What the heck is the Yamaha RW700 EXPLORE?
We know that Yamaha is working on a new ‘RW’ range, but what that means is still a mystery.
So, what, exactly, is the Yamaha RW700? Or the RW125, RW250, or RW350? This is the question that many motorcyclists may have following the news that the tuning fork brand has filed a trademark application for a logo reading: “RW700 Explore.”
We’re going to give credit where credit’s due here and point to the work of internet super-sleuth Dennis Chung for the discovery of this bit of news. He spends a lot of time digging through trademark and patent filings in search of clues about future models.
Sometimes that means he’s able to scoop the rest of us. Sometimes, though, the clues are so minuscule that the bigger picture is a mystery. That’s the case here. It’s entirely possible, in fact, that the RW700 is not a motorcycle at all. After all, Yamaha makes a lot of things; the RW700 moniker could potentially end up being applied to anything from a snowmobile to a trombone.
So, let’s start with the solid facts.
Fact No. 1: Back in November of last year, Chung uncovered Yamaha trademark filings for five different terms: RW125, RW155, RW250, RW350, and RW700. In the filings, Yamaha stated that it intends to use these trademarks for “motorcycles, motor scooters, mopeds, three-wheeled motorcycles, three-wheeled motor scooters, three-wheeled mopeds and parts and fittings for all the aforesaid goods.”
OK, so not a trombone. But probably not ALL of those things, either. Companies usually give themselves quite a bit of wiggle room in trademark filings.
Fact No. 2: Last week, Chung spotted that Yamaha had filed a trademark for a logo reading “RW700 EXPLORE.”
And that’s where the facts stop. Everything after that is conjecture. Chung’s original speculation was that the name might be used for a line of retro-styled motorcycles. This new bit of evidence seems to suggest otherwise.
The most obvious conclusion is that these are names to be used with a range of adventure bikes. Or, perhaps more likely, adventure-styled bikes. There is a difference after all.
If you look at Yamaha’s current line-up, you’ll spot that it doesn’t offer adventure bikes in any displacement other than 700 cc. This new RW designation could provide a cohesive naming system for adventure models across the line-up - similar to the way Yamaha uses the MT or XSR designations.
Additionally, you’ll note that there’s no obvious middle ground between the Tracer 7, which has adventure bike ergonomics but is solely intended for road use, and the Tenere 700, which is seen as a far more focused machine. It may feel like splitting hairs, but with the adventure bike segment having grown to encompass so many different machines - everything from the Honda NC750X to the Ducati DesertX Rally - one might argue that Yamaha is leaving money on the table in failing to cater to that middle ground.
Arguably, though, Yamaha has tried. You might (but probably don’t) remember the very short-lived Tenere 700 Explore.
Released for 2024 and axed that very same year, the Tenere 700 Explore was, as we reported, “more geared towards comfort on long-distance tours than other versions of the Tenere 700.” The suspension was lowered to reduce seat height, the screen was 50 per cent larger, and the presence of a standard-fit quickshifter suggested a little more road focus.
The fact that the Tenere 700 Explore was dropped so quickly suggests that either nobody wanted such a thing, or consumers were confused by Yamaha’s muddied use of emotive nothing words for its bike models. I mean, without looking, who the hell would be able to guess the difference between the Tenere 700 World Raid, Tenere 700 World Rally, and Tenere 700 Rally?
Hey… wait a second… Tenere 700 Explore… RW700 Explore. Even my ADHD-addled brain can spot the connection there. Put all the pieces together and it seems likely that Yamaha is planning a range of models on par with Suzuki’s V-Strom line-up: many different engine configurations and displacements under the umbrella of a product that could be used for light adventure work but probably won’t be.
The existence of such a range could create a clarity that would allow Yamaha to lean even more toward off-road-focused riders with its Tenere range.
When we’ll see the RW range appear is another mystery. One assumes it’s largely an exercise of branding and styling for Yamaha. It will almost certainly use existing engines, frames, and components from elsewhere in its line-up. Largely, it seems it’s just a matter of creating a look that is distinctive from the existing Tracer and Tenere range.
Could we see it as soon as EICMA? My guess is no. If Yamaha is only just trademarking the RW 700 EXPLORE logo, that doesn’t really give marketing and PR teams enough lead time for an early November event. Remember, we saw the R9 logos and trademarks way back in 2021, and that bike has just begun landing in UK dealerships!
Early next year, though? Maybe.
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Chris Cope is a fourth-generation journalist, originally from Texas. He has lived in the UK for roughly two decades and has been writing about motorcycles for most of that time. He has written for dozens of publications and websites in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
