The dust had hardly settled on the XSR700 launch when Yamaha started teasing their next release. It started with Roland Sands' Faster Wasp—a brutal custom FZ-09 inspired by the flat track.
It was obvious that Yamaha was poised to release a big brother to the XSR700. And right on cue, they revealed the XSR900 at the Italian EICMA show.
Like the XSR700, the XSR900 is a restyled version of an existing Yamaha model. It has the same rolling chassis and power plant as the FZ-09 (known as the MT-09 elsewhere), but wrapped in a more refined package.
That puts it squarely in Yamaha's 'Faster Sons' range: bikes that are stripped to the bare essentials, with a classic aesthetic. Modern day UJMs (Universal Japanese Motorcycles), if you will.
Some might see this as a marketing ploy, but Yamaha Motor Europe product manager—the ever-smiling Shun Miyazawa—sees it as a response to the shifting market. According to him, new customers are more interested in all-round appeal than outright performance.
Not that the XSR900 doesn't perform. After all, it's packing the same triple cylinder, 847cc mill as the FZ-09, good for a claimed 87.5Nm of torque. It's a brute—but like Daniel Craig, it's a brute in a well-tailored suit.
After touchdown in Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands, we spent the first day thrashing Yamaha SR400s around a pop-up flat track—under the tutelage of Marco Belli of the famed Di Traverso flat track school.
On day two, it was time to get acquainted with the new XSR900.
Disclaimer: Why are we reviewing a new production motorcycle? Because we were invited. To date, Yamaha is the only major manufacturer to invite us to be the first to ride a new bike. They're also hugely enamored by the custom scene, having commissioned fifteen builds from the world's top shops last year alone.
Styling Creating a throwback look with a modern motorcycle is tough—especially when it has a bulky-looking, die cast aluminum frame that cuts an awkward line. Yamaha knew they could do little to create that elusive 'bone line' through the middle that we all love.
Instead, they focused on smoothing out the flow across the top of the bodywork, shedding the FZ-09's hunchback pose. A two-piece aluminum cover conceals a 14-liter steel tank. Holding the two halves together is a plastic center strip.
The tank's knee indents flow nicely into the seat: a two-texture affair with a cafe racer-cum-street tracker vibe. The combination gives the XSR900 a muscular stance, but a surprisingly slim feel when seated.
Yamaha have tried to keep this bike as no-frills as possible. But that's hard when you're building a Euro 4 compliant machine. With a radiator, catalytic convertor and various sensors all battling for position, just about everything below the tank has wisely been finished in black. Even the wheels and exhaust headers have been murdered out, leaving the eye less to digest.
The overall design is far less fussy than the XSR700's, with fewer components vying for attention. Rather, the details are thoughtful, and take inspiration from popular trends in customization—like the drilled, brushed aluminum headlight ears and frame supports.
The XSR700's round head and taillights are still present—parts that Yamaha say will remain consistent on all future Faster Sons models. (We could swear the headlight was far more tucked on the XSR900 though.)
There were a couple of bits that had us scratching our heads though. For starters, there are two boxes, which house various electronic modules, placed on each side of the frame.
Once we saw them we couldn't un-see them, and we wished they'd been hidden elsewhere. And we discovered that the right hand engine casing has a plastic cover over it, presumably to hide a sensor of some sort.
Those aside, we couldn't fault Yamaha's overall build quality. They've included a fair whack of metal—making the XSR900 four kilos heavier than the FZ-09, but leaving it with a classy feel that begs to be touched.
Miyazawa-san's hope is that the metal bits develop their own patina over time, giving each bike a personal feel. And we were impressed by little touches—like the neat metal speedo bracket, and the tidy cable routing.
Colorways on offer include 'Matte Grey', 'Rock Slate' (blue) and '60th Anniversary' (yellow). No prizes for guessing our favorite. The 'King Kenny' livery had us swooning—especially the way that the black lower half of the tank helps straighten out the XSR900's lines.
Key specs The XSR900 has the same frame, suspension, wheels and engine as the FZ-09.
The inline triple uses Yamaha's 'Crossplane Concept' engine architecture. In essence, it has a 270-degree crank that is said to provide linear torque all through the rev range. The numbers are 84.6kW at 10,000 RPM, and 87.5Nm at 8,500 RPM (with a wet weight of 195kg.)
The six-speed gearbox is paired with an assist-and-slipper clutch. In simple terms: it operates differently under acceleration and braking, to optimize every shift.
The clutch is an upgraded version of the FZ-09’s, and it's not the only thing that's been reworked. Criticisms of the FZ-09's jerky throttle response had Yamaha's engineers redo the fueling too.
