a Yamaha Demo Day I can tell you that you are going to be laying down forward on it haha at least I am 5'11 and I was TUCKED!
I know what you mean. However I think because of reliability/ dealership availability I would still choose the R7 over the RS660. I would personally go for the ninja but it’s such a different bike, it doesn’t really compare.
@@TheRausing1 That's the problem though, it will be compared, and every reviewer is saying the same thing. The R7 is a fun bike but it's not good enough to replace the R6 so instead it's more of a sporty fun commuter but then it has the aggressive ergos which makes it not so fun for long trips. R9 would've been the better replacement especially since there is the SP version for the MT09 that can go to the R9. R7 should've been the successor to the FZ6R which was Yamaha's equivalent to the Ninja 650 before they discontinued it 5 years ago.
@@TheRausing1 it does compare to the N650 though, it's what it's logically slotted against. This is to the MT07 what the N650 is to the Z650. The R7 is vastly more expensive, less comfortable, and probably not much if any quicker than the ninja. It's too expensive for the power it offers. There are quiet a few more powerful and compelling bikes at or near it's price.
I’m so glad Yamaha released this bike. I bought my first bike (ninja 300) about 5yrs ago and I love it but at the track you need more ground clearance and the suspension is definitely built to price point. A little more power wouldn’t hurt either and the R7 solves those issues so I feel like it was built for a buyer like me in mind
you should have gone with something more powerful. trust me you can handle it. right now you are just sacraficing all the comfort for non of the performance
Depends on the usage a lot of People like me whod like to daily it dont need that much power. Also the r7 has really good low end speed and you dont even need the top speed daily
It makes totally sense from an european standpoint , because we don’t get the r6 as a first bike. The problem is, the licence A2 which offers you the chance to ride a bike with only 35kw(47hp) or limited from 70kw (max 94hp). The mt-07 was a very good choice because you were able to buy only the r3 or to limit the mt-07. Now, limiting the r7 is a very very good bike to buy as a starter (sportbike).
A bike for someone that wants the sportbike look and all of the cons with it, but for some reason does not want the performance. I personally don't get it, but to each their own.
Exactly my thoughts but anytime I say something similar people in comments keep saying how this is going to be a “perfect bike” for so many people. Idk, just seems like an odd bike to me.
If everyone thought that way motorcycles would have been dead decades ago. There has always been sporty looking bikes with lower hp. Everyone doesn't need the "performance" especially someone oh just got into riding.
It's like all the bad points rolled into one platform. Uncomfortable aggressive ergonomics rolled into an around town powertrain. At least it looks good!
Why is everyone beating around the fact that this is the R6 replacement and does everything worse. Yamaha said the market didn't support a mid-class sport bike, then release this a year later. We're all here pretending this is an MT-07 variant. R series branding. Aggressive sport bike ergonomics Makes half the power of the outgoing model.
probably because the r7 is cheaper and R6 sales have been pretty slow. the Lower price tag will attract alot of people, especially ones who know nothing about sport bikes besides the looks 🤭 Most people on sport bikes will never go to a track or do much of anything, they just love the look 👀
I fucking hate the hate this bike receives. Its perfect for its intended use. I got down from the R1 into the R7 and yes of course the R1 is a rocket ship. But some day you’ll grow up and mature, realizing that speed will only get you killed. In line 4s: for racing. Twins: for daily riding and commuting (and adv bines) For me, a sport bike (my favorite type of motorcycle) with a relaxed engine is fire!! Love it everyday day
@@250ignacio An inline-4 is the superior engine for a motorcycle. It's benefits are not exclusive to racing. We're being forced to buy twin engines because of emission standards. Not because we want them.
Seems like the cbr650r is a better choice. More relaxed ergos, 4 cylinder for highway, better build quality. This engine is just perfect for a naked, city bike.
Theres nothing wrong with yamaha build quality .... ive never even heard anybody say there is, where did you get that from? I've worked on plenty of yamahas in my garage, and never seen a single issue with their quality.
@@dennisclark9544 Oh no you misunderstood me. Yamaha builds great machines, super reliable. Honda just makes things “nicer” to look at, ya know? Maybe it’s just me…
@@paintup46 honda do make a great bike. But in our experience in the garage, the reputation of "its a honda" has turned out to be a bad thing. Because of their rep for running forever and being bulletproof, we get a lot of hondas that haven't had any maintenance done in years. Credit to honda, they do all still run fine, but for us the worst thing about a honda, has been the owners
@@paintup46 we just had a honda blackbird in a few weeks ago, the owner had done the oil change and not put enough in, it only had just over half what it should have. No surprise, the poor thing was knocking, I drained the oil, it was full of copper from the crank bearings being absolutely worn out from no oil - but, it still ran pretty well considering. You definitely can't knock honda reliability
I have a MT-07 and love the CP2 engine but Yamaha should have bumped up the power on the R7. I'm sure they were trying to save money and keep this priced as competitively as they can though. This bike paired with a Hordpower intake, exhaust, and tune would probably be pretty fun if the setup on my bike is anything to go by.
