@@natural9743 what about all the other competition? The MT07, Versys 650, SV 650, Ninja 650. I’m sure there are others. It’s no longer a supersport. Cool. Now it’s competing with a lot of great bikes that are fantastic on the street and can do fine with an occasional track day.
Honestly this is the bike I've been screaming for someone to build for years ever since the Lt Wt class got popular at the TT and Irish road races. Finally.
Articulate but down to earth and obviously a great rider. A first class reviewer. Perfect balance of technical knowledge that could be interpreted as nerdy, and a genuine enthusiast
Yamaha has put the same engine in a sportbike, a standard, and an adventure bike. All 3 packages are reasonably priced, and I sense that they are probably pretty reliable. That seems like a winning formula for the manufacturer, and the consumer.
@@bartom309 yeah mine sold in one day with me only losing $500 bucks. Totally worth it to feel it and get rid of it. Save up a bit more for the Aprilia RS. You'll be glad you did.
For me coming from R1's, Fireblade's, 959 (current bike). It's to big a step down to this. However perform this treatment with the mt09 engine to create an R9 and more people will show interest.
I'm lucky enough to have a 07 R1, geared 10% down like a 600, have a fazer 8 ( altered suspension of course) and I have the best of both worlds. R1 needs respect but is so nice, but the fazer with its ohlins front springs thicker oil, FZ1 rear shock, they are a blast and can not even think of getting rid of them. Had the R1 since new 07, and fazer 13, had both since new.. The Fazer is as quick as a multistada 1200 around the Pico's in Spain, and around the Lincolnshire roads. Do take both on track though.
Gotta agree my friend I'm on a 2004 R1 and the jump from an R6 wasnt that huge other than top end. But I will never forget the jump from the CBR400 to the R6. I'm 44 by the way and done the old fashioned way 80's 125's 400's 600 and 1000cc
As a beginner staring at ninja 400's and r3's, the r7 is very tempting. I shake my head in wonder every time I hear that the r7 boring, and yet the same journalist or youtube person will say that the ninja 400 is so fun and comfortable. I feel so spoiled for choice and I wish I had the time and money to try every production motorcycle on the market to form my own opinion, but I appreciate this balanced and well-informed review 👍
@@Rick1984FL Isn’t it interesting how the perception of a bike can change in such a short time. I cannot remember a reviewer who described it as boring when it was released. In fact, it received near rave reviews for resuscitating the middle weight super-sport bracket. Oh well. I suppose the RS660 and the Trident are pretty good - they are damn close to twice the price.
I have the cbr650r and as an everyday bike it performs incredibly. Obviously it's not a super bike but it's more comfortable than a regular 600 and it handles the highways excellent
I agree with everything you said. A sport bike for the masses. Took me a long time to realize smaller bikes can offer alot of fun. Sometimes owning a superbike is more frustrating than fun. I look at the T7 like a track ready SV650S. I've a CP4 motored Yamaha however I've had some of the most fun on a pro twin track day SV650S. It's way more satisfying hassling super bikes on a low powered bike than the other way around IMO. Rewarding. However I had exactly the issue of guys holding you up in corners or me diving up the inside only to get a "ego" close fly by on the next straight with Mr all the gear and little idea- and around we go again... Yamaha I salute you making this model. It will sell like hot cakes just as the new Tenere T700 has done for the ADV world.
Man that Aprilia looks like about a perfect street bike... but with no Aprilia dealer network to speak of in the US, the Yamaha becomes the better choice by default to me.
Excellent journalism, thank you for the video. I am not a Yamaha fan, but I think they have come up with a winning formula here and executed it perfectly and would love to have one. The other manufacturers will have to follow or lose out.
I just sold my zx10r and i loved the bike and put over 100000km on it. I used it on track and touring but in all honesty it was a stupid bike before you get to any useful power your over the speed limit in tripple digits in any gear. The next bike i get will be something with more power down low
I love my R& for public roads! I think it's perfect and not over done. I live in Fort Worth Tx. I do also have a KTM 890R and yes it is great too and a beast with all the electronics off but I choose the R7 unless I want to go act like a hooligan for a short bit.
