Road test of YamahaMT-07 700 2025 We want more

Our tester's opinion on the MT-07 700 from 2025

It was a beautiful March morning, under a blue sky, when I went to pick up the brand-new Yamaha MT-07, the 2025 version! I picked it up, rode it, enjoyed it, and then reluctantly returned it.

Well, I'm not going to stop there, let's start at the beginning. This MT-07 is no longer the same roadster. For two years, sales have been steadily declining, and the tuning fork brand had to roll up its sleeves and come up with something to regain its leadership position in the mid-displacement roadster category. So, for 2025, Yamaha has listened carefully to customer feedback, and has given its MT a facelift! Well, not completely, but correcting the little flaws of the past to offer its rider as much fun as possible. I'll come back to each little detail as we go along, but first let's take a look at the bike.

A more aggressive but more pleasing design

One of the most frequent criticisms of the old version was its optical block. The front end has been redesigned, and the look has become severe, impressive, not to say terrifying. I'd criticise the addition of a third "triclope dragon ball"-style optic. You go from the eye to the three eyes, the in-between wasn't possible?

The front of the bike, with its matte paintwork, inverted forks and radially mounted double discs, is a completely different bike than the one Yamaha is showing off in this new vintage; not forgetting the speedometer, which is no longer on the handlebars, but mounted just above the headlight unit. By the way, the speedo is slightly low, which means that smaller riders will have to step forward to see the bottom of the 5-inch TFT display - a shame!
The version I was given for the day was equipped with a Yamaha windscreen. I must confess that I prefer it without, as it's not very effective, but above all, it distorts the bike's appearance.

Among the other notable changes on this new version, the tank and vents have been redesigned, and the plastic cover for protecting the tank now has gills. It's really good quality.
Last but not least, the shape of the swingarm has been reworked for greater mass and rigidity.

One small criticism I would make would be the finish of the wiring. The imitation scotch tape used to hold the harnesses in place is not very attractive, and remains rather conspicuous. But for the range, nothing surprising, and all the other finishes are beyond reproach. The styling is meticulous, the lines are beautiful, the materials don't look kitschy, it's really a beautiful bike!

Finally some equipment on this bike

Various media, as well as customers, criticized its lack of equipment compared to the competition. Yamaha has done something about this, and now offers traction control, ride-by-wire throttle and shifter on all MT-07 versions. It's a shame for me, though, as the version I tried out didn't include the new Y-AMT gearbox or cruise control, and the A2 version I had contained only two riding modes (Street and Custom), while the "full" versions are also entitled to Sport mode for even more fun. But you'll see later that, even with the A2, you can still do a lot of things and have a lot of fun.

The MT-07 has been equipped with a new turn signal management system, thanks to improved electronics. It's not complicated at all, quite the contrary:

• Automatic warning during emergency braking
• Turn signal turns off by itself after 15 seconds or 150 meters from the bend.

Handlebar controls are easy to use, with the horn and warning lights well below the indicators, so you don't have to press several at once when wearing heavy winter gloves. Navigation remains intuitive and easy.

The MT-07 that Planète Yam entrusted to me for the day was fitted with a comfortable seat for both rider and passenger. At first glance, it seemed hard, but it turned out to be very pleasant throughout my day. The same goes for my makeshift passenger, who confided in me that he was well seated, and didn't feel like he was plunging forward. The Rennes dealer had also added the brand's protective covers to the crankcases. Rather pretty and well integrated, I regretted the positioning on the right-hand housing. It's too close to the right leg, which hinders handling of the bike when you're on the handlebars. Without it, however, there's no problem handling the bike: it's still light (183 kg), has a very good turning radius, and moving it around is child's play (or almost).

A position adapted to my morphology

With my 1m78, which is the standard height in France, I have to say that this bike fits me like a glove. My feet fall perfectly on either side, which is handy for handling when stationary (apart from the right par-carter). But I'm afraid that people with shorter legs will have to adapt differently; especially with the comfort saddle, which is slightly thicker.

The handlebars have been lengthened, are not too high, and offer a very pleasant riding position without straining the back. The footrests are level with the buttocks, neither too far forward nor too far back. The legs are not too bent, and offer a good position for daily rides. An additional detail that can make all the difference: the driver's footrests are rubberized. This reduces vibrations on long trips, while maintaining a good grip on the boots, whatever the weather. This is not the case with our competitors..

