·
2016 · Sport Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Light Bike, Real Miles
The Tracer 700 takes the MT-07's 689cc parallel twin, wraps it in a half-fairing with handguards and a hand-adjustable screen, and turns it into a genuine road-trip tool. The 270-degree crank gives the engine a lively, off-beat character, and its 73 hp and 50 lb-ft arrive low enough in the range to feel useful everywhere you ride. At 432 lb wet it sits at the light end of the sport-touring class. This is a bike that proves you do not need a liter engine or a heavy chassis to cover real ground and still enjoy every corner along the way.
On the road it feels commanding and relaxed at once, with a tall 32.9-inch perch, wide bars, and enough legroom for long days in the saddle. It sips fuel at 45 mpg, runs a simple chain final drive, and carries a solid reliability record for the miles you put on it. It suits the rider who wants day-long twisties and lighter touring without the bulk or the running costs of a big machine. The honest caveat: power is modest by the touring benchmark once you load it heavy two-up, the front fork gives you nothing to dial in, and the ABS can cut in sooner than you would like.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 73 hp (54 kW) @ 9,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 50 lb-ft (68 Nm) @ 6,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 689 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 282 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Seat height | 32.9 in (835 mm) |
| Wet weight | 432 lb (196 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.5 gal (17 L) |
| Fuel economy | 45 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Lighting
Safety
Swing a leg over and the Tracer feels smaller than its numbers suggest, narrow between the knees with a light, planted front end. Fire it up and the parallel twin barks with that off-beat thrum you feel as much as hear, a warm burble that settles into a low hum at a highway cruise. Your hands sit wide and natural on the bars, the handguards keep the worst of the wind off your knuckles, and the screen tips up by hand when the weather turns. There is a mild buzz through the pegs at higher revs, never enough to numb you. The seat stays comfortable through a long morning, and the whole bike seems to shrink around you the moment the road starts to bend, feeling eager and easy at real back-road pace.
This one I've tracked for years, less from spec sheets than from riders themselves: long owner conversations, questions that surface at events, and the notes that land in my inbox. Put it together and the read is consistent. Praise clusters around how the bike behaves, and the grumbles gather almost entirely around the gear bolted to it.
The motor leads every conversation. Owners keep circling back to the twin's eager, syncopated punch, and to how little the bike weighs under them, praising the way it turns at crawling speed without effort. Comfort earns steady mention, the roomy stance and supportive seat suiting a wide range of builds. Many also reckon the package delivers well above what they paid.
The complaints stay fixed on the kit. The raised screen draws the loudest, riders describing the rough, noisy air it throws at the helmet. The soft suspension gets flagged nearly as often, calm at an easy pace and loose once things speed up, with nothing up front to adjust. Plenty call the front brake vague and the ABS too quick to step in. Others want more rider electronics, and smaller hands struggle with a clutch that bites at the very end of its reach.
Premature ABS intervention
The ABS triggers too easily under hard braking, even on dry, high-grip surfaces, reducing control and confidence when riding aggressively.
Cam chain tensioner ticking
Some owners report a persistent ticking noise from the cam chain tensioner, especially when cold, which dealers may dismiss as normal.
Switchgear gremlins
A few owners have experienced intermittent issues with switchgear, including indicator or horn buttons sticking or failing.
Surface corrosion and seized fasteners
Exposed fasteners, engine case bolts, and the exhaust system can corrode quickly if not protected, and bolts are prone to seizing.
Where this Yamaha Tracer 700 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Tracer 700 is actually built for.
If your ideal weekend is 200 to 400 miles of Blue Ridge or Highway 1 sweepers with real comfort, this light Tracer nails it. It carves the twisties and glides the straights without wearing out you or your wallet.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
For working technique on the Dragon and Cherohala, the featherweight chassis is a gift. It changes direction instantly and rewards clean lines, so you can chase skill over speed all day long.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Yamaha Tracer 700. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
