The 2022 XSR900 is the perfect balance of modern performance and classic Japanese-styled 1980’s Sportster. The new XSR900 boasts a brand new box-style bench seat (it looks much older, go figure), among some other small changes. The visual changes are nice, but the performance changes are where you will find the real selling point for this newly updated retro-sportster.
Powering this bike is a EU5 889cc CP3 motor shared with a few other Yamaha models. It produces 117 horsepower and 68.5 lb-ft of torque. Mandatory Brembo radial master cylinder brakes, fully adjustable inverted KYB forks, updated front air intake, and a brand new 889cc transverse triple engine borrowed from the recently overhauled MT-09 are all neatly packaged into a completely redesigned Deltabox frame which allows for better maneuverability thanks to some weight-saving magic.
TFLbike had the opportunity to test the 2022 Yamaha XSR900, taking it to the mountains to assess how well its dynamic three-cylinder power and precise handling perform in carving through canyons.