VOLUME 58 ISSUE 48 NOVEMBER 30, 2021 P67
2022 YAMAHA
XSR900
Remember the Yamaha France
Sonauto Gauloises YZR500s that
Christian Sarron rode against
Lawson, Rainey and Gardner? One
of the most recognizable and iconic
designs of the 1980s has now
been revived in the 2022 Yamaha
XSR900, which is essentially an MT-
09 in very fancy dress.
The MT-09 got a ground-up
redesign for 2021 and the me-
chanical attributes have made it
into the XSR. That means the MT's
new 890cc inline-triple motor and
aluminum chassis have been used,
as have the 41mm KYB fork and
shock.
comes with the bike, which is still
approved for two-person riding. The
oversized top fairing ensures greater
protection against the wind—both
on the road and on the track—and
provided software lets you set up
the quickshift gearbox in an upside-
down configuration. This means
that riders can configure
the gearbox entirely
on their own, without
replacing any parts on
the bike. With this kind
of personalization, Aprilia
looks at the RS 660 for being
ideal on the streets or at the
occasional track day.
Also, the XSR gets the full
electronics suite from the MT
which includes the six-axis IMU
that mitigates lean-sensitive Trac-
tion Control System, Slide Control
System (SCS), front-wheel Lift
Control System (LIF) and Brake
Control (BC) System. There's also
an up-and-down quickshifter and
cruise control as standard.
The styling has come in for a
proper once-over as well. The XSR
gets a reworked gas tank, a much
deeper seat and new colors in the
black and red (Raven) or the retro
blue and gold (Legend Blue) of
Sarron's 500. The 2022 Yamaha
XSR900 will begin arriving in deal-
erships in April 2022 for an MSRP
of $9999.
