YAMAHA R 700 REVIEW FULL

The best dirt section was a Jeep trail that was embedded with rocks and other obstacles like ruts, numerous water bars, sand, broken tree branches, loose rocks and even a rogue black bear. The CP2 Crossplane twin from the MT-07 has always made plenty of low-end and midrange torque, and it comes on even sooner in the T7. Keep the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires in line or let the rear slide, the choice is yours. ItвЂ™s the hands-down star of the show and provided heaps of confidence in hard pack conditions with a loose top layer whether seated or comfortably standing. The Crossplane 270-degree crankshaft motor is super torquey and won me over in no time. Our dirt-heavy 140-mile loop at the T7вЂ™s introduction in Tennessee was a dirt trackerвЂ™s dream, winding through gorgeous sun-filtered forest canopies on forest roads with varying amounts of gravel on top to keep you on your toes. I experienced no buffeting wearing an MX helmet and there werenвЂ™t any noticeable engine vibes to complain about. Sitting down at higher speeds the tall windscreen produced more coverage than expected and kept the majority of the wind blast off my chest at highway speeds. Its flat YZ-style seat and upswept muffler, slim tail section with side panels that look like number plates complete the look and complement the riding experience. IвЂ™m a big fan of the T7вЂ™s narrow and tall Dakar styling that begs you to go stand-up dirt riding. The rest of bike is all-new, including the narrow double-cradle tubular-steel frame, triangulated (welded-on) subframe, double braced steering head and aluminum swingarm. In addition to updates to the ECU, the T7 twin gets a new airbox with a higher snorkel, revised cooling system and upswept exhaust and a final gear ratio of 46/15 vs. This overachieving motor is impressive and has a wide sweet spot throughout the well-spaced gearing. The T7 shares YamahaвЂ™s CP2 689cc parallel-twin with its naked sport-standard street bike, the MT-07, which made 68.6 horsepower at 8,800 rpm and 47.6 lb-ft of torque at 6,400 rpm at the rear wheel on the Jett Tuning dyno the last time we tested a 2016 model. Switchable ABS on/off button is in lower right corner. Multi-function vertical mount LCD instrument offers good visibility whether sitting down or standing up.

YAMAHA R 700 REVIEW FULL

An aluminum skid plate protects from rock hits (and doubles as a gong at times) and the front fender adjusts 8mm to allow for taller full knobby tires and room for mudpack. The foldable serrated footpegs have removable rubber inserts for road riding, and both brake and shift lever have foldable tips like a dirt bike. Swinging my MX boot over the 34.6-inch-high narrow YZ-style seat (there is also a lower seat, and rear linkage available that lowers the seat by 1.5 inches) reveals a relatively narrow tank and comfortably wide tapered handlebar with half waffle grips protected with plastic hand guards. The bikeвЂ™s slim tail also has a built-in handhold. Flat YZ-style seat is part of the T7вЂ™s rally-bred design and allows lots of movement. As someone who spends most of his time on lightweight dirt bikes without any electronic interventions, I felt immediately comfortable on the TГ©nГ©rГ©В 700 with its light clutch, smooth shifting and excellent fueling. Most manufacturers have fully embraced the electronic aids arms race, with riding modes, IMUвЂ™s, ride-by-wire throttle, traction control, wheelie control, lean angle specific ABS, electronic suspension, color TFT dashes and more, which begs the question: how many rider aids do you need or are you willing to pay for? The T7 is a dramatic departure - its sole rider aid is ABS that is switchable when stopped, which works well. A quick glance at YamahaвЂ™s lineup reveals a gap in its street-legal but dirt-worthy lineup between the WR250R and the Super TГ©nГ©rГ©В T12, and there is plenty of room for another player in the middleweight ADV segment currently occupied by BMW, KTM and Triumph.