Yamaha has showcased its acclaimed middleweight sportbike as well as its naked sibling at the ongoing Bharat Mobility Expo 2024 in Delhi. Both the Yamaha YZF-R7, or R7 as it’s popularly called, and its naked sibling, the Yamaha MT-07, took pride of place at the Yamaha pavilion of the Bharat Mobility Expo. In international, the Yamaha MT-07 has been around since 2015, but its full-faired version, the R7 has only been introduced in 2022. Both bikes were also showcased at a Yamaha track day event in Chennai a few months ago. With both bikes taking centre stage at the Bharat Mobility Expo, it’s quite likely that India Yamaha bosses are convinced that the two middleweight models may have some interest from Indian buyers.
Also Read: Yamaha Unveils MT-07, R7, MT-09, R1 M In India
The Yamaha R7, like its naked sibling, the MT-07, is powered by the same 689 cc, parallel-twin engine.
Both the R7 and MT-07 are built around the same 689 cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine with a crossplane-style 270-degree crankshaft and an uneven firing order. The 689 cc CP2 engine also powers the Yamaha Tenere 700 middleweight adventure bike, although that bike has not been showcased anywhere in India yet. The CP2 parallel-twin engine puts out 73 bhp at 8,750 rpm and 67 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm.
Also Read: Yamaha YZF-R7 Globally Unveiled
The Yamaha MT-07 is widely regarded as one of the finest middleweight naked bikes.
The Yamaha MT-07, being a naked street, features a flat wide handlebar with an aggressive stance, while the R7 is the sportier of the two, with clip-on handlebars offering a sportier riding stance. The MT-07 is the lighter bike of the two, with 184 kg kerb weight, while the R7 has a kerb weight of 187 kg. The MT-07 gets a telescopic front fork, while the R7 comes with an upside down front fork.
Also Read: 2023 Yamaha R3 Review
As always, pricing will be key to the fortunes of these two middleweight Yamahas if they are to be launched in India. With the rather surprising price tag of the current R3, which has been brought in as a CBU, Yamaha India need to explore local assembly of its line-up to keep prices competitive. The MT-07 is widely regarded as one of the finest middleweight nakeds around the world, and benchmarked by many manufacturers. To see it launched, and then not see it as often on Indian roads due to a high price would be a shame. Same goes for the R7 as well. We do hope India Yamaha will launch both the MT-07 and the R7 in India, and at prices which are reasonable.
