Home Gallery Yamaha YZF-R7 – its here! Everything you need to know

Yamaha YZF-R7 – its here! Everything you need to know

May 18, 2021

While there is always going to be a place for the legendary R1M, R1 and R6, the arrival of the new R7 makes R/World a reality for many riders who yearn for the Supersport lifestyle without the price and complications attached to it. While the in-line 4 of the R6 will be missed, this is the new reality.

Yamaha YZF-R7 key specifications

689 cc twin cylinder DOHC
187.7 kerb weight
73.4 PS @ 8,750 rpm
67 Nm @ 6,500 rpm
Assist and Slipper clutch
41 mm adjustable USD forks from KYB
298 mm front dual disc
245 mm rear disc
Callipers from Brembo
120/70 R17 front tyres
180/55 R17 rear tyres

Powered by Yamaha’s outstandingly successful and much-loved CP2 engine that is famous for its strong and linear torque delivery – as well as its reliability and low running costs – the new R7 is ready to shake up the middleweight market. Clothed in exquisitely crafted bodywork and featuring an extremely high specification that includes radial-mount front brakes, inverted forks and an A&S clutch, the R7 is a new kind of motorcycle that offers exciting Supersport performance with outstanding handling and aggressive R-Series style – and all of this at a highly competitive price.

Light, compact and agile, this stunning looking machine is designed to give its rider the highest degree of control and the biggest fun factor in its class – whether they’re riding on the track or on the street. This Supersport really is within the grasp of every rider who wants to be a part of R/World. R7 is a new reality, and it’s ready to attract a new audience and have a significant impact on the Supersport world.

Yamaha YZF-R7 engine

Regarded as one of the most characterful, responsive and reliable designs in its class, Yamaha’s successful 689cc CP2 engine is the perfect powerplant for this new model.

Featuring a 270 degree crankshaft that gives an uneven firing sequence, the 4-stroke inline 2-cylinder DOHC 4-valve liquid-cooled CP2 engine delivers strong and linear torque across a wide rpm range, making it a lively performer in all gears and at all engine speeds. Maximum power of 73.4PS (54kW) is produced at 8,750 rpm, and more significantly the maximum torque of 67 Nm is achieved at 6,500 rpm, giving the R7 extremely strong standing start and roll-on acceleration – while the uneven pulses of the 270 degree crankshaft create a very real feeling of mounting excitement as the revs rise.

A key new feature on the R7’s CP2 engine is the adoption of an Assist & Slipper (A&S) clutch that delivers smoother gear shifting and prevents engine over-rev and rear wheel hop during hard braking, resulting in more predictable and controllable handling when approaching corners. Another advantage of the R7’s A&S clutch is that it provides a significantly lighter feel at the lever, approximately 33 per cent less than a standard clutch.

R7 riders can also choose to have an optional Quick Shift System (QSS) fitted to their new Supersport by the supplying Yamaha dealer.

Yamaha YZF-R7 engine chassis and suspension

A rigid mounted aluminium centre brace contributes towards the bike’s sharp handling performance on the track and road, and the high tensile steel frame uses tubing of varying strengths in key locations in order to achieve an idealised rigidity balance.

The new KYB 41 mm inverted front forks provide a high level of stability together with confident roadholding on racetracks and twisty roads. And to ensure a firm and predictable front end feel, a gravity cast upper triple clamp and forged aluminium lower triple clamp are featured. The R7 can be set up by the rider to suit different conditions, and these Supersport class forks are fully adjustable for preload as well as compression and rebound damping. With the compression function located in the left fork leg and the rebound function in the right leg, adjustments are quick and easy to make.

The R7 adopts a redesigned link-type Monocross rear suspension system with damping characteristics and a spring rate, that are designed to suit the sporty character of the bike. Being horizontally mounted, the shock contributes towards mass centralisation that enhances handling agility – and is easily adjustable for preload and rebound damping, enabling the R7 chassis to be quickly set up for track or street use.

Yamaha YZF-R7 engine brakes

The R7’s genuine R-Series credentials can be seen in the high specification front braking system, featuring radial-mount 4-piston brake calipers that give accurate and uniform stopping power for the ultimate in fingertip control. This advanced front braking system also includes a Brembo radial master cylinder that delivers linear brake pressure for enhanced controllability.