Yamaha has sent out a "Save the Date" notice, teasing an announcement for November 2 in Milan, which so happens to be the day before the EICMA show opens at the city in northern Italy. The notice itself is suitably enigmatic, considering we still have another two and a half months before the Milan show, but there may be some clues behind what Yamaha has in store.
The brief message features the title "Redefine the Standard" above what looks like an echocardiogram (EKG) reading. Below is the following text:
The industry has followed the same rhythm for long enough.
The two clues that stand out are the EKG graph and the word "rhythm." Typically, when we talk about a motorcycle's rhythm, we're speaking of the engine's firing order. The EKG graph shows three spikes, which we interpret to represent a three-cylinder engine.
Yamaha, of course, has a well-established Triple in its repertoire with its CP3 engine. Yamaha debuted that engine, originally with an 847cc displacement, in 2014 on the MT-09, and after increasing the displacement to 890cc, we have since seen it deployed on the Tracer 9, XSR900, and YZF-R9.
The CP3 engine has a 120° crankshaft, resulting in a very even 240-240-240 firing order. The EKG graph, however, is noticeably uneven, with a longer gap between the second and third spikes. That sounds quite similar to Triumph's T-Plane engine powering its 1200 and 900 Tigers, which has a 180-270-270 firing order. According to Triumph, this improves tractability at low engine speeds and improves off-road feel, making it an appropriate choice for its adventure bikes.
If Yamaha is thinking along the same lines, then we could be looking at a new Ténéré 900 with its version of Triumph's T-Plane crankshaft. Yamaha's CP3 and CP2 models more or less mirror each other, with an R9 to go with the R7, or an XSR900 to go with the XSR700. The notable exception is there's no corresponding CP3 Ténéré to line up next to the T7.
Of course, if Yamaha was following Triumph's path with an adventure bike with a 900-ish T-Plane Triple, the teaser text about challenging the status quo rings quite hollow. A larger three-cylinder Ténéré would also have the same problem if it is supposed to compete directly against the Tiger 1200. Or maybe it's all just marketing fluff and Yamaha just wants to sound like it's doing something brand new.
Or perhaps Yamaha is going the other direction, with a smaller Triple, say in the 500cc range. Or maybe, if Yamaha really wants something new, a Triple that isn't inline. That's what Honda is working on, with its V3R engine, which has cylinders 1 and 3 canted forward and cylinder 2 going backward, forming a 75° V. While we don't know what the V3R's crankshaft looks like, it'll likely produce an uneven firing order as well.
Whatever Yamaha has planned, we'll be keeping an eye open for it, leading up to the official Nov. 2 reveal.
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