It's been some time since we've seen anything from Yamaha regarding their ephemeral T7 Concept bike, which was first seen back at the 2016 EIMCA Show. It seemed as if the photos came out of nowhere—all of a sudden, there were brief teasers featuring the bike that popped up across social media, and then…nothing. Radio silence. If there's one thing we've seen following the release of Honda's CRF 250L Rally, it's that people dig the Dakar-esque look—but they also want more power. "Why not a 450? Come on guys, build the bike we really want!"
Editor's Note: Yamaha has since changed the verbiage on the video from "Are you ready for your next off-road adventure?" to "Are you ready for your next off-road side-by-side adventure?" which means this is not a teaser for the T7 as we hoped. Lots of the signs still point to their possibly being an FZ-07 based adventure bike this fall, but whatever they are teasing here is not it.—Sean.
This video from Yamaha tells us that we might soon be witness to the release of one of the coolest bikes you weren’t aware you wanted—until now.
Could this in fact be confirming a release date for the T7 adventure bike from Yamaha? With the video hinting at picturesque landscapes that pique the interest of that free spirit in each of us, we have to ask ourselves: Who wouldn’t want to rip a dual-sport version of Yamaha’s FZ-07 down some gnarly single-track trails? Or through a dark forest in Germany? That’s why this video tells us more than initially suspected—and yes, we’re as excited as you are.
If this bike is, in fact, based on the FZ-07 platform (which common sense helps us deduce), the T7 production bike will more than likely share the same 270º parallel-twin engine, with a few new updates. The T7 concept touted carbon-fiber panels, although there's a slim chance if any that this would make it to the production model—expect the usual plastic. The four projector-type LEDs shining through the clear, rally-inspired shield are a unique touch—and we hope they're here to stay. This concept also features a barky Akrapovic exhaust, which will undoubtedly be replaced by a U.S. Forrest-safe, spark-arrested model for the domestic market.
Here’s a look at Yamaha Motor Europe’s own teaser video for the T7, which went live back in November of 2016:
Will this be the adventure bike the masses want? Will Yamaha's ultimate production design be enough to quench the thirst of those riders who want a truly trail-capable machine? If it is, you better be sure that we're chomping at the bit to ride one—and we can't wait to tell you how it is. Until then, all eyes will be on Yamaha until the projected September 6th release date. Stay tuned!
