Last year, Yamaha announced they will end the 21-year production of the R6. Naturally, fans around the world were saddened by the news, but at the same time asked the question: what will replace it?
Earlier this year, rumors circulated that the Iwata-based manufacturer could be developing a new motorcycle, based on the existing MT-07 platform. This new motorcycle is rumored to be the R7.
In this recent teaser by Yamaha, it shows a first person view of a bike on a racetrack. Then it switches to winding roads. While the video does not actually reveal the bike, the caption, “Track. Street. R World” suggests an upcoming bike/s designed for both racetrack and street use is in the works, much like the R6.
Another clue is the, "R World" title. Perhaps this is a teaser for more than just one model. A recent trademark filing suggests Yamaha is planning a whole range of R models, including ones we've never heard of before like the R20, R25, R5, R7, R8, and R9.
Challenging the Aprilia RS 660
With the recent launch of the Aprilia RS 660, it remains relatively unchallenged (spec-to-spec) by the Japanese, save maybe for the aging Kawasaki Ninja 650. Developing a 700 cc, with much of the parts from the MT-07 readily available seems like a pretty good idea for Yamaha. All they need to do is to add all the top-shelf electronics found on the R1 and the R7 is ready to challenge the RS 660 by the Italians.
