VOL. 53 ISSUE 21 JUNE 1, 2016 P79
If I hadn't had the chance to
ride the XSR, I'd maybe have
to think about my answer to
the previous question. But
now that I have, I can unques-
tionably say if all retro-themed
bikes performed this good, go
ahead and sign me up to the
nearest gluten-free taco stand.
I might even start using beard
oil. Put simply, Yamaha has hit
this one out of the park.
Using the same platform as
the hooligan bike to end them
all, the Yamaha FZ-09, the
XSR is a much more rounded
package than its batshit-crazy
sibling. It's the bike the FZ-
09 could be if it grew up and
stopped going to raves.
You get exactly the same
847cc cross-plane crank
three-cylinder motor, but those
who remember the horren-
dous throttle response of the
first generation FZ-09 will be
pleasantly surprised with the
XSR. The retro-styled XSR's
acceleration is much smoother
from a closed throttle – there's
no longer that horrid thud that
was once present when you
opened the three 41mm throttle
valves – and now you're met
with a smooth gateway to that
meaty torque that made the FZ-
09 such a sensational bike in
THE CULT
OF CUSTOM
It's no longer enough to have
'just a bike'. Maybe it never
was. These days, if your bike
doesn't have a few individual
touches, you're just one of the
squares, man.
Yamaha knows this and
has thus designed a pretty
comprehensive accessories
catalogue you can access for
your new XSR900.
We had one of these bikes at
the launch set up with café racer
handlebars, rear cowl and suede
seat, radiator guard, levers and en-
gine protectors, and I have to say, it
looked pretty dang sweet.
Yamaha's had a pretty long col-
laboration with Roland Sands (so
has almost everyone else, for that
matter), and Roland has had more
than a touch of influence on the
design of not just this 900 but also
the XSR700, a bike that, sadly, isn't
imported into the U.S, and bloody
well should be.
Give it a few months and there
will no doubt be an absolute ton of
aftermarket pieces you can add to
your XSR, along with the Yamaha
ones found here.
4
1. The seat is supremely
comfortable – you can spend hours
here, no problem. 2. Brushed side-
panel is understated and looks
beautiful. 3. Plenty of modern tech
has been shoved into that retro-
styled dash. 4. Traction control
(that little TCS switch) has found a
way to go back in time!
