Yamaha R7 (2026) – Technical Review

Yamaha’s R7 ushered in a new generation of attainable middleweight sports bikes when it was launched back in 2022 and for 2026 it gets its first major overhaul with a redesigned chassis and massively improved electronics along with a styling revamp.

Pros & Cons

2026 Yamaha R7 - Price & PCP Deals

Yamaha has yet to reveal the price of the 2026 R6 but we don’t expect the new bike’s RRP to be a million miles from its predecessor’s £8,920 tag that keeps it in the same ballpark as rivals like Suzuki’s GSX-8R, Honda’s CBR650R and Triumph’s Daytona 660.

For 2026, that gets substantially more equipment, as well as the option of an ‘Anniversary White’ colour scheme that’s actually a red-and-white paintjob that mimics the original, limited-edition OW-02 YZF-R7 that spearheaded Yamaha’s WSB efforts at the turn of the millennium and now commands vast prices on the second-hand market.

2026 Yamaha R7 - Engine & Performance

The 689cc parallel twin engine is familiar, not only from the previous-generation R7 but also the MT-07, Tracer 7 and Tenere 700 models, and internally it remains unchanged for the 2026 R7 with the same 80mm bore and 68.6mm stroke, 11.5:1 compression ratio and 72.4hp output as before. But it still promises to be a very different experience in the 2026 R7 thanks to the addition of ride-by-wire throttles that enable a host of rider-assist technologies.

Officially, there was no 2025 R7 in Europe, with Yamaha continuing to offer the ‘2024’ model until the advent of the 2026 machine thanks to the vagaries of Euro5+ emissions rules that came into force at the start of the year. The 2026 modifications bring the R7 into line with Euro5+.

The Y-CCT electronic throttles don’t just allow a computer-controlled power delivery, with the choice of three different riding modes to tweak the throttle response, but mean the R7 can take advantage of a range of rider-assist technologies that would be impossible with a conventional throttle. The addition of a six-axis IMU means those assists include a three-stage, lean-sensitive traction control system, a slide control system and a wheelie-mitigating lift control system, as well as adjustable engine braking and launch control.

The max power arrives at 8,500rpm, as before, and there’s a fraction more torque for 2026, with a peak of 50.2 lb-ft at 6,500rpm, up from 49.4 lb-ft at the same revs. A 47hp, A2-legal version is also offered.

The six-speed gearbox is updated for 2026 with revised internals to improve the shift quality, and it’s paired to a third-generation quickshifter that works alongside the electronic throttles to allow clutchless shifts both up and down. It has two settings, with the first only allowing clutchless upshifts while accelerating and clutchless downshifts while decelerating, while the second mode lets you shift down while accelerating or shift up while decelerating, so it can be used in a broader array of situations.

2026 Yamaha R7 - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

While the R7 still uses a tubular steel frame, it’s been redesigned for 2026 with improved rigidity in longitudinal, torsional and lateral flex, plus changes to the riding position, the suspension and the wheels.

The new chassis gets revised diameters and thicknesses of the steel tubes, plus changes to the reinforcement sections, to increase rigidity without upping the weight, and gains a new triple clamp that takes its inspiration from the R1 and R9. The forks, still 41mm, fully-adjustable upside-downers, now have aluminium piston rods instead of steel, saving 350g, and at the back the swingarm is a new design.

Yamaha’s ‘Spinforged’ wheels, lighter than their predecessors, help reduce unsprung and rotating mass, promising an improvement to performance and handling thanks to their reduced inertia, and wear Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S23 tyres for 2026 to improve grip.

The brake components are the same as before, but now gain cornering ABS thanks to the IMU, plus the ability to switch off the rear brake’s antilock when riding on track, so you can try heroic sliding antics on the way into corners.

At 189kg compete with a full tank of fuel, the 2026 R7 is 1kg heavier than its predecessor in the same state – but most of that difference is in the fuel, as the new bike has a 14-litre tank instead of the previous 13-litre unit.

2026 Yamaha R7 - Comfort & Economy

The change to the fuel tank is part of an array of alterations aimed at improving rideability and comfort for the 2026 bike.

The seat is dropped 5mm from 835mm to 830mm, with a redesigned seat unit and tail bodywork into the bargain, while the new tank is shaped to allow the rider to move around more than before, giving better control and comfort. The bars are repositioned, too, and the 2026 model’s footpegs are borrowed from the R1, claiming to make it easier to transfer weight through the pegs.

The new bodywork doesn’t look radically different, but the front end is slimmer than before for a smaller frontal area and better aerodynamics, while the side panels are reshaped and there’s a new ‘chin spoiler’ under the headlight to improve airflow into the radiator.

The new 14-litre tank should also offer a slightly longer range than the old 13-litre design, although we don’t yet have fuel economy figures for the bike.

2026 Yamaha R7 - Equipment

You can’t really launch a bike these days without a colour TFT display and Yamaha takes that route with the 2026 R7, offering four display themes in the process as well as control over all those new rider aids via redesigned bar switches.

There’s smartphone integration, of course, but Yamaha has also added cruise control as standard, working at speeds over 25mph and in third gear and above. You can alter the speed in 1km/h increments via the bar-mounted switch and also set a speed limiter to make sure you don’t stray over the limit.

Yamaha’s Y-TRAC Rev app, introduced on the 2025 R9, also spreads to the R7 for 2026, giving datalogging and lap timing as well as recording lean angle, gear position, speed, revs and throttle position. It even has a ‘virtual pit board’ allowing your pit crew (you do have a pit crew, don’t you?) to send you messages when you’re on track. The basic app is free, but there’s a subscription if you want unlimited riding logs.

2026 Yamaha R7 - Rivals

The R7 has increasing competition in the affordable sportsbike sector, with old hands like the Honda CBR650R joined by newer options like Suzuki’s GSX-8R and a growing number of Chinese alternatives like CFMoto’s 675SR-R and QJMotor’s SRK800RR. Consider these:

Suzuki GSX-8R | Price: £8,999

Read more

Power/Torque

81.8bhp / 57.5lb-ft

Weight

205kg

Triumph Daytona 660 | Price: £8,595

Read more

Power/Torque

93.9bhp / 50.9lb-ft

Weight

201kg

CFMoto 675SR-R | Price: £6,999

Read more

Power/Torque

93.9bhp / 51.6lb-ft

Weight

189kg

2026 Yamaha R7 - Verdict

The new electronics package elevates the R7 significantly for 2026 – offering the sort of kit that was found only on high-end superbikes until very recently. But it’s in an increasingly competitive market segment so perhaps not quite the no-brainer option that it was when launched back in 2022.

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2026 Yamaha R7 - Technical Specification

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