2020 Yamaha XSR900 Preview

Yamaha announced the return of its XSR900 in its Sport Heritage family of motorcycles for the 2020 model year. Sport Heritage models follow Yamaha’s “Faster Sons” design philosophy that blends classic styling with modern powertrain and chassis technology for a sport-standard bike with performance and character.

Yamaha's XSR900 takes the same classic style of its smaller-displacement stablemate but packs it with an 847cc inline-triple engine. The 900 improves upon the 700 not only with displacement but with a more performance-oriented chassis that includes an inverted fork, rebound-adjustable rear shock, and aluminum frame. The XSR900 also features such trackday icons as ride-by-wire YCC-T engine control, adjustable D-Mode throttle response, and an adjustable traction control system. The 900 is also available in the new Radical White/Rapid Red paint scheme, but the additional power and features bring the MSRP up to $9,499.

The XSR900’s powerplant is based on the venerable FZ-09 and features Yamaha’s Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) for precise throttle control. Yamaha’s D-Mode allows the rider to adjust engine tune and character while riding to one of three preset modes. A mode gives a sportier throttle response in low and mid rpm ranges while B mode gives a softer throttle response; STD covers everyday riding needs in most conditions. The XSR900 also has three traction control modes: Mode 1 for minimal intervention, mode 2 for maximum intervention, and “Off” for no traction control at all. Astute readers might notice uneven intake funnels on the XSR900, which are designed that way on purpose for max torque and throttle response across the rpm range.

Unlike its XSR700 sibling, the XSR900 features a narrow aluminum frame with sport-oriented geometry. The conventional fork on the 700 gets swapped for a preload- and rebound-adjustable inverted fork with 5.4 inches of travel while the rear shock retains the same 5.1 inches of travel but receives the addition of rebound damping. ABS comes standard on both XSR models, but the 900 gets larger disc brakes up front and sportier tires.

Both XSR models feature a new round LCD panel gauge with digital tachometer, speedometer, eco mode indicator, ambient and coolant temperature, fuel gauge, and trip computer functions. Instant and average fuel consumption and a fuel reserve meter add to the traditional tripmeter functions. The XSR900’s gauge adds TCS and D-Mode indicators to the list of functions. The XSR900 will begin arriving at dealerships this November.