What Engine Is In Yamaha's YZF-R7 Motorcycle & Is It Faster Than The R6?

There are some big differences between Yamaha's R-Series motorcycles, as each model is made for a specific purpose. Some are super fast, while others offer better handling. The R3 is great for beginners, but the R1 is a Yamaha motorcycle better suited for expert riders. Then, there's the R7, which is the perfect balance between the two.

Yamaha introduced the R7 in 2022. It's a sport bike, so it won't contribute to the company's street bike competition with Suzuki, but it still carries an impressive engine on its frame. The R7 has an advanced CP2 engine, but what does that entail? Well, it's a 4-stroke, liquid-cooled engine with 689cc of displacement. It has dual overhead camshafts (DOHC), inline twin-cylinders, and four valves per cylinder.

That information is all well and good, but what kind of power does the advanced CP2 engine bring to the Yamaha R7? The R7 has a 270-degree crankshaft, delivering linear torque and impressive acceleration. In their test of the sport bike, Cycle World recorded 66 horsepower and 45 pound-feet of torque. MotoMachines reported similar power outputs, with 72 horsepower and 49 pound-feet of torque. But, how do those numbers compare to its predecessor, the Yamaha R6?

If you find the performance numbers of the Yamaha R7's advanced CP2 engine a bit lackluster, you might find the R6 more interesting. The R7 is a nice middle ground within the R-series, so it won't be as fast as some of the sport bikes Yamaha built with speed in mind — like the R6. While the R7 is Yamaha's more balanced approach to a sport bike, think of the R6 as its quicker and more nimble sibling. It has a 599cc Inline-4 DOHC engine that generates 117 horsepower and 50 pound-feet of torque. So, while the R6 takes a dip in the engine displacement, it puts the R7 to shame in practically every other category.

It doesn't take a motorcycle enthusiast to figure out what those performance numbers mean for each sport bike's speed. With its 72 horsepower, the 2023 Yamaha R7 is capable of reaching a top speed of 143 mph. Unsurprisingly, the R6 puts its higher horsepower to use, reaching an even higher top speed of 165 mph. So no, the Yamaha R7 isn't faster than the R6, but it's not that far off.

Unfortunately, Yamaha discontinued the R6 due to stricter regulations in the European Union, so you're out of luck if you were debating a purchase between it and the R7. However, Yamaha adapted the R7 to meet those new regulations, so it's regularly available for purchase, with a retail price starting at $9,199.