2022 Yamaha YZF-R7HO (High Output) Review

Aussie riders and drivers have long had a love affair with horsepower – the more, the better – but Yamaha is taking a different tack with its latest Supersport range addition, the 2022 Yamaha YZF-R7HO. 

Because, while the main protagonists in Yamaha’s sportsbike line-up have typically commanded stratospheric performance from screaming in-line four-cylinder engines, and hefty price tags to suit, the YZF-R7HO dials down the mumbo and the tech, delivering a light, nimble, and modestly-priced sports package that favours handling over horsepower.

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So, what’s new? 

The Yamaha YZF-R7 is an all-new platform bar for one important exception: its crossplane-crank parallel-twin engine (or ‘CP2’, in Yamaha-speak). The unit can also be found in the brand’s MT-07 naked bike and Ténéré 700 adventure model. In the YZF-R7HO it’s in exactly the same spec as the MT-07, the 689cc twin producing a claimed 76.7hp (56.4kW) at 9000rpm and 68Nm at 6500rpm. 

Now, those are still healthy figures for a package tipping the scales at a trim 188kg wet, but they are somewhat subdued compared to the YZF-R6, which is 2kg heavier but produces 118.4hp (87.1kW) at 14,500rpm, and the YZF-R1, which is 12kg heavier but produces a walloping 200hp (147.1kW) at 13,500rpm.

Bottom line? The R7 makes more modest power but it’s more accessible, with a robust midrange that most riders will appreciate on the road, while it undercuts the R6 by $4000 and the R1 by over $13,000. And you could buy nearly two-and-a-half R7s for the cost of Yamaha’s sports flagship, the YZF-R1M ($37,099 ride away)! 

Adopting the CP2 parallel-twin engine has also allowed Yamaha’s designers to come up with a super-slim design – the slimmest in the Yamaha Supersport range, the company says – which, when combined with aerodynamic bodywork, means the R7 can eke out more speed and performance from its available output. 

The Yamaha YZF-R7HO reviewed here is actually one of four models: the ‘High Output’ YZF-R7HO also has a learner-friendly YZF-R7LA stablemate, while both bikes are also available as a special edition, with a striking livery that celebrates Yamaha’s 60th anniversary of Grand Prix competition. 

Clean sheets 

Bar the Yamaha YZF-R7HO's engine, it’s largely a clean-sheet design. The new bodywork integrates with an all-LED lighting package including daytime running lights, and there is a new LCD instrument display. The latter features a trip computer but, really, this model is pretty light on in the tech department (which helps keep its price down). 

The safety tech is limited to the mandatory ABS brakes – there's no traction control and no inertial measurement unit, so you can forget about cornering ABS, cornering TC, and wheelie and launch control. Ride modes? Just the one – old school!

There’s no Bluetooth connectivity, no partner smartphone app, and no semi-active suspension, although the KYB springs at each end offer a high level of adjustability – preload plus compression and rebound damping up front, and preload/rebound at the rear. All the adjustors are easy to get to. 

The six-speed gearbox can, however, be enhanced with an optional quick-shifter ($160), and the braking package – with four-piston, radial-mount, twin-disc stoppers up front – has been augmented with a Brembo radial front brake master cylinder (a first for a Yamaha sportsbike). 

Head for the hills 

It might be a middleweight, but I reckon this R7 looks every bit as menacing as any litre-class rocket. The sharp styling sure looks the business, and I love the look of the LED headlight and the LED daytime running lights that flank it. 

Hop aboard and the first thing most will notice is the tallish seat height. It’s not towering by any means, and most adventure bike and dirt bike riders will wonder why I’m even mentioning it. But at 835mm it could well be a tip-toe effort for those shorter of leg.

Matters are helped though by the bike’s svelte midsection (which all aids in getting a foot down) and the fact it’s quite a light machine to begin with. Even its lock-to-lock steering range is generous (at least by sportsbike standards) so generally speaking this is a very easy proposition to push around in the driveway or shed, or to manage at low speeds.

The ride position is sporty, with the incline to the clip-ons putting some weight on the wrists and a kink in the neck, and the legroom is adequate if not exactly abundant. But this is a pure sports machine – it’s all about tucking in behind that screen and full fairing for full aerodynamic efficiency, and throwing your weight over the front end to plant that front wheel. I have shoehorned my 188cm frame onto more extreme sportsbikes before (late ‘90s Ducati 900 SS or Yamaha TRX850, anyone?)...

In short, it’s no touring bike, but it’s fine for day trips – sprints through the hills, track days commuting. 

Speaking of, once you’ve acclimatised to the racer’s crouch, the Yamaha YZF-R7HO is an incredibly handy commuter. Narrow, low and compact, filtering through heavily congested traffic is a breeze.

