The YZF-R7 was released in 2022 with the concept of "Fun Master of Super Sport" based on the sports model "Yamaha MT-07" that was released in 2014. It is a super sports model developed to harmonize the basic configuration of the MT-07 with the style and sporty handling of the latest super sports, aiming to be enjoyed by riders of a wide range of skills.
Article: Hiroyasu Ogawa Photo: Yuko Koizumi
Special equipment for sporty riding
The water-cooled DOHC 4-valve in-line 2-cylinder 688cc engine mounted on the MT-07 is designed with the idea of the crossplane concept, which aims for tenacious torque characteristics in practical ranges, and is also called "CP2". The CP2 of the YZF-R7 has a high throttle to bring out a stronger sense of power and torque, and the secondary ratio has been changed from 43/16 on the MT-07 to 42/16, making for an even sportier ride. It also features an assist and slipper clutch, which is a first for CP2-series models such as the MT-07, XSR700, and Tenere 700.
To match the sporty ride, the frame is equipped with an aluminum center brace. The torsional rigidity around the swingarm pivot has been improved, and the rigidity balance of the entire frame has also been adjusted. The front suspension is a newly designed φ41mm inverted fork, and the rear suspension has damping characteristics and spring constants developed specifically for the YZF-R7. Although based on the MT-07, the bike is equipped with mechanisms unique to the YZF-R7, such as a Brembo pure radial master cylinder for the front brake, a new full LCD meter, and a new LED headlamp.
The body of the YZF-R7, equipped with these latest features, inherits the image of the R series of the YZF-R1, and is designed with the concept of "Skinny Proportion for Perfect Control". The cowl shape makes use of the slimness of the CP2, reducing air resistance by reducing the frontal projection area, and the under cover is made of aluminum to ensure the bank angle by moving it as close as possible to the engine, making it a design that contributes to the fun of handling the machine.
The cowl, which takes aerodynamic performance into consideration, is based on horizontal lines typical of the R series. It is available in three colors: Deep Purplish Blue Metallic C, Black Metallic X, and Matte Gray Metallic 3. The blue model on the test ride vehicle this time is the 2022 model.
The headlights in the M-shaped duct are new LEDs. The twin position lamps and turn signals are also LEDs.
The LED tail lamp is the same as the YZF-R1/R6, emphasizing the R series character. It also has good visibility.
The negative-positive inverted LCD meter that displays the gear position, remaining fuel level, etc. is also specially designed.
Separate handlebars allow for a tight machine hold. New handlebar crown.
A pure radial master cylinder made by Brembo that transmits input from the lever more linearly, achieving high controllability.
The rear of the seat has been widened to provide a riding position with a high degree of freedom. The pillion seat is the same as the YZF-R1/R6.
The plastic tank cover has a hollowed-out knee pocket to improve the grip, and has a capacity of 13L.
Check the footing of YZF-R7
The rider is 172cm tall. The seat height is 835mm. The rider is in a forward-leaning position, but there is plenty of room in front and behind the seat, giving the rider a high degree of freedom in position. The weight on the front is naturally distributed, giving a sense of security that is also a good impression.
Although the seat height is the same as that of the XSR700, the rider sits less on the bike and one heel is raised off the ground. This results in a tight riding position, but the handlebars do not feel cramped.
The rider is 156cm tall. "The balance between the handlebar width and the seating position is good, making it a comfortable riding position. I'm used to the forward leaning position, so it's not too difficult."
"There was little sinking when riding, and the center of gravity felt a little higher. When the wind blew me around while I was stopped, I felt a little uneasy about my ability to reach the ground."
It's easy to feel the front wheels on the ground, making machine control fun
The handling is smooth, and it is fun to control even at low speeds, and it feels easy to handle.
The overall length and wheelbase of the YZF-R7 are 2070mm/1395mm, while the YZF-R125 is 2030mm/1325mm, the YZF-R15 is 1990mm/1325mm, and the YZF-R25 is 2090mm/1380mm, so the overall length is between the R125 and the R25. The vehicle weight is 188kg, 4kg heavier than the MT-07, which is the base model, at 184kg, but this is the same as the XSR700. As a mid-class super sports car, the YZF-R7 can be said to be lightweight and compact. In addition, the caster angle of the front suspension has been made 1.1 degrees steeper than the MT-07, increasing the front wheel load, improving stability when cornering while ensuring straight-line stability.
