European motorcycle sales are finally seeing an upward trend and Yamaha has realised that this is the best time to bring in Sport-Touring motorcycles based on its existing models. The Japanese manufacturer recently took the wraps off the Tracer 700, a sport-tourer based on the MT-07, which is a naked middleweight motorcycle.
The Tracer 700, in essence, makes use of the same frame that is employed in the MT-07 but with tweaks here and there that make long distance touring easier. The swingarm of the Tracer 700 has been extended by 50mm, which in turn increases the wheelbase to 1,450mm as opposed to 1,400mm of the MT-07. Suspension bits also get minor tweaks so as to gobble up long distances with less fatigue. The front forks get a travel of 140mm. The size of the tank too has grown from 14 litres in the MT-07 to 17 litres in the Tracer 700. An adjustable windscreen and hand guards complete the tourer looks, not to mention the angular twin headlamps.
Yamaha Tracer 700 profile
The engine gets carried over as it is, from the MT-07. A 689cc parallel twin engine that pumps out 74bhp at 9,000rpm and 68Nm at 6,000rpm, cradled in a diamond frame. Stopping power comes from 282mm dual discs up front and a single 245mm disc at the rear. The seat height remains at a comfortable 835mm while the ground clearance is 140mm. Yamaha has managed to keep the weight of the bike in check at 196 kgs, even with the addition of the semi-fairing. What feels a little odd is the fact that ABS is optional on the Tracer 700 and from what we gather, will add a couple of kgs to the kerb weight. The motorcycle is already on sale in Europe at £6,299
So far, there's no news on whether Yamaha will be introducing the Tracer 700 in India. Even if it does, pricing will be key in an already cut-throat market for higher displacement motorcycles. Currently, all of Yamaha India's large displacement motorcycles are brought to India via the CBU route. And this means, a pricey proposition.