Test rode an R7 at the MotoAmerica race last year at Laguna Seca. Around the block, not around the track. Feels like a track bike. Difficult to tell how good it would be on the track, as we didn't get to try it in any corners.
As someone who has been off motorcycles since about 2010 and looking to get back in, this and the Aprilia 660 are the 2 bikes that are at the top of my list.
I love my 2016 zx6r. But this video was full of great insight and awareness of sportbike rider concerns that I am more open to giving the r7 a chance. Even though I do much prefer double the horsepower and the wonderful 16k rpm song the zx6r sings : )
I am loving my R7, I put on an Akrapovic Titanium race system along with Yoshimura's new air box and the bike came to life. No it is not the thrill of a 16K RPM inline 4 that rips your arms off from 9K to redline but it actually feels more predictable into and coming out of corners. I do love the sound of a high revving inline 4 though but at 57 I think the R7 is all I need these days.🤘😎🎸🏍
Nice looking bike. Looks a lot less insect like than most Japanese bikes of the last decade. The power #s do seem disappointing and I've never met an inline twin that I liked, but it has been a while since I've been on one - maybe they're better these days. I keep an open mind.
The Yamaha R-7 is a great bike to develop your Track skills on.. I hope they have an R-7 only race class.. just like the RD & RZ-350's decades ago .. Sounds like for $2,000 more the Aprillia is a great bike and still a great value with all the extra's You need to develop your cornering skills before you can push a high powered sport bike Properly .. This guy is a very articulate reviewer.. I ride an FZ-07 and I tried pretty hard to find a fairing for it .. I ride it long distances with side cases and a Top case.. I just installed a Triumph Tiger Sport 1200 Windscreen on a Mad Stad windscreen frame.. I am very short and I just added 2" Handle bar risers.. I want an upright riding postition but I don't want a naked bike . I ride in cold weather and rain some times tooi ...
Think a lot of us did want an old school R7 replacement, but this is probably the he better option as you say, instill think there would be room for an R9 I thought, I nice half way house between this and a full on R1...... I'd be very interested in that as I'm sure a lot of us 90's superbikers would be!! 🙂🏍️ Thanks for sharing 👍
I'm getting an R7 soon after having owned an FZ-09 three years ago before stepping away from riding. And with the time I had on that engine, it would definitely make an even more fun option (R9). I'd probably still choose the R7 for where I am with riding. I've gone from 300s - 750s, and I know it's too much speed for me. I look back on previous rides on my CBR600rr and I cringe at the speed and risk. So I prefer something fun but not getting me into much trouble fun. I think the R7 would do that for me. Hope I'm right, unlike how I was with my current Ninja 400 😅
I'm sorry, I cast my vote for my 2022 SUZUKI GSXR 750. Tuned, full titanium Arrow exhaust, sprint air filter, ceramic wheel bearings, and a few personal choice goods and upgrades to brake lines, race pads, brembo levers, 520 chain conversion etc. 136.5 hp at the rear wheel and soon to add Dunlop Q5 to give better grip. Best street/ track bike ever. Don't need or want ride by wire, traction control, lean control, or ABS. I may add a quick shifter?? But I don't need it. Lol. She's fast, she handles and she looks good! YUP, if it ain't broke, It doesn't need to be fixed says SUZUKI. I want to add Marchesini magnesium wheels in a year or two.
Hope to see a competitor from Suzuki (SVXR 650?) This is the class of sportbike I have been waiting for. I quit riding superbikes on the street when I was one violation away from losing my license. KTM's 390 can drop supersports on really tight roads, but the bike itself is too small for my tastes and I'm personally not a big fan of that motor. People who think 70hp isn't enough to have fun probably can't keep up with a decent rider on a dual sport when the road gets twisty.
I can have fun on any bike that handles well, this bike won't impress on large, straight roads, but you'd be hard pressed to leave one behind on a twisty road I'm sure. I would prefer an r9, a comfortable sportsbike with a more engaging engine and lovely exhaust note.
