Yamaha YZF-R7 officially breaks cover: Dedicated supersport on a budget

After teasing the new supersport a number of times in the past, Yamaha Motor has finally revealed the much-anticipated YZF-R7 middleweight sportbike for the global market. As speculated previously, the R7 comes out as a direct replacement to the YZF-R6 and takes position between the YZF-R3 and the YZF-R1.

It has been priced at $ 9,000 (coverts to ₹ 6.57 lakh under current exchange rates) and competes against the likes of Aprilia RS660, the Honda CBR650R and the upcoming Kawasaki Ninja 700R.

The new sportbike revives Yamaha's iconic R7 nameplate from 1999 and comes built on the MT-07 platform. Belonging to Yamaha's R-series, it benefits from a striking fully-faired exterior design and a number of performance enhancements over the donor model (MT-07) it comes based on.

For starters, it receives the same 689 cc parallel-twin CP2 engine from the Yamaha MT-07. Featuring a 270-degree crank with an uneven firing order, the engine puts out 72 bhp of maximum power at 8,750 rpm, and 67 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. While the output seems modest on paper, the cross-plane engine is said to be a rev-happy and entertaining unit for its size. The engine comes paired with a six-speed transmission unit.

It comes with a full-digital (LCD) instrument console, a slip and assist clutch and an optional quickshifter. Save for these bits, there is nothing much on offer in terms of electronics features.

For equipment kit, the bike sports fully adjustable KYB upside-down forks, along with a rear monoshock featuring adjustability for both preload and rebound. For brakes, it uses radially mounted calipers, clamping on 298 mm front discs, and a single 245 mm rear disc. It tips the scales at just 188 kg which is just 4 kg over the naked MT-07 motorcycle.

It will be made available in two colour options - Raven Black and Team Yamaha Blue. Its India arrival is not yet confirmed at the moment.