Adventure scooters have gained popularity over the years, so it’s no surprise that manufacturers have been making moves to get a piece of that pie. Yamaha is no longer an exception to that, as the Japanese brand has now unveiled its first offering in this segment.
Meet the all-new Yamaha RW700. The name doesn’t quite roll off the toung like ‘Tenere’ does, and that design…it’s something, isn’t it?
At first glance—and by that I mean press images with the typical front-quarter view of the bike and with a rider on the saddle—it looks like a regular motorcycle. Stylish, even. It clearly borrows design cues from its famed Tenere 700 sibling, which should be a good thing. But as you take a gander at the scooter from other angles, you’ll start to notice its…weird proportions.
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Scooters usually have their fuel tanks underneath or at the rear, but in the RW700, it appears Yamaha stuck with a more traditional approach and put the tank in front. That’s all well and good, but the design around that tank is what gets me. It’s a tad too bulky, and it looks awkward. If the Kia Tasman were a bike, it would be this. All that being said, this also means people will have different opinions about this—case in point, some of my teammates who actually like this.
Polarizing design aside, all that heft should improve the off-road riding experience. The added plastic between the rider’s knees should also add surface area to grip on while standing up. The RW700 also gets separate foot pegs and foldable footboards for the rider, enabling multiple riding positions suitable for riding on the trail or strolling around in the city.
Performance won’t be anything to scoff at, either. The RW700 comes powered by the famed 690cc CP2 parallel-twin engine, the same one powering the Tenere 700. It churns out 68.4hp at 8,250rpm and 65Nm at 6,500-6,750rpm. In Europe, there’s limited-power version that outputs just under 47hp. As standard, this comes with Yamaha’s automated manual transmission (Y-AMT).
Unsurprisingly, the RW700 is heavier than the Tenere. The new scooter weighs 221kg. It has an 810mm/31.89-inch seat height and 170mm of ground clearance. As standard, it rides on 17-inch front and 15-inch rear spoke wheels shod in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tubeless tires, a 41mm inverted front fork with 160mm of travel, and a rear monoshock with 155mm of travel.
The RW700 gets Yamaha Ride Control, so settings can be customized for either on-road or off-road riding. Cruise control, a smart key, and a five-inch full-color TFT display with Garmin StreetCross connectivity are also available. The windscreen and handguards are standard accessories.
This scooter comes in the base RW700 and the RW700 Explore trims. The former can be had in Sage Blue or Power Grey, while the latter in Forest Green or Midnight Black.
So, readers, what do you think? Would you like to see the all-new Yamaha RW700 in the Philippines?