I think they should have used the mt09 engine for this platform, it would be as fast-ish as an r6, with more torque, and would be fast enough on a trackday. Also a lot of people love the sound of the triple. Yamaha: introduce us to the R9 please 😉
I had 1988 yamaha fz600 wet weight 200kg and 72hp 4 cylinder.. i was under 20 yrs old and had 130mph on tap.. i thought it was plenty sporty enough at the time and a good step to more powerful bikes. Ive never riden the mot07 platform but reviewers seam to love the engine. I suspect aprillia and triumph gain hp with rev increases which ultimately give more top end. But a lot of fun is in the mid range. I curently have ftr1200 lack out right bhp of say a ktm1290 but the drivability in the mid range is fantastic where i want it without crazy top speeds instantly appearing on the speedo. The r7 may have success on price point and targeted markets? We will see.
Stop click baiting and over hyping the R7. It is a sheep in wolves clothing (looks fast but lacks the power). but it gives the younger A2 riders a race replica look from the mt07 which is a good thing since it gives more choice than just having the cbr 650. I didn't see the point of the bike until it was pointed out to me about the A2 licence.
1:25 you’re saying one of the biggest complaints of the bike is a strength? No one likes the riding position on this bike for street use, and that’s what it’s designed for. They made it less comfortable than the Aprilia, and the Ninja 650 and even the CBR500. If this is in a new category … then it likely shouldn’t have the R badge which represents another category and it also doesn’t need to pretend it’s a pure race machine with that riding position. Nothing wrong with a fully faired sporty feeling machine that isn’t built from the ground up to merc track days. The MT07 does fine for an occasional track day, and can be modified to be lots of fun for track riding. But, when you take this back out into the street and commute on it now you have all the discomfort of the supersport and you don’t have the compensation of 110-130 horsepower to go with it.
Exactly. I was all for this bike because of looks and price and didn't care about lower power since I used to run an R3 at the track. Then I sat on one and rode it. Terrible street bike.
It's an interesting concept about having trackdays by class of bike rather than (self-declared) rider ability. That said, from the footage, it doesn't look like you, Mr N, would have much of a problem peddling this bike round Donington in the inters!
Great review as usual Tip for all manufacturers. We don’t want under powered sports bike, we want comfortable good looking 200bhp monsters, it’s that simple. Also been a short arse drop the seat heights or provide options ffs. The sole reason I will not buy an R1 or similar bikes. Mmmmm, getting close to 35 inch seat heights!!! just what you want at an uneven set of traffic lights! Have they really followed feedback (not) or just followed the Italians, the Aprillia 660 or the Ducati supersport which I own....
As I just got my A (full power license) I find it hard to choose from all the selection of bikes. The lesson bikes I rode were mt 07 and duke 790. ( partnership with both companies) Currently I am looking at the z900 but I am hesitant because of the amount of power as it will also slow me down learning wise. The issue I have is fear of outgrowing the 'relatively but still fun' smaller bikes to quickly. I have read so many mixed thoughts about this that I am quite unsure what to do lmao.
@@stefanstunts184 i've decided to go for a used z750 r used. Smooth bike but not too overwhelming and since it's used I won't be heart broken if I drop it.
Now let me just compare it to R6 if ur a practical person you should buy this r7 it have low maintenace cost instead of 4liters oil now 2liters oil only because of two cylinder now instead of 4sparkplugs now 2sparkplugs only. Now the power of this R7 for me is pretty balance... u dont need to much speed unless ur a racer so if you want a lower maintenance cost better go to R7 and remember its cheaper than R6 so its a good news for the people who dont have that much money and its more achievable 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭
The ergonomics look pretty extreme to me especially those low bars. The Aprilia 660 bars are a fair bit higher meaning more comfort on the road [where most of these bikes spend there time].
Yes, it's very uncomfortable. I'm a taller guy and can barely sit on it. But I found the RS660 and the Tuono 660 pretty comfortable. I thought the R3 was comfortable, too. If I'm going to be cramped on a Yamaha supersport, I'd like one that actually has decent power. If it was as comfortable as those other bikes I mentioned, I'd be tempted. Instead, I'm just going to look for a used GSXR 750.
