RIDE REVIEW I 2022 YAMAHA XSR900
P94
is also visually brash to the point of looking knob-
bish. Standing still, it looks like it should be wheel-
ieing through a school zone. On the opposite side
of the loudmouth MT-09, the brilliantly equipped
Tracer is as solid a touring machine value propo-
sition as you'll find on sale today. But the Tracer
has picked up a funny little headlight squint and
some of the MT-09's garish angles. Worse, it's
lost a little of the rip and snort that so defines the
wicked-good CP3 engine underneath. After riding
them, both left us impressed, but neither left us
aching for more.
The XSR900 has no hang ups. It's an absolute
delight, inhabiting a sweet spot between the matu-
rity of the Tracer and the idiot glee of the MT-09.
Yamaha leaned into the racy aesthetic with a
more aggressive riding position, shifting the bars
forward and down. It has shouty intake vents lo-
cated on either side of the fuel tank. And the seat
pad is impressively hard. Even buttocks accus-
tomed to the abuses of long days in the saddle will
be surprised by the XSR's aggressively firm foam.
Another detail plucked from racers of old.
That's all before you light off the 890cc triple.
The XSR's motor is a gem of a
thing and will happily play in the
canyons as well as perform city
duties without complaint.
