Yamaha’s automatic transmission comes to Tracer 7 platform
Yamaha is bringing its automatic transmission technology to what was already one of the all-round best affordable sport tourers on the market.
Yamaha’s 700cc sport-touring machine has become an even more appealing proposition, with the tuning fork brand announcing that the 2026 Tracer 7 and Tracer 7 GT will be available with automatic transmission.
Yamaha’s Y-AMT system (Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission) functions a bit like Honda’s DCT transmission in that riders can choose to let the bike do all the work - going fully automatic - or shift manually via switches at the left grip.
Editor Toad Hancocks explained the system in detail earlier this year, describing it as a system that “has been years in the making – the culmination of extensive development in previous Yamaha platforms.”
With recent data showing that one in four UK driving tests being taken in automatic cars, it’s clear that Y-AMT isn’t a fringe concept for some. Hitherto, it has only been available on the MT-07, MT-09, Tracer 9 GT and Tracer 9 GT+.
(You may want to read our review of the Yamaha MT-09 Y-AMT)
With its addictive and delightful CP2 engine, the Tracer 7/Tracer 7 GT was already one of the best affordable light-touring/all-rounders you could buy. Adding Y-AMT makes it even more practical - either for commuting or cross-country jaunts.
“Working in perfect harmony with Yamaha Ride Control (YRC) electronic features, the Y-AMT system offers an even more dynamic and exhilarating ride with unmatched levels of comfort and practicality,” states a Yamaha media release.
The 2026 Y-AMT-equipped Tracer 7 and Tracer 7 GT will be available in the same colour schemes as the good old-fashioned six-speed manual transmission models. So only you will know that you’re having an easier time navigating traffic. For the Tracer 7, those colours are “Redline” and “Midnight Black;” for the Tracer 7 GT, colours are the nonsensically named “Icon Performance,” and Tech Black.
Pricing on the Y-AMT models has not yet been announced.
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Chris Cope is a fourth-generation journalist, originally from Texas. He has lived in the UK for roughly two decades and has been writing about motorcycles for most of that time. He has written for dozens of publications and websites in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