The XSR900's also running D-MODE switchable power maps and TCS switchable traction control. ABS is standard.
The forks are 41mm upside-down units, with a mono-shock out back. They've been tweaked for the XSR, with adjustable rebound up front, and rebound and preload out back.
Riding the XSR900 Crossplane, D-MODE, TCS...do they work? Yes, surprisingly well. If the styling doesn't strike a chord with you, the ride will.
TL;DR: the XSR900 is fun. Bucket loads of it.
The engine has torque and character in spades—with an engine note to match. And it's available on demand, whether you're accelerating out of a corner or looking for a boost on a long straight.
Plus, Yamaha's tech-speak about the assist-and-slipper clutch was spot on. Shifts are smooth and precise, all the time.
But the real gem is the D-MODE system—mainly because it's delightfully simple. There are three modes, swappable via a switch on the handlebars: Standard, A and B. Standard is self-explanatory, B is super-mild, and A turns the throttle into an on-off switch.
The TCS traction control system is just as straightforward. '1' offers a little bit of interference, and '2' a lot. As with D-MODE, a button on the bars cycles between modes (in both cases you can do so on the fly, provided the throttle is closed.)
We found a combination of 'Standard' and '1' to be the sweet spot for most riding; a tasty blend of smooth throttle response and minimal traction control. But our personal favorite was 'A' and '1'.
It uncorked the XSR900, making the throttle far more abrupt in a way that made it harder work to control, but more grin-inducing to ride. And even with traction control turned off—which has to be done at stand still—the bike was still pretty rideable. (Just don't pair 'A' with '2'; full throttle and maximum traction control together make for unpredictable results.)
As for the handling, the XSR900 is extremely well balanced. The weight sits in a good place, and the ergonomics put the rider in a neutral-but-slightly-sporty position that makes for great control.
We like the round speedo too. It's in a decent spot, and crams all the information you need into an easy-to-follow layout. There's no fuel warning light though, despite there being plenty of space for one. Instead, the graphic surrounding the fuel level indicator flashes annoyingly when you're low.
The ABS-equipped, dual 298mm front discs are more than adequate for stopping in a rush (we can attest to this first hand). And the suspension is thankfully a bit stiffer than the XSR700's.
The XSR900 is happy to cruise along, but that's not where it shines the brightest. Instead, it's a bike that rewards physical riding.
The more you work the throttle and brakes, and shift your weight through corners, the more it comes alive.
This nature, along with the multiple riding modes, make it a pretty versatile motorcycle. It can be meek and mild if it needs to be, but really: would you want it to? If so, the XSR700 might be more your deal.
Making it your own As expected, Yamaha have already designed a bunch of parts to complement the XSR900. Two 'kit' bikes were present at the launch, the 'all rounder' and the 'cafe racer'.
The former was equipped with brown canvas saddlebags, a fly screen and a few other bits. The latter looked stunning, with an Alcantara seat, bum stop, 'swallow tail' handlebars and billet aluminum rear sets.
We rode the cafe racer version for a bit, and were blown away by how well the XSR900 performed in a lower, sportier guise, and by the quality of the parts. (The attachment system on the bum stop felt like it needed more thought, though—hopefully Yamaha can rectify this.)
Naturally, there's also a full range of 'Faster Sons' apparel and riding gear on offer—including a capsule collection by Roland Sands.
Yamaha's prolific Yard Built initiative should be enough proof that the Japanese marque seriously digs the custom scene. And this is reflected in the XSR900.
The subframe is a bolt-on part, and the aforementioned aluminum tank shells can easily be swapped out without the need to relocate a pesky fuel pump.
Yamaha have already given the Wrenchmonkees an XSR900 to mess with. Both Per and Nicholas were present at the launch, and testified to the fact that the bike is easy to disassemble. Good news for anyone looking to get their hands dirty.
The competition It's hard to say exactly who Yamaha are going toe-to-toe with, with the XSR900. It's as much competition for Triumph's Speed Triple as it is for BMW's R nineT. And we've yet to ride Triumph's new Bonneville.
But there's a contender within the fold too: the XSR700. We reckon the 900's the better looking of the two, and prefer the more spirited ride. But many potential customers might prefer the more versatile parallel twin in the 700—or its lower price tag.
Either way, we love what Yamaha are doing. Who would have thought, five years ago, that they'd be dipping their toes into this scene—let alone leading the charge?
Yamaha XSR900 product page | Facebook | Yamaha Yard Built Instagram | UK pricing £7,849, '60th Anniversary' yellow £150 extra, US pricing TBC
Wes' gear: Aether Apparel Skyline jacket, Saint Tough Denims
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