In a recent interview, Eishin Chihana, chairman of Yamaha Motor India Group, indicated that the YZF-R7 and MT-07 twin-cylinder motorcycles will launch in India by the end of the year. Yamaha will import small quantities of the two motorcycles as CBUs if the project is successful. Otherwise, we could have to wait until 2024 to see these motorcycles on our streets.
While the MT-07 and R7 are both Euro5/BS6 compliant, the Indian government has mandated that all vehicles sold after April 1, 2023 be equipped with OBD-2 on-board diagnostics. This is a year before Europe’s OBD-2 mandate, which is set to go into force in 2024. As a result, the Yamahas do not yet have the technology, and Yamaha is unlikely to equip the bikes with OBD-2 a year before the Indian market requires it.
Yamaha hopes to be able to import and sell the bikes in their current state by March 31, 2023. It is not, however, as simple as simply flying in the bikes. the company also needs to ensure that it can support any potential clients with service and authentic spares, which is something it is currently working on.
The MT-07 and MT-09 are naked street versions of the MT-15 that are larger, more powerful, and better equipped than the MT-15 available in India. The former had a 689cc parallel-twin engine, whereas the latter may have a 890cc inline triple-cylinder engine. In the meanwhile, the R7 is a completely faired sports bike based on the MT-07. The MT-07 will face off against the Kawasaki Ninja 650 and the Honda CBR650R in India.
Because these bikes will be imported as CBUs, they are unlikely to compete on price with the Kawasakis if they are introduced this year. Unless Yamaha makes a bold move with aggressive pricing, the four-cylinder Yamahas may be positioned closer to the more powerful, more expensive Hondas.
