[ss_click_to_tweet tweet=”Yamaha supersport with engine of the MT-07? – also in the MOTORCYCLES.NEWS APP” content=”Yamaha supersport with engine of the MT-07? – also in the MOTORCYCLES.NEWS APP” style=”default”]
Rumors about a future Yamaha R7, which is to get the engine of the MT-07, there are already longer. Currently they thicken and an announcement is to follow soon.
The first rumors already came up before Yamaha discontinued the R6. It was said that a possible successor to the R6 could come, powered by the engine of the MT-07. If you think about it a little bit, this even seems to be a logical step, even if successor of the R6 or the designation R7 probably gives a somewhat wrong picture.
Successor to the R6?
The name successor suggests a model that is even better than the predecessor, or at least has more performance. This would probably not apply to a possible R7, which probably falsifies the designation successor somewhat.
The R6 had a power output of 120 PS generated by the 599cc four-cylinder. The MT-07’s 690cc two-cylinder CP2 engine currently produces 73.4 PS at 9,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 67 Nm. For a possible R7, something could certainly be extracted from the engine, but to come close to the performance data of the R6 would probably be difficult.
A Yamaha R7 as the successor to the R6 doesn’t seem to make much sense from this perspective.
A R7 would still make sense
But a Yamaha R7 is still a logical step. If you look at the Yamaha sports bikes, there is a huge gap between the R3 and the R1 that needs to be filled. Especially if you look at the competitors. Aprilia just recently released the RS 660, which has a similar concept to what the R7 could do and is extremely well received in the motorcycle world.
The Aprilia RS 660 is also powered by a two-cylinder engine and, despite the small number of 100 PS it appears to have, is a genuine super sports bike. They are currently planning their own racing series with it and it is also expected to start at the Isle of Man TT next year.
It would not be the smartest thing for Yamaha to give up this segment to Aprilia, especially since they have a suitable engine with the CP2, which has already passed the Euro5 hurdle and they have more than enough experience with the R6 to build a real supersports bike.
New rumors
Currently it is said in the rumor mill that the Yamaha R7 will be announced this spring and a release is planned for the fall.
Even though there is currently a lot speaking for an upcoming R7, there is one question that should not be ignored: Why release an R7 as a possible successor to the R6 when one could release a true new R6?
[amazon box=”B089NY7WWY”]
