Yamaha XSR700
Yamaha's retro-styled middleweight — the MT-07's twin-cylinder engine and chassis in heritage clothing. Launched 2016, lightly refreshed in 2022 with sharper looks and updated dash. UK buyers love it because you get the MT-07's beloved CP2 parallel-twin (the same 689cc engine that powers Yamaha's best-selling A2 bike) wrapped in styling that doesn't look like a Power Ranger costume. Power is honest — 73.4 PS is plenty for B-road blasts without being so much you'll bin it. Easy to ride, easy to A2-restrict, and easy to live with. The compromise is suspension — fine for solo riding, less so two-up over potholes.
- Engine
- 689 cc
- Power
- 73.4 PS
- Weight
- 186 kg
- Seat height
- 835 mm
- A2 licence
- Restrictable
Parallel-twin, liquid-cooled, 270° crank (CP2)
wet
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 55 · Insurance 38 · Theft 35
The Yamaha XSR700 holds its value about as well as most bikes (around 28% lost over three years, against the 25-32% bike norm) and is expensive to insure (group 11). Theft risk is high. It can be restricted for an A2 licence.
A bike-specific blend of value retention, insurance and theft risk (weighted 40/35/25). Bikes carry no MOT reliability data, so reliability isn't scored. Higher is better.
Variant: XSR700
Engine
Petrol · 689cc
Power
73.4 ps
Torque
67 Nm
Weight
186 kg
Seat
835 mm
Transmission
6-speed manual
Economy
55 mpg
License
A2 restrictable
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.
Estimated market value
£5,422
Range £4,880 – £5,964
HIGH CONFIDENCE
Holding value
Bikes hold value far better than cars — typical motorcycle 3-year depreciation is 25–32%, against cars' 40–50%. Some bikes (Hayabusa, Gold Wing, classic Z1000) actually appreciate in the 7–15 year zone as cult demand outstrips supply.
New
£8,000
At 5 years
—
At 10 years
—
Value loss by phase
Each band shows the share of original value lost during that window — not cumulative. Appreciation (green, marked +X% gained) is real for bikes that develop cult status.
UK new price by year
How we estimate this
Phase depreciation derived from observed UK used-bike pricing — classified ads, dealer asking prices, and end-of-auction figures. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count, and crash-damage signatures. The figures here are indicative for clean, fully-stamped examples.
What it costs to own
Indicative running costs at 8,000 miles a year — the UK rider average. Chain-drive bikes carry a chain/sprocket consumable line; tax (typically £25–£100/yr) and depreciation are excluded — see the section above for value retention.
3-year total
£3,562
Per year
£1,187
Per mile
£0.15
Service costs assume independent specialist labour and OE parts. Tyre intervals reflect typical UK road riding — track-day usage burns through rear tyres in <2,000 miles. Fuel uses the variant MPG at £1.45/L. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.
Estimated insurance
Group 11 of 17 (high — performance) · Comprehensive · 5 yr NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this bike. Bike insurance is far more sensitive to licence tier and rider age than cars — pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Licence
Age
No-claims bonus
5 yearsRisk profile
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39
£900/ year
Roughly £75 per month
Typical
Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-21 | £1,485 | £1,980 | £2,772 |
| Age 22-29 | £911 | £1,215 | £1,701 |
| Age 30-39Selected | £675 | £900 | £1,260 |
| Age 40-49 | £594 | £792 | £1,109 |
| Age 50+ | £540 | £720 | £1,008 |
How we estimate this
Premiums combine licence tier, rider age, no-claims bonus and a risk-profile multiplier on top of a bike-specific baseline. Bike insurance is materially more sensitive to licence tier (CBT / A1 / A2 / A) than car insurance, and young riders pay considerably more than older riders even on the same machine. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Theft risk
Bike-specific · Met Police + insurance reporting
UK bike theft rates are an order of magnitude higher than car theft. Nakeds and supersports lose more to professional gangs; large adventure bikes and tourers are statistically much safer.
Theft risk score · 1 to 4
3/4High risk
High risk
Frequent theft target — appears regularly on UK police hot-lists, especially in London. Expect insurers to demand Thatcham chain + ground anchor + disc lock; tracker can knock 10–15% off premium.Theft hotspot postcodes
Postcode prefixes only; full London hot zone runs across E, N, NW, SE, SW, W boroughs depending on the model.
How we set this band
Bands derived from Met Police bike-theft reporting (most-stolen lists) cross-referenced with insurance industry underwriting data. Model + postcode are the two biggest factors in motorcycle theft risk in the UK, materially more than vehicle value.
What goes wrong
5 known issues · sorted by severity
Documented failure modes from UK owner forums, dealer service bulletins, and aggregated mechanic feedback. Mileages are approximate — different riders see different intervals depending on use and maintenance. Always address "high"-severity items before resale.
High severity
0
Medium
2
Low / cosmetic
3
| Severity | Part / issue | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| medium | Cam chain tensioner 10k-20k mi (pre-2018 units) | £140 |
| medium | Regulator/rectifier 20k-40k mi | £180 |
| low | Throttle position sensor 25k+ mi | £90 |
| low | Wheel bearings 25k-30k mi | £70 per wheel |
| low | Fork seal leaks 30k+ mi | £120 |
How we score severity
High — strands the bike or causes consequential damage if left. Medium — service item that affects ride quality or risks failure. Low — cosmetic or minor inconvenience. Costs are independent-specialist UK rates for parts and labour together; main dealer prices typically run 30–50% higher.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Yamaha XSR700, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Variant comparison
The default — sole variant. A2-restrictable middleweight retro. Best buy in 2018+ form once the cam chain tensioner TSB had been applied.
Known issues
- Cam chain tensioner rattle on pre-2018 units (TSB applies)
- Regulator/rectifier failures (Yamaha pattern, ~20-40k mi)
- Wheel bearing wear from UK weather
Strengths
- +MT-07's proven CP2 engine — torquey, charismatic, reliable
- +A2-restrictable (47kW limit) so it grows with new riders
- +Tank-shape and seat make it comfortable for taller riders than the MT-07 sibling
- +Classic styling without the maintenance overhead of an actual classic
- +Wide aftermarket support — bars, exhausts, screens, soft luggage
Watch-outs
- −Suspension is basic for spirited riding or two-up loads
- −Higher theft risk in London postcodes (popular, easy to steal)
- −Stock seat hard on rides over 90 minutes