MotorcycleDaily.com – Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike Reviews

Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike Reviews

Hardcore Yamaha T7 Production Bike Expected This Fall

Is Yamaha about to introduce another production model featuring the brilliant engine from the FZ-07? We are still waiting for the FJ-07 (already introduced as a Tracer model in Europe) sport tourer, which we might see next year in the U.S. Now, Yamaha appears to be introducing a hardcore, off-road capable adventure model based on the T7 prototype shown in these photos, and featured in the videos below. If so, will that be Europe only for 2018?  We here at MD hope that both models (the FJ-07 and the T7) make it to the U.S. market ASAP.  What do you think?
 

 

 


See more of MD’s great photography:

Instagram


83 Comments

  1. Claymore says:

    I think that this bike will be an instant hit. I hope that they can keep the weight in the low 400s. I rode the Honda AT last year. It is a nice bike but it is too heavy and it has too many whizbang gizmos. I want something that is nice and narrow with good trail capabilities but still capable and comfortable on the highway for several hours if need be. The Husqvarna FE 701 is nice but I want a twin cylinder. The Yamaha 700 crossplane 270 degree crankshaft should be a great engine on the trail and the highway. Bring it to the United States Yamaha!

  2. Michael Dachs says:

    I just read an article in MOTORRAD Germany, who had a chance to ride the bike, and they say the engine comes from the MT-07

  3. Provologna says:

    This bike please, but smaller in scale: engine displacement and overall bike dimensions commensurate for about 75 lbs. less mass. I presume this would yield engine displacement between low 400cc and mid 500cc.

    IMO the trade off of slower freeway cruising speed (for equal engine NVH noise/vibration/harshness) is worth the increased off-road ease, confidence, and larger performance envelope. This imaginary bike may or may not also consume less fuel, and if it did, less weight and fuel capacity, and lower cost of ownership are further benefits. Insurance and tire cost may also be lower, though that’s incidental; economy is not a priority for such purchase.

    For two bikes with engines sharing crank case, cylinders, and bore/stroke, the Adventure version is always heavier than the naked street version. Adventure bikes need heavier frames for off road use and luggage capacity. The smaller the engine, the smaller the weight penalty, again favoring smaller scale.

    Between Kawasaki’s 300 Adventure bike and this new Yamaha w/twice the engine capacity, I’d prefer the former. A bike splitting the difference is what I’m imagining

    • Scoot says:

      Yeah, that would not be this bike. Those little bikes don’t do well in the US.

      • todd says:

        Every indication is that the little bikes do well in the US, every major city being chocked full of them. Where do you get your data?

  4. Cyclemotorist says:

    Wow! A sure hit!

  5. MotoBum says:

    Bring it. Add mirrors. Don’t change a thing.

  6. PN says:

    It’s ugly. Who needs it?

  7. Spike5519 says:

    Bring it. BRING IT NOW! Holy Schnikes, YAMAHA MOTOR CORP., USA…..BRING IT!!!!!!

  8. Walter says:

    Lots of people say they want a smaller/lighter/simpler Adventure bike. Honda seems to have hit a sweet spot with the AT- basically the world’s most refined 2008 KTM990 lol.

    Even if the KTM p-twin is spectacular bike (and no reason to think it won’t be) there are tons of people for whom a Yamaha would be a safer/more available choice.

    I have about 180,000 miles of experience with LC8s that I’ve owned- reliability has been good to great considering usage– and what’s “unreliable” is peripheral stuff (950 fuel pump, 9×0 clutch slave water pump shaft seal, VRR: 1190 airbox seal) that all have known, relatively inexpensive, and effective pretty permanent solutions. The core of the bikes is rock solid.

    • todd says:

      The “core” of the bike being it’s frame…

      • Walter says:

        The motor and suspension as well. They are durable and can reliably be used as hard as you are able to use them.
        Plus, they trail crash so much better than other bikes in the category. I’m tempted to put a smiley there, but that is not really a joke.

  9. Norm G. says:

    Q: What do you think?

    A: i think Yamaha should have DHL overnite these into the country.

  10. Tom R says:

    Berms, piles of loose dirt, and rooster tales. It’s a frickin’ DIRT bike, and there are currently a bunch of these for sale that will do what this video shows. Including having to transport it in a van or truck to said loose dirt because riding it in any other scenario would be impractical and painful.

    This and other dirt bikes are like the sprinters of the track and field world: beyond a few hundred meters they are simply out of their element. If you want to go for a mile, or ten, or 26.2 or more, you don’t train as or become the sprinter.

