The Tuning Fork brand pulls the wraps off its latest addition to its supersport sportbike segment: Introducing the 2022 Yamaha YZF-R7 ($8,999). The R7 replaces the R6 on paper, but not in spirit. The R6 was discontinued for the 2021 model year citing low sales volume due in part to its high cost ($12,199).
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The R7 revives Yamaha’s 1999 YZF-R7 (limited-edition 750cc superbike) nameplate. But instead of a screaming inline-four, this YZF is powered by the Japanese company’s tried-and-true CP2-generation 689cc liquid-cooled parallel twin.
Based around the current MT-07 naked bike (read about it in the 2021 Yamaha MT-07 First Look Preview), the ’22 R7 isn’t engineered for competition. Instead it’s designed for general street riding and occasional trackdays. However with the popularity of the middleweight twins class, especially in amateur roadracing, this platform will be popular among racers.
The powertrain benefits from an uneven firing order which affords a V-twin-like character. This twin is good for 67 hp and 46 pound-feet torque at the business end of the 180-series Bridgestone Battlax S22 rear tire (as measured on a ’21 MT). It also boasts a slipper clutch to mitigate rear wheel instability when downshifting in too low of a gear for vehicle speed.
Yamaha also offers a GYTR electronic quickshifter as an OE accessory. This allows for clutchless upshifts through the six-speed gearbox. Traction control and adjustable engine power/throttle maps are absent from this model.
The engine is bolted inside a reinforced steel frame (directly, without rubber mounts) that employs different geometry measurements versus the MT-07. Aluminum plates on either side of the swingarm pivot boost rigidity.
Suspension consists of a three-way-adjustable inverted KYB fork and a spring preload and rebound damping adjustable horizontally mounted link-type shock. Both ends offer just over 5 inches of wheel travel. Seat height has been lifted by over an inch, and the saddle is a thicker version of the R6. This elevates comfort for extended street rides.
Radial-mount front disc brakes keep speed in check with an oversize rear disc brake. The system is augmented with a radial-mount Brembo front brake master cylinder. Fixed, always-on ABS eliminates tire lockup if you squeeze either brake too aggressively for road conditions...
Stay tuned for review articles and videos from the official US press introduction in June.
Find out more: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/news/2022-yamaha-yzf-r7-preview/
Photography: Yamaha Motor Corp. USA
Video/edit: @AdamWaheed
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
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The R7 revives Yamaha’s 1999 YZF-R7 (limited-edition 750cc superbike) nameplate. But instead of a screaming inline-four, this YZF is powered by the Japanese company’s tried-and-true CP2-generation 689cc liquid-cooled parallel twin.
Based around the current MT-07 naked bike (read about it in the 2021 Yamaha MT-07 First Look Preview), the ’22 R7 isn’t engineered for competition. Instead it’s designed for general street riding and occasional trackdays. However with the popularity of the middleweight twins class, especially in amateur roadracing, this platform will be popular among racers.
The powertrain benefits from an uneven firing order which affords a V-twin-like character. This twin is good for 67 hp and 46 pound-feet torque at the business end of the 180-series Bridgestone Battlax S22 rear tire (as measured on a ’21 MT). It also boasts a slipper clutch to mitigate rear wheel instability when downshifting in too low of a gear for vehicle speed.
Yamaha also offers a GYTR electronic quickshifter as an OE accessory. This allows for clutchless upshifts through the six-speed gearbox. Traction control and adjustable engine power/throttle maps are absent from this model.
The engine is bolted inside a reinforced steel frame (directly, without rubber mounts) that employs different geometry measurements versus the MT-07. Aluminum plates on either side of the swingarm pivot boost rigidity.
Suspension consists of a three-way-adjustable inverted KYB fork and a spring preload and rebound damping adjustable horizontally mounted link-type shock. Both ends offer just over 5 inches of wheel travel. Seat height has been lifted by over an inch, and the saddle is a thicker version of the R6. This elevates comfort for extended street rides.
Radial-mount front disc brakes keep speed in check with an oversize rear disc brake. The system is augmented with a radial-mount Brembo front brake master cylinder. Fixed, always-on ABS eliminates tire lockup if you squeeze either brake too aggressively for road conditions...
Stay tuned for review articles and videos from the official US press introduction in June.
