Yamaha

2020 is a new decade, a new year for all of us to leap and move forward fearlessly. To re-invent and to make room for things which really matters, things that will uplift you physically, mentally, and spiritually.

OR

Throw up your arms, wash off that alcohol stink, and go get yourself a new motorcycle. Works just the same.

Here’s our top twenty production motorcycles coming in 2020 that does all of that, and more.

Motorcycle racing took shape the minute the second motorcycle was made. Then came the madness of being the fastest man or building the quickest machine on the planet gave a new sense of high and want. It is intoxication, indeed. Setting records for the whole world to know became a fascination, and people spent all the time and money into this pursuit of speed.

In a world where outright horsepower and straight-line speed hold center stage, these machines bred by factory engineers have blazed the streets and have swept us off our feet in the most fashionable way possible. Here is our list of top ten machines ready to be plucked off showroom floors and much miles as quick as possible:

Yamaha was busy last year adding a brand-new name and refurbished looks to its lineup with the Tracer 900 and a slightly more tour-tastic Tracer 900 GT. Fans of the FJ models — and indeed the FZ/MT-09 range — will recognize the 113-horsepower, 847 cc triple and adventuresome flavor of this new sport-touring family. The base model landed somewhere near the “sport” end of the sport-tour spectrum, though it wasn’t carried forward to 2020 in our market. The GT model is a bit more balanced with a set of hard-side panniers that provides some secure dry storage and a host of features that long-distance riders will certainly appreciate.

Providing economical personal transportation since the days of WW-II, scooters have been the goto mode for being more affordable, more comfortable to operate, and more convenient to own. The fact that the licensing requirements and insurance for scooters are more accessible and cheaper than for cars in most parts of the world makes them popular in countries with rapid economic growth.

Moreover, urban citizens find it easier to operate who wheelers on the streets due to the increase in traffic congestion and the non-availability of parking spaces. These five scooters coming in for 2020 run on fule-efficient engines, and carry some beautiful piece of equipment to satisfy the majority of the folks.

Yamaha’s new-in-2016 SMAX scooter features a 155 cc engine, which knocks it off the usual tier-license tables, but brings us a minimal-displacement highway commuter option for the U.S. market. The unusual engine size puts the displacement just over the line making it legal to hit the interstate and second now in size to the XMAX in the Yamaha scooter stable for 2020.

Part of Yamaha’s700 is based largely on the proven MT-07 platform. It is a reinterpretation of a vintage design for a modern-retro look, clearly meant to draw in the hipster/Millennial crowd, as well as those with an appreciation for classic design elements. It’s not all about looks, though, the mill churns out a claimed 73.8 horsepower and 50.2 pound-feet of torque to push the 410-pound wet weight, so there’s no shortage of thrills to be had on Yamaha’s mid-size roadster.

Call them bikes that perfectly fill the gap between thrilling sportsbike and the gigantic touring machines, sports-tourers are naturally long haul motorcycles with sportbike expectations built to get the best out of that long way home. Here is our list of 2020’s top five machines offering the same capabilities as touring bikes but without sacrificing any of the sporty performance.

They tend to be a bit lighter and corner well but aren’t the most comfortable. The riding position tends to be a bit more relaxed compared to sports machines, and there’s better wind protection, much better pillion comforts, transmission with lower gearing, and usually a whole quick-release pannier system designed.

Timeless designs that take you back to the pre-’60s era heightened the feeling of riding free-spirited machines and the sense of freedom. This is what a modern-day classic motorcycle offers without that knuckle bending fixes and ghastly scenes of oil dripping everywhere. Here are our top five standards/classic motorcycles coming in 2020 that takes us back to the time from the ’60s.

Recalling the past glories, these neo-classic motorcycles have still managed to retain the charm and posterity of minimalistic elegance along with providing modern day mechanicals and the bits. They run on efficient high output engines that are both reliable and powerful and are equipped with state of the art suspension and brake setups that will bring the bike to a halt not far from their point of application, unlike the yesteryears.

Minimalism and understatement do not always go hand in hand. In this case, it is the whole point of the design. Bringing the designs from their history books and fusing them with cues of early performance models, manufacturers catered to the ’bob-job’ from the 1930s through the 1990s custom scene.

Stripping excess bodywork from a motorcycle, shortening the fenders, and having a bob-tail, here is our list of the top five Bobbers coming in 2020. They run on massive engines yet harks back to a different time – ostensibly the post-WWII era when returning servicemen stripped their bikes of all unnecessary weight for the sake of going faster.

Yamaha brought the XMAX to the U.S. market with a 27.6-horsepower mill that promises enough speed to be safe, even comfortable, at highway velocities, and that’s muy importante in the American market. This performance comes bundled with a decidedly modern and mature look that just screams metro-commuter.

Our lifestyle for daily transportation in urban communities has given rise to street motorcycles that are lightweight and nimble for the concrete jungle. Being an agile handler while looking the part is how we need our commute through the asphalt.

This is our list of new machines we think can handle those demands better than any other. A motorcycle with an upright riding position, lacking plastic fairings for that narrow lane splitting ability and lightweight construction for the ease of flickability is what we are looking for, and here are our top five coming in hot for 2020:

For some people, adventure is about finding your way through the unknown to see things no one has and doing things most haven’t. But unless you plan on walking, you need the right tool to get there. This is where these adventure touring machines comes in and sweeps you off your feet in the most humble and matured way.

Here are our top five all-new adventure tourers coming in 2020 with some excellent versatility to trout the lands across the globe. With the looks and utility of a capable off-roader and the balance and handling of a sport-standard, adventure motorcycles are a bipartisan look at how to tackle paved roads and dirt. Powerful engines, long travel suspensions, and a higher riding position with multiple rider aids adorn these machines.

