2020 Yamaha XSR900 Review

The 2020 Yamaha XSR900 is metal proof of the adage, 'The simple things in life are often the best'.

In the 1970s and '80s, the Japanese motorcycle industry grew from a fledgling, post-war small-capacity commuter concern into a global powerhouse on the back of the Universal Japanese Motorcycle, or UJM.

The term was coined by the US motorcycle media in the mid-'70s, but there was nothing overly complex or extravagant about what would soon become Japan Inc's recipe for success.

A frame, an engine (usually an air-cooled in-line four-cylinder engine), and a relaxed and largely upright ride position – these models may have all been fairly similar across the Big Four manufacturers (Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki) through the late 1960s, '70s and '80s. However, the performance and reliability offered by these models ultimately dealt a death blow to the once mighty British bike industry, and they weren't exactly good news for the European and US brands, either.

Of course, from the mid-'80s on, the motorcycle market has become increasingly fragmented: there's now a model, or choice of models, to suit just about any specific role or rider. And that's why, for this scribe at least, there's a wonderful simplicity to the 2020 Yamaha XSR900, which places an emphasis firmly on fun and pure riding enjoyment.

But before we get into the details, let's recap…

Based on Yamaha's MT-09 streetfighter, the Yamaha XSR900 was first unveiled to the public at the 2015 EICMA motorcycle expo in Italy and was launched the following year to critical acclaim.

Powered by a visceral and athletic 847cc inline triple engine (115hp/87.5Nm), the model went on to win the Retro category of the bikesales Bike of the Year mega-test in 2016 and 2017, before it was knocked off its perch in 2018 by Kawasaki's Z900RS Café.

Don't confuse the XSR900 with the XSR700LA, however. Also introduced in 2016, the XSR700LA is a LAMS (Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme) model, and is powered by a 655cc parallel-twin. They're both part of Yamaha's 'Faster Sons' Sport Heritage range, however, along with the Bolt C-Spec cafe race/bobber.

Bar keeping up with emissions standards, the Yamaha XSR900 essentially hasn't changed much over the years. It's still a Euro4-compliant machine and there's no official word yet on whether the model will be updated to meet Euro5, which kicked off in Europe at the start of 2020.

Classed by Yamaha as a 'neo-retro', the Yamaha XSR900 might look like an '80s machine but dig a little deeper and you'll find it's totally up to date in terms of modern tech.

That fuel-injected inline triple comes with an electronic throttle (YCC-T, or Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle, to be precise) and the donk is slotted into a modern alloy diamond frame.

There are three 'D-MODE' ride modes (A, Std and B) while safety is enhanced with antilock brakes and a choice of three traction control settings (full intervention, partial intervention, or off). And there's a slipper clutch, a neat little round digital instrument display, and an LED taillight.

The Yamaha XSR900 rides on a 41mm conventional fork and a monoshock, with both adjustable for preload and rebound damping. As far as bigger-bore bikes go it's a compact package, with a 1440mm wheelbase and a wet weight of 197kg. Helping keeping that weight down is a modest 14-litre fuel tank.

At 830mm, the seat height is on the taller side for a roadster, but the Yamaha XSR900 is slim through its mid-section, and the classy seat, with its contrast stitching and embossed 'XSR900' logo, is narrow towards the tank. This means it shouldn't prove too challenging for most to get a foot down when at a standstill.

The ride position is really comfortable. There's plenty of legroom and it's an easy short stretch to the handlebars, which are flat and broad and provide a heap of leverage. The steering range is healthy too.

With no screen or fairing there's a bit of wind pressure at highway speeds but it's nothing untoward. In general the ergonomics should prove ideal for most, with the largely upright ride position entirely sufficient for long days in the saddle (even if the seat gets a little firm after a few hours).

And the overall finish and build quality of the Yamaha XSR900 is superb – it's just a beautiful motorbike, in my opinion.

Yamaha has produced some really eye-catching heritage paint schemes for the XSR900 over the years and our testbike, resplendent in its sole colour option of Dynamic White (with a hefty dose of red) and those gold rims, is another head-turner.

There are numerous neat little design touches throughout the bike, from the alloy headlight brackets to the small mesh grille partially covering the wiring to the instruments and handlebars, the alloy plates on either side of the seat and more. Yet there are several thoroughly modern styling twists too, like the banana swingarm, the stubby underslung muffler, and the diminutive LED taillight – it really is a neat fusion of old-school cool and modern tech (hence the 'neo-retro' tag).

