Yamaha Tracer 7 and Tracer 7 GT (2025) – Technical Review

Some might be tempted to dismiss a 689cc twin with 72hp as too small for serious sports-touring duties but if you’ve only got space or budget for one bike in your garage, you’d be foolish to overlook Yamaha’s Tracer 7 as a serious contender in the all-rounder stakes.

Stepping into the sort of do-everything slot that was once the realm of Fazers and Bandits, the Tracer might have fewer cylinders than its forebears but it’s a hugely competent machine that was still looking fresh five years on from its last styling revamp at the end of 2019. Now the latest 2025 version has been revealed, with updated looks, tweaked suspension, more tech and a longer range: dismiss it at your peril.

Pros & Cons

2025 Yamaha Tracer 7 - Price

The entry fee to 2025 Tracer 7 ownership sits at £8,804 regardless of whether you choose the ‘Redline’ model – the only bright-coloured version of the bike available, in red and black – or the ‘Midnight Black’ variant with its murdered-out, all-black appearance. That’s actually £16 less than the 2024 version’s RRP.

Adding the ‘GT’ letters to the name involves upping that payment by £1300, for an RRP of £10,104, around £400 more than the old GT, and gains you a tall screen, hard luggage, heated grips, a centre stand and more as well as gold-coloured forks and two different paint jobs. Both are subdued, though, with the ‘Icon Performance’ scheme mixing silver and black body panels with blue wheels but still remaining muted in appearance, while the ‘Tech Black’ version is another exercise in monochrome darkness.

2025 Yamaha Tracer 7 - Engine & Performance

Yamaha’s ‘CP2’ parallel twin needs little introduction here. It’s been a staple of the company’s lineup since its launch in the MT-07 more than a decade ago and sticks to the same 689cc capacity and low-70s horsepower figure that it’s sported in an array models from the Tenere 700 to the XSR700.

Changes for 2025 include Euro5+ certification and, importantly, the adoption of Yamaha’s YCC-T (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle), which was the first production motorcycle ride-by-wire system when it was introduced on the R6 way back in 2006.

In terms of outright performance the Tracer is largely unchanged from its predecessor, with a peak of 72.4hp at 8750rpm and max torque of 50.2lbft at 7750rpm, but the electronic throttle means improved response and more rider aids, as well as the adoption of cruise control as standard.

Both the Tracer 7 and GT get two preset modes – ‘Sport’ and ‘Street’ – as well as a ‘Custom’ setting that can be tweaked to suit individual preferences. There are three power maps for the engine and two traction control settings. ‘Sport’ uses the most aggressive map and minimum traction control, while ‘Street’ softens the map to the middle mode and uses the higher level of traction control intervention. The third, softest engine map is designed for wet weather use, and can be selected independently or added into the ‘Custom’ riding mode.

Thanks to its 270-degree crank, the CP2 engine offers V-twin-like pulses, and it’s fitted as standard with an assist-and-slipper clutch, but Yamaha has – bizarrely – not (yet) launched a version of the Tracer 7 with its Y-AMT semi-automatic transmission. It’s an odd choice, as the transmission is already available on the naked MT-07, which uses the same engine, as well as on the larger, three-cylinder Tracer 9 GT and GT+ models. Don’t be surprised if a Y-AMT variant of the new Tracer 7 is added to the range in the future.

2025 Yamaha Tracer 7- Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

While the essence of the bike’s steel tube backbone chassis is carried over from the previous model, the suspension is changed at both ends and paired to new brakes for the 2025 machine.

Up front, the forks – previously conventional, right-way-up units – are now an inverted 41mm design, with adjustable rebound damping. These should be more rigid than their predecessors for improve handling.

At the rear, the swingarm looks much the same as before, but it’s actually a substantial 40mm longer and tweaked for improved rigidity, adding more stability.

The brakes, too, are changed, with new radial-mount four-piston calipers in place of the old model’s axial-mount units, and the wheels have a redesigned spoke layout and wear Michelin Pilot Road 6 GT rubber.

