Finally. It's coming. XT700

[AVGeek]

Please Yamaha, bring this bike to the US!

 

[doc187]

I agree!!

 

[Stridey]

German Motorrad Magazine latest test and video. Looks good. I have the XT660Z from 2008 and its a great bike but this new concept which I'm sure will make it into production albeit in a modified form for road/trail use could be its replacement for me. T7 for trail riding and S10 for touring?

here's the video link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygHqXg6ZmFU

the language is German but there are English subtitles. Looks good.

 

[mebgardner]

'Nother story. Cycle seems heavy at suggested target weight.

http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/xt700z-tenere-ready-for-production/

 

[Madhatter]

already have a big pig, it needs to be ktm light or why bother.... ktm 690 put out 70 plus HP , this Yamaha to be competitive should be close in weight to the ktm or the husky (same bike mostly) if so it will sell well ....

 

[RED CAT]

The beauty is the fact that it is a TWIN not a SINGLE. Once you ride a twin its hard to go back to a single except for serious trail work.

 

[Sierra1]

Ok....help me out. The bike looks like it will be great, compact with a good engine, and lighter for better off-road riding. BUT, is it designed to be used in the same manner as the 1200cc version? I.E. load it up like a mule, and go across country/continent. To me, it sacrifices capabilities for lighter weight. Am I looking at this wrong?

 

[Dogdaze]

I think any bike is capable of cross-country / continent, how and at what level of comfort and ease will be the difference. I'm sure it will be more than competent to cross deserts and continents, I knew a few guys that have done exactly that on the 'old' 2013- XT660 Tenere, and that is/was a single cylinder, but don't expect to cover the same distances on highways a S10 would and you will be more tired at the end of a long slab day, but more relaxed at the end of a long sandy, pot-holed day than an S10......
There is a lady that crossed Asia on a Honda CRF250L in the last couple of years.

 

[mebgardner]

Ok....help me out. The bike looks like it will be great, compact with a good engine, and lighter for better off-road riding. BUT, is it designed to be used in the same manner as the 1200cc version? I.E. load it up like a mule, and go across country/continent. To me, it sacrifices capabilities for lighter weight. Am I looking at this wrong?

Everything is a compromise. Every facet of engineering design is a trade off. In almost every discipline. Only seldom does a design change become clearly superior, and I mean something like wall phone / hard landline to cell phone change, or vacuum tube to transistor, that sort of change. Even then, they're step-wise progress in modern times, usually not a single leap.

So also in this cycle design. We're arguing, as users, about the tradeoffs that the design team will decide on what is called a "mid-sized" by today's standards.

I know what trades I want, the next guy will want a different set of trade offs.

I recommend a read of this month's (July 2017) "Cycle World" magazine. This is, in my opinion, a watershed issue. Article after article about style .vs performance, and the reasons we choose to ride what we do. Truly have not seen an issue like this from any cycle rag, for a long time, fascinating reading.

I bring it up here, because the same design issues influence our choice about what we ride with respect to ADV machines, whether full, mid or small size.

Style absolutely drives some of the trade offs I want to appear on this cycle. But, it's not the main thing that drives my requests for this model, the T700.

I suggest you may be (or maybe not, you're just asking the question) being influenced by the Big Adventure Style set out by the promotion efforts of Charlie and Ewan, on 1200 cc BMW ADVs, unless you really *are* intent on a RTW adventure. Even then, do you really want to carry the kitchen sink, and then lift it when you take a nap, or have it crush your leg? Those women on the 250s have made a truly excellent choice for their activity: RTW rides in foreign lands with little to no support, with somewhat hostile local men (yes, most the time the local women in the same region provide wonderful support for them), with fuel range, with having to lift it, with... well, the design space and tradeoffs for their chosen cycle.

So, we're (finally!) getting some traction in the mid size developments of design tradeoffs. I lean towards lighter weight. I'm likely trading off frame strength (carrying capacity) and gadgets to obtain it. You seem to (again, maybe / maybe not) lean towards max carrying capacity, to "load it up, and go cross country...".

I have purposely kept the Dual Sport Style (Category?) out of these remarks, because I'm focusing on your question above. If seen in the lens of DS, then there is an answer to your question in that view of this cycle. If the lens shifts to an ADV focus, there is yet another, different answer, depending on aftermarket support (inclusion of panniers / luggage / racks / etc).

