The Orbiter: A scrambled XSR700 from Maria Motorcycles

In two weeks, Yamaha will go public with a new adventure bike—a production version of the T7 concept that a small group of European journalists tested back in June. Why's that relevant? Because it'll be powered by the same 689cc, parallel-twin motor as the XSR700. We can argue about the looks of the XSR until the cows come home, but everyone agrees that the engine is a gem. It's punchy and predictable—making it just the ticket for a mid-sized dual-sport. The crew at Maria Motorcycles agree: after taking the XSR700 for a spin they fell in love, then turned it...