We will all be riding around on 125's soon as all as we are told by these journalists is well there is no need for a bike with more power as you can't use it, every single one give us the same utter tosh, unfortunately superbike have became too expensive for most people over the last 10 years with the introduction of traction control etc as someone who has recently moved to a bike with all this equipment fitted then I will say that yes it is nice to have but is the cost really justified? 15 years ago I bought a new 05 zx10r c2 when the new model came out for £7000 while the latest model was around £9-£10k has the cost of producing shipping and selling these bikes really doubled in that time? Manufacturers have killed the superbikes the market is still there but not at the prices that are being charged for a modern superbike. Let's be honest pcp was and still is a con it was used as a way of convincing us it was a cheaper way into a new vehicle which hid the fact that all the manufactures did was raise the prices.
It's utter greed in every product made now. Yeah, make a profit, but why pillage the average consumer? You'd sell quite a bit more if they priced things normally, as these are extra "toys" for most people anyway. I agree with all the "can't use this power on the road"...Says who? I redline my literbike daily and I still wouldn't mind a few more horses! If you want an MT-07, buy one, but don't put this out as the R7's successor, it's a disgrace to the namesake and history of the original
They should've never named this the R7. The 1998 R7 OWO2 was my dream bike for years when it came out. Talk about crapping on the legacy of an awesome halo bike.
I bought a brand new mt07 after all the years of hype it was probably the most over rated bike i have ever ridden let alone owned, it was sold within a month and a fantastic husky 701SM replaced it, so always go and actually try the bike first just because all the media hype something to the moon it doesn't mean it will suit you and that you will like it. So the new R7? looks nice but no it really shouldn't have that badge the OG R7 was a special machine not some cheap modded commuter bike.
Nah MT07 is super fun. Going into corners and coming out doing 3rd gear clutch ups. Power wheelies in 1st and 2nd and it is a hell of a lane splitter in the city twisties if you have them around you. If you can’t hold wheelies then it probably wouldn’t be fun for you.
@@JD-fd6gt Nope, the engine eats it's self, normally before 30k. Starts with a tick and just gets worse, that's the sound of the Alusil bore coating peeling off and destroying the pistons. Great bike ah, NOT!
This looks like an absolute quality piece of kit. It looks modern it's got great colours and I wouldn't be surprised if Yamaha put the price up as the Aprillia is so much more.
Seems like they're following Suzuki SV650 more than Aprillia -- The SV is an everyman/everywoman sports bike and here in Northern California, they sold a ton throughout the mid 2000's. Folks in our race league would swap the front end with a GSXR 750 front to make it raceworthy for Formula Twins class. The twin power and somewhat soft chassis make it very forgiving and super fun to ride yet track and race worthy. Now if they could only include a better rear shock..that'd be sweet.
I'm still not convinced. I've alway been drawn to extreme situations that put me well out of my depth so the thought of owning my own v4r and spanking it round a track while it smiles at my attempt to grasp but a fraction of its power, entices me more than a 72hp sportster bike. My 2000 cbr600 is more lively than that and it's not enough for me. It's still a bike so I'm sure it would still make me smile but if i had £8k to spare I'd go for and older 1000cc every time
I slightly disagree on the 8k for an older but bigger bike. There is no way you can buy a liter bike for 8k and not have to immediately drop another 1k on a valve job, oil and clutch and another 1k on new rubber, chain, front and back sprocket. And that's if it running right... God forbid it needs to be bored out. That runs about 200 per cylinder... or you could skip the cylinder and valve job and still only make 72Bhp on smoked rings and valves in an inline 4 getting 6 miles to the liter... Too much to go wrong. People dont sell their liter bikes because they "run great". Got my R7 with 1 mile on it and I was the first to have it on the road. Its hard to beat that.
