2016 Yamaha XSR900: A Wolf in Chic Clothing

By Ian Kelso, Contributing Editor

Pelle sub agnina latitat mens saepe lupina (Under a sheep’s skin often hides a wolfish mind.)
Latin Proverb

A few years ago if you wore a long beard, drank a flat-white (but never at Starbucks), and wore oversized non-prescription glasses, you had sadly few choices if you wanted a truly hipster-certified motorcycle.

Your only solutions: heavily modded Japanese customs from the 70s or 80s; or, British standard bikes based on a platform that really hadn’t changed much in style or power since the year they were introduced.

That has all begun to change.

A few years ago BMW and Ducati stepped in and virtually created a new category of “neo-retro” street bikes with the introduction of the air-cooled 1200cc boxer RnineT and the 800cc Scrambler which both offered the fashion-conscious enthusiast some fresh options, ones that marry modern engineering with classic design flair. They were a step ahead in terms of performance, but both of these bikes were still fairly tame roadsters at heart.

ENTER THE WOLF

The wolf in mythology is often portrayed as a trickster animal. A close relative of the domestic dog, the wolf is known to be a ruthless and calculating spirit. Wolf myths go back to the beginning of Western civilization to Ancient Greece where Aesop famously wrote about the wolf that disguises itself in a sheep’s skin to gain access to the flock. Later, the werewolf narrative emerged, striking in mere mortals a similar fear: that amongst us could actually lurk a dangerous and deadly beast.

Looking at it casually, you would forgiven if at first you imagined the new 2016 Yamaha XSR900 to be just another Bonneville or V7 or even an RnineT or Scrambler: but you would be wrong. This new so-called “sport heritage” bike from Yamaha may look debonair and tame, but underneath that chic veneer of brushed aluminum and twinkling LED light lurks the true soul of a lupus rabidus.

TRIPLE THREAT

When Yamaha introduced the 847cc triple FZ-09 (MT-09 in Europe) in 2013 they created a bit of a buzz. Cycle World Magazine rated it "Top Middleweight", then said it “might be the most spirited and fun street engine we have ever sampled.” An instant sales success, Yamaha quickly followed up by introducing the FJ-09, a sport-adventure machine based on the same platform, in 2015. In my review of the FJ-09 last year I referred to my time with it a “hooligan adventure” and said that it was “one of the most all-round fun bikes I have yet had the pleasure to experience.”

The biggest criticism of the motorcycles based on this engine: that they can be perhaps a little too ravenous. Especially in "A" or sport mode, a sudden wrong move and they could bite your head off. Yamaha must have recognized this, and has gone so far as to state the following on their website:

"NOTE: The FZ-09 offers a significant level of power and performance. It is not intended for novice or inexperienced riders."

Yes, in 2015 when Yamaha launched the FJ-09 they did make some improvements to the fuelling, but let there be no doubt, in the more aggressive power setting it was still prone to the occasional little lurch or twitch or jump if you didn’t maintain a decidedly steady right hand. The XSR900 refines the throttle mapping a bit further for 2016, but that nervous disposition has not been fully exorcised from the soul of the beast.

IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WOODS TODAY...

Like the FZ-09 and the FJ-09, the XSR900 has loads and loads of low and mid range power. It does have a stock suspension setup that is superior to the FZ-09, one that quite nicely balances sport and comfort. At only 430 lbs wet, the XSR is very light and lithe and it feels it too as you dart down city streets and hop over streetcar tracks. Its peak power of 115 hp tops out as you reach 10,000 rpm and at that point the bike is definitely beginning to howl, revealing its true essence of the sport bike that is its nature.

You could take the XSR out into the woods or on the highway, but like the FZ-09 it is a truly naked bike and is not really optimized for long trips right out of the box. A sport windscreen is an available accessory which should help remove some of the wind pressure, and Yamaha also offers some fairly reasonably priced tail and saddlebags.

KEEPING THE WOLF FROM THE DOOR

At an MSRP of USD $8,190 the FZ-09 is still an incredible value for what you get. On its own the FJ-09 still seems great value compared to its competition, but it does add $2,300 to the price tag which is an almost 30% premium. For that you get upgraded suspension, ABS brakes and a two-position (on / off) traction control system. The XSR900 cuts right down the middle at USD $9,490, and for that you get the good suspension, the ABS brakes, a three-position traction control AND a slipper clutch.

When you add the fact that the XSR has superior quality of material in its finishes, the XSR has to be the best overall value proposition in its class.

THE HOWLING

They say once you have been bitten by a werewolf, you are cursed to become one. That with the rising of the moon you will involuntarily transform from human to animal, both in body and in mind. And when you are in wolf form, you will probably do bad things.

Let’s be perfectly clear though, the XSR900 is really – spec for spec, heart and soul -- the fearsome and formidable creature known as the FZ-09. It is just dressed up in a clever beard wearing oversized glasses and sipping on a flat-white (not from Starbucks).

SPECIFICATIONS

MSRP Base model: US $9,490 / CAN $10,699
MSRP Special Edition Yellow: US $9,990 / CAN $10,999
Power: 115 @ 10,000 rpm
Torque: 64.3 lb. ft. @ 8,500 rpm
Engine: 847cc inline 3
Seat Height: 830mm / 32.7"
Kerb Weight: 195 kg / 430 lbs.