Yamaha Tracer 700

Test: Yamaha Tracer 700 (Baujahr 2020)

The Lightness of Being

imagePhotos: Motorradtest.de

Yamaha has a real bestseller in its range with the MT-07: class engine, chassis, and the quality is also right with the Naked bike. So it is obvious to expand the motorcycle line based on this bike. Voila – Appearance of the Yamaha Tracer 700, a crossover. And right away to us for the test.

No adventure bike

Developers do not have to have studied genius on a teaching position in order to come up with this possibility: you take the customer in the program and put on further models on his basis. The popular adventure bikes come to mind immediately, again the high talent still has a break. But you have to be precise, because the Tracer has not become a real travel enduro for every terrain, it should not be either. You have an attractive exterior, an upright sitting position, and the windscreen is on top. Terrain? Oh what, you can't do anything anyway.

There's something about it. She definitely does look good. By the way, the Yamaha is a good example of the worldwide division of labour: while the design and chassis come from Italy, the Japanese still push the engine and the gearbox from their homeland – to France, more precisely, where everything is then assembled.

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Unspectacular and good

The result is a medium-sized motorcycle, which guarantees the passenger a comfortable ride. In addition, it sits a bit higher than the driver (whose seat height: 840 millimeters), which guarantees a good overview. The decisive factor is the weight: only 196 kilos bring the tracer fully refuelled, despite generous cladding. How this shapes driving, we'll come to the same.

The Yamaha costs 8,499 euros, about a thousand more than the base – the Tracer 700 is still cheap for a crossover. The MT-07 is used for the engine and other technology. The two-cylinder engine brings it to 74 hp from 689 cubic meters. The maximum torque of 68 Newton doesn't sound great, it's at 6,500 rpm.

All vital data is displayed in an LC display. At first glance, this seems a bit old-fashioned. But that may be because Yamaha is limited. When the manufacturers compete on their large models, Yamaha is self-restraint precisely where the average temperature of Tibuktu is displayed and where the connection is for the beamer. It is quite beneficial not to see on the motorcycle display whether a new email has been received. This, too, can be progress today.

Then let's go.

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Light but not unstable

Surprises usually fall out the same at Yamaha: there are hardly any. So the medium-loud engine starts immediately, the clutch is smooth and the gearbox is extremely precise. The two-cylinder, which sounds a bit rougher than normal twins due to the shifted lifting pin trick, attracts neatly. 74 hp are not the world at first. Until the clutch is rudely broken at the start and the view forward is clouded by the front wheel at eye level. There's a really great engine at work here, you just have to say that. For the sake of completeness, there is no traction control.

It proceeds unspectacularly and evenly fast due to the rather linear torque curve. And despite the fabulous engine, this is not the defining element of Yamaha. Driving physics determines something that cannot be replaced by double the power: a low weight is always an advantage. This is not only true in the terrain, because she does not want to go there – see above. But how the tracer steers in, so spontaneous, light and yet trusting, that has something. This feature is supported by the comparatively small 17-inch front wheel. In this form, only the brutal Ducati Multistrada 1260 can afford such a thing.

Brutal? There is nothing further that the Yamaha would be further. Rather, she is the well-groomed companion for every day, of course quite suitable for travel. However, it does not have a high continuous speed on the motorway. The driving resistancewins against 74 hp, comfortable travel instead of lawn is the order of the day. A short grip to the windshield, it comes six centimeters higher, and relaxing is the slogan.

Simply good

Even at the end of our extremely enjoyable test kilometres, the conclusion remains the same: This is a good motorcycle. Suitable for everyday use, on long-haul flights, neither wind pressure nor an extreme knee angle, comfortable bench or operation that solves puzzles are annoying.

The Yamaha Tracer 700 is easy, fluffy and controlled. Yamaha. This is true, and this should come as little surprise, for the experienced and high-quality workmanship.

If you want to upgrade your tracer at the factory, you have a choice of various accessories and four packages. The range ranges from the larger windshield, sports exhaust to various containers and bags. But then there is an end to cheap: Full equipment raises the price to more than 12,000 euros.

The test bike was provided to us by Tecius & Reimers in Hamburg.

Tools:

Travel package€1248.95

Suitcase set

High windshield

Comfort bench

USB connection in the cockpit

 

Weekend package€772.95

ABS soft bags

High windshield

Tankpad

USB connection in the cockpit

 

Urban Package€439.95

USB connection in the cockpit

Luggage rack

Top Case

Backrest Sonzius

 

Sports Package419.95€

Short license plate holder

Guard

Price / Availability / Colours / Years of Construction

  • Price: 8.499€
  • Used (3 years old): 5,700€
  • Years of construction: since 2020
  • Availability: good
  • Colours: icon grey, sonic grey, phantom blue
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Zubehör für die
Tracer 700

  • Moneta
  • Polo
  • Amazon

Pro & Kontra

  • Engine
  • Processing
  • Comfort
  • Total package
  • Windshield small

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Von unserem Team geprüft:

General

Type
Crossover
Eia
€8,499

Dimensions

Length
2,138 mm
Height
1,270 mm
Weight
196 kg
Seat
835 mm
Wheelbase
1,404 mm

Driving Performance & Range

Tank contents
17 l
Highest-speed
200 km/h

Motor & Power Transmission

Engine design
Number
Number of cylinders
2
Cooling
liquid
Displacement
689 cc
Hole
80 mm
Hub
68.6 mm
Performance
75 HP
Torque
68 NM
Number of gears
6
Drive
Chain

Suspension & Brakes

Travel:
130 mm
Strut rear
Mono-featherleg
Travel:
130 mm
Suspension rear
Two-arm swingarm
Brakes in front
Double disc
282 mm
Brakes rear
Disk
245