2027 Yamaha RW700 Preview

Ténéré-style twin, Y-AMT and scooter floorboards

Summary: Yamaha’s 2027 RW700 and RW700 Explore are adventure scooters built around the 689cc CP2 twin and a six-speed Y-AMT automated gearbox. They pair real footpegs with fold-out floorboards, IMU-based gravel electronics and spoked tubeless wheels. Price and U.S. availability are still TBA.

We’re in Milan for EICMA, and Yamaha just did the thing nobody at the coffee bar saw coming: it took the CP2 twin that powers the MT-07 and Ténéré 700, wrapped it in scooter bodywork, and pointed it at a gravel road. Meet the 2027 Yamaha RW700 and its better-equipped sibling, the RW700 Explore.

Yamaha calls them adventure scooters. We call it the most interesting “what if” on the stand so far. Think of it as the bike for the rider who wants a step-through, a helmet bucket and an automatic, but still wants to stand up on the pegs when the pavement quits. Yes, it’s aimed squarely at Honda’s X-ADV, and Yamaha clearly brought more than a knife to that fight.

CP2 Power With No Clutch Lever

Both models use Yamaha’s liquid-cooled 689cc DOHC parallel twin, the same engine family we’ve praised in our 2025 Yamaha MT-07 review and on the Ténéré 700 World Raid. Yamaha claims 51 kW (69.3 PS), or about 68.4 hp, at 8,250 rpm, and 47.9 lb-ft (65 Nm) of torque between 6,500 and 6,750 rpm. A restricted 35 kW (47.6 PS) A2-license version is also listed for Europe.

The big news is the transmission. Instead of a CVT, the RW700 gets Yamaha’s six-speed Y-AMT automated manual, revised for this platform. There’s no clutch lever and no shift pedal. You can let it shift itself, or click through the six gears with a paddle on the handlebar. Yamaha quotes 0.1-second shift times, and says this is the first time Y-AMT has been tuned for off-road use. A rubberized clutch damper and revised shift-rod spring preload are there to smooth things out, and the paddle was reshaped to fit the RW’s bars and brake lever. Final drive is by chain, not a belt or shaft, which tells you Yamaha means business about dirt.

Yamaha’s claimed fuel use is 4.1L/100km, which works out to about 57 mpg. With a 3.7-gallon (14L) tank, that’s a theoretical range north of 200 miles, give or take how much fun you have in Sport mode.

Gravel Brains: Five Modes and a 6-Axis IMU

Yamaha Ride Control splits five ride modes into two groups. ROAD gets Street, Sport and Eco. GRAVEL gets Explore and Explore+, the latter offering punchier response and custom settings. (Fun fact: the Explore modes come on both models, so the base bike doesn’t get left out of the dirt party.)

A six-axis IMU feeds lean-sensitive traction control, Slide Control, Yamaha’s Brake Control System and a Back-slip Regulator that uses engine torque to help stop a locking rear wheel. Rear ABS can be switched off in the GRAVEL modes only, while BCS and BSR can be turned off in any mode.

The clever bit is Gravel Shift. In automatic mode, the gearbox reads speed, revs, throttle position and gear, and holds off on upshifts when you open the throttle or the rear wheel is sliding. That should make it easier to steer with the rear on loose stuff. If the system senses rear-wheel lock or hard braking, it also eases clutch force so the engine doesn’t stall. Anyone who has dumped a bike at walking pace on a rocky climb knows exactly why that matters.

Real Suspension, Spoked Wheels and an Odd-Size Rear

The RW700 is built on a tubular steel frame with a 41mm inverted fork offering 6.3 inches (160mm) of travel, plus a linkage-mounted rear shock with 6.1 inches (155mm) of travel, seven-step preload and adjustable rebound damping. That’s more travel than most scooters dream of. Ground clearance is 6.7 inches (170mm), and an aluminum skid plate guards the engine, frame and exhaust.

Wheels are aluminum rims with cross-laced stainless spokes, running tubeless Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires in a 120/70R17 front and 160/60R15 rear. Braking comes from dual 11.7-inch (298mm) floating front discs with radial four-piston calipers and a 10.5-inch (267mm) rear disc with a single-piston caliper. A tapered aluminum handlebar, plastic handguards and a fixed windscreen round out the adventure kit.

Footpegs, Floorboards and a Helmet Bucket

This is where the RW700 gets weird, in a good way. The 31.9-inch (810mm) seat is narrow up front so you can slide around and get a foot down. The bodywork has knee contact points for standing, and the footpegs adjust to four positions for height and location. Their rubber inserts pop out for more grip on the dirt.

Want to kick back on the highway? Fold-out footrests up front let you stretch your legs like a proper maxi-scooter. Under the seat, an LED-lit storage compartment fits a full-face helmet, though Yamaha says that depends on your lid’s size and shape. So, maybe not your XXL dual-sport helmet with the peak.

Tech and Creature Comforts

Both models come with cruise control that works with the auto gearbox, an adjustable speed limiter, a 5-inch color TFT with three layouts (including an RW-only screen with a mountain graphic), a USB-C port and keyless Smart Key ignition that also unlocks the seat and fuel cap. The free MyRide app handles calls, messages and music, and logs ride data like lean angle. Garmin StreetCross adds turn-by-turn navigation on the TFT.

Lighting is all LED with a four-unit headlight. The turn signals offer a three-blink lane-change function and Emergency Stop Signal under hard braking, and they cancel automatically after 15 seconds and 492 feet (150 meters).

RW700 Explore: The Heated-Seat Upgrade

The Explore uses the same engine, modes, wheels and travel, but adds a fork with 15mm of preload adjustment and 11-step rebound, gold fork legs, 10-level heated grips, a 10-level heated rider seat (sorry, passengers), a center stand and backlit switches. It weighs a claimed 494 pounds (224 kg) wet, versus 487 pounds (221 kg) for the standard RW700.

Colors are Sage Blue and Power Grey for the RW700, and Forest Green or Midnight Black with Sage Blue accents for the Explore. Yamaha also showed aluminum side cases and a top case, soft bags and protection parts, which can be ordered with the scooter and fitted by the dealer.

Price and U.S. Availability

Yamaha hasn’t announced pricing or a launch date for either model, and Yamaha Motor USA hasn’t confirmed whether the RW700 is coming to America. We’ll be asking around the stand. For more from the show, check our 2026 EICMA Preview, Yamaha’s Ténéré 4 Concept and our Yamaha motorcycles coverage.

2027 Yamaha RW700 and RW700 Explore Specs

Specs are Yamaha Motor Europe’s figures from its Nov. 2, 2026 press release.

2027 Yamaha RW700 FAQ

What is the Yamaha RW700?

It’s an adventure scooter with Yamaha’s 689cc CP2 twin, a six-speed Y-AMT automated gearbox, chain drive, spoked tubeless wheels, adjustable footpegs and gravel-specific ride modes.

Do you have to shift the RW700?

No. Y-AMT can shift fully automatically, or you can change gears with a handlebar paddle. There’s no clutch lever or shift pedal.

What does the RW700 Explore add?

A preload- and rebound-adjustable fork, 10-level heated grips and rider seat, a center stand, backlit switches and its own colors.

How much does the 2027 Yamaha RW700 cost?

Yamaha hasn’t announced pricing or U.S. availability yet.