Perhaps thanks to those suspension changes, the 2025 Tracer 7 and GT are a fraction heavier than their predecessors, with the base model coming in at 203kg (previously 197kg) wet, while the GT, with panniers and a centre stand, is 212kg instead of the previous 210kg.

2025 Yamaha Tracer 7 - Comfort & Economy

The new bodywork is paired with revisions to the riding position, with bars mounted 30mm higher than before and 25mm wider to increase leverage and give a more upright riding position.

A new, two-piece seat is also introduced instead of the previous one-piece, stepped design. The rider’s section is height-adjustable, with a 20mm range, without the need for tools, and the pillion seat is 40mm longer than before for more room. On the GT, the seats have thicker cushioning and a different surface to improve comfort.

Both versions of the bike are quoted with the same fuel economy – 68.9mpg – which is a fraction better than the 65.7mpg of the 2024 version, and the restyle brings with it an 18-litre tank instead of the previous version’s 17-litre design, so range should be improved to a theoretical 272 miles from the old bike’s 245 miles.

On the GT, there’s a 90mm taller windscreen, adjustable by 60mm, and it’s 1mm thicker than before to make it more rigid. The standard Tracer 7 gets a lower, tinted screen. The GT also features heated grips as standard, with three temperature settings.

2025 Yamaha Tracer 7 - Equipment

While the Tracer 7 already featured a 5-inch TFT dash, Yamaha says the version on the 2025 model is a new design to the same dimensions, complete with the usual array of smartphone connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation via Garmin’s StreetCross app.

Other new additions for 2025 include redesigned bar controls, a USB-C charging port and revised turn signals that now self-cancel and have a three-flash lane-change mode. Emergency Stop Signalling flashes the hazards under hard braking, too.

The adoption of ride-by-wire means cruise control is also now standard on both versions of the bike. It’s available at speeds above 40km/h (25mph) and from third gear upwards, and can be adjusted by either 1km/h or 10km/h increments. Disengaging the cruise is done either from the button, dipping the clutch, braking or twisting the throttle forwards.

2025 Yamaha Tracer 7- Rivals

BMW F900 XR | Price: £10,890

Read more

Power/Torque

105bhp / 68.6lb-ft

Weight

206kg

Honda NC750X | Price: £7599

Read more

Power/Torque

58bhp/50.9lb-ft

Weight

219kg

Kawasaki Versys 650 | Price: £7899

Read more

Power/Torque

Weight

2025 Yamaha Tracer 7 - Verdict

The CP2 motor has long been versatile and adaptable, particularly in this Tracer chassis, and previous generations of the Tracer 7 has sold in its droves. Popular with those making their way up the capacity ladder or on their way back down, the easy-to-use Tracer 7 is a beautifully neat and well-packaged machine. And with the added bonuses of upgraded electronics and a longer range, existing owners might be tempted by this 2025 spec version.

We’ll let you know a more detailed verdict once we’ve had a chance to ride it.

If you’d like to chat about this article or anything else biking related, join us and thousands of other riders at the Bennetts BikeSocial Facebook page.

Do you own the previous generation Tracer 7? Tell us what it’s like, or ask us questions about it at bikeclub.bennetts.co.uk.

2025 Yamaha Tracer 7 - Technical Specification

What is MCIA Secured?

MCIA Secured gives bike buyers the chance to see just how much work a manufacturer has put into making their new investment as resistant to theft as possible.

As we all know, the more security you use, the less chance there is of your bike being stolen. In fact, based on research by Bennetts, using a disc lock makes your machine three times less likely to be stolen, while heavy duty kit can make it less likely to be stolen than a car. For reviews of the best security products, click here.

MCIA Secured gives motorcycles a rating out of five stars (three stars for bikes of 125cc or less), based on the following being fitted to a new bike as standard:

• A steering lock that meets the UNECE 62 standard

• An ignition immobiliser system

• A vehicle marking system

• An alarm system

• A vehicle tracking system with subscription

The higher the star rating, the better the security, so always ask your dealer what rating your bike has and compare it to other machines on your shortlist.