Yamaha’s R7 is facing fierce competition as rival manufacturers target new riders with entry-level sports bikes of their own. This growing ‘sportbike’ class is improving fast, and excitement is rising with the new World Sportbike series supporting the main superbike championship. Yamaha entered the segment with the acclaimed R7 in 2022 and has now updated it significantly to stay ahead of rivals from Europe, Japan and China.
The goal was to keep the R7’s everyday usability while boosting performance and technology. The 689cc CP2 engine is unchanged internally, but the addition of Y-CCT (ride by wire throttle) improves fuelling precision, slightly increases torque and enables riding modes plus lean-sensitive rider aids. Sporty new Bridgestone S23 tyres sit on lighter SpinForged wheels, while suspension, frame rigidity, comfort, seat height and fuel capacity are all improved.
The standout feature is its advanced electronics package. It includes traction, slide and lift control, power and riding modes, a third-generation quickshifter, engine brake management, launch control, brake slip regulator, and ABS. It (almost) matches the sophistication of an R1 and, for a bike with just over 70bhp and costing around £9,500, it is impressively equipped.
To showcase the new R7, Yamaha invited us on a 160km cross border road ride from Spain into Portugal, followed by a track session at the new Circuito do Sol.
We’re riding an R7 in this iconic red-and-white ‘anniversary’ paintwork (a £200 extra) which is lifted from the race machines of the 1990s. It features the retro ‘R7’ logo from 1999 and even has the old ‘YZF’ name previously used on Yamaha’s sports bikes emblazoned on its flanks. It marks 70 years of Yamaha performance and those old enough to know will immediately be transported back three decades, to the YZF-R7 ridden by legendary Japanese rider Noriyuki Haga in World Superbike. I, for one, have fallen for it.
That said, the original 749cc R7 was raw exotica – a limited run homologation special built to go racing at the highest level – and today's R7 (which shares its platform with models including the MT-07 and Tracer 7) is incomparable in most respects. Some purists will doubtless say that this colour scheme should only be applied to very special Yamahas, or remain in the history books forever, but it works very well on the new bike.
It’s not just the paintwork that lifts it above the average either. A new top yoke lends a factory R1 appearance, while adjustable forks hint towards genuine track potential. Additionally, a new 5” full-colour TFT dash with Bluetooth connectivity adds a high-end feel.
Making a sub-£10,000, entry-level sports bike so visually appealing is hard work, but Yamaha has done it. New riders and old timers alike are going to appreciate the R7 on looks alone. It packs a wow factor few bikes in this class can begin to match.
We started our test ride in Aracena south-west Spain heading to our lunchtime destination, a new racetrack called Circuito do Sol, 160km away, across the Portuguese border.
On board, the R7 is unmistakably Yamaha, with familiar switchgear, including the love-or-hate joystick and double-tap indicator switch. The new display is neat, easy to read and simple to navigate, with four different themes ranging from racy to informative to choose from. Modes can be changed on the go, as can most of the rider aids. It’s all relatively simple to operate and, for a bike in this class, it has one of the best displays.
The riding position and ergonomics feel more relaxed compared to the outgoing model, and you notice this immediately. The handlebars go up 3.6mm and are closer to the rider by 8.4mm. They’re also wider by 12mm, while the seat (now at 830mm) is 5mm lower but feels like more.
The old bike seemed small, almost toy like, but the 2026 R7 feels more grown-up and purposeful. I think the wide ‘bars really help this, along with the quality of key visual references like the new top yoke. There's a premium feel.
Yamaha has made the frame and swingarm more rigid – presumably for track riding and racing – but softened the front fully adjustable KYB suspension. You can feel the difference in the setup, especially the suspension transmitting more to the rider. The ride is plusher, more comfortable and much more like an accommodating street bike than a track focused machine.
Some of the roads in Spain were broken and potholed yet the Yamaha soaked them up. Combine that with the roomier riding position and we have, dare I say, a relaxed and comfortable sports bike. The thought of a long morning's ride suddenly appealed now I was getting a feel for the new R7.
Engine-wise, Yamaha has added YCC-T ride-by-wire, played with the air intake and fuelling, and that’s pretty much it. Peak power is a claimed 54kW/72bhp at 8750rpm, which is the same as before, while peak torque is up a fraction to 68Nm/50.2 lb-ft at 6500rpm. While the numbers aren’t much different, the CP2 parallel twin feels smoother and stronger than before, especially in the lower mid-range.
The up-and-down quickshifter is smooth too, but I found myself opting for fewer gear changes than on the older bike, going back just one gear rather than two for a brisk overtake. I even found myself driving lazily away from Spanish villages in fourth or fifth gear with decent acceleration. The new R7 can be remarkably civilised.
You can still chase the revs, obviously. The CP2 is full of torque but we all know it loves a free-spinning gallop towards the redline too, and, with the lift control removed, will happily loft the front wheel in the first two gears with some help from the clutch.
This isn’t a slow bike, and it feels stronger than its quoted 72bhp. On test it was in its element on the route's long, fast sweepers, able to accelerate past 60mph traffic safely. When we hit some twistier switchback sections, the Yamaha again performed well above expectations. The combination of that softer suspension setup and grippy Bridgestone S23 rubber gave loads of confidence-boosting feedback – so much that I regularly dropped into corners with a knee slider planted firmly on the road.
The suspension is compliant and supportive – just how a sports bike setup should feel on the road. And if the corner tightens slightly, you can add a little front brake, even when knee down, thanks to the lean-sensitive ABS. If the road surface dramatically changes for the worse, you also have slide and traction control, just in case.