As for your passenger, he'll need to buy arm extensions; in the absence of handles to hold on to, he'll have to hold on to you, or try to reach the fuel tank to avoid crashing into you. But as I've already mentioned, the position is also comfortable for him, especially with the comfort saddle.

Careful, it can blow

The small wind deflector installed on my test model is mainly for aesthetic reasons, as it's ridiculously small and doesn't deflect the wind any more than the naked version. We're on a roadster, so logically, we get some wind, but nothing alarming. I didn't feel any turbulence or whistling.
Luckily for me, it was a sunny day, so I couldn't tell you if water splashes might affect your safety.

Turn it up!

It's time to turn this bike on! The sound is pleasant, you can hear the CP2 very well, the twin-cylinder is almost smooth. Yamaha has worked on the sound to comply with the euro5+ standard, so it's quiet, with no tearing or banging of connecting rods. And once underway, the sound is always pleasant, singing and picking up with every twist of the handle, a pleasure for the ears. A word of warning, though: I couldn't tell whether it was my helmet or the bike, but as soon as I exceeded 100 km/h, I could hear more wind noise than engine noise. So on long trips, you might want to bring along some earplugs if you don't want to end up with a headache after a day on the bike.

It's very playful and leaves you wanting more

The CP2 engine, even when limited to 48 hp for A2 license holders, is a real pleasure to ride. The engine responds as soon as you touch the throttle, largely thanks to Yamaha's ride-by-wire system, but not exclusively. The bike is lively and takes off very quickly. The gearbox remains very smooth, but it's above all the new up&down shifter that enhances the riding experience. Although the first three gears are a little tricky, once you've got the hang of it, you're in gear without ever touching the clutch or cutting the throttle. As my model doesn't have the Y-AMT, I can't tell you how much I've gained compared with the shifter, but it's still a great innovation for a bike that didn't even have one in 2024, finally catching up with the Triumph 660 Trident and Honda CB 750 Hornet in this area.

The torque is really good, and it's a pleasure to play with the throttle as you go round corners. The A2 version inevitably lacks extension with its electronic throttle, but that's not a hindrance at all, as the bike remains very pleasant to ride.
On fast lanes, it will take a little longer to allow you to overtake, which is extra time to spend on the handlebars, and we're not going to complain. But don't worry: on the freeway, it's still easy to get flashed, and even with 48 hp, the 130 km/h maximum speed limit can be easily exceeded.

A feeling of communion

It's smooth and responsive at low revs, and the vibrations of the CP2 become exhilarating over time. The suspension is really good, especially the inverted front fork. I found the rear to be a little stiff, with a bit of a hop in the ass and a slightly light feedback. But that's just nitpicking, because the bike is a pure pleasure to ride. It doesn't even mind steep, bumpy roads, and lets you enjoy the ride in total serenity.

Braking is really very good, whether it's the front with the two Advics blocks, or the rear with the Nissin monoblock, I've never had a bad surprise, and always a good feel. Braking distances are very good under heavy braking, and the front forks don't dive too far. I was able to activate the ABS to check, and the bike didn't move, staying on its trajectory without the slightest fault in its behavior.

The Dunlop Sportmax Q5A tires are perfectly suited to this bike, which offers a very healthy ride. I'd already had the opportunity to try them on the Z900, and found that on this Yamaha, I had better feedback on the grip of the road, even though it was rougher.
This feeling of safety is probably enhanced by the bike's new traction control, which reduces the effects of slipping or spinning when you hit the throttle a little hard on corner exits; the system adjusts power to prevent the rear wheel from slipping away.

Mounted on its rail

The bike is superbly agile, easy to link up with corners, and follows the required trajectory perfectly. It holds the curve perfectly, whatever the surface. I've long been a hands-free rider, so I had a lot of fun with the bike. You can slalom, and the roadster regains its trajectory and maintains superb balance.

During a test like this one, we generally give a lot of importance to the engine's behavior, suspension, braking... So inevitably we put more strain on the engine, and pay less attention to fuel consumption. That's why I'm not going to tell you about its range or fuel consumption.

The 4th generation gets a facelift

The MT-07 was released in 2014, so it's only logical that Yamaha has once again upgraded one of the best-selling bikes in their fleet.

To tell you the truth, I was afraid I'd get bored riding a bike with only 48 hp, but I'm delighted to have been wrong. I had a lot of fun with it, and the full version will undoubtedly be a toy for even more fun. I can certainly understand why young and old alike are so keen on this bike. And with this new equipment, this new behavior, without the slightest price increase, there's no doubt that Yamaha wants to strike hard and regain its position as segment leader.