@@reathyork you can get a decent 1000cc for 8k. 4-10 years old, leaves lots of options. I'm very good mechanically so a valve job is basically free for me but i think i would know if they were seriously out anyway because I've been doing it for so long. Rubber sprockets and chain are all clearly visible and can be used to knock down the price. Easily done for someone with the skills and knowledge.
I've helped a few friends and family pick up bikes. Got a mint Gen 2 zx1400 for 5,000. And can get mid 2000 model liter bikes for 3,000 for days and days. So no idea what you talking about. 8k is more than enough for a second hand mid 2010s liter bike.
I have a true dilema. from a 929cbr, 954cbr, 1000 gsxr, to nothing currently. Now turning 50 I love the new ducati supersport & rs660... can they really be enough? Maybe a Busa with saddlebags or Gsx s1000 gt... any input...?
Tricky one.. I'm going to mostly disagree here. Ironically, where it should probably suffer most (the track) is likely where it will excel. I did my first track riding on a race FZR400 RRSP at Cadwell Park and it was brilliant due to grip and corner speed. On the road it's hard work and you actually end up riding faster in corners and more 'wild' to keep the speed up than on a larger capacity bike. I also had a Kawasaki KR1S that is much lighter than the 'R7' and the joy of that was the banzai power band and near ridiculousness of it. A clown bike. "Keeping up with your mates I think is a little overrated". I could keep up with mates on Fireblades etc on my old CB500 on the road, not because of my speed but just the reality of road riding. But I do have a couple of early 2000's Superbikes and I love them because they are torquey enough for easy progress and every now and then you can wind the throttle open and have a (brief) adrenaline rush. Are the 2021 era Superbikes overdoing it? Yes probably.. I think the sweet spot is around the 98-02 ZX9, R1, GSXR1000. Or even the old Supersport bikes. The 636 ZX6r was a potent road bike. This 'R7' yes will keep up with mates on the road, but so will just about anything from about 600cc upwards (unless it's deserted) but for a bike to love, the engine (basically an MT-07) lacks aural sensations of better engines and doesn't have that 'thrill in back pocket' available for the occasional banzai moment. It sounds competent and able, but not a bike to love.
I would say that having ridden sportbikes on the street and on the track since the early 1990's, the electronics make life so much easier. And my last bike had performance traction control which was just glorious. I'd put traction control as almost a "must have" because usually you don't need it but every bike I've owned, except one, I've had a nasty and unexpected high-side. Even small bikes of 400/600 cc can overwhelm their rear tires pretty easily if you're leaned over pretty far. Having been on the opposite side of riding a fast 600cc bike while weighing 145 pounds, I'd say having engine over other riders (this is only for trackdays not street) gives a great advantage of moderate and safe cornering speeds while being fast out of the corners.
I like to see the R series from Yamaha as life: R15 - baby R3 - infant R7 - adolescence R6 (future R9) - early adulthood R1 - adult R1M - crazy adult Choos the one according to your "biker" life. If you have zero experience, I`ll recomend R15 or R3 to start.
Suzuki have been doing it for years with the SV650s now X, if you want real time fun this market is starting to fill up with Triumph 660, Aprilia 660, Yamaha R7 and Honda CBR500r and what is Norton going to bring to the party
I’d rather have a real supersport to ride hard. I’d rather have an SV650 or a Versys650 for use off the track and daily rideability when I’m not as focused on speed but still want the option to have fun. I don’t need a ton of HP to have fun. I don’t need to be uncomfortable to feel like I have a good bike.
FYI Mr Neeves, there are actually some people out there whom can ride their sports bikes fast (you always seem to be pointing out how "no one can use their bikes". Your not the only quick guy out there ;)
That's true... But only on track. There is no way to use 200+ hp on the roads. Where are you going to do 250+ kmh on the straights and 150+ kmh flowing corners without jail or death ? That's his point. Even if you ride like Max Wrist and manage not to die you're still not using 100% of the superbike. They are fun for sure. But on roads you are not using the full potential of a new liter bike ever. They are just so damn fast. Which is part of the fun for sure. The other part is that with new literbikes all being made racier and packed with electronics they are really expensive to buy and to insure so a cheaper less powerful bike that you can ride "harder" is a very tempting option. I know quite a few riders on SMC-R 690 and Husqvarna 701 that will utterly smoke 99% sport bike riders on any road that isn't a high way. That's with only 75hp. (Well bit over 80hp actually because of slight tuning) All that said... I personally would not buy a R7. It is a bit underpowered for me. If they make and R9... Maybe.
