Could a new and updated R7 be landing at EICMA
If whispers from within the industry are to be believed, a new Yamaha R7 could be about to get an EICMA reveal.
Launched at the end of 2021, the new Yamaha R7 (no, not that one!) offered all of Yamaha’s supersport thrills to less experienced riders and those on an A2 motorcycle licence.
It also proved to be a popular steed for racers, both on the roads and short circuits. Indeed, at the hands of Peter Hickman, a Yamaha R7 took to the top of the TT podium thanks to a win in Supertwin Race 2.
Since then, the R7 has seen nothing but minor colour updates, meaning it’s ripe for a fettle before the 2026 riding season.
You may also like to read our 2025 Yamaha MT-07 review
What do we expect from the 2026 Yamaha R7
Euro emissions regulations are obviously high on the list, with the new bike expected to be certified as a Euro5+ model for the first time. Adding weight to this theory are some patent filings, unearthed by Motorcycle.com journo Dennis Chung.
According to Chung, the new model bears the designation RM60 (the old bike was RM39), and he goes on to state that the engine code for the updated model will be M427E. That would match the latest generation R7 to the most recent versions of the MT-07. That gives us a clue as to what we can expect, as the latest generation MT-07 gains the Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T).
Should that be the case, and we expect it to be, it would not only provide the bike with a more direct connection between the rider’s wrist and the engine, but it would also open the door for selectable ride modes and switchable traction control.
Specs revealed for the model within the documents Chung found indicate it to have the same as the latest MT-07, meaning 72.4 horsepower at 8,750 rpm and 50.2 lb-ft. at 6,500 rpm - near as makes no difference to the R7 launched in 2021.
Other details revealed from the documents indicate a slightly wider bike than before (winglets anyone?) and around a kilogram heavier than the outgoing R7. That final piece of information is probably down to the added electronics the new model is set to gain and also changes to the exhaust and catalytic converter - which will likely be a bit beefier than it previously was.
Whatever the outcome, we won’t have to wait long to find out, and Visordown will be on the exhibition hall floor to bring you all the news as we have it.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