When I actually straddled it, the handlebar width felt a little tight, but the handlebar grip position was not too far away, and there was ample room in the seat length, so there was a high degree of freedom in the riding position. When I gripped the handlebar grip and sat in a position where my arms were not too tense, I was in a slightly forward-leaning position. I have personally been riding off-road models, but I still did not feel that the forward-leaning position of the YZF-R7 was tight. Rather, I was impressed by the sense of security that came from naturally deciding on a riding position that allowed me to put weight on the front, and making it easier to feel the grip of the front wheel. The handling was also not too sharp even at extremely low speeds, such as when turning left in urban areas, nor was it too strong or sticky. Even when the speed increased, it was easy to feel the front wheel touching the ground, and it demonstrated high straight-line stability, and yet the body of the vehicle responded smoothly to the rider's operations, so I felt a sense of unity with the machine when cornering at medium to high speeds.
The ease of machine control is also largely due to the good operability and shock absorption of the front and rear suspensions. The front suspension smoothly strokes from low speed ranges, so when braking when entering a corner, the front suspension smoothly engages and the weight is firmly applied to the front. However, it does not engage unnecessarily and holds its ground, so you can corner on the intended line with peace of mind.
The inverted forks are fully adjustable in preload and rebound/compression damping, contributing to high rigidity of the entire vehicle body.
Preload and rebound damping are adjustable, providing a light ride and stability when cornering.
CP2 accelerates the fun of controlling!
The YZF-R7 is lightweight, compact, and easy to handle, and it combines straight-line stability and cornering stability, making it fun to control even in urban areas. The CP2 engine characteristics further increase this fun.
A strong torque starts to build up around idling (approximately 1350 rpm when visually checking the meter), and even at 3000 rpm it demonstrates the acceleration to keep up with the flow of traffic. In that range of revolutions, there is little torque fluctuation due to shifting, and the machine's behavior is not jerky, so the ride is very smooth. On the highway, you can reach 100 km/h at 4000 rpm in 6th gear, and experience the ease of riding of the crossplane concept, which delivers practical torque and power at low and medium revolutions. Furthermore, thanks to the assist and slipper clutch, which was first installed in the MT-07 series, clutch lever operation is light, the engine response to throttle operation is direct, and the front brake exerts a firm braking force from the beginning. The lightness of the operation system makes the body feel light while riding, so a wide range of riders should find it easy to handle.
While achieving such ease of handling, the torque and power increase even more when the revs exceed 3000 rpm, demonstrating acceleration that is typical of a mid-class motorcycle. The speed also increases in the mid-to-high rev range, but the feeling of the front and rear wheels on the ground remains easy to understand, and the separate handlebars provide accurate and direct handling, so the sense of unity with the machine is not lost.
The YZF-R7 is not equipped with mode selection or traction control to change the engine characteristics. This means that the riding is done only with the original engine characteristics of the CP2, which is both easy to handle at low and medium speeds and sporty at high speeds. The tight riding position of the YZF-R7 makes it easy to feel a sense of unity with the bike from very low speeds to high speeds, and it is also easy to control the machine, so I thought that among the MT-07 series, it is the machine that makes it easiest to experience the CP2's characteristics on paved roads.
The CP2 uses a 270-degree phase crank that responds faithfully to throttle operation, providing a kick-like traction feeling.
A radial mount caliper with the mounting bolts screwed in parallel with the disc surface, providing high braking power and control.
The rear is fitted with a Nissin one-pod caliper, while the front and rear tires are Bridgestone Battlax S22.
2022 Yamaha YZF-R7 Main Specifications
Overall Length x Width x Height: 2070 x 705 x 1160 mm
Wheelbase: 1395mm
Dry Weight: 188 kg
Engine: Liquid-cooled 4-stroke DOHC 4-valve inline 2-cylinder 688cc
Maximum Output: 54 kW (73 PS)/8750rpm
Maximum Torque: 67Nm (6.8kgf-m)/6500rpm
Fuel Tank Capacity: 13L
Transmission: 6-speed return
Brakes: F = double disc, R = single disc
Tire: F=120/70-17, R=180/55-17
Price: $6950.74