Yamaha has finally taken the wraps off the 689cc parallel-twin-powered Tracer 700 that was spied on test last year.
Notice that while it bears the MT-07’s engine, Yamaha has dropped the ‘MT’ branding on the bike. Instead, ‘Tracer’ itself has become a model range. The three-cylinder machine formerly known as the MT-09 Tracer has simultaneously been renamed ‘Tracer 900’.
It’s a sensible move, leaving ‘MT’ as a catch-all name for Yamaha’s naked roadsters, ranging from the MT125 to the R1-based MT-10, rather than muddying the water with both faired and unfaired MT models.
Just like the MT-09-based Tracer 900, the new Tracer 700 is a sports tourer with a slight adventure bike feel. While the same engine will also feature in a much more hardcore Tenere 700 in the near future, in the meantime the Tracer 700 will satisfy riders looking for a bit of adventure image without actually going as far as wire wheels and knobbly tyres.
While the frame and engine are straight from the MT-07, meaning the Tracer 700’s numbers match that bike’s with 55kW at 9000rpm and 68Nm at 6500rpm, it’s not just an MT with a fairing. The swingarm is new, helping to increase the rear suspension travel from 130mm to 142mm and increasing the wheelbase by 50mm to 1450mm. Seat height is also increased, from 805mm to 845mm. There’s also a larger, 17 litre fuel tank, up from 14 litres, and a new seat and tail unit to go with the fairing. Both the pillion pegs and the handlebars are redesigned, giving a new riding position for both the rider and passenger, too.
The addition of a fairing and the larger tank and seat inevitably increase the weight, but at 196kg including a full tank of fuel, it’s only 14kg more than the naked MT-07. That bodes well for the forthcoming Tenere 700, too.
As with the MT-07, the price is key to the Tracer’s appeal, and it’s seriously cheap. Where prices have been announced, they’re only around 17% more than the MT-07. In the UK, for instance, the Tracer is £6299 compared to £5349 for the MT-07. Importantly, it undercuts Honda’s NC750X. But the Yamaha still offers kit including a manually adjustable screen and hand guards as standard.
Optional extras will include luggage and a taller screen. The Tracer 700 reaches dealers in July this year.
