My XSR900 has rolled over 3k miles this week and I just wanted to give a review of the bike thus far. I decided on this bike over getting a supersport bike a couple months ago and I'm glad I did.
Engine:
As expected the triple that is shared with the MT/FZ/FZ09 is nothing short of fabulous. Coming from riding inline 4 cylinder bikes in the past the triple is a completely different animal. Torque is available almost instantly. It will pull from 2k RPM in any gear and starts pulling like a freight train after 4K RPM. It pulls hard all the way up to redline. I have accidentally hit the rev limit accelarating a couple times in 2nd gear. The engine spins up incredibly fast, and feels robust. it has the perfect "street" powerband. It is just as happy cruising easily as it is doing 2nd gear power wheelies. It's not liter bike fast, but it is pretty serious from 0-80mph.
Suspension:
The suspension on the XSR is a huge improvement over the FZ09, it is quite a bit stiffer and handles corners much better. Thanks to info from member Zeeosix I have been able to get the suspension setup better for my weight.
Electronics
The 3 level traction control system works great. Setting 2 which is the most intrusive is great for carving up curves on imperfect pavement and riding in the rain. Level 1 is my go to setting. It lets you power wheelie, and be more aggressive while still providing a safety net. I ride in this setting most of the time.
Generally I ride in std mode. The fueling is imo perfect in STD mode. It has enough punch to keep things interesting and fun, but it isn't twitchy. A mode is too sensitive going on and off the throttle. The engine spins up super fast and the bike is really a handful in the first 2 gears. A mode is basically the I'm ok with power wheelies in gears 1-3. It is fun, but it can be a little exhausting. B mode is good in the rain and it is nice for cruising down the highway. My only complaint with B mode is it requires more revs to leave a stop light as it limits the power input in the low to mid range.
The ABS system works very well. I had to make a fast stop in wet weather yesterday and the ABS definitely allowed me to apply near full braking power and stop very quickly. The brakes are typical Yamaha in the sense that they are kind of soft at first. You have to make an effort to pull/push the levers to get some serious breaking power. I'm sure a lot of the braking feel is dampened by the ABS system.
Comfort
The bike is incredibly comfortable for being a naked bike. The seat is starting to soften up some and I can ride 2-3 hours before my butt needs a break. The wind is really not that bad as long as you keep it below about 80mpg. I love the riding position and the agile handling.
Overall I'm extremely happy with the bike after 3k miles. I'm hoping to put another couple thousand miles on it this season before the snow flies.
Engine:
As expected the triple that is shared with the MT/FZ/FZ09 is nothing short of fabulous. Coming from riding inline 4 cylinder bikes in the past the triple is a completely different animal. Torque is available almost instantly. It will pull from 2k RPM in any gear and starts pulling like a freight train after 4K RPM. It pulls hard all the way up to redline. I have accidentally hit the rev limit accelarating a couple times in 2nd gear. The engine spins up incredibly fast, and feels robust. it has the perfect "street" powerband. It is just as happy cruising easily as it is doing 2nd gear power wheelies. It's not liter bike fast, but it is pretty serious from 0-80mph.
Suspension:
The suspension on the XSR is a huge improvement over the FZ09, it is quite a bit stiffer and handles corners much better. Thanks to info from member Zeeosix I have been able to get the suspension setup better for my weight.
Electronics
The 3 level traction control system works great. Setting 2 which is the most intrusive is great for carving up curves on imperfect pavement and riding in the rain. Level 1 is my go to setting. It lets you power wheelie, and be more aggressive while still providing a safety net. I ride in this setting most of the time.
Generally I ride in std mode. The fueling is imo perfect in STD mode. It has enough punch to keep things interesting and fun, but it isn't twitchy. A mode is too sensitive going on and off the throttle. The engine spins up super fast and the bike is really a handful in the first 2 gears. A mode is basically the I'm ok with power wheelies in gears 1-3. It is fun, but it can be a little exhausting. B mode is good in the rain and it is nice for cruising down the highway. My only complaint with B mode is it requires more revs to leave a stop light as it limits the power input in the low to mid range.
The ABS system works very well. I had to make a fast stop in wet weather yesterday and the ABS definitely allowed me to apply near full braking power and stop very quickly. The brakes are typical Yamaha in the sense that they are kind of soft at first. You have to make an effort to pull/push the levers to get some serious breaking power. I'm sure a lot of the braking feel is dampened by the ABS system.
Comfort
The bike is incredibly comfortable for being a naked bike. The seat is starting to soften up some and I can ride 2-3 hours before my butt needs a break. The wind is really not that bad as long as you keep it below about 80mpg. I love the riding position and the agile handling.
Overall I'm extremely happy with the bike after 3k miles. I'm hoping to put another couple thousand miles on it this season before the snow flies.