Yamaha had showcased its mid-weight adventure concept last year and called it the ‘T7 concept’. It was then we knew that the Japanese guys are coming up with a winner in the adventure class for the next year. Then, the brand showcased the ’Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid’ at last year’s EICMA, but for all our dismay, it was still a prototype since they had yet to turn a few knobs more.

Now though, Yamaha has officially confirmed that the Ténéré 700 Adventure Touring motorcycle will be coming to our shores as a 2021 model lineup, but will be hitting the stateside dealers in early summer of 2020. The 700 will be available in the Ceramic Ice, Matte Black, and Intensity White color schemes, with all three models carrying an MSRP of $9,999.

The Yamaha TW200, brought forward for 2020 with its scrappy little 196 cc engine, is a nice learning bike, fully street legal but with that distinctive motocross-style swale seat that says you’re going off-road. On the move, the bike has nice low-end torque and you’ll feel the front end trying to come up when you get even a little twisty. Dual sport, yes, but so much about this bike just begs to be in the dirt.

Yamaha’s Ténéré line expands down into the mid-range with the all-new Ténéré 700 (XTZ700). The “700” brings solid dual-sport capability to the adventure-touring range with an off-road bent that definitely favors soft terrain. Yammy’s CP2 engine delivers the goods with a transmission and chassis tuned specifically for trips off the beaten path, much more so than its bigger brothers in the Super Ténéré family. After a race to the top, this model marks a new front in the battle for market supremacy as the factory seeks to fill in under the 1,200 cc units, so let’s see where the balance between price and value lies on this newest and smallest Ténéré.

Essentially a carry-over from 2008 when the WR250R was added as a street-legal offering in the Yamaha WR lineup, the 2020 model carries-on carrying-on dual-sport fun. It’s not really a street-legal version of the WR250F, though the model designation tends to make it seem so. “WR” indicates it’s a wide-ratio gear box, and beyond that, the sky’s the limit. The wide-ratio gives an acceptable balance of highway capability and off-road responsiveness, both desirable in the dual-sport market

The beginning of this century saw the world views changing gradually towards climate change and the need to preserve the environment. This, along with stringent policies, has forced the manufacturers to develop motorcycles that can run cleaner fuel and extract the maximum economy from it, sometimes even at the cost of performance.

Bad news for people who seek the element of thrill, but a pretty good one for someone living in urban jungles where folks prefer commuting on a motorcycle rather thank a car for its practicality and frugal fuel-efficiency. Then there are us few who love the idea of putting serious miles on two-wheels and living the adventure.

We here have compiled a list to give you the best available tools for such situations and save some money on gas while at it.

Motorcycles engines are known for their high-revving nature. Since they are limited in size and slapping them with massive big-block motors like the ones you see on automotives is a non-option, they compensate for making that big power by revving higher than most cars out there. For most motorcycles, 8000 to 11000 rpm’s are a standard affair, and all current sports bikes rev happily at these ranges and push the redline a wee bit more too.

But you are not here for these, are you? Well, fret not. Top Speed has got you covered. Although emission laws make things like those an impossible dream today, the motorcycles we are featuring here will give you a glimpse of that very high revving creation of our pasts. And it all starts with the Big four’s from Japan. But of course!

The Yamaha Bolt continues into 2020 with that classic "bobber" style, high tank, and short wheelbase, folks expect to see in old-school styling. Powered by an air-cooled V-twin engine, but with a plenty of technology on board, the Bolt is a good in-between size: not too small that you’ll outgrow it soon and not so big that it is intimidating for new riders. The bobber-style solo seat, easy cruisin’ rider triangle, and naked-bike look make the Bolt a choice little bar hopper or commuter ride.

If you’re a carburetor fan, you’re still in luck for a 250 cc commuter bike with the 2020 V Star 250 from Yamaha. Simple, classic-cruiser good looks and scooter-like fuel economy make the V Star 250 a no-nonsense choice for a budget-minded or entry-level rider.

Yamaha expands its MT lineup (formerly the FZ in the U.S.) with an all-new, entry-level model, the 2020 MT-03. Previously available in other markets, it joins the MT-07, -09 and -10 within Yamaha’s hyper-naked range it touts as the “Dark Side of Japan.” The MT-03 toes the family line with minimalist appointments that waste not an ounce on superfluous details. Power delivery is both smooth and predictable to reinforce its rider-friendly nature. ABS protection provides an extra safety net to help make sure you keep it rubber-side down.

The Bolt from Yamaha’s Star cruiser line is a cool little bobber-style bike with its high tank, short wheelbase and solo seat. It’s a nice around town bike — lightweight and agile — and naked with real-steel sheet metal, so it just begs you to customize it. What could be better? Enter the Bolt’s siblings, the dressier Bolt R-Spec and the café racer Bolt C-Spec. The Spec duo are every bit as snappy and fun to ride as the Bolt, but with some upgrades, both hardware and cosmetic. Powered by the air-cooled 942 cc V-twin engine, the Specs are in the same size slot as the Bolt: not too small that you’ll outgrow it right away and not so big to be overwhelming for new riders. At just a few bills more than the Bolt, they’re worth a look.

Yamaha took a little hiatus from the full-dresser market to the tune of almost a half-decade, but the Tuning Fork Company broke its fast in 2018 with the release of the all-new Star Venture. This ride clearly comes geared to take on Harley-Davidson’s touring line in general, and the Road Glide Ultra specifically. Ambitious? You betcha, but Yamaha did its homework and put together a machine that brings a torquey, big-inch, V-twin to the U.S. market in a rather tour-tastic package with over 35 gallons of dry storage across the two hard bags and trunk box on the base model with additional storage available as part of the “Transcontinental Option Package.” The very name speaks volumes.