We'll all vote with (or not, by abstaining) with our wallets. The really good news is, there will be choices available, not just a single cycle, in the mid size ADV marketplace.

Within the sphere of approximately mid size, say from 500cc to 900cc (and I on purpose set the 1000cc liter cycles outside this window), there will be many good alternatives in the next year or two for mid size ADV purposes: Honda CB500X, KTM 690 with the redesigned, more reliable motor (yes, KTM, I'm Looking At You), T700, KTM 790 / 800, Triumph XC800s, what else? (I've left off the Suz DL650 and Kaw 650 on purpose, I believe they do not qualify due mostly to too expensive to solve easily suspension issues, and left off the Yam FJ09/FZ09/FZ07 for same reasons, and too low, unguarded exhaust and oil plumbing, and the Husq 701 for the rear plastic tank / no subframe issues. I'm dubious about the Triumphs, because of their solid frames: bend'em and break'em, no replaceable subframe, and riders / writers say they're lame off-road).

There are more choices if one will consider "old school" carb tech: New DRZ400, DR650, and Honda 650s are still made and sold in USA. They can be modified to "fit" into this mid size ADV mold.

So, I'll summarize by giving my opinion of the answers to your questions: Yes.

 

[greg the pole]

As pointed out by Meb above, everything is a compromise.

ask yourself what you will do the most on your bike, then buy a bike as close to your needs as possible.
If you do go on a trip, take only what you need. don't bring the two burner stove, and four pots, two pans, half of the kitchen china. Yes it would be nice, but that weight spoils the ride, and when you have to pick it up, it will likely ruin your back.

Many dream of the round the world adventures, but few carry out those dreams.
The big tenere can do 80% of what the smaller bikes can do (technical quad trails is where it stops...for me), yet can cover big distances with extreme ease.

the T7 will likely excel in the more technical stuff, if the weigh is lower, but will suffer slightly on highway (read: above 140 km/h...ermmm 75 mpeee h).

I cannot wait to see if the T7 hits the nail on the head. Choice is a very good thing indeed.

 

[~TABASCO~]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygHqXg6ZmFU

Prototype looks awesome ! IMOP, they need to use the KTM as the goal for power and weight... Unfortunately, the production will probably not look like this, and it will gain a considerable amount of weight :-[

$11.500 Euros ?

$13,102 US ? For a 700 ? ???


I hope they bring a bad ass 700 'T7' to the US, but I don't think they will and here is why.... 2017 Vstrom 650 $8,799...... 2017 Vstrom 1000 $12,999.... And we all know they 'deal' on these all day long. I understand this is all up in the air and just speculation, but I hope it has KTM spec's with a "reasonable" price....

Otherwise I can for see the future with my magic crystal ball.... LOL Doesn't look like the prototype, over weight, under powered, and too expensive. O' yea, and if they bring it over ? The video bike looks super cool though !!!!!!

Isn't forum speculation conversation so much fun... LOL

 

[Sierra1]

mebgardner is right....everybody has an image/idea of what a perfect bike is, and what they would do with/to it. The current 1200cc Tenere is MY perfect bike. I put a skid plate on it because some genius decided that the best place for an oil filter was low on the front of the engine. The T7 has the same design. I put crash bars on it because I put crash bars on everything. Poop happens. That's it...."I" am totally satisfied with everything else. At 6' & 315lbs, I would look like a monkey humping a foot ball on a 700cc Tenere. "I" am more than satisfied with my Tenere's weight/power. I love the FJR, but after riding the Tenere, it feels fragile. "I" don't know why it is expected that the T7 will be expensive, the FZ-07 is only $7,200. "I" can't see Yamaha adding $6,000 onto the price. Of course "I" am probably in the minority. Hope everybody gets the bike they want though.

 

[snakebitten]

My crystal ball gibberish:

If it ends up weighing 475-515 lbs, then I agree it won't cost $6000.00 more than the FZ-07.
But if Tabasco got his KTMish wish, and it came in at 400-450? It could easily cost way more than the FZ.

It'd be a gutsy move on Yamahas part to go hard at the prototype in final version. And I'd be ecstatic!
But I admit the little voice in my head says "no way".

However, either version will be a Yamaha! I bet it is a nice bike for whatever it ends up being.

