More new bikes for this month – this time it’s the turn of Yamaha’s light-middleweight adventure bike range to get some attention. The Yamaha Tracer 7, or Tracer 700 as we used to call it, is the softer road-biased adventure variant of the firm’s MT-07-based lineup, and sits alongside the hardcore Ténéré offroad machinery, MT-07 roadster, XSR700 retro naked, and R7 sportsbike.
The tuning fork brand is definitely getting its money’s worth out of that CP2 engine design…
Many of the changes echo the updates made earlier in the season to the other bikes in the range. So as with the MT-07 and Ténéré, the engine is now a Euro 5+ emissions-compliant unit, with the mods needed to pass that standard made to the 690cc 270°-firing-order DOHC 8-valve parallel twin engine.
Most of that is on the intake and exhaust side though – the base motor is still a fairly new design, so they’re not having to clean up a 15 year old lump. There’s a new YCC-T ride-by-wire engine management setup, which helps with those emissions, since ride-by-wire means the ECU is in charge of the air going into the engine as well as the petrol.
Old fuel injection had to try and keep up with whatever the rider’s wrist did in terms of airflow through the throttle valves, meaning less-efficient fuel management. With an electronic throttle valve, the ECU computer can match the fuel-air mixture closer to the optimum settings, for better power, efficiency and cleanliness.
Ride-by-wire also lets Yamaha integrate smart rider aids more effectively. Again, if the computer is in charge of the throttle valves as well as fuelling and ignition, it has much more control over the torque output, helping with optimal traction control algorithms.
That’s not so vital on a mid-powered bike like this one (it makes around 72.4bhp peak), but still worth having, and the 2025 Tracer 7 comes with a switchable two-level traction control system. The YCC-T arrangement also facilitates three power modes – sport, street and wet, and makes the new cruise-control system far easier to implement too.
Away from the engine, the chassis gets a bigger overhaul, with new 41mm USD front forks that have rebound damping adjusters, a 40mm longer swingarm, tweaked steel tube backbone frame and new radial-mounted four-piston front brake calipers.
Standard tyres are Michelin’s excellent Pilot Road 6 GT fitments, and the rear shock now has a remote preload adjuster on the Tracer 7 GT model. Wet weight is a decent 203kg, seat height is adjustable from 830-850mm and wheelbase is 1,495mm.
There’s a new look for the smaller Tracer too, with fresh bodywork and smart styling. You get new LED lighting (though it doesn’t get the mad headlight matrix of its 900 sibling), bigger adjustable windscreen and new handguards.
On the equipment front, there’s a proper 5” full colour LCD dashboard with Bluetooth phone link, plus new switchgear (including the firm’s 2025 indicator switch design which is a bit ‘Marmite’). Touring chops are enhanced by a big old 18 litre tank (hurray!), a new comfier riding position, two-piece seat, wider handlebars, and a narrower fuel tank.
The GT variant adds hard luggage, an even taller screen, centre stand, rubber-inset footpegs, three-level heated grips and an even more luxurious seat.
There is one surprise on the Tracer 7 though – there’s currently no option for the firm’s new Y-AMT automatic gearbox. That might be something that comes later in the production schedule, or perhaps reserved for a GT+ variant. We’ll see.
The new 2025 Tracer 7 and Tracer 7 GT will be in the shops for June, priced at £8,804 for the base bike and £10,104 for the GT. More info at www.yamaha-motor.eu
2025 Tracer 7 & Tracer 7 GT Tech Highlights
TRACER 7
New dynamic TRACER design with compact LED lighting and animated position lights
Y-CCT electronic throttle and YRC riding modes
Adjustable 41mm USD forks for excellent road holding
Cruise control for long-distance comfort
Larger 18l fuel tank for extended range
5-inch TFT display with smartphone connectivity and navigation
Radially mounted calipers for excellent stopping power
Torque-rich 690cc EU5+ CP2 engine
Intuitive new switchgear plus auto-cancelling indicators
Refined ergonomics with two-piece seat, slimmer fuel tank and wider handlebars
Michelin Pilot Road 6 GT tyres for excellent grip performance
TRACER 7 GT EXCLUSIVE
Remote preload adjuster for quick and easy tuning of the rear shock
Hard side cases that can each hold a helmet, mounted using a one-piece aluminium floating stay.
90mm taller screen with increased thickness plus 60mm of adjustability
Three-stage heated grips for all-year-round rideability
New centre stand to help periodical maintenance
Rubber-inset footpegs for improved grip and long-distance comfort
Special seat surface with thicker cushioning