Just bought an R7, and I love how it's fun and sporty. It feels like a super sport with the clip-ons, but doesn't have insane power which I like. I don't have the opportunity to really use a bike with 100+ horsepower often, and I love the low end torque on this. I also just use it as a good weather commuter and a weekend bike.
So for 10k I can get this... Or a used Ducati supersport??? Not sure what market their chasing here. Let's ditch a really high revving rewarding bike for mediocrity
I do wonder how this bike does on the market. I'd personally rather go for a CBR650R or an RS660 (if I had more money) because I'm more about daily and weekend rides then doing 2+ track days a year. On a sidenote, looking at the board I think you undervalued your KTM a bit.
Seems like a poser supersport for young, broke, and inexperienced riders trying to get their Joe Racer image on. For those serious about learning the sport, a Ninja 400 for the money makes way more sense.
The last question was spot on and my answer would be the same - Does it make sense: No. I tried it in my dealership but I dont get it. If I want commute on "wanna be" sportbike I take ninja 650 and if I want more from it I buy RS660. Why would I buy bike which is so much lean forward and has cp2 680cc. I dont get this bike and its missed chance from yamaha for me. Nice thinking from yamaha - "lets make low horse power bike with power downlow for cummuting and sometimes trackday but make it that way noone can sit on it more than 40mins"
You buy this bike for a good, affordable, beginner/entry level track bike. No complicated electronics and capable of competing in the twin cup. Personally I'm waiting for the R9 but this is a great bike.
It is much better spec then the very heavy ninja. It also has much better suspension and sounds better. It is a bit cheaper then the RS660 with a very proven engine in terms of reliability. The engine is also much better for in town (power hits super low) compared to the RS (although the rider triangle is much worse). I think it slots in nicely and I personally would take it over any 600 supersport. Unfortunately I ride a literbike and they are basically the best of both worlds. Great low end power and high end power.
@@deathwish8339 I dont say you are not right but you cannot ride this as commuter...and ninja is maybe heavier but I would choose ninja over this everyday if I ride just to work. Look again at that 180 turn...it was almost 3 parking spaces. And if I want something for track I am already spending a lot money on bikes/track/gear and I would rather take RS660 which has more power. And RS660 has power downlow too...not the same but enough. And you can take it for trip no problem with cruise control and more relaxed ergo.
Hit the canyons and it will make sense. I own an SV650N and the power and performance is a great balance for spirited riding on twisty roads. You get the torque to blast out of corners without having so much power you have to tip toe around the throttle to avoid breaking the rear loose. Also the ~70 hp means you aren't hitting 130mph between turns. Another thing, these bikes are flickable and easy to handle. Even though they aren't much lighter than a 600 supersport, they have narrower tires. The R7 is meant to be an affordable sport bike for the street. Yeah you could buy an rs660 but it's $2500 more. If you don't need all the technowizardry (which to be honest, you don't on bikes like these) the R7 is the bike to get.
It's pretty amazing how well the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is holding up against other more high-end bikes. It seems to be the sweet spot in so many ways: price, performance, comfort, and ease of maintenance.
Yea but it just looks ugly as shit...same reason why I dont want to get SV650, one of the best (if not the best) motorcycles in naked category with 650cc, but it just looks old and ugly as shit.
This bike really should have had ergos more akin to the RS660 or R3. It should be a street focused sport bike, instead the full attack ergos do it a disservice.
Been riding an R6 for the last decade. This seems like such a travesty. The only thing I don’t like about the R6 is the uncomfortable riding position for longer duration rides. So, this keeps that and it’s 1/6th bigger with the engine and produces half the power. I wish they had created a sport focused line and called this the S7 or something. I would have virtually no complaints about it because it wouldn’t be a dumbed down R bike that cannot keep up with smaller displacement supersport machines.
This is just how bikes are now, they're never gonna go back to the way they was. But there's always gonna be used 600s to buy, it's just a shame that the younger people buying stuff like an R7 have no interest in riding a proper supersport
If you buy this for any track with a straight, you’re not going to be very happy at all … Agree, the Ninja 650 is better balanced/ergo’d, for what these bikes actually are … This is a low-powered, poser ‘sport bike’ with worse brakes (or a less comfortable street bike, with improved brakes). 😐 And you really wouldn’t want to burn your money modding this thing, when you could buy something much better for any serious track (or for the street), and for less money …
@@GPz84 u trying to say they sold more r6's than r7s? that argument doesnt work since the r7 literally just came out. if u wanna compare r6 sales to others japanese 600 class bike sales, then that would make more sense. but your comment literally makes 0 sense and isnt valid...