 

[mebgardner]

Yeah, I really need this model to come in closer to the 400 lb side of things, for me to open the wallet. If they get close, I'm willing to open wider.

I'm looking to roll two cycles into one, really.

I own a Suzuki DL650 "Wee Strom", but it does not have the off road chops I want and it's borderline too heavy, weight wise, that I would take off road (read: dirt nap lift) anyway. I also own a DRZ400 that I'm very comfortable going off road to anywhere I still want to go, but it has waaaay too many maintenance issues on an ongoing basis.

So, I'm on the hunt for my next Dual Sport (Look! I said it!), and we'll see where the design lands.

Otherwise, I'll sell the Wee Strom (it's already for sale), and soldier on with the DRZ.

 

[Sierra1]

However, either version will be a Yamaha! I bet it is a nice bike for whatever it ends up being.

I tend to agree. Looking at the available pictures, the T7 appears to have a steel swing arm and spoke wheels. Heavier/stronger than the FZ-07's aluminum counterparts, but not excessive. Both bikes are fairly naked. Of course the T7's black, full body cammo condom conceals much.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Being Yamaha, I doubt they reduce the weight too much, partly because that is not what they have ever done with their dual sports. Ever. MamaYama is super conservative and is known for making bikes which don't break, meaning extra weight.


And even more important, it's a slightly more off-road capable version of the VStrom and Versys so they have a hard-limit in their price point that they MUST not exceed.


Price probably also means that an aftermarket will quickly develop for forks, shocks, lowering/raising links, and windshields. It'll be interesting to see the bike with an aftermarket high front fender.


They can do a lot to change the character of the engine with flywheel weight, cams, injection, etc. Here's where the bike will have its' own personality and I doubt the motor feel is that much like what we've already seen. The bike has been in development for so long, I'm sure they will get this spot-on. Other than the typical too-lean off-idle stumble to meet EPA regs, but people will figure out how to get past that quickly.


With the usual farkles, I think this is going to be more friendly than a Lab puppy and a big success.

 

[Sierra1]

For normal sized humans. ::025::

 

[greg the pole]

Being Yamaha, I doubt they reduce the weight too much, partly because that is not what they have ever done with their dual sports. Ever. MamaYama is super conservative and is known for making bikes which don't break, meaning extra weight.


And even more important, it's a slightly more off-road capable version of the VStrom and Versys so they have a hard-limit in their price point that they MUST not exceed.


Price probably also means that an aftermarket will quickly develop for forks, shocks, lowering/raising links, and windshields. It'll be interesting to see the bike with an aftermarket high front fender.


They can do a lot to change the character of the engine with flywheel weight, cams, injection, etc. Here's where the bike will have its' own personality and I doubt the motor feel is that much like what we've already seen. The bike has been in development for so long, I'm sure they will get this spot-on. Other than the typical too-lean off-idle stumble to meet EPA regs, but people will figure out how to get past that quickly.


With the usual farkles, I think this is going to be more friendly than a Lab puppy and a big success.

the 700 motor is a peach. It's wheelies like a madman in 2nd, has phenomenal fuel economy (Riding around like a muppet-as I usally do) it returned 300km in town at roughly 12L...4L/100km.
My FJ09 is burning 5.2L/100km in the city.

What I don't see is the T7 weighing more than 450lb fuelled. The little FZ07 is just over 400Lb wet. Granted it's a naked bike.

then again, I know nothing.

 

[mebgardner]

the 700 motor is a peach. It's wheelies like a madman in 2nd, has phenomenal fuel economy (Riding around like a muppet-as I usally do) it returned 300km in town at roughly 12L...4L/100km.
My FJ09 is burning 5.2L/100km in the city.

What I don't see is the T7 weighing more than 450lb fuelled. The little FZ07 is just over 400Lb wet. Granted it's a naked bike.

then again, I know nothing.

You're going on what you know about the current FZ-07. Sure, they'll use the same motor, but it's unlikely it will be in the same state of tune as FZ-07.

 

[greg the pole]

You're going on what you know about the current FZ-07. Sure, they'll use the same motor, but it's unlikely it will be in the same state of tune as FZ-07.

as is the FZ07 motor was tuned for usability, and economy, not power. iT was snappier than the tenere, and much smoother. I don't see it changing drastically to the T7.
extra fairing, lower frame, and better suspension (here's hoping ) will add to the weight of the FZ07