Related reading:
2017 BOTY: Yamaha XSR900
2016 BOTY: Yamaha XSR900
2016 Yamaha XSR900 Launch Review
2015 EICMA: Yamaha XSR900

So it looks the goods, but it also stops, goes and handles in a way the UJMs of decades past could only have dreamed. Yamaha's 847cc inline Crossplane Concept triple is a great powerplant; it's a super-refined and smooth unit yet it still somehow maintains a gruff, aggressive edge.

Also found in the Yamaha MT-09, MT-09SP and Yamaha's three-wheeled Niken, it's so capable yet so engaging, and the howling note from that tiny standard pipe sets senses tingling.

All the controls – throttle, clutch, gearshift and brakes – are impressively light and precise, and winding on the throttle sees the XSR900 leap forward like a snarling Doberman let off its leash. It revs freely, too; there's good urge down low, while the fat and strong midrange feeds seamlessly into a towering top-end. It's just a sublimely enjoyable ride, whether you want to casually drift along on a sunny afternoon, get amongst it on your favourite twisties, or even attack a track day.

I'd love to get this thing to a track; the suspension and chassis package inspires confidence while the bike's geometry, healthy ground clearance and grippy Bridgestone Battlax S20 rubber deliver a thrilling, responsive ride. The flat handlebar and upright stance mean it's easy to climb all over this thing like it's a playground jungle gym, and it's so easy to flick through chicanes and tighter corners.

With a 25-degree rake it's nimble yet still stable; combine that stability with some practical and easy-to-use rider-assist systems and you have a recipe for fun.

The most aggressive 'A' ride mode makes the throttle response quite sharp – too sharp for general road riding, I think – so I found myself in 'Std' mode for the most part. Still, even 'A' mode is nowhere near as snatchy as you'd find in the MT-09 on which the XSR900 is based.

I love the partial intervention mode for the traction control, but you'll need to deactivate the TCS entirely if you want to loft that front wheel – which the XSR900 will accomplish readily. And I appreciate the fact that the bike starts up with the same ride mode and traction control settings that were selected when you last keyed off.

The digi instrument pod gives most of the usual information, including two trip meters, an odometer, average fuel consumption, a clock, and ambient temperature. There's no range-to-empty feature, although the display does show how many kays you've done since hitting reserve.

It is perhaps a measure of the march of technology that I now find it annoying to cycle through the trip meter by having to press a button on the instrument pod, as is the case here, rather than keeping both hands on the handlebars and using a switchblock-mounted button.

But my biggest whinge concerning the Yamaha XSR900 is, however, its fuel range. I achieved an average fuel economy of between 5.2 to 6.0lt/100km which, with a 14-litre tank, equates with a safe range of around 210 to 250km. That's a bit of a pity given its general comfort, and could prove a bit annoying for daily commuters.

Otherwise the XSR900 is an excellent option for the run to work. It's easy to thread through tight spots and a delight in city traffic, although the horn button is a bit too close to the indicator switch – I inadvertently triggered the horn several times over the course of this test.

The headlight throws a pretty decent beam (low and high) and the horn is par for the course these days. Oh, and it's a bit of a squeeze to get the key into the ignition between the clutch cable and the instrument pod, especially when wearing winter gloves.

But sealing the deal on the Yamaha XSR900 is, to my mind, a great price: $14,849 ride away. To put that in perspective, rivals span the Kawasaki Z900RS ($18,162 ride away), Honda CB1000R ($19,137 ride away), and Suzuki Katana ($18,990 ride away), among a host of other naked roadsters (some retro, others not).

If for some reason you didn't already glean the fact, I'm a huge fan of the 2020 Yamaha XSR900. Yes, it's a shame Yamaha couldn't squeeze another couple of litres into the fuel tank, but that isn't enough to dampen my enthusiasm for this classy, capable, keenly priced and ultimately very enjoyable ride. Seems there's life in the Universal Japanese Motorcycle yet, and long may it continue.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke DOHC triple
Capacity: 847cc
Bore x stroke: 78.0mm x 59.1mm
Compression ratio: 11.5:1
Engine management: Electronic fuel injection

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Alloy diamond
Front suspension: 41mm telescopic fork, adjustable for preload and rebound, 137mm travel
Rear suspension: Monoshock with adjustable preload and rebound, 130mm travel
Front brakes: 298mm discs with twin-piston calipers, ABS
Rear brake: 245mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS
Tyres: Bridgestone Battlax S20; front 120/70-17, rear 180/55-17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 25 degrees
Trail: 104mm
Claimed kerb weight: 195kg
Seat height: 830mm
Ground clearance: 130mm
Wheelbase: 1440mm
Fuel capacity: 14 litres

PEFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 115hp (84.6kW) at 10,000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 87.5Nm at 8500rpm

OTHER STUFF
Price: $14,849 ride away
Test bike supplied by: Yamaha Motor Australia
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres