Is Yamaha Working on a Full-Fairing Version of the MT-07?

There is a rumor going around that Yamaha is working on a full-fairing version of its popular MT-07 street bike.

The story goes that Yamaha is keen to bring a bike to market that will compete head-to-head with the Aprilia RS 660, which currently is the only full fairing bike in the middleweight twins category.

There is good precedent for Yamaha to go down this path as well, as MT-07 bikes are no stranger to the race track, especially when in the popular fairings made by Andy Palmer.

As the photo above depicts, these “FZ-07R” race bikes are no stranger to the MotoAmerica paddock, and they have been packing grids in club racing for quite some time now. Apparently, Yamaha has finally gotten the memo.

The catalyst for this news is said to be the retirement of the Yamaha YZF-R6, which will leave a sizable hole in Yamaha’s lineup, especially on the sportier side of the equation.

Seeing that twins like the MT-07 make great street bikes and competent racing machines when upgraded appropriately, the thinking is that Yamaha could have the best of both worlds if it developed the MT-07 further and used more premium go-fast parts in its construction

The full-fairing model would sit above the MT-07 in Yamaha’s motorcycle range, likely with a heftier price tag, but it would still be considerably cheaper than the R6 before its departure.

While for the time being the R6 is still a contender in the Supersport categories of racing, Yamaha could use this “MT-07R” as a way to keep its grip on the Twins class, which is set to be upended with the arrival of the Aprilia RS 660 and other machines.

How much truth is in this rumor? Well, we will have to wait and see. But, it does lineup well on paper. Stay tuned.