2022 Yamaha YZF-R7 World GP 60th Anniversary Preview

In celebration of 60 years of World Grand Prix competition, Yamaha is releasing a number of anniversary edition sportbikes for the 2022 model year. We previously took a look at the flagship YZF-R1 and now will get a closer view of its newest sibling, the YZF-R7.

Considering the R7 is a brand-new model for 2022, it’s no surprise that the anniversary edition is an aesthetic upgrade only. It will be dressed in Yamaha’s iconic white and red block color scheme, featuring gold wheels and a gold fork along with special-edition badging and GP-inspired Tuning Fork emblems. The World Grand Prix 60th Anniversary YZF-R7 will be available in dealerships in January with a $9,299 MSRP.

If you’d like to go into more depth on the details of the YZF-R7, check out our first ride review, our track review, or our MC Commute. If all you need is a quick rundown, here are the broad strokes.

Yamaha replaced its four-cylinder R6 with the twin-cylinder R7 owing to declining sales and the R6′s higher price tag. The R7 sources the same mill powering the MT-07 to produce what our tester termed an “easy riding, full-fairing streetbike.” The R7 is more akin to the R3 in its design than the outgoing R6 in terms of its relatively stripped-down electronics (as in almost none except ABS and an optional quickshifter upgrade) and lower-spec suspension, but the ergos and design are sporty enough to make the R7 instantly at home alongside its more performance-oriented older sibling.

The R7 is the streetbike rider’s sportbike, in other words. It’s a light and nimble machine with enough punch to have some fun but an approachable-enough character to appeal to a wider audience of riders.