YAMAHA TRACER 700 (2020 - on) Review

Front brakes are great. Plenty of bite. Back brake good but need to press really hard when braking from fast speed.

Great engine plenty of grunt and love the engine braking ..

No corrosion

Nothing needed so far.

Great oem fit tyres. Hand guards and heated grips essential. As is comfort seat and taller screen. Overall great bike for short back road blasts or long distance trips. Lightweight , comfy and forgiving...

Suffered with vibrations issues with my bike, had it back into Yamaha twice only to be told within normal parameters but after 4-6 hours in the saddle my hands we’re tingling, and I found the bike very fatiguing over long days in the saddle. The riding position I also found a little cramped and my knees would feel on fire after 6 hours. On the plus side the seat is very good and I never suffered from numb bum. I found the suspension good and no need to mess with it, just very neutral. .

The engine is the star of the show, its lively and engaging, it likes you to rev it hard and its most happy being in the higher end of the rev range, egging you on but if you’re looking for something relaxing then I’d look elsewhere.

Some electrical gremlins starting to appear after just 12 months, hazards randomly flashing and battery struggling to warm start. Paint on the wheels is very thin as I have a collection of small chips and rim damage from changing tyres. Has held up to water quite well though, very little rust on it considering I'm not shy from riding it in the rain. The switchgear feels cheap and it poorly laid out.

Comes with Road Pilot 4 which which are now discontinued and Road Pilot 6 are close to £230 per tyre so expect an expensive quote when its time to change the rear.

Really basic, just ABS and an LCD Screen. Makes Yamaha and the bike look cheap. The USB port was a £20 extra on my bike that cost me £45 to have it fitted. Needs traction control at least and to include the basic USB ports. Paid extra for the OEM heated grips but they are naff so just stick a set of Oxfords on them yourself.

Issues with fuel gauge showing next to no fuel but when you fill up it only takes 8ltrs to fill up. So why show your empty when it has 11ltrs still in the tank??? Also headlight failure out of warranty. Yamaha don't want to know, and the bike has only covered 2k miles per year.

Tyre's are really good

It’s a great all round bike, no fear of feeling board or a monotonous ride. It’s fabulous on the motorway sitting comfortably at 70, there’s a little buffeting so adding an extension to The windshield would help. Having spent nearly three hours on one ride the seating position is relaxing and upright, arms are not overly extended and legs sit very comfortably on the begs. Upon stopping and getting off there was no discomfort or numbness anywhere.

Wow! It’s fantastic. As I said this is my first bike at the age of 52, and it’s supported me to feel confident and capable of meeting all my expectations. The engine’s performance will let you ride to suit your individual needs, given that cruising Comfortably or wanting to put your knuckles to the sky and feel the Acceleration extend your arms by two inches.

Been caught in a few showers though it’s not used during winter months) and so far I have not seen and parts corroding as yet. It starts every time even after the long winter sitting in the shed.

I wasn’t expecting the serving to be as expensive. At over two hundred pounds for the six thousand miles service I was informed the twelve thousand miles service would cost more given the extra work required.

The best feature has to be the styling, it looks modern and grabs people’s eyes. The lights at the front make it stand out in the crowd and provide an awareness of where you are on the road. I’ve fitted panniers which has not compromised any of the styling or performance, I plan to get a windshield extension to limit the buffering soon.

Out of the showroom I found the suspension good. The rear shock was slightly 'crashy' compression wise so I upgraded. But honestly it's not 'really' worth the money as the stock shock was good enough and I do do lots of miles a year on bad roads. The screen is an issue, or should I say, an issue for me, If you're used to these upright bikes then it's probably normal. This bike is the most comfortable bike I've ever owned. I can do all day touring with only a slight 'arse' ache which can be alleviated to a degree as the seat is easy to move around on without loosing handling. Put some ebc pads in then job sorted. I had to change the chain and sprockets on the bike after 7000 miles and was amazed how little wear the pads had - says it all. This is one of the ultimate do it all bikes, it really will do everything. Light enough to pop to the shops, sporty enough to embarrass garage queens if you can ride and don't rely on BHP, it is all day comfy and as quick as anything on the road.

Brilliant engine. And I love thrashing it as it revs out well. Torque and it revs out is a winner. Is it better than the CP3... Having owned the CP3 I think the CP3 is 'better' but it usually comes with extra weight and tech which I'm not interested in. Yamaha just seem to know how to build an exciting engine.

15,000 miles and counting in 2 years. There can be a rattle where the screen mechanism meets the fairing but it's an easy fix. Take the T bar slider off and add some additional rubber. Absolutely nothing else has gone wrong inclusive of winter riding. It has started every time.

For most people, if MCN are to be believed about annual milage, then depending where you live it's around £200 in the South East so cheaper in the provinces. What has to be mentioned is the valve clearance check - like most Yamahas its every 24k. Good luck with your Tiger 900 at 12k.

It has none. Which is why it is so good. Have a constant stream of 'service reminders' or engine warning lights then you'll know. Roadtec 01se's make it handle all year around.

Braking progressive and powerful enough. Ride quality is excellent, the suspension smooths out poor road surfaces and is confidence inspiring

The cross plane twin is brilliant. Tractable in almost any gear and with a smooth linear power delivery. Sounds great too.

