The XJR1300 is back with a bang, even though it was a constant presence in Iwata’s roster, at least for Europe. Meet the all-new 2015 XJR1300 Racer, a bike created to turn a lot of heads while at the same time put a big grin on the face of its rider. If you thought that the standard XJR1300 was already a cool Classic Yamaha beast, prepare to greet the Racer.
This bike is advertised as being “born custom”, and there’s nothing too fancy about this claim, as you’re looking at a factory-customized piece of machinery. The heart of the 2015 XJR1300 Racer is a 4-stroke air and oil-cooled DOHC in-line four power unit, which can produce as much as 98 hp at 8,000 rpm ad 108.4 Nm (79.9 lb-ft) of torque at 6,000 revs. The injected engine is mated to a chain final drive by means of a manual 5-speed transmission. Truth be told, Yamaha using a 6-speed gearbox for the big-bore XJR would not impact the retro vibe of the bike, but would definitely make highway hauls a lot funnier.
Traditional adjustable forks are complemented by dual piggyback Öhlins shocks in the rear, with 130mm and 120mm travel, respectively. Braking power comes from a dual 298mm hydraulic setup in the front, and a 267mm disc in the rear, both with axial-mount calipers. Sporty and lightweight 3-spoke cast wheels are obviously stock. The polished aluminium sideplates hark back to the oval racing number plates of yore, and somehow they make me think about the BMW R nineT, but maybe it’s just me.
Room for a passenger was minimized down to barely existing, and the second seat is anyway covered by a racing-looks carbon fiber cowl. The 829mm-tall (32.6”) rider’s seat does indeed look exquisite with its red stitching and perforated tuck-and-roll design, and it may be a tad high to some. The tank shape was also revised and the 20015 XJR1300 Racer can now accommodate 14.5 liters (3.8 US gal) of gas.
The 20015 XJR1300 Racer was inspired by the Deus Ex Machina Eau Rouge custom build, hence the offset tank filler and the racey ‘70s front cowl and clip-on low-swung bars. Retro mirrors, a matching matte black Akrapovic exhaust and plenty of other genuine Yamaha accessories are also available separately.
Customers can order the 2015 Yamaha XJR1300 Racer in Matt Grey, Blue Metallic and Midnight Black, for €11,590 ($14,600).
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