Updated Yamaha XSR900 Retro Bike Unveiled

The next-gen XSR900 features several updates, including a bigger, more powerful engine from the 2021 Yamaha MT-09

• The 2022 Yamaha XSR900 makes 4PS and 5.96Nm more than its predecessor.
• Features a tweaked version of the 2021 MT-09’s Deltabox frame. 
• Will reach European dealerships in February 2022.

The 2022 Yamaha XSR900, the Japanese bikemaker’s flagship neo-retro under its Sport Heritage lineup, has been unveiled in Europe. The next-generation iteration comes with a host of changes to make it a meaner-looking, more powerful neo-retro than before, and will reach European dealerships in February 2022.

Yamaha has equipped the 2022 XSR900 with the same Euro 5/ BS6-compliant 889cc CP3 liquid-cooled engine as the 2021 MT-09, as opposed to the 847cc heart in the 2021 XSR900. The new engine produces the same output figures as the streetfighter: 119PS at 10,000rpm and 93Nm at 7000rpm. This makes it 4PS and 5.96Nm more powerful than its predecessor. The motor works alongside a six-speed gearbox with assist-and-slipper clutch, and it also gets a bidirectional quickshifter as standard. 

Compared to its predecessor, the updated XSR900 comes with a more sophisticated electronics package. This includes three riding modes, a lean-angle-sensitive traction control, slide control system, wheelie control, cruise control, and cornering ABS.  

The motorcycle also uses the MT-09’s Deltabox frame, albeit with a longer swingarm that has increased the wheelbase by 54mm, at 1495mm. That said, Yamaha has also made sure the bike steers easily, thanks to the lighter wheels, repositioned top yoke and lowered handlebars, resulting in a 14 percent decrease in steering inertia. 

The Deltabox frame is linked to a fully-adjustable KYB inverted front fork borrowed from the MT-09. The rear comes with a linked monoshock. The 298mm dual front discs with radial calipers are now enhanced with a Brembo master cylinder. 

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The motorcycle comes with a new circular LED headlight. The tail lamp and the indicators are LED as well. Yamaha has replaced the old-school circular LCD instrument cluster with a rectangular colour TFT unit. While the fuel tank looks bulky, its capacity has gone down from 16.8 litres to 14 litres. On the plus side, the bike’s kerb weight has gone down from 195kg to 193kg, and even the seat height has gone down from 830.5mm to 810mm. Having said that, the pillion seat cushioning dominates the tail section, so much so that there’s barely any body panel covering it. It looks unnecessarily chunky in our opinion. 

Overall, Yamaha has made the 2022 XSR900 a much more capable motorcycle than before. However, it’s unlikely to be launched in India any time soon as Yamaha is currently focussing on smaller-capacity two-wheelers. We do hope Yamaha brings at least the R15-based XSR155 in the near future. Fingers crossed until then!