@@neevesybikes There is some difference between riding a bike to the absolute max (on road or track) and being able to turn all the rider aids off (as you said) with out the rider noticing. There is some middle ground and it dose not mean we should rush out and buy a cheap 70bhp machine to pootle round on.
@@stuwhite1969 I know what you’re saying, but all the manufactures would still make the kind of sportsbikes we know and love, but sadly no one buys them any more. As for electronics, I wouldn’t know they’re working half the time - I can’t remember the last time I saw a TC light flicker on the road.
How does the R7 compare to the Ducati Supersport 950? I am looking to trade my Thruxton for a road sports bike. Don't need or want 150bhp (so no V2 etc), and cost difference isn't really an issue so these type of bikes are in my sights. I loved your review on both, so as a fast commuter with weekend mountain rides, how do they compare?
The super sport is just a monster with a fairing, unlike the R7 is a very different bike to the MT07. But if you’re wanting a true road sport bike, jump on the RS660
You mention creating track day sessions for these bikes. I run on my zxr400 in fast no problem, as long as the litre missile riders play by the organisers rules.
Both the R7 and Rs660 make sense for people who want a Sports bike with wind protection that they can enjoy on track days and their naked versions for people who want the upright position for commuting and track days. Both bikes might help in domestic championships as a step up from the 300 feeder class to the new 2022 Super sport class with the rule changes allowing Ducati v2s and MV F3 800s, but what will Yamaha race; an R9?
Neevsey and his comments on chucking all parallel twins in the “don’t sound good” category is old hat. I’ve yet to hear a 270deg parallel that doesn’t sound like a beefy v-twin. These, the RE 650’s, Triumph’s Street and Speed Twins, Honda’s Africa twin, all sound great. It’s the Honda 500’s and Kawasaki 650’s that sound like bollocks.
I expected more from the bike at the track, I get it's not a R6 but it just lags, I have more fun on a Ninja 400 then this bike. Against my Aprilia RS 660 no comparison it is stupid good on and off. Around town the MT-07 is still king making this bike more disappointing. It's going back for a deposit on the tenere 700.
A fantastic unbiased review of what sounds like a well handling, well built back to basic real World sports bike. These bikes will help our Biking community grow which can only be a good thing. Less of bragging rights and more about riding enjoyment, Thank you Sir. You are the GOAT of motorcycling Journalism :) Amen
9:14 it’s one thing to say it’s down about 27HP. The same thing put another way is that the Aprilia has nearly 40% more power than the R7. That’s like saying the new CBR600 has roughly 170HP so it’s just a little up on the 120HP competition (that’s a 40% increase).
@@RTK171 I don't know if you're teasing or not :( Yammies triple in an attractive bike would be very welcoming. Looks being subjective, the MT-09 has, sadly, never appealed to me.
Shame it's not up and down quick shifter. I'm tempted by the RS660 but holding out another year in the hope of an R9 triple for around the £10k-£11k mark.
stealing another reply.. "lacks the power of a supersport, but also lacks the comfort of a naked/MT07" they took what's bad on either platform, discarded the good ones, and put them on a single bike = R7. it's not even good value.. for around that much you can also get a brand new ZX636.
The ZX636 isn't even produced anymore, or have I missed something? The ZX6R costs 30.000 (~$3k) more than the R7 in Sweden. Trading lower power for lower price is exactly the kind of trade that at least I'm looking for. However, I agree with you, I also still do think it's a little bit too expensive
I mostly agree with you but the 2022 zx6r is $1500+ more which for some people's budget could be a make or break between that bike and the R7. If the cost makes no difference then zx6r is definitely a better value for the money. But for the average street rider I can see the R7 actually being more fun on twisty roads.
