Yamaha’s R7, tested on the Arad track, is presented as a modern sport bike that channels the look of a superbike without the brutality of a race machine. The review marks Yamaha’s 70 years in motorcycles and notes that the bike’s styling, especially in the red-and-white anniversary version, is a major part of its appeal.
Instead of a high-revving four-cylinder like the old R6, the R7 uses Yamaha’s long-running CP2 engine, a 689 cc parallel twin making about 73 horsepower, or 72.3 hp in the spec sheet. The engine, also used in the Ténéré, MT-07, XSR700 and Tracer 7, is described as smooth, reliable and punchy from low revs, with a V-twin-like character that responds immediately to throttle inputs.
Yamaha gave the R7 a sport chassis rather than just adding fairings to the MT-07. The company changed the fork angle, shortened the wheelbase, fitted fully adjustable 41 mm KYB upside-down forks, clip-on handlebars and a stiffer swingarm mount. The bike also gets major electronics for the first time, including ride-by-wire, four ride modes, lean-sensitive traction control, quickshifter, wheelie control, engine braking control, IMU-based Y-TRAC Rev telemetry, a 5-inch TFT display, smartphone connectivity, a new switchgear layout and cruise control.
The review says the result is confidence and accessibility, letting riders accelerate hard out of corners without fear while still feeling track-ready. The compromises are a committed riding position, more weight on the wrists, a firm seat, and a stock exhaust note likened to a sewing machine. Imported by Metro Frisbee, the bike was launched at a track day for Yamaha riders as a message to beginners and as a response to Chinese competitors. It is priced at 65,985 shekels, and the review gives it 8.5 out of 10.
