Yamaha R7 Top Speed: How Fast Is The Motorcycle And Is It Good For Beginners?

Sleek looks, full fairings, and great performance make the R7 an appealing choice in its class. It's as powerful as four-cylinder sportbikes we've recently tested, like the Kawasaki ZX-6R and the Honda CBR600RR, but it's not as expensive as either, so could it potentially be a good bike for beginners? Unfortunately, even without a four-cylinder engine, the R7 is likely a bit too powerful for newbies. Its 689cc two-cylinder engine made 64.8 hp and 44.5 lb-ft of torque on Cycle World's dyno, which is a hearty amount for a two-wheeled machine. 

Yamaha doesn't list the R7's top speed, but third-party sources peg it at 130 mph or so. Similarly, owner videos show the bike hitting top speeds slightly over 130 mph. The R7 is not faster than the four-cylinder R6 that it replaced, but anything that can crack 130 mph is fast enough that new riders might have a hard time getting acclimated. 

I've been riding motorcycles for decades with experience on bikes of various shapes and sizes. If you're looking for a beginner bike based on its top speed, I think you're taking the wrong approach. Finding something that's affordable and relatively low on power is a better, lower-risk way to learn proper riding techniques. Getting started on a smaller, less powerful, and cheaper bike will be a much better experience. 

On top of being a bit too fast for beginners, the R7 is probably too pricey for a first bike as well. Yamaha's MSRP for the 2025 R7 is $10,499 (including $600 destination fee and $700 supply chain surcharge), which is nearly double what you could spend on a high-quality beginner bike. The Yamaha R3, for example, is much less expensive at $6,449 (including $600 destination and $300 supply surcharge) and still has the full-fairing looks of a sportbike. Sure, the R3 is smaller and less powerful, but its lower power levels will be more approachable and less intimidating for beginners. A lighter motorcycle is also easier to maneuver at slow speeds, giving riders more confidence as they learn.

If you're looking for non-Yamaha options for beginner sport bikes, there are several to choose from. The Suzuki GSX250R is a strong choice, with similar power and performance to the R3 and an approachable starting price of $5,749 (including $600 destination fee). But if 250cc bikes seem a bit small, there's the nice middle ground of 500cc bikes like the Honda CB500R and the Kawasaki Ninja 500. Both use parallel-twin engines like the R7, but they're a bit less powerful and, as a result, should be easier to manage for new riders.