    Sprinter dirt bikes and longer distance adventure bikes each require features that are for the most part MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. Blending and compromising these can be done only to a degree. It is best to get off the fence, choose your genre, and pick your path appropriately. And have fun doing it.

    • Mick says:

      Ever seen the Baja 1000 or the Dakar rally? I’ve spent many long days on an XR650R.

      I think guys that came to street biking after a decade or so of dirt biking have a wildly different options about what a “sprinter” is. I see the T7 as a bike that is a little too much street bike and a just a bit off the dirt bike mark.

      • Tom R says:

        “Ever seen the Baja 1000 or the Dakar rally?”

        Yes, along with the four-man support teams and six-wheel drive trucks that go with them. Most of the rest of us don’t have the budget for this.

    • Stuki Moi says:

      It’s a twin. Making at least the engine much less annoying for long, steady droning, and daily paved use, than any single out there. It’s also heavier, and most likely stiffer framed than traditional dirt bikes. Again rendering it less annoying for steady high speed droning and pavement use.

      I doubt it’s a Gold Wing, but then again, Yamaha just launched another bike for those who want a tuning fork version of that one. So, now they cover the whole touring spectrum, from ‘Wing, to 75/25 street/dirt (S10), to somewhat more dirt biased (This one), to more hardcore dirt and third world travel (WR250R.) All with seemingly very highly regarded machines.

      • Stuki Moi says:

        And heck, Yamaha still sells even the XT250 here, for real extended third world, back of beyond with no intention of returning, travel.

  11. Tyg says:

    Wow, all that hooligan activity and the bike was spotless!
    That’ll certainly save some post-ride time.

  12. red says:

    anybody holding breath for sub 450 is going to be disappointed. It’s got to be beefed up some from the fz07 which is already 400.. more substantial steel cradle frame plus a subframe capable of luggage rack support, armor, etc. no way is it going south of that starting point.

    I’m thinking adv-bike along the lines of the old ktm 950 adventure, but less fancy and better longevity.

  13. skybullet says:

    If they come in under 375 lbs with a full tank it would be a home run. Or… Wait for the “800 270deg twin that KTM has coming later in the year”. Yeah, it won’t be cheap but you won’t have to spend mega $$ to get top notch suspension, components and probably light weight. Disclaimer, I own two KTM’s.

    • peter h says:

      Any thread regarding setting up KTMs for adventure travel are massively expensive, and result in the replacement of everything from suspensions to the damned nuts holding the gas tank on. Light, complex and lively is not the ideal recipe for long distance endurance.

      Wr250 – a few cheap mods, if you like, and the world is your oyster.

      Look forward to hearing more about this machine.

  14. Gary says:

    I personally don’t think any motorcycle that weighs more than 300 pounds is a viable dirt bike. I rode dirt bikes exclusively in the late 60s and 70s, and the magic number back then was less than 240 pounds. Everything else was a joke.

    • Chrisgo says:

      It is an adventure bike, not a dirt bike. I wouldn’t ride it on singletrack trails (I have a 2 stroke 250 for that) but it would be a great replacement for my DRZ400.

      • Gary says:

        Looking at the pictures and the video, it does not look like they plan to market it as an adventure bike.

        • Stuki Moi says:

          It’s an adventure bike marketed to the “GoPro and ‘skills'” generation. Which, unless too hopelessly compromised in more real world settings, won’t in any way detract from more realistic uses.

      • Randy in Ridgecrest says:

        The T7 shown is a concept bike. IMO, it’s not the basis of a “dirtbike” – who would even buy one? I think the only real questions about it are, how slimed down from it will be a production bike based on it, and will Yamaha even sell it in the US if they make it.

    • Al Banta says:

      Agree with you but those days are gone.

    • Half Baked says:

      My XR 600 is a real off-road only dirtbike that weighs right around 300lbs ready to ride. The typical 450F motocross race bike is about 250lbs the off-road only competition ready versions are around 270lbs and the 250 models are close to 255lb.

  15. red says:

    Even though it adds weight I’m glad to see the double cradle frame beneath the motor. I take that as good sign that it’s going to be an actual off-roader and not just a graded gravel bike.

    I really think this could be THE long awaited unicorn.

  16. pBrasseur says:

    As an off-road oriented adventure bike this 700cc make sense to me, a lot more sense anyway than those huge and heavy bikes recently introduced by KTM, a 500 pounds 1300cc for the dirt!!! please give me a break! For this purpose this looks far more appropriate and fun, not to mention cheaper.