Find out more: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/news/2022-yamaha-yzf-r7-preview/
Photography: Yamaha Motor Corp. USA
Video/edit: @AdamWaheed
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Well folks, here it is Yamaha's 2022 YZF-R7 Super Sport sport bike. This is an
00:11 all-new motorcycle from the Tuning Fork brand. Now this vehicle effectively
00:20 replaces on paper but not in spirit Yamaha's YZF-R6 which was discontinued
00:30 for the 2020 model year. 2020 is the last model year you can purchase the
00:38 outgoing YZF-R6. Now Yamaha's YZF-R6 had a great run. I think it was a 22 year
00:47 run or 20 year run and Yamaha had to retire that vehicle because it was just
00:55 too expensive to make and not enough folks were purchasing it. Enter this YZF-R7.
01:03 Now this motorcycle is powered by Yamaha's tried-and-true CP2
01:13 generation parallel twin. This engine was unveiled for the 2015 model year in
01:23 Yamaha's MT07. So two cylinders in line in parallel right there. Now this engine
01:35 has specific mapping that is proprietary to this YZF-R7. It also includes a
01:45 slipper action clutch. It's the first time Yamaha's used a slipper clutch in
01:51 its CP2 powertrain. This motorcycle puts out right around 67 horsepower
02:03 which was a lot less than the YZF-R6 which put out around a hundred in stock form.
02:10 Now this motorcycle has all different steering geometry. So the rakes different,
02:17 the trails different, the wheelbase is different. Yamaha reinforced the steel
02:23 frame with these aluminum alloy plates right here. The shock absorber mounts
02:30 directly from the engine to the swing arm and there's a little hidden back
02:35 link linkage device underneath the shock nestled inside the swing arm kind of
02:41 like Triumph's Trident 660 which we recently created content on. Now this
02:47 bike has an inverted style KYB fork. There is spring preload right there,
02:57 rebound damping right there, and compression damping adjustment. Here is
03:04 the gauge cluster. This is backlit LCD type gauge cluster. It's worth noting
03:12 there are no electronics on this model. There's no D-mode combined engine and
03:22 throttle mapping. There's no traction control. I'm a guy who likes manual type
03:27 bikes so we're not gonna knock Yamaha for not having electronics on this
03:32 vehicle. Look at the styling, the styling of this bike. Look how good it looks. I
03:37 love that Yamaha continued its signature R-spec styling. These fish gills just
03:47 like the Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP bike. This cast aluminum top plate. Curiously it
03:56 doesn't have the the cutouts in it like the R1 had or the R6. It's worth noting
04:04 that the bottom clamp is actually forged. That probably gives the motorcycle a
04:09 better rigidity balance so you have good cornering feel through the turns. Radial
04:16 mount brakes on this vehicle. Radial mount ad-vix 4 piston calipers on this
04:24 bike. Let's look at the front end. Let's look at the front end. Let's start it up.
04:31 There's the front end. Nice LED in sight lights. A big projector beam right there.
04:44 Rambo master cylinder augments those ad-vix 4 piston brakes with lever
04:52 adjustment right here. It certainly is a nice looking motorcycle. Naming
05:02 convention. Yamaha had a lot of discussions both in the United States
05:08 and Japan on what to name this bike. YZ. YZ is a competition designation that
05:18 Yamaha has been using for a long time. F is four stroke. They wanted this
05:23 motorcycle to be in the YZF lineup. They wanted a natural progression for folks
05:31 who bought a YZF-R3. They wanted to move up to something. They weren't ready for
05:36 the outright power of a YZF-R1 or the cost. And that is why they've introduced
05:44 this $9,000 YZF-R7. And that's why they chose that name. It's worth mentioning
05:52 this bike is $3,200 less expensive than the outgoing YZF-R6. So of course we
06:02 love the YZF-R6. It'll forever hold a special place in our hearts and throttle
06:08 hands. But the reality is that it was too expensive. No one was buying them.
06:14 Introducing the 2022 $9,000 YZF-R7. Well folks, that was a quick little preview of
06:23 this motorcycle. Make sure to log on to MotorcyclistsOnline.com to read the
06:30 written article. And stay tuned for some ancillary review content on this
06:36 motorcycle that will be populated on the MotorcyclistsOnline.com website and
06:43 this YouTube channel. So thanks everyone for watching this video and we'll see
06:49 you next time. And make sure to sound off in the comment section and let us know
06:53 what you think specifically of this bike and Yamaha's YZF-R7 model name. Thanks
07:03 everyone!
07:03 [Motorcycle engine noise]