The Bike Yamaha Keeps Chipping At

Chase's opening frame, on camera: "The very first MT-07 I ever rode was a chunk of marble that was already cool. Yamaha's just been chipping away."

The 2025 MT-07 is the clearest version of that sentence. It's not a ground-up redesign. It's not a new platform. It's the same 689cc CP2 twin, the same 403-lb frame, the same $8,600 price bracket. With every tolerance dialed tighter, every complaint from the last generation addressed, and a TFT dashboard that puts the bike on par with machines twice its price.

The argument for why this is Yamaha's most important motorcycle isn't that it's their most exciting. It's that it's their most honest.

Performance highlights

689cc CP2 parallel twin, 72 horsepower, 50 lb-ft of torque. Throttle response lands at 8 and the headline is that it's the first MT-07 with a ride-by-wire throttle. And the first ride-by-wire on any bike that a cable-purist actually can't tell apart from the mechanical version. Chase was so worried about this change before the ride that he bought a 2024 Ténéré 700 to keep the old cable-throttle CP2 in his garage. After this first ride: "I should have had faith in Yamaha. I cannot tell a difference in this throttle and the old throttle." That is the single biggest engineering win on this bike.

Agility gets a 9 and the MT-07 has always been a traffic-slicing weapon. 403 lb, handlebar setup, neutral geometry, punchy twin that gives you instant torque from a stop. Chase called it "purely at home in a city setting." Hard to argue. This is the bike that invented "middleweight you can actually ride every day."

Suspension is a proper 7 and represents the biggest feel upgrade over previous years. The new KYB setup front and rear, with adjustable preload and rebound on the rear shock, finally kills the bouncy-chassis reputation the MT-07 has carried since launch. Chase: "It's lost some of that time it would typically take to settle down. It's a lot more firm now and feels way more stable."

Acceleration earns a 6. 72 horsepower in 403 lb is zippy, not fast. The CP2's delivery is front-loaded in the rev range. Great for stoplight-to-stoplight in the city, less exciting on a long straight where a bigger bike keeps pulling. The new acoustic sound amplifiers make the engine audible in a way it wasn't before, which is a small but noticeable mood shift at full throttle.

Brakes are the 5. Unbranded radial calipers, adequate feel, functional stopping power, no aftermarket master cylinder. This is where Yamaha kept costs down. Chase: "They're functional, but definitely the weakest part of the motorcycle as a whole." Pad upgrade is the easy fix. Budget for it.

Rider experience & tech

Comfort is a 6. Seat is on the firmer side, body position is neutral upright with slight forward lean, arms land low on the bar. You can ride this bike for three hours on the highway before you start wanting off. That's Chase's direct call. The lack of wind protection is the real fatigue driver, not the seat.

Tech is a 7. The new 5-inch TFT is the same dashboard Yamaha dropped on the Tracer 9 GT+ and is now rolling out across the lineup. Three ride modes (Street, Sport, Custom) with customizable power / traction control / slide control / wheelie control on the Custom setting. Chase's notes: the mode button is under your right thumb, the change is instant, and the interface finally doesn't look like a 2014 digital clock. The one glaring hole: no cruise control. On a bike that now has ride-by-wire, leaving cruise off is a decision, not a limitation.

Ease of use is a 9, the highest score on the board for this category. This is a beginner-friendly bike that isn't boring for experienced riders. The controls are intuitive, the mode button is reachable without letting go of the throttle, the screen menus are clean. The one nag is the new auto-canceling turn signal button, Chase (and everyone else riding new Yamahas for the first time) needs a week to stop hitting the home button instead. Small tax. Worth paying.

Versatility is a 7. City: gold. Commute: very good. Weekend canyon: excellent. Highway tour: survivable if you tuck. Track day: a second-tier experience, better than you'd expect. The MT-07 does everything a single-bike garage asks of it.

Fun-for-the-money is the 10. At $8,599, Chase's exact line: "Still, it is the most fun per dollar you can buy under $10,000." That isn't marketing. The CP2 engine, the new TFT, the adjustable KYB rear, the wheelie-capable Custom mode, the 403-lb mass, and the 72 hp that's genuinely enough for 95% of public-road riding. All for less than the cost of a carbon-fiber racing helmet.

The Chase Score & final thoughts

With a Chase Score of 74/100, Good Tier, the MT-07 is the bike you recommend to anyone asking about their first real motorcycle. 35 ride points + 39 usability points = a sport-naked that doesn't demand expert-level skill but doesn't bore experienced riders either.

Buy it if you're getting your first bike, or you want one bike that genuinely does everything a non-specialist would need. Skip it if you want more power (look at the Street Triple 765 RX) or if you need cruise control and stronger brakes out of the crate. Chase's closing note after giving the bike back: he bought a Ténéré 700 specifically because he wanted a CP2 engine in his garage forever. That's the bike Yamaha keeps chipping at. They're nailing it.