    Way to go Yamaha!

    Now about that 150HP 1000cc crossplane engine based FJ-10….

  17. -D says:

    Who needs the elusive blue unicorn of an adventure dual sport bike we’ve been asking for (the hoped for WR”450″R) when we can get a T7 instead? I dont see any turn signals or street gear attached on this bike from looking at the pictures. Perhaps because its a prototype concept. I’m sure it will be street legal since it has the FZ-07 engine. I really like this bike. This really looks to be the ultimate all around do anything bike. I’m sure accessories for this model will be plentiful.
    I was going to sell my Piaggio BV200 for a down payment on a new WR250R, but now that I’ve seen the T7, I’m thinking about waiting for it to come out before I decide…

  18. Norm G. says:

    wow DADDY LIKEY…!!! (late Chris Farley voice)

    oh, and as if to make my point about Yam’s aggressiveness at filling out their line-up.

  19. Mick says:

    I’ll withhold any speculation until I see the actual production model. I’ve seen way too many promising concepts turn into lame production bikes. I really like the 07 engine. But a look at the Tracer shows a MT/FZ with a bunch of heavy cosmetic parts to create a more dirty looking version of and street bike that actually weighs quite a bit more. The beauty of the MT/FZ engine is that it is in a fairly light, for a street bike, chassis. Hopefully the YZ guys make the chassis for the T7. Start by dry sumping the engine to give it more of a KTM 800 package.

    • KenHoward says:

      The Tracer 700 shows “a bunch of heavy cosmetic parts” ?

      It adds a longer swingarm for a 3″ longer wheelbase (over the FZ’s miniscule 55″), taller and more comfortable seat, larger gas tank, and a windscreen – it’s for lightweight sport/touring, not dirt, as this T7 is. I’d buy an FJ-07 today (if Yamaha is listening).

  20. My2cents says:

    DRUNK THEIR SWEAT………ARE YOU KIDDING

    Yamaha head office guru’s been smoking weed or what, the video was ruined by the blather of someone who sounds like a English butler berating the staff. As long as it has 12.5 compression ratio or better and 22 liters or greater than I shall be pleased of the general outcome of the efforts of the Yamaha Group.

  21. Vrooom says:

    This looks pretty excellent. Given there is already a 900cc sport tourer in the lineup, but not really an adventure bike (aside from the Tenere), at least not a lighter weight one, I think they’ll bring it here. We are buying ADV bikes.

  22. Randy in Ridgecrest says:

    Oh, it looks OK. This is a concept bike afterall, I wonder if the production bike will be as dirt oriented – the seat doesn’t look inviting, and its a little taller than necessary. But these are things that are easily changed. Having owned a R1150GS, three Dakars, and a 990 Adventure, I’d be a sucker for this.

  23. Tommy See says:

    Love my FZ 07 but no more than 2hours at a time. The Tracer I want but not in Canada ! Bring that machine in or XT 700 Super Tenere Tracer or what ever. The power plant is Fantasic.

  24. Tim C says:

    Aside: Can we PLEASE quit referring to upright road-oriented adventure bikes as “sport touring”???

    I realize the barn door has been opened for a while so it’s probably too late, but it is ridiculous. If ST is going to die as an unloved bike style, fine (well, not fine, terrible), but don’t swap its name to something else entirely….

  25. relic says:

    Should be called TT7

  26. Lenz says:

    I currently run a 2013 KTM 690 SMCR with the 17inch wheels front and back. After re- springing and re-valving the rock hard suspension the bike is proving to be very versatile on and off road at approx. 140kg, 6 speed gearbox, 250mm wheel travel, 12 litre fuel tank under the seat, great brakes but a little vibey due to the big 690cc single cylinder engine.

    If KTM, Yamaha or any other manufacturer can produce a bike that has all the attributes of my KTM 690 SMCR or even the 690 Enduro – apart from the rock hard, non compliant suspension ie 140kg or less, 6 speed gearbox, 250mm or greater wheel travel, dry sump / low centre of gravity, electric start and top quality componentry BUT has a 700cc – 800cc PARALLEL TWIN (not V Twin) or triple engine THEN I’m a DEFINITE buyer.

    • richard says:

      The FZ07 engine will be much smoother than the 690 single…much better for longer trips…less Buzz..my only issue withe the 690 engine.