More bite, less bark... 

Thumb the starter and the bike purrs into life with an almost apologetic thrum – it’s bark, in stock form at least, falls somewhat short of its bite – but the low rumble does build into a pleasing growl from the midrange on, and is still sufficient to send a chill down the spine when nearing its revlimiter.

This bike is just effortless to ride. The slipper clutch is super light, the throttle likewise, and there’s a beautiful sense of feel, progression and feedback in the front brakes, where the appearance of the Brembo radial master cylinder has paid dividends. There’s also quite a bit of power in the rear stopper – more than you’d reasonably expect in a narrow-focus sportsbike – which proves helpful in day-to-day city riding. 

I like this parallel-twin. Sure, it isn't quite as evocative as a shrieking in-line four, a thumping V-twin or a rorty in-line triple, but with a 270-degree crank and an uneven firing order, it has a gruff character all of its own. But it is certainly refined, with just enough vibration detectable through the clip-ons to add a dash of soul, while stopping short of being irritating. 

The mirrors do blur a little as a result, but hey – they're compact in the first instance, giving a decent view of your elbows and not much more, and you’re more likely to be focusing on that next braking point in front of you rather than what’s going on behind you, in the purest sportsbike sense. 

Wind on the throttle and the YZF-R7HO revs willingly and shows a clean pair of heels in most of its six gears. It’s not exactly frenetic, and I found myself spending most of my time within its chunky midrange. 

Get amongst it 

Like its LAMS sibling, the Yamaha YZF-R7HO is an engaging ride that responds best to active rider input – climbing all over the bike through the bends, powering away from apexes within the engine's sweet spot, and getting active with the gearbox to make the most of its available power and torque. 

The gearbox is a ripper – beautifully precise and sweet shifting – and our test bike’s optional quickshifter worked a treat too. 

But it’s this bike’s handling, and specifically its corner carving prowess, where it truly shines. It just lives to devour bends; it’s so light and nimble and it tips in with the barest shove of a clip-on. And while it holds a line with total conviction it’s ever-ready to change direction, and point its laser-like progress on a different tack. 

The KYB suspension worked a treat for me, no further fiddling required, and while it’s undeniably sporty it also shaves the worst from the bumps and dips too. The KYB package and the bike's Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S22 tyres allow you to make the most of the R7's ample cornering clearance and those front brakes are simply superb, the icing on one very compelling cake. 

Of course, it’s not the only slice these days in the middleweight parallel-twin sportsbike pie – Aprilia went all out with its new RS 660 last year, and a superb but pricey bit of gear it is, too ($20,730 ride away). It’s also available in a LAMS version too ($20,230 ride away), just like the YZF-R7. 

The verdict 

While we suspect the lower output middleweight sportsbike theme will gain more traction in Europe – to date little has put a dent in Australia’s horsepower obsession – this Yamaha YZF-R7HO has so much going for it. It’s unadulterated bliss when it comes to slicing and dicing a winding road, and it's an involving ride that looks as good as it goes, and all for a modest price. 

If you love sportsbikes but you want a more forgiving ride, you’ll find the Yamaha YZF-R7HO fits the bill, and will save you big bucks not only in the showroom, but on servicing costs and consumables too. It's finesse over fury, and we give it a big thumbs up.

Specs: 2022 Yamaha YZF-R7HO 

ENGINE   
Type: Liquid-cooled, eight-valve, DOHC parallel-twin  
Capacity: 689cc   
Bore x stroke: 80.0mm x 68.6mm   
Compression ratio: 11.5:1   
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection   

PERFORMANCE   
Claimed maximum power: 76.7hp (56.4kW) at 9000rpm  
Claimed maximum torque: 68Nm at 6500rpm   

TRANSMISSION   
Type: Six-speed, constant mesh   
Final drive: Chain   
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate   

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR   
Frame type: Steel Deltabox  
Front suspension: 41mm inverted KYB fork, fully adjustable   
Rear suspension: KYB monoshock, adjustable for rebound and preload   
Front brakes: Twin 298mm discs with radial-mount four-piston Brembo calipers, ABS equipped   
Rear brakes: Single 245mm disc with single-piston Nissin caliper, ABS equipped   
Wheels: 10-spoke alloy   
Tyres: Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S22; 120/70ZR17 front, 180/55ZR17 rear   

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES   
Rake: 23.4 degrees   
Trail: 90mm   
Claimed wet weight: 188kg   
Seat height: 835mm   
Wheelbase: 1395mm   
Fuel capacity: 12.8 litres   

OTHER STUFF   
Price: $15,049 ride away   
Colours: Icon Blue or Yamaha Black  
Bike supplied by: Yamaha Motor Australia  
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres