XSR900GP

[Supermofo]

When did working rear mudguards go out of fashion?

I'd be crap in the styling dep I'd happily bring back enclosed chains if it meant less chain maintenance

[Dodgy69]

You need a wet bike and a dry bike.

[The Spin Doctor]

My MT with Yamaha tail tidy sprays all up the back of my jacket and helmet in the wet.

Lots of bikes come with chopped back ends these days from the showroom, but they have those horrible splash gaurd things and side mounted plates.

My MTB used to do that... I fitted a mudguard lol

To be honest, I'd rather have a bike with a proper passenger seat and proper underseat mudguard.

[Taipan]

I've never been a fan of the xsr, thinking it t be the MT's ugly sister, but yesterday I followed one out of London. It was satin black with like bronze coloured decals.The guy had changed the bars fitted soem funky mirrors, tail tidy etc and a nice exhaust.I guess it was what you'd call an urban scrambler look? Anyway, I really liked it. The sound of that triple!!

[mangocrazy]

I've always modified any bike I buy to get it to suit me better, suspension being the main thing, but as the price of new bikes climbs inexorably it does seem particularly annoying that you have to shell out more cash to get an already expensive bike to the state you require. I really quite fancy a bike based on Yamaha's CP3 engine, and the XSR900 seems the obvious choice. The GP version looks like it will be significantly more expensive than the base model and to get it looking how I want would probably entail fitting the optional fairing lowers and also doing something about that bloody seat. Add in an aftermarket exhaust and the overall cost would be pushing £13-14,000 which is a long way from being reasonably priced.

Oh well. Back to reality.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

As I said I think a YZF750 or OW01 seat would make it look a lot better, one of these is about £150, you'll probably need to add another £300 to get it sprayed, but it will always be fibre glass bodywork and not look as nice as new plastic bodywork.

It's a shame, because I like Yamahas, I'd have bought an XSR900 if I liked how they looked, I spent a good couple of hours looking at them, but I just couldn't get past the way they look, so I bought a 2nd hand Honda that ended up costing me more than a new XSR900 would of (I was offered a much better trade in deal on the XSR), I think Yamaha UK know the XSR is ugly and that's why you can get a good deal on one.

[mangocrazy]

As I said I think a YZF750 or OW01 seat would make it look a lot better, one of these is about £150, you'll probably need to add another £300 to get it sprayed, but it will always be fibre glass bodywork and not look as nice as new plastic bodywork.

It's a shame, because I like Yamahas, I'd have bought an XSR900 if I liked how they looked, I spent a good couple of hours looking at them, but I just couldn't get past the way they look, so I bought a 2nd hand Honda that ended up costing me more than a new XSR900 would of (I was offered a much better trade in deal on the XSR), I think Yamaha UK know the XSR is ugly and that's why you can get a good deal on one.

Yes, I had a look at YZF750 seats after you mentioned it and you're right, I think that would be the way to go. I also really do not understand that stupid letter box headlight on the GP model - it makes no visual sense at all. And while I'm at it, why not cover the whole of the subframe triangle with bodywork instead of just part - it gives a far more finished appearance.

[KungFooBob]

Iirc very early NSR250's had that style headlight, maybe it's an 80's throwback thing.

Edit:

[Skub]

I've always modified any bike I buy to get it to suit me better, suspension being the main thing, but as the price of new bikes climbs inexorably it does seem particularly annoying that you have to shell out more cash to get an already expensive bike to the state you require.

Or,like me you do all that and have the bike exactly how you want it in terms of power delivery and handling,then it sits in the garage while at every opportunity you ride a machine lacking in all the above qualities.

[mangocrazy]

Iirc very early NSR250's had that style headlight, maybe it's an 80's throwback thing.

Edit:

Good spot! But why would Yamaha want to 'culturally appropriate' a Honda styling cue?

[Skub]

Good spot! But why would Yamaha want to 'culturally appropriate' a Honda styling cue?

They all copy whatever sells,then rewrite history to claim it as their own innovation. Result!

[Bustaspoke]

I also really do not understand that stupid letter box headlight on the GP model - it makes no visual sense at all. .

Plenty of Yamaha's with small headlights back in the day,TZR 250's,TRX 850's to name a couple.In this case I think they've used a small letterbox light to emphasise the yellow background & as with lots of recent Yamaha's they've got it wrong...

[mangocrazy]

Yeah, I remember the bikes you mention and they had rectangular headlights, but not that ridiculously small. Yamaha's styling department are dropping the ball left, right and centre these days.