      • blitz11 says:

        I’ve not ridden the FZ-07, but once my 690 Duke (2015 – no second counter balancer) hit 4K miles, it smoothed way out. I find it to vibrate less than my bmw airheads (600 and 800). I’ve done 400-mile days on it (with the ergo seat) and not been worse for wear. The thing about Duke or enduro is that it still weights 75# or so less than the FZ-07.

        Everyone has their own sensitivity to vibration, though. for me, the 690 is easier than the 1970’s airheads.

        • mickey says:

          I’ve ridden an FZ-07 (two in fact) and my biggest complaint besides the stupid half circular bar tach WAS the vibrations. I was surprised how many vibes made it thru to the rider, bars, footpegs tank all vibrated.

          • paquo says:

            i had a 690 enduro for a while and i was able to use it as a dirtbike unlike the 950 se i had- just too much too heavy too high cog for me off road / sand but the problem with the 690 was it was a mess over 60 mph, way too nerve racking for more than half an hour at a time. I guess the point is there really is no in
            between for mere mortals

          • todd says:

            That’s sad about the KTM. I’ve owned or ridden a XR650L, XR500, GB500, SRX6, XT600, KLR, F650, MZ660, and even the KLX300. Each one was perfectly comfortable with long distance highway work (the XR and KLX seats lasted longer than my butt did though) and vibration was never any worse than a twin (wish I could say the same about my XL350 and BSA B50).

            I’ve always wanted a Duke but always hear bad things about their vibration. Maybe I just like the idea of a Duke or LC4 Adventure and am better off without one.

          • Jeremy in TX says:

            Vibration was the primary reason I purchased a Terra over the 690. With a few suspension mods, the Terra doesn’t really give much up to the 690 off-road other than still being a bit heavier, but the Terra’s tarmac manners are miles ahead of the 690.

            I’ve read that the newest iteration of the 690 (2016 model year I believe) with the additional counterbalancer in the head is very smooth. I have yet to sample one though, and as of last year I do not believe KTM saw fit to put that engine in the Enduro, reserving it only for the Duke.

  27. Don says:

    It will have a great engine from the fz7 and probably have a wet weight less than 400 lbs.
    Will be great unit..

  28. todd says:

    If I wanted this to be a dirt bike/enduro (I’m no Dakar king) I’d rather it be at most a 400 single and look lighter. Since I spend lots of time on the road I’d prefer the FJ-07. I was always hoping for the XT660 Tenere to come to the US as a 50/50 compromise, better than a KLR but I guess that ship has sailed. I’ve been giving up hope on most new offerings lately anyway.

    • Provologna says:

      What about a parallel twin Adventure bike, circa 550cc?

      • todd says:

        For some reason when you say “Adventure bike”, I immediately think “bloated”. If it’s anything like the 660 Tenere then, sure. But what’s the point? I think a 550 Twin is probably similar in performance to a 650 single but might be heavier and certainly more complicated.

        For a while, people were putting Ninja 500 motors into KLR650 chassis for 20% more power but I’m thinking more of the now typical ~50hp 650 and not the 37hp KLR650.

  29. Tim says:

    Yes, please!

  30. Pacer says:

    The adventure bike should come, the sport tourer probably won’t. With the 900cc sport tourer already available I think Yamaha will be cautious not to canabilize their own line.

    • Dave says:

      Unfortunate for those of us who would prefer the “7” over the “9” but for the US market, you’re spot on. Even though I’d prefer the 07 myself, if I were running a retailer, I’d choose the 09 to carry on the floor. “Bigger is better” in the US, for the most part.

      • Fivespeed302 says:

        Plus, it takes just as much time and effort to sell both bikes. You might as well sell the slightly more expensive one. Personally I like them both.

  31. MotoMaster39 says:

    I think the dually market needs more small displacement twins. Let’s be real, those ancient frames and suspension components aren’t anywhere near state of the art for dirt bikes anymore. If someone wants a dirt oriented dual sport, they’ll get a KTM or a Husky, maaybe a Beta. The Japanese may as well slap a small twin in their DRZ, KLX, or XR650R and make them a lot better on the highway.

    • Provologna says:

      Yes. I keep thinking of BMW’s classic, iconic, and legendary 3 series coupes, sedans, wagons, and super-sport M3 cars and SUVs. They range from entry level luxury prices to M3s approaching $100k fully loaded.

      Not only does BMW sell these to eager buyers, they still set the benchmark for the genre after forty five years.

      I see no reason why the Japanese would not sell small to small-mid size bikes with high end componentry, priced accordingly.

      • Dave says:

        Re: “I see no reason why the Japanese would not sell small to small-mid size bikes with high end componentry, priced accordingly.”

