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Pikes Peak-Inspired “Carbona XR9” Is a Custom Yamaha XSR900 Wrapped in Carbon Fiber

Sadly, two-wheelers are no longer involved in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, but the race still inspires many custom motorcycle builders around the world.
Yamaha XSR900 “Carbona XR9” 22 photos
Photo: Bottpower
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With over fifteen years of engineering experience under his belt, Bottpower’s David Sánchez is the kind of guy who knows motorcycles like the back of his hand. David spends a good chunk of time working on WSBK and Moto2 race bikes, but his most notable achievement occurred at the 2017 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

For this occasion, the Spanish craftsman busied himself with building a carbon-clad missile that uses the monstrous 1,339cc powerplant of a Buell XBRR. Featuring titanium valves, magnesium covers, and a compression ratio of 12.5:1, the fuel-injected mill can produce as much as 150 hp and 100 pound-feet (136 Nm) of torque when pushed to its limit.

As such, it made perfect sense for Sánchez to install this gnarly V-twin his Pikes Peak racer, even if it meant dismantling an ultra-rare XBRR. The machine (dubbed “BOTT XR1R”) went on to win its class at the event, and it wasn’t long before Bottpower became a household name among custom motorcycle enthusiasts.

Even Yamaha took notice of this workshop’s stellar feats, so their representatives didn’t think twice about inviting David and his crew to participate in the Yard Built initiative. Drawing inspiration from the aforementioned Buell-powered predator, Valencia's moto shamans worked their magic on the Japanese manufacturer’s beloved XSR900.

Yamaha XSR900 “Carbona XR9”
Photo: Bottpower
With its tightly-proportioned construction and oodles of beastly oomph on tap, this bad boy is one hell of a candidate for customization. We’ve featured numerous XSR-based entities on autoevolution in the past, but none of them manage to look as wild as Bottpower’s ominous juggernaut! When the donor had arrived at their premises, the specialists went straight to work discarding its factory attire.

Each and every piece of standard bodywork was replaced with carbon fiber substitutes, all of which have been manufactured in-house. For starters, David’s aftermarket doctors began by creating sketches of the envisioned outfit on paper, then they’ve translated them into digital renderings via CAD software.

The next step involved sculpting the molds in preparation for the final stage, which consisted of fabricating the final carbon garments. Starting at the front, you will find custom fork guards flanking a minute fender, as well as a tracker-style number plate with integrated LED units. On the opposite end, these items are joined by an angular tail section and a solo saddle wrapped in Alcantara.

Yamaha XSR900 “Carbona XR9”
Photo: Bottpower
In between the bike’s cockpit and tail, we spot a new radiator shroud, 3D-printed winglets, and a muscular fuel tank cover that packs built-in air vents. The cosmetic pizzazz is concluded with a snazzy belly pan, which wraps around a three-into-one exhaust system from Akrapovic’s catalog. With these components in place, it was time to address the XSR900’s chassis.

At twelve o’clock, the creature’s suspension has been upgraded with carbon fiber fork tubes and Ohlins internals, while the rear end is supported by a state-of-the-art aftermarket monoshock. The original wheels were deleted to make way for a set of five-spoke Rotobox items, whose rims are embraced by race-spec Bridgestone rubber.

To bring about a healthy dose of additional stopping power, the Bottpower team transplanted a Yamaha R1’s front brake setup onto their bespoke masterpiece. In the cockpit, there’s a carbon handlebar sitting atop a one-off triple clamp, and it sports CNC Racing switches, Brembo levers, and a premium Domino throttle.

Finally, this drool-worthy XSR has been nicknamed “Carbona XR9.” The base body kit – which is also compatible with Yamaha’s MT-09 and Tracer 9 – can be purchased from the official Bottpower website for a cool €4,975 ($5,592 as per current exchange rates). However, this price only includes the bodywork, so you’d probably have to spend around ten grand if you want the full package.
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About the author: Silvian Secara
Silvian Secara profile photo

A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing.
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