Nope, they didn't kill the R6 for this. The R6, and every other 600 died because nobody was buying them, and emissions laws were changing and nobody wanted to make a new engine that could pass emissions, for a bike that nobody was buying anymore. If you don't like it, don't buy it, because plenty of other people have been, so its here to stay.
In my country, a 600CC supersport is not just a vanity package. It is actually CHEAPER in the long run. Insurance here don't examine power output. They look at 1. Displacement Size, 2. Type of bike (e.g. Sport, naked). The R7 is going to demand a higher premium than the R6.
That's how it is in the US with my insurance company. My 600cc bandit costs half as much to insure as my 40 year old suzuki GS850 because the 850cc motor puts it into a different bike category, even though the bandit makes slightly more HP.
So many people complain about the R6 been uncomfortable i think it's fine and the R7 isnt as agressive as the R6 The R7 looks good the mirrors the anus head light and heat shield 🛡 not so much.. FYI : the R6 mirrors fit onto the R7 as do the rear sprockets... The engine is just to weak for trackdays Bring on the R9
They really should have gone Ninja 650 with this, they'd crushed this niche. But they went only the half way, they took away R6 power and didn't give it the comfort. I bought Ninja 650 just before news about R7 came out, and I was regretting it back then. But after riding the Ninja and watching this video, I don't, Ninja It's so comfortable, I can ride it from dawn till dusk and even longer.
"Extremely aggressive" aren't the words I like to hear when describing the ergonomics on a Daily Rider. If I want to be twisted up in knots by the time I get to work in the morning, I'll start dating a plus-sized S&M nymphomaniac. This bike seems to do all the wrong things well, and all the right things poorly, as opposed to the MT-07. It seems to be an answer to a question nobody asked. Apparently Zack never gives a bad review.
Can't say I'm moved by this parts bin bike..... If this was a niche bike. Skating some sanctioning bodies rules to have a really competitive bike I'd be ok.....
Best all around sportbike is the CBR650R.. Strangely I put the gsxr750 in 2nd place bc although it's a crotch rocket it's actually pretty comfy (I'm still shocked after 3yrs) ..I've done several 225 mile trips with ease.. this bike is great for someone coming from a 300/400cc , I can live with 74hp but aggressive ergos and a 32.9 seat height? I'll pass..
GSXR’s in general are street friendly for being super-sports. The pegs being adjustable makes a big difference. The ZX6R is also more comfortable. Both the GSXR 600/750 and the ZX6R actually have more laid back ergonomics compared to the R7. Lower seat heights, same clip on heights, plus the rear sets are a hair lower on the ZX6R and the GSXR. If I was going to buy a super sport, it would be a ZX6R or a GSXR for those facts alone
I think Yamaha keeps cutting cost on their new bikes to the point of them being undesirable against the competition. This bike has some nice features but it isn't exactly cheap, either. Not for the class. I wouldn't be interested at all in this bike.
I’ll be interested to see how the new gsx-s1000gt goes. I’ve been looking at a MT-09 but loving sportbike look more. Mainly riding around town in Taiwan this R6 is a contender, but after riding an MT07 I feel it would not be exciting enough when you want it to be. Also rs660 vs new gsx-s1000gt. They are around the same price.
If comfort is at all I priority or if you want to carry things then I think the new gsx-s1000gt pretty much automatically wins that comparison. We'll have to wait for ride reviews, but it seems like it should have more than enough power to win/tie this comparison in speed and the only think the rs660 or R7 could win at would be possibly price or flickability/handling, though I'm sure the 1000gt would be no slouch in the twisties.
@@pauly1k Sports look, tourer vs sports bike. They seem to be just names. Given the really high price of imported motorcycles in Taiwan basically double the US price, I can’t really afford both. Second hand bikes are also not so cheap. Most places don’t give test rides, so since the price is 10-12k USD cross shopping everything. Suzuki and Yamaha have more service shops. Looking to make the best guess.
@@sparkythewildcat97 agreed. Engine sound and quality will probably go to RS660 but it will be interesting to see the Suzuki reviews, it looks like a good bike hopefully not a pig in traffic.