[G.P]

I've always modified any bike I buy to get it to suit me better, suspension being the main thing, but as the price of new bikes climbs inexorably it does seem particularly annoying that you have to shell out more cash to get an already expensive bike to the state you require. I really quite fancy a bike based on Yamaha's CP3 engine, and the XSR900 seems the obvious choice. The GP version looks like it will be significantly more expensive than the base model and to get it looking how I want would probably entail fitting the optional fairing lowers and also doing something about that bloody seat. Add in an aftermarket exhaust and the overall cost would be pushing £13-14,000 which is a long way from being reasonably priced.

Oh well. Back to reality.

Why not an MT-09 then - they even do a mudguard reg plate thing on the earlier ones..

[mangocrazy]

Everything I've read about the MT-09 (and the SP, even more so) indicates that in terms of riding pleasure it would be right up my cul-de-sac, but I find the looks challenging. The XSR banishes most of those concerns but is a) more expensive (especially the GP version) and b) still has a few niggles in the looks department. I definitely need to get my sorry arse down to the NEC later this year to really crawl over all the CP3 range.

[Supermofo]

Everything I've read about the MT-09 (and the SP, even more so) indicates that in terms of riding pleasure it would be right up my cul-de-sac, but I find the looks challenging. The XSR banishes most of those concerns but is a) more expensive (especially the GP version) and b) still has a few niggles in the looks department. I definitely need to get my sorry arse down to the NEC later this year to really crawl over all the CP3 range.

Test ride one first. Might have been the one I rode, but the MT09 just doesn't feel right IMO. I rode Weeksy's XSR and a Tracer and they were fine, but the MT09 just felt...odd. The throttle response wasn't great either. In comparison the GSXS felt a proper sportsbike, just comfortable.

[mangocrazy]

Everything I've read about the MT-09 (and the SP, even more so) indicates that in terms of riding pleasure it would be right up my cul-de-sac, but I find the looks challenging. The XSR banishes most of those concerns but is a) more expensive (especially the GP version) and b) still has a few niggles in the looks department. I definitely need to get my sorry arse down to the NEC later this year to really crawl over all the CP3 range.

Test ride one first. Might have been the one I rode, but the MT09 just doesn't feel right IMO. I rode Weeksy's XSR and a Tracer and they were fine, but the MT09 just felt...odd. The throttle response wasn't great either. In comparison the GSXS felt a proper sportsbike, just comfortable.

Good call. Nothing compares to actually riding a bike to tell you whether you're going to get on with it long term in real life. I've never ridden a triple, be it British or Japanese, so I certainly need to sort that out before going any further. Having said that I'd never ridden a V-twin before and bought an 851 purely on the basis of lust...

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I've ridden a KH250, hopefully it's a lot better than that.

[Supermofo]

Everything I've read about the MT-09 (and the SP, even more so) indicates that in terms of riding pleasure it would be right up my cul-de-sac, but I find the looks challenging. The XSR banishes most of those concerns but is a) more expensive (especially the GP version) and b) still has a few niggles in the looks department. I definitely need to get my sorry arse down to the NEC later this year to really crawl over all the CP3 range.

Test ride one first. Might have been the one I rode, but the MT09 just doesn't feel right IMO. I rode Weeksy's XSR and a Tracer and they were fine, but the MT09 just felt...odd. The throttle response wasn't great either. In comparison the GSXS felt a proper sportsbike, just comfortable.

Good call. Nothing compares to actually riding a bike to tell you whether you're going to get on with it long term in real life. I've never ridden a triple, be it British or Japanese, so I certainly need to sort that out before going any further. Having said that I'd never ridden a V-twin before and bought an 851 purely on the basis of lust...

That Yamaha triple is a peach, really nice motor with loads of go exactly where you want it.

But yeah as for riding I rode the MT09 and thought 'hmmm maybe' but to me it felt compromised. The following week I rode the Tracer and GSXS. The Tracer was better handling and better throttle connection than the MT but a bit more dull. But then I jumped on the Suzuki and it was no contest, it handled like it was on rails in comparison to the Yamahas and the engine was easily as fun cos its a monster of a thing with loads of midrange.

Weeksy's XSR handled well though, that was loads of fun. Think it only had a shock handling wise, but also think the XSR had a slightly different set up as standard. I was set in buying a black Mars Bar looking XSR before I tried the GSXS.

[mangocrazy]

Confession time - I've never owned an IL4 and over the years it's almost become a bit of a badge of honour, which is stupid, really. I'm just not that keen on the IL4 exhaust note - it's all a bit too whizzy and one-dimensional. I'm aware that I'm shutting myself off from a lot of excellent bikes by taking that stance, but it's hard to kick the habit after all these years. I've ridden plenty of other people's IL4s, but they've never lit that spark in me. I've owned singles, twins (parallel and V) and V4s, but never a triple or an IL4.

I think I need to get out more...