New shape XSR 900

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

They both have an X and an S.

The XS has less pirate.

So the new XSR is the old XS with a parrot and a wooden leg?

[Dodgy69]

I mentioned retro earlier but infact it ain't, it's just another body wrapped around the cp3. It could be for those who don't like the mt headlight maybe, so they've gone different.

For me and most I'd imagine, it's the rear seat section that doesn't look great. With cowl it's better, but without it looks like some plastic surround or subframe is missing, iykwim. It will be a great fun bike to ride for sure, just like the mt, so it's all on the looks, nowt else.

[mangocrazy]

I mentioned retro earlier but infact it ain't, it's just another body wrapped around the cp3. It could be for those who don't like the mt headlight maybe, so they've gone different.

I think you've got it in one, there. I find the look of the MT-09's headlight and cowl just too much. The XSR's headlight arrangement is far preferable to me. In an ideal world they'd have given the XSR a half-fairing (for me, anyway), but I reckon they're saving that for the R9. The ideal version of the latest CP3 platform for me would have a fairing and reasonably (but not excessively) sporty riding position. And a bit more choice in the paint options. And sort the seat out...

[Demannu]

If they fitted the proper headlight and sorted out the exhaust, I'd buy the RD one in a heartbeat.

[mangocrazy]

I really like 98% of the XSR in the RD500LC frock, except for that headlight. Either fit a rectangular headlight into the rectangular aperture or fit a round headlight into a round aperture. A round headlight in a rectangular aperture is shit, and indicates indecision on a grand scale. Everything else me likes. I particularly like the way the RD tail unit works with the XSR seat - looks like it was made for it.

The exhaust doesn't bother me, I'd fit something like a Leo Vince early on in my ownership.

The blue (TZR scheme) one is nice, but the exhausts are gopping. Headlights also need a re-work. And it looks like pillions are excluded on that one.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Why try and make it look like a two stroke, why not go for an OW01 or YZF 750 look?

[mangocrazy]

Why try and make it look like a two stroke, why not go for an OW01 or YZF 750 look?

I never regarded either of those bikes as lookers, tbh. Both were overshadowed by the RC30 in the looks and performance stakes.

But that's just a personal viewpoint. I'd go for a pastiche of 80's stinkwheels every time over diesels from the same decade.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I never regarded either of those bikes as lookers, tbh. Both were overshadowed by the RC30 in the looks and performance stakes.

Standard RC30 isn't that great, both Yams are quicker and have better race results, the RVF750 is a very different animal, and does have good race results.

[mangocrazy]

I never regarded either of those bikes as lookers, tbh. Both were overshadowed by the RC30 in the looks and performance stakes.

Standard RC30 isn't that great, both Yams are quicker and have better race results, the RVF750 is a very different animal, and does have good race results.

I can't speak for every series, but at the TT the RC30 ruled the roost for years, and it also managed two WSBK championships in 1988/89 in the hands of Fred Merkel. Neither Yamaha managed a WC.

[Yorick]

I never regarded either of those bikes as lookers, tbh. Both were overshadowed by the RC30 in the looks and performance stakes.

Standard RC30 isn't that great, both Yams are quicker and have better race results, the RVF750 is a very different animal, and does have good race results.

I can't speak for every series, but at the TT the RC30 ruled the roost for years, and it also managed two WSBK championships in 1988/89 in the hands of Fred Merkel. Neither Yamaha managed a WC.

I was surprised. I was around the paddock most years, but just checked and RC30 was only British champion in 1989. Brian Morrison.

I remember everyone buying the special carbs at £10,000

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I never regarded either of those bikes as lookers, tbh. Both were overshadowed by the RC30 in the looks and performance stakes.

Standard RC30 isn't that great, both Yams are quicker and have better race results, the RVF750 is a very different animal, and does have good race results.

I can't speak for every series, but at the TT the RC30 ruled the roost for years, and it also managed two WSBK championships in 1988/89 in the hands of Fred Merkel. Neither Yamaha managed a WC.

And yet the OW01 held the lap record for about 20 years.

[mangocrazy]

Standard RC30 isn't that great, both Yams are quicker and have better race results, the RVF750 is a very different animal, and does have good race results.

I can't speak for every series, but at the TT the RC30 ruled the roost for years, and it also managed two WSBK championships in 1988/89 in the hands of Fred Merkel. Neither Yamaha managed a WC.

And yet the OW01 held the lap record for about 20 years.

Which lap record would that be? Foggy set the TT lap record riding an OW01 in 1992 when battling with Hizzy, but that lap record certainly didn't stand for 20 years.

[mangocrazy]

In 1999 Jim Moodie lapped in 18 minutes 11.4 seconds, 124.45 mph from a standing start in the Senior race, beating Foggy's 7 year old record of 123.61 mph. So nowhere near 20 years, then. I watched the Senior race when Foggy set his lap record and he was right on the ragged edge. That bike was making shapes you would not believe. It's no surprise the record wasn't beaten for 7 years, but that was mainly due to Foggy, not the bike.

[Demannu]

Standard RC30 isn't that great, both Yams are quicker and have better race results, the RVF750 is a very different animal, and does have good race results.

I can't speak for every series, but at the TT the RC30 ruled the roost for years, and it also managed two WSBK championships in 1988/89 in the hands of Fred Merkel. Neither Yamaha managed a WC.

And yet the OW01 held the lap record for about 20 years.

Iirc it was 7 years.
And he lost to a Norton!

[mangocrazy]

I can't speak for every series, but at the TT the RC30 ruled the roost for years, and it also managed two WSBK championships in 1988/89 in the hands of Fred Merkel. Neither Yamaha managed a WC.

And yet the OW01 held the lap record for about 20 years.

Iirc it was 7 years.
And he lost to a Norton!

Ridden by Steve Hislop...

[Demannu]

And yet the OW01 held the lap record for about 20 years.

Iirc it was 7 years.
And he lost to a Norton!

Ridden by Steve Hislop...

As I've previously mentioned, I was around the waterworks with Don Morley that year. I've got some blurry photos of a red bike and a white bike
What made the race so intriguing was there were nearly 3 minutes between them on the road and Hizzy had to pass far more bikes to win the race.
Great racer, crap pilot

[mangocrazy]

Yeah, he was starting position #19 in that race, so lots of slower riders to pass. Foggy was #4, and given that the riders went off in pairs at 10 second intervals, by my reckoning the on road time between them was 80 seconds, so there would have been an agonising wait before the race result was known, given they were only 4 seconds apart after 226.5 miles of racing.

[Yorick]

I was there that year. And the year before

[mangocrazy]

It all went a bit meh after 1992 to my mind. Foggy never raced again in the Island and Hislop returned for a one-off in 1994 on RC45s, but that was his last year at the TT. The fact that someone like Phil McCallen could win 4 races in a week in 1996 told me that the level of riders wasn't as good. It didn't really return to Foggy/Hizzy levels until David Jefferies and John McGuiness started doing the TT in the late 1990s.

IMHO, of course...

[Yorick]

I'm getting a bit confused. Maybe

I was there when Foggy was on the Yam and Slop on the Norton.

But before that I'm sure that Slop and Foggy were team mates on Honda specials?
I thought RVF somethings?

We watched at Hillbery and a pal got them together and Jeffries behind in a photo.