Introduced in 1999 and sold for just two years, the exotic Yamaha YZF-R7 OW02 was the long-awaited successor to the OW01 of the late 1980’s, a barely-legal roadbike intended to homologate the R7 for World Superbike competition. But after just two years, Yamaha pulled the plug on the bike and their WSBK team as well. Was it because Yamaha felt their inline four couldn’t be competitive in a series whose rules heavily favored v-twins? Possibly: even Honda gave up on their RC45 to run twins, a move which saw them achieve the success they’d been seeking, but unable to find with their V4 superbikes.
Regardless, the R7 featured tiny details all over the bike that made it more than just another roadbike: the steering geometry could be changed to suit rider preference, with rake, trail, and the steering head all adjustable. The 749cc engine, as you’d expect, featured Yamaha’s five-valve heads. Dead stock, the bike made a disappointing 106hp, but that was simply to appease emissions and safety legislation. Each bike has a second, dormant set of injectors that could be activated. Along with a race-kit and a carbon airbox that added a ram-air effect, the two sets of injectors unleashed the full race-spec 162hp.
Of course, this led to a corresponding loss of reliability. Hardly a concern for race teams, but a bit of problem if you wanted to use your R7 on the road. Some owners just said “screw it” and fitted an R1 engine, which seems sacrilegious, until you realize the swap probably captures the R7 experience in terms of power, if not in terms of the original engine’s appetite for revs…
From the original eBay listing: 1999 Yamaha YZF-R7 OW02 for Sale
The bike is in excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition with only 6490 Kilometers (4032 Miles). The Yamaha YZF-R7 OW02 is a race homologation motorcycle of limited production run of only 500 units. It was designed to compete in the Superbike World Championship and Suzuka 8 Hours endurance races.
The second set of fuel injectors have been activated (only 4 of 8 are activated from the factory), also included are the supporting YEC kit parts:
carbon fiber airbox
velocity stacks
throttle and cables
fuel pump
fuel regulatorI also have the OEM versions of these parts.
When the power is turned on to the bike, the oil light flashes 5 times, meaning the ECU supports
all 8 fuel injectors being activated.This R7 had the crank recall done at Wilson Yamaha in Fresno California where the bike was originally purchased.
Also, this R7 is titled and plated in CA. There are no back DMV fees due, the bike is in non-operation status.
I also have the factory assembly manual and YEC kit manual.
As is so often the case, I’d love some better photographs: seriously, if you upload them and realize they’re kinda blurry, you can go back and reshoot them. Especially if you’re expecting top-dollar for your bike.
And with a Buy It Now price of $22,000 the seller certainly is. Although with some pretty serious bidding going on, it looks like the market isn’t caring so much about those poor-quality photos…
-tad
this is a good day on RSBFS, an OW01 and now a OW02..
and its sold…. 🙁
All time favorite road bike. Love the looks alone. Not surprised it is gone. or did Ben Affleck lose it in the divorce?….
Damn!! Missed it!!! I would of had to jump on this even know I shouldn’t. Oh well, next!
I just noticed the tail light looks oddly designed. Assessing that i surmise it means the rear fender comes off with all the stretgear as a unit instantly converted for a track day. How purposefully unrealistic. On the other hand I would love to be that guy who takes his r7 streetbike to an ocassional track day.