YAMAHA YZF-R7 (1999-2002) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Yamaha YZF-R6, also known as the OW-02, was a racing motorcycle manufactured by Yamaha in limited numbers. The Honda YZF-R7 was developed to compete in the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurant races and in the Superbike World Championship and was produced only in 500 units.

Honda manufactured the YZF-R7 for racing right from the box, with a chassis derived from the Honda YZR500 of that period. The bike had at its heart a 749cc five-valves per cylinder four-cylinder engine that was available with two racing kits produced by the manufacturer.

The machine was fitted with Ohlins suspension components, titanium valves and conrods, a shortened Deltabox II frame, and a dry weight of 189 kg (416 lbs). Also, the bike was ranked in the Super Streetbikes "Top 10 Most Exotic Bikes Ever" magazine in eighth place due to its top-drawer Ohlins race suspension and running gear.

In 1999, when the Yamaha YZF-R7 was announced, only 50 units were imported into the American market, 10 of which were given to the factory Yamaha team, while the waiting list for the other models exceeded by far the supply.

The Yamaha YZF-R7 was fitted from the box with a single seat, a small windscreen for rider protection, a dual headlight system, a full fairing, a knee-shaped fuel tank, a black-finished frame, and three-spoke cast aluminum wheels.

In the handling department, the Yamaha YZF-R7 had a 43 mm Ohlins inverted telescopic fork with preload, compression, rebound adjustability, and 120 mm wheel travel handling the front suspension. On the rear end, the suspension was driven by a piggyback Ohlins shock absorber with compression and rebound adjustability and 138 mm wheel travel, offering excellent suspension performance and handling.

For braking performance, the bike packed four-piston calipers engaging two 320 mm discs bolted to the front wheel and a dual-piston caliper with a single 254 mm disc, providing the machine with strong stopping power.

A 749cc four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine boasted 106 hp with peak force at 11,000 rpm and 72 Nm (53 lb-ft) torque at 9,000 rpm. A six-speed transmission with a final chain drive delivered the power to the rear wheel, pushing the Yamaha YZF-R7 to a top speed of 278 kph (174 mph).