I want to see something else on the daily rider week aboard. How about starting with the TNT 135? Do you want to see that this? Feel free to give this comment a thumbs up.
youre not supposed to have weight on your wrists anyways, thats on your technique and not the bikes fault. thats like saying "man this shifter is hard to reach" meanwhile your toes are on the footpeg. no shit its hard to reach, youre not riding it right.
Its sad to see how motorcycle quality and substance is going down instead of up, seems like the whole focus of manufacturers is to cut costs, and I think that is killing motorcycling for me, so I dont see how that could be a strategy for a come back... Maybe nobody else cares but me..
That's why I started looking at kawasaki..best prices by far for what you get..honda is pricing some of their models way too high and Yamaha cant let go of their race wins and price their stuff high thinking everyone will remember those trophies they won
Thanks for showing different riding scenarios. Been trying to found out as much as i can about this bike, and these types of ride along help greatly in determining if its the right kind of bike for me
Low clipons are great because if you want more comfortable position you just change them for higher clipons with no mods. Other way round and you have to cut fairings and deal with other problems. R3 to be a good sport bike need a lot investment (front and rear suspension, brakes, clipons, rear sets). On other side you can buy R7, change rear shock and have much better performance and fun in similare price. Questions I have in mind is: -Stock rear shock is so bad as MT07 -Do you hit your hand on faring or tank in full lock -Gearing is different then in MT07?
Yes it makes sense, they already have the MT07. They were free to make this track aggressive. Less work to make track ready! This would be a great step up from the Ninja 400. Check out the MotoAmerica Twins class. RS660 and R7 and SV650s, where it makes the most sense
I think the R7 is a bit faster than an MT07 due to its aerodynamics. Cooler ? Newer? More exciting? Yes. But not more comfortable and too expensive for a 700cc bike.
I love watching your videos. Both for the pre-learning experience of each bike and the geographical scenery. I grew up on the streets you ride in and I love reminiscing with your videos.
As someone who owns an R7 as has put 5k miles in 2 months, here is my take. I am 5’6 215 lbs. I ride it as my daily and I do about 100-200 miles a day for work. When I first got the bike I rode it immediately to Laguna Seca for MotoAmerica from Los Angeles. Came back with about 900miles. I stopped every 100 miles for gas although I could’ve went more. My wrists were killing me on long rides and my left knee is bad and was hurting as well. However, that is on stock setup. Ergonomics is very important. I setup up my suspension the best I can thanks to Dave Moss, and I adjusted the bars and pushed them out a little as to get the weight off my wrists. MUCH better ride now. I can do a 100mile ride and have no pain now. Note that my ass or back have never hurt on a ride. Honestly i believe it is the best sport bike for the street u can get. Has the power u need, fully adjustable suspension which can costs tons of money, blinkers come with emergency lights, slipper clutch, good front brakes and brembo master cylinder. For the value it is pretty damn good. Sure it’s not the most comfortable due to the aggressiveness but if u were gonna get an R6 or other aggressive bike this would be a better option. Looks bitchin, feels nimble and light as hell in the turns and is fun as fuck in canyons. Has the torque to have fun with wheelies. The seat is very large and very comfortable. I also rode to the desert and on my way back I was able to get 160miles non stop to my home on one tank. That’s probably the closest Ill get to Yamahas mpg lol. An amazing bike that people are bashing before they even ride it. Take it from someone who has put in the miles on this bike. It’s worth it and it does make sense.
Yamaha really made a bike that nobody wants. Committed riding position guys want the power to go with it, commuters want more comfortable riding positions, and track guys will put on track bodywork and aftermarket clip ons/pegs anyway so it doesn't matter what the stock setup is because it will be replaced. So who is this for?
That is a great looking bike, especially in that colour. I will be interested to see what category the insurance scammers put it in? A moment of silence for our wonderful friend the R6. Love you forever….
Do you think there’s enough room around the windscreen for clip on risers? I’m thinking some clip on risers and adjustable rear sets will make this bike a real sweet daily rider. I’d like something set up more like the rs660 but with the relatability and local mechanic of Yamaha. And cheaper to boot.
Excellent review. I enjoyed the Q&A. I tried this bike and I changed my mind 1 mile later. This is not a commuting bike. It’s a weekend-at-the-canyons bike. It is terribly uncomfortable. Very pretty but uncomfortable. I’m getting the MT07.
I test road it too this weekend and found it was extremely aggressive ride. I was all the way leaned over and it got tiresome to ride rather quickly. I don’t get the point of it, it’s a dedicated track bike with its ergos with an engine for the streets.
@@xreed8 idk man. Guess it ain’t for everyone, I have no complaints.. even on rides where it’s 300 plus miles straight. I been good. Hope you find something that fits you tho bro