No problems to report and finish is good

Great fuel economy and the engine is a peach

A bit basic but the bike is great value for money. Definitely recommend heated grips and lack of a centre stand is something that annoys me (to be fair, that's not just Yamaha). And range to empty display on the dash would be nice, especially when touring. The Michelin Pilot 4 tyres are great.

ride quality is good but more average. I do not recommend tracer 7 for drivers who want more sportiness. brakes are good. the suspension is a weak point tracer 7. very very too soft. an extremely weak point is the wind visor. it's too small and even though I swapped it with Puig it still wasn't good. at a speed of 140 km/h and further, the helmet came into a kind of turbulence. very unpleasant.

probably one of the best in not the best 2 cylinder inline engines on the market right now. responsive in every moment. high torque and consumption. never poor on horse power. perfect.

Never let me down.

it is cheap to maintain. consumption of 3.5 to 4 liters even with a passenger. service 120 euros. I didn't change the rest. when I sold the tracer it had 4000 km.

Wind visor is nightmare ( not GT version).

Excellent feel, well braked front and rear, progressive not snatchy. Good for up to 2 hours before a break, but would happily spend all day on it with those comfort and coffee breaks. GT version has panniers and decent pillion accommodation, though I might be looking at a bigger bike for 2 up touring comfort.

It's a peach, pure and simple. It's all been said before, and the engine's great reputation is justified.

All good here. Perhaps should re-visit when it's gone through a winter, but overall finish looks high quality.

Not over-laden with tech, eg rider modes, and screen is black and white, not colour. So what?

I'm giving it a 4 as if I was being totally critical then the shock is occasionally under damped. But I am being harsh as it's the first Yamaha that I've owned where I don't feel the need to upgrade the suspension - It's very good as stock. The brakes are brilliant, I own 2 bikes with Brembo's and these Nissin brakes are superb. 8 hours a day is no problem for me on this bike. The lightweight handling nature of it means that I don't get as tired as I would on my bigger bikes after a long day of Welsh mountain roads. This bike will sit comfortably on the motorway at legal and maybe 100mph but it really shines when one avoids the 'big' roads and goes on A/B/Unclassified/Single track roads. I have taken it on gentle green lanes but as usual, tyres and clearance make it slow going. No slower than a GS or Multi though.

Could Yamaha make a boring engine if they tried?! I still believe that the CP3 is my favourite UK road engine but this is phenomenal. How an engine with such 'little' power, comparatively, can work in absolutely every single situation is remarkable. There's always enough power - Whatever the situation. There's a reason all the journo's love it. Fuelling is good, surprisingly it has great engine braking which some bikes with slipper clutches seem to lack nowadays.

It's a Yamaha. If only my European and American bike was as well made.

I'm guessing a bit at the annual service cost but this is dealership prices down south. Would cost a pittance at an independent one would imagine. It's a low stressed parallel twin and Japanese.

I think that it should have come with the USB outlet. Not a huge expense but it would have been nice and a must for touring. A touring screen would be welcome but at least the stock screen has no real buffeting as it directs the air at my clavicle - preferable for me over the torture felt from the buffeting screens of a V-Strom thou or 1260s. The stock PR4's are good and they have taken me down some shabby roads and 'off road' without issue - there's just something about them that when you're leant right over they seem to 'dip in' so I will most likely change for some 01SE's. In an ideal world I would have CC but then that would take away from the beauty of this bike which is back to basics, lightweight fun.

Heading up hill to through the twisties the Tracer 7 reminds you of the first day you rode a real motorcycle. There will be a big grin in that helmet. Coming down the other side there is nothing wrong with the way the Tracer brakes. However, there are times when the front can feel a little long when you’ve been put some heat into the discs. The bike sits totally on the line of sport touring. It’s clearly neither and yet it’s just the right mix of both. Fun on the bends and well behaved on a long run.

The 7 leaves you with a smile. You chose a middle weight for a reason. That reason is the 700cc Yamaha twin power unit.

The matte finish looks lovely in the showroom I’m less convinced now it’s out on the road. Switch gear is horrid. The turn indicators switch feels cheap and is so small it gets lost in your glove. For me horn is far too far to RH side.

Nothing here is going to break the bank.

Great and clearly laid out screen with info in all the right places. However, the list of extras you’ll probably want is going to add up. Comfort seat, touring screen and adjustable clutch lever will probably be your top 3.

I find the brakes a bit grabby sometimes on the front, and also the throttle can be jumpy if you are not used to it. The suspension is clean and crisp and there is plenty of lower end torque to get you moving in pretty much any gear. I have the lowered seat and the weekend pack with the soft panniers. They extend the bikes usability and look really good. The USB port is a must if you are going for a long ride and going to be using satnav or your phone as a satnav. Bike is comfortable for a few hours at a time but a break is recommended just to stretch the legs.

Plenty of bottom end torque, revvy range and will sit at 70mph all day if thats what you want from it or bend it like Beckham and have a bit of fun on corners, it can do both!

Because its still under warranty, i always have it serviced at a Yamaha Dealership which can be a lot more expensive than an independent garage.

The higher screen on the weekend pack is still noisy but it does keep the air off you, and riding in the wet isn't too bad either as the shape of the fairing keeps most of the rain off your legs. The instrument screen is great, crystal clear in any light. If i had one complaint, it would be to make the indicators just a bit bigger as they can be hard to see.

Suspension feels better than old bike. brakes powerful enough for me.

briliant through the range

Only a 1,000 miles so far but everything solid. The plastics now use less bolts and more plastic clips - easyt to get apart but not sure about longf term.

I do my own servicing - mostly easy