XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

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XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by weeksy »

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new ... 900-racer/

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Yamaha have treated their three-cylinder XSR900 retro motorbike to a new mini front fairing and rear seat cover, said to be inspired by the smoking 500 and 250cc grand prix racers of the 1970s and 80s.

The bike shown here, known as the ‘Racer’ is still the same competent Yamaha XSR900 as before – which was launched for 2016, updated in 2022, and powered by the firm’s meaty 117bhp 890cc CP3 water-cooled triple – also found in the Yamaha MT-09 and Tracer 9 ranges.

This motor is housed in an aluminium Deltabox chassis and suspended by 41mm fully adjustable KYB front forks plus a rebound and preload adjustable rear shock

The new café racer bodywork is set to become available as an optional accessory kit, which can be purchased from the Yamaha’s online store from June this year – with the bike seen in these photos due to make its first public appearance at the Bike Shed Moto Show on the 27th and 28th of May at Tobacco Dock, in London.

Once available to the public, the special bolt-on kits can be colour matched to either the black, or TZ-inspired blue livery designs. The inclusion of the fibreglass reinforced plastic front screen should give the bike more versatility over distance and provides a cleaner front end – shrouding part of the upside down fork tubes and silver headlight bracketry.

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Re: XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

Looks better than the standard bike, but the seat looks too short
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Re: XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by Skub »

There's just something about that engine and frame that cries out for a fairing.
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Re: XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

I've looked at it a bit more and I'd consider buying one, it's definitely better looking than the Z900RS
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Re: XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by Skub »

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:19 pm I've looked at it a bit more and I'd consider buying one, it's definitely better looking than the Z900RS
It'll definitely ride better than the 900RS.
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Re: XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by ChrisW »

Skub wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:16 pm There's just something about that engine and frame that cries out for a fairing.
You're not wrong.

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Re: XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by weeksy »

It'll come as no shock, but I love it with a passion
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Re: XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by KungFooBob »

Isn't it just a new version of the old Abarth that was crippling to ride?
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Re: XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by weeksy »

KungFooBob wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:31 pm Isn't it just a new version of the old Abarth that was crippling to ride?
Nah, that had weird underslung bars.
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Re: XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by Supermofo »

I really like the first gen XSR900 but for me the 2nd gen looks awkward
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Re: XSR900 gets racy: Three-cylinder Yamaha retro treated to half faired café racer kit

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

Skub wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:16 pm There's just something about that engine and frame that cries out for a fairing.
The fact that it's fugly?

There are few modern bikes less suited to this customisation IMO. It's just such a weird and clumsy looking frame/engine/wires&pipes.