EICMA: Now, with fewer cylinders – the Yamaha MT-07

Yamaha has added another naked bike to their stable.

When they introduced the three-cylinder FZ-09  (MT-09, to our sophisticated European readers), the world recoiled in shock and awe at the idea of so much performance for so little money. Did we just get time-shifted back to the 1970s? Where’s my RD350, or my Z1 900? Costa enjoyed it when he rode it in September, too.

Now, Yamaha has unveiled a twin-cylinder counterpart to the FZ-09, known in Europe as the MT-07. We don’t know if it will be known as the FZ-07 in Canada, because we have no sweet clue if it’s coming to Canada. Sadly, it wouldn’t be the first fun mid-sized motorcycle that Yamaha denied their North American buyers (cough cough, XT660Z, cough cough).

Here’s the skinny on the new bike (and we mean skinny, when we say it). The MT-07 weighs around 178 kg wet (about 10 kg lighter than the svelte FZ-09, and even lighter than Honda’s new 500s they introduced earlier this year). Combine that with a claimed 74 hp at 9,000 rpm and 50 ft-lb of torque at 6,500 rpm, throw in some wideish-looking handlebars (offering an upright seating position), and you’ve got what looks to be a very fun around-towner, with a little less edge and a lower pricetag than its three-cylindered counterpart.

And, that right there might be the reason this machine couldn’t make it to North America. Many bikes here are sold on ego appeal, and Yamaha may hedge their bets by only bringing in the FZ-09, as it’s probably a little more appealing in the power-to-weight department, and able to compete fairly directly with naked bikes from other manufacturers.

The MT-07 has a 14-litre fuel tank, 1400 mm wheelbase, and an 805 mm seat height. There’s dual 282 mm disc brakes up front, and a single 245 mm disc in rear. The machine has 17-inch wheels, with a 120/70 ZR 17M/C(58W) tire in front and a 80/55 ZR 17M/C(73W) rear tire. Actual motor capacity is 689 cc.

GALLERY

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It’s easy to see what market the MT-07 is aimed at.

The MT-07 may or may not make it to North America – but we’re guessing it won’t show up here.