        I bet they do in markets that buy small bikes. It doesn’t work here in the us. Americans choose bigger engines for equal money nearly every time. We’re a relatively small market. There’s only room for so many bikes, and EPA certs cost $$.

      • Norm G. says:

        re: “M3s approaching $100k fully loaded”

        exceeding, just looked at an 2017 M3 sedan last week that was an eye watering $120K…!!! ($119,805) this is for a 6 pot…? not even the older V8 E92’s fetched that. you’re into the new Porsche Targa “autobot” at that price point which is WAAY cooler and sure to be a classic.

        ACHTUNG BABY, i want some of whatever the Bavarians are smoking.

        • Stuki Moi says:

          That must be some sort of special edition of the M3. Or a dealer with more Chutzpah than sense. They’re pricey, but not that pricey. Assuming US dollars, of course.

  32. ApriliaRST says:

    My opinion is that I’d buy one– in fact WILL buy one– IF it can be adapted to carry a passenger in reasonable comfort distances of about 100 miles or so. Let’s see some accessories like seats, racks, lowered muffler and lowish passenger pegs.

  33. John says:

    I hope this bike is great, but it will be interesting to see if there’s a market it for it. It’s like a smaller HP2, though not much smaller. It’s almost certainly going to be 450lbs wet. Me, the bike I want is more like a 500cc twin enduro, closer to the Aprilia 450/550 twins. There’s just a limit to how much power and weight you really need, though I suppose this would be a good bike for me if I were 6′ tall and was 250lbs of muscle.

  34. caribooster says:

    “What do you think?” That is a funny question since most of us come to this site to obtain the inside scoop from MD.
    I think that this bike will be a big seller, especially if it finds its way to the USA & Canada. There is a large void in the mid-size Adventure/ Dual-Sport bike market. The current situation ranges from the “Ready to Race” KTM 690 to the KLR and V-Strom 650 with each bike having its pros & cons.
    My concerns with the concept T7 are the ground clearance, center of gravity and seat height. It looks like it has a deep sump on the engine which is forcing the engine higher resulting in a high seat like a Motocross bike or the KTM 690.

  35. Endurorider says:

    Wow, love it! I hope it gets here next year in close to the same form as the prototype shown.

  36. atlantarandy says:

    I’m really trying to NOT rain on this parade. I love adventure bikes. I understand the market for them. Go anywhere….within reason. But there is a “sweet spot” in a well designed ADV’s abilities. Too much street orientation…fail. Too much dirt orientation…fail. After watching the videos I believe this is the latter case. When he tries to loft the front end a little it comes down like an elephant. This can not work like a dirt bike. This cannot work like a street bike. I think they need to put ADV tires on it and a larger tank and seat and price it right in the wide world of ADV’s. This is a fantastic engine. Lately, Yamaha is seems able to undercut the others pricewise. I see good possibilities here but not in this exact format.

  37. Paul says:

    Dirck: It’s been three months (March 8th) since you asked readers to recommend questions for your interview with Kawasaki’s Z900 designer. When will we see the details of your interview, and your full Z900 review?

  38. Chase says:

    Lets not all start sucking Yamahas d*** just yet. There is an 800 270deg twin that KTM has coming later in the year that will no doubt blow this thing in the weeds. This thing will weigh significantly more would be my guess and that is a deal killer off road.

    • Dave says:

      How much $$ do you think a KTM retail version of something like this will cost, especially against the anticipated cost of a production version of this?

      I think the KTM will be the engine & chassis from the Husky Nuda.

    • paquo says:

      lol …it will be closer to 100 hp while the yamaha is around 70, about the same weight 440,better suspension, more expensive BUT not as reliable, lbs,and as a past owner of 4 ktm twins reliability was pretty bad so all things considered i’d take the yamaha and not worry about breaking down in the middle of nowhere because afterall the design brief involves going there

      • Tim C says:

        Indeed/well (hilariously) put. “Not as reliable” is a pretty dramatic understatement when the bikes in question are KTM and Yamaha.

        (Case in point – the buff books usually tread quite lightly around any real criticism. Motorcyclist simply had to rip the 390 a new one in its recent long-term wrapup, it was so bad in this dept.)

      • Vrooom says:

        Agreed, after my KTM experience I’d rent them, but not own them for high mile applications.

    • richard says:

      ya mean like the Africa twin is blowing 990 adventure’s in the weeds..lol

wordscape cheatgun mayhem 2 unblocked gameshttps://agar.chat/agariopaperio.network