Editor’s Choice Awards: The Yamaha XSR900 Is My Retro Hooligan Dream Come True
It’s a bicycle that meets all my preferences.
As motorsport journalists, we're incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to test a diverse range of motorcycles. These include top-of-the-line sportbikes and heavily-duty adventure bikes, some of which we get to ride before they are officially released to the public.
It's about the experience, the emotion, and the feelings it brings to those who interact with it – so much more than the technical specifications. I hope that we have succeeded in providing just that, and that you, our valued readers, have gained insights and enjoyment from it like never before.
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It instantly catches everyone's interest when it is parked at a coffee shop.
For those of you who are familiar with me, you know how much I adore middleweight naked bikes. In my opinion, the XSR900 is the perfect match for what I'm looking for. It's agile and lightweight, ideal for navigating through heavy traffic, offers impressive power that lets it outpace most cars on the road, produces an incredible sound, and has a sleek appearance that complements its capabilities well.
It was basically unfamiliar territory for me at that time. I published the story just a short time after I got it, and so any and everything I had shared with you back then were basically my initial observations. Now that I've been using it for five months and have covered more than 10,000 kilometres (about 6,200 miles), I naturally have more to share.
Before I begin, let me provide a little background information on the bike. I am the second owner of this 2020 Yamaha XSR900. I purchased it from a friend who had decided to move on to a different direction with his motorcycle preferences. When I bought it, the odometer read approximately 21,000 kilometers, or around 13,000 miles. The bike still had its original specifications except for a high-performance Akrapovic exhaust system, which produces a distinctive sound when started in the morning. As of my last update, the odometer has reached 32,000 kilometers, equivalent to almost 20,000 miles, and additional upgrades have also been made.
Saya masih menjaga sistem pembuangan Akrapovic, tetapi saya memutuskan untuk menambahkan kit penangkis fender NRC, cermin tutup-masing-masing dan ban Bridgestone Battlax S23 hypersport. Jadi ya, saya masih menjaga motor mempunyai tampilan sleek dan minimalis, walaupun berdampak pada sedikit kurang praktikal. Tapi dari mulainya ini tidak menghalangi saya untuk melanjutkan perjalanan paripurna dengan motor ini.
Long journeys are a breeze on the Yamaha XSR900, provided you have the stamina to withstand the rigors of extended miles.
The Yamaha XSR900 is set apart from its high-end adventure-tourer counterparts.
In October, I embarked on a multi-day, 700-kilometer (around 430 miles) bike ride to Baler, a popular beach town in the central region of Luzon, Philippines. The journey offered a diverse experience, with a mix of long highway stretches, winding roads, occasional dirt tracks passing through wide farmland valleys and scenic coastal routes with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. I was the only one on a vintage bike in the group as my friends with multiple bikes opted for adventure and touring bikes for the trip.
I think I had the most enjoyable time among all of them.
Dressed in fine attire, and certainly for those familiar with the MT-09, it is undeniable that this machine has a wild streak. Thus, the XSR900 is eager to display its mischievous nature, lifting the back wheel at exit turns, scraping the knee at twisty roads, and producing a sinister sound that evokes an aura of coolness. This bike is truly someone to be reckoned with, and every time I take it out for a ride - even for mundane tasks like shopping - I simply can't help but be charmed by its presence, wearing a huge grin from ear to ear.
As for the things I'm not too fond of, typical of a naked bike, it lacks wind protection, the throttle can be a bit jerky, and consumption can increase if you're quite aggressive with the throttle. Nevertheless, the XSR900 has become the most nearly perfect bike in my view.
Saya boleh terusикu tentang bagaimana basikal ni menjaga harapan saya, atau betapa mudahnya untuk sebab kerosilan dan mengurusinya, atau bagaimana ia memberikan perhatian daripada lalu-lintas didekati manakini saya tinggalkan di kafe. Tapi jujur saya, lebih baik saya mencadangkan melompat ke atas basikal dan menjalankannya. Sejujurnya, Yamaha XSR900—and sebarang generasi bertaut kepada—adalah hampir seperti basikal miracle, mengikut pandanganku. Jika anda telah menunggu tandatangan hanya untuk merempat tunaikan tindakan ini bikik ini, nah, sudah revisionlah.
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