Words: Bill Hunter.
Ignore the bike; let’s firstly talk about iconic paint schemes on race bikes, not so much in the modern MotoGP era but from the past, where tobacco advertising dominated the fairings on most of the grid. That was, however, banned in later years in the socially moral attempt of preventing kids from rushing to the store to fill their lungs with the vile nicotine enhanced leaf that their favourite rider was promoting. Brands like Rothmans, Lucky Strike, HB and, of course, Marlboro were discarded, and now we have energy drinks that generate liver health issues in kids who devour litres of the stuff!
Anyway, we’re now in 2025 and Yamaha have chosen to ‘decorate’ their new XSR900 GP in this resplendent 80s/90s paint scheme to celebrate years of racing in these colours and not to promote the evil fag. Oh yes, during the late 80s and early 90s these specifically coloured bikes dominated the grid, winning many World GP titles with Wayne Rainey on board. He would have won many more, we’d predict, but a horrific crash ended his GP racing career. Very sad indeed but if you, like many (myself included) have always wanted a similar bike in these colours, then Yamaha have the answer with this XSR900 GP.
Without doubt this Yammie looks absolutely magnificent and attracts a fair audience when parked, with many thinking it is a custom special. When I informed 'them' it’s indeed a new model many eyebrows were raised and out came their phones for the incessant: “Do you mind if I take a picture?”. All well and good, and I can’t blame them, but the XSR900 GP isn’t just about pretty colours.
Basically it’s Yamaha’s XSR900 with fancy clothes, sort of. The tubular sub-frame is different and stronger and the Deltabox frame has a stiffer steering head, otherwise the chassis is the same. The 889cc, three-cylinder, 12-valve, CP3 engine is the heart and soul, producing a claimed 117hp@10,000rpm and 93Nm@7,000rpm. Yes, I agree, we all wish it had the awesome YZR500 OW61 V-4 two-stroke motor with 200hp+/- but that’s just a fantasy I’m afraid, unless you already own a YZR500 and therefore I enviously hate you. FYI, OW means Official Works if you didn’t already know, which Yamaha also used on some of its road-based bikes, like the 1989 FZR750 OW01 for example.
So we have the same triple motor found in the MT-09, Tracer and the like, which is a good thing because it’s always been one of the best engines found inside a motorcycle! To keep in line with modern day technology, the XSR900 GP is riddled with electronic gadgetry, where the only electronic ‘thing’ found on the 80s/90s GP bike were the coils – when “Men were Men”, etc…
Yamaha Ride Control (YRC), offers a wealth of functions, including four rider modes: Sport, Street, Rain and Custom x 2, where you fiddle and choose your preferred settings. Three levels of traction control (TRC) that is also lean-angle sensitive, so it won’t spit you off metres into the air, like Wayne’s GP beast sometimes used to, hopefully. There’s a Lift Control System x3 settings (LCS), or wheelie control, Slide Control System x3 (SCS), which works in conjunction with traction control to prevent you from ‘stepping out’ the rear end due to a vigorous throttle application. There’s also Brake Control (BC), to help with rear wheel lift when braking hard and cruise control for when you want to relax after experiencing all the above. All of these parametres are provided by new the Six-Axis, R1-derived IMU; rider aids that Wayne could only have dreamed of in the 80s/90s.
To view and interact with all of these electronic aids there’s a splendid 5-inch TFT that’s refreshingly clear to read. You can also choose from four different displays, I always went for the retro-type analogue rev-counter option. On the left clip-on ‘bar there’s a new switch assembly that’s a bit fiddly to use at first and the horn was hard to find, with a strange rocker-like switch for the indicators. A bit annoying at first but once you get used to it, like a new phone, the irritation recedes. You can also connect to the Yamaha MyRide app that allows for phone connectivity, Blueteeth and navigation interaction, and to set the above rider aids from your phone, a cool feature indeed.
Chassis-wise the XSR900 GP has superior suspension to the basic XSR, with fully adjustable 41mm KYB forks offering pre-load, rebound and compression damping, and the rear shock has pre-load and rebound damping facilitation. I especially liked the way Yamaha has drilled the top of the fork legs for the race retro image. Connected to the suspension are striking Spinforged 17-inch wheels in matching colours wrapped in Bridgestone’s sticky Hypersport S23s. And inside the attractive wheels are 298mm discs with Yamaha’s customary four-piston callipers found on many of its other bikes.
Now onto the styling, well it’s spectacular, isn’t it and the attention to detail is exemplary! From the boxy faring with 80s/90s knuckle guards, to the removable seat cowl (with pillion seat underneath) and yellow number boards, to the fold away rear footrest, to two position footrest positions, to the race-like R-clips that hold the top faring brackets in place, it just oozes quality from every component. All of this makes the XSR900 GP, without doubt, one of the most desirable motorbikes money can buy!
So does it ride as well as it looks you’re probably asking by now? Well yes, most certainly. Look 117hp isn’t a lot for a ‘900’ in today’s world but more than enough for entertaining and aggressive riding that doesn’t intimidate the rider. Top speed behind the effective faring is around 220/230km/h, but it’s more about the way it gets there. The punchy nature of the CP3 motor and top spec electronics is more than noteworthy to say the least. If you ride hard the XSR900 GP smiles with you and it’s incredibly stable through mid lean corner angles, due to the new chassis components. Even Wayne would have enjoyed a taught chassis like this I’m sure! And while you’re revving the triple hard, you’ll drool and have a wet chin because of the noise coming out from the air-box underneath you (maybe fit a better looking and louder exhaust, because the stock tin-box one isn’t too attractive in my mind). Oh, and the quickshifter, which works both up and down the gearbox, is faultless and generates an intoxicating crack between changes, tremendous!
The XSR900 GP, in a nutshell, is extremely easy to ride and live with on a daily basis. Even the 810mm high seat is well padded and comfortable. Yes, there’s a bit of a reach to the clip-on ‘bars but it is a sports bike, well actually Yamaha call it a Sport Heritage, which is a better name on all counts. A perfect mixture of performance and attention to detail I’d say, and always worthy of a glance back after you dismount with an egotistical grin.
So who’s going to buy one? Well someone like myself that’s for sure, and I’d be very proud to do so! Maybe it’s aimed more towards the older rider who remembers this colour scheme, or just the history that goes along with it, or just for the way looks? Either way it’s going to cost you only R269,950 (that includes the ‘free’ belly pan worth 15k), and I think that’s superb value in the offensively expensive world we live in today. If you want to live in Wayne’s World from the good ol’ 80s and 90s there’s simply no better way to do so on a motorbike – enough said!
Images: BB and Sudoku.
Go to www.yamaha.co.za to maybe book a highly recommended test ride, and to view the new 2025 range.