The R7 is aimed at new or inexperienced riders who will make mistakes (as I did on my first sports bike), and these state-of-the-art electronics will help them as much as they can help finesse the skills of an experienced rider. I certainly wish my first sports bike had had lean-sensitive ABS; it might have saved me a few scars. And for those who don't want the intervention of the rider aids, you can always turn them off.
The only slight negative to the R7's compliant setup is revealed when the pace heats up. While feel and grip levels remained high throughout our road ride, the front forks used too much of their 120mm stroke when braking or trail braking deep into the corner, and needed more support – but this can be done with adjustable suspension.
The R7 has been developed to race in the new sportbike category, which includes the Carole Nash Sportbike TT, WorldSPB and the British National Sportbike Championship. It’s also the spec machine for the WorldWCR series, the Women’s circuit racing championship, so it was no wonder Yamaha laid on a few hours of track time to put the R7 through its paces.
For the track riding part of the test, Yamaha technicians tweaked the suspension and fitted more track-focused Bridgestone RS12s, and that was all. Time to hit the new Circuito do Sol.
I was somewhat concerned that the R7 might be a little outclassed or underpowered in this environment. The circuit has multiple blind crests, positive and negative corners, wild undulations with every type of corner imaginable, and is more like a roller coaster and a test of bravery than a conventional racetrack. As it turned out, it was the perfect playground for this light-middleweight.
When you’re learning a new track, especially one as perplexing as this one, you need a friendly and forgiving bike, which is one important reason the Yamaha R7 shone. In that first session I opted for the standard Sport mode with power set to full and all the rider aids, including the ABS, to a minimum level of intervention. I could feel the lift control working over crest and rises, smoothly smothering and landing unwanted wheelies.
But I didn't detect the ABS or anything else kick in, and the unintimidating and wholly useable power meant I was always in control, able to pick the right line and turn in corners just so. New and less experienced riders are going to revel in this helpfulness on track and should feel relaxed and secure with those barely noticeable rider aids working in the background, just in case.
Despite my concerns about the front forks when riding hard on the road, we didn’t radically change their settings for the track. The spring preload remained the same, while the compression and rebound damping were increased. The front end still had a great feeling but now more control, and the racier rubber gave more confidence, encouraging me to let go of the brakes and carry more corner speed. For learning a new track, especially this one, the R7 really was the perfect partner.
Later in the afternoon, I removed the lift control and rear ABS – no science here, it was purely for fun – but left the overall setup alone. If we were pushing for lap times or racing I think those forks would benefit from more experimentation, but for a track day environment there was simply no need to waste time counting clicks. Despite only having 72 bhp – perhaps because it only has 72bhp – it was enormous, uncomplicated fun.
Get on the power as early as you dare (there's loads of grip and feel, not forgetting the slide control as back up), tuck in behind the decent-sized screen (bum in the air, obviously) and squeeze out every last horsepower down the straight. Pop up, jump on brakes, release and throw the R7 on its side to almost elbow down angles of lean. Then repeat until the sun goes down.
The ABS kicked in once or twice, and the pegs and my toe slider tickled the track a bit, but for an entry-level bike on this type of track, it was beyond mere good and relatively safe, too. Other bikes in the class wouldn’t have fared as well, with riders giving up as underdamped suspension and ground clearance became an issue.
The key here is that I was riding the bike, not the other way around. The R7 is light, flickable and fun to ride but never too much. After a hard 20-minute session on the rack, I wasn’t exhausted, just hungry for more, which wouldn’t be the case with something with more power.
Naturally, a 72bhp motorcycle is a lot better when all the other bikes on track are 72bhp motorcycles, and on a faster track with faster bikes – even bikes in this class have 90-95bhp – would it have been as such a gas? I’d estimate that the R7 has the chassis to match or beat any bike in this class, and rider aids are top shelf, but there is no hiding the fact that it’s a quite few ponies behind most of the competition.
Strong competition in the entry-level sports bike class meant Yamaha had to update the R7, which was starting to feel dated without rider aids. Yamaha has done far more than that. Its class-leading electronics include slide control for track use and cruise control for the road, giving it superbike-level technology for under £10,000.
These aids help new riders build confidence while also benefiting experienced riders. The 2026 R7 is simply great fun to ride. It’s not just about electronics. The riding position is more mature and comfortable, while softer suspension gives it a friendlier road-focused feel. The chassis offers excellent feedback and inspires confidence.
The design changes are subtle but effective, especially the high-quality new dash and top yoke. The 70th anniversary colours are a welcome addition, while black and blue options are also available.
The 2026 R7 is an excellent everyday road bike that can still shine on track, whether ridden by beginners or experienced riders. The main questions are whether 72bhp is enough, when the competition pack 20 more horses, and whether the £9,500 starting price is too high for this class.
Yamaha R7 specifications
Price: From £9504
Engine: 689cc twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, liquid cooled
Power: 72.4bhp (54kW) @ 8750rpm
Torque: 68Nm (50lb-ft) @ 6500rpm
Transmission: Six-speed, chain
Frame: Steel diamond
Suspension: (F) 41mm USD telescopic forks, fully adjustable (R) preload and rebound adjustable single shock.
Wheels: Cast aluminium, (F) 17 x 3.5in/ (R) 17 x 5.5in
Tyres: Bridgestone Hypersport S23 (F) 120/70 x 17, (R) 180/55 x 17
Brakes: (F) 2 x 298mm discs, four-piston radial calipers, (R) 245mm disc, single-piston caliper. Cornering ABS
Weight: 189kg (wet)
Wheelbase: 1,395mm
Seat height: 830mm
Fuel tank: 14 litres
Fuel consumption: 68.9mpg
Service intervals: 6000 miles/12 months
Warranty: 36 months unlimited mileage
Contact: https://www.yamaha-motor.eu
Words: Adam ‘Chad’ Child
Photos: Ant Production
