A heavily-disguised test prototype of the as-yet-unseen Yamaha MT-07 Tracer was spotted on the streets of Milan last summer and we are expecting this machine to be revealed officially in the very near future.
The formula for the MT-07 Tracer follows the path set by the bigger, three-cylinder MT-09 Tracer which borrowed the engine, chassis and running gear from the MT-09 naked bike while adding a top fairing, reinforced sub-frame and minor changes to the suspension.
The MT-07 Tracer is still a road- going motorcycle and, while it may have some outward styling cues reminiscent of an adventure bike, it will keep 17in wheels and leave the dirty work to the new MT-07 Ténéré.
At the time we ran the spy shots Yamaha UK didn’t deny the bike’s existence – a bit difficult when the photographs were so clear – but the spokesman did say the bike was still someway off. Real Riders sources now suggest that it will be only a matter of weeks until the production bike is officially revealed.