Photo: Oberdan Bezzi
Yamaha is still refraining from saying yay or nay as to whether the MT-09 will have a neo-retro sibling, and amidst such silence, imagination is sure to run wild.
We saw Roland Sands Design's recent creation, the Faster Wasp, and reported on the vibe that seems to spread throughout the industry. Namely, that the Faster Wasp is a romanticized, custom version of what is believed to be a new retro-styled machine, the XSR900.
Such a move would not come as a surprise, as Yamaha has already showed the XSR700 model, a machine derived from the MT-07 middleweight naked bike. Even more, the philosophy behind the Faster Sons series is that the bikes don't need any hacking and sawing, being rebuilt with bolt-on parts solely.
This means that only the aftermarket parts need to be fabricated, and this means a lesser effort for both Yamaha and the customers. That is, in case they want to build the bike themselves using a kit, instead of ordering a ready-made one.
If you ask us, such an XSR900 scrambler has good chances of giving BMW R nineT a run for its money, even though shaking the Bavarian maker's (exceptionally solid) position is a monumental task.
However, the narrower profile and nimbler engine response of the Yamaha MT-09 engine might be strong selling points for the XSR900 Scrambler. We took the MT-09 Tracer out for a test and we're pleasantly surprised with it, even on very rough roads.
Adding a more compliant suspension and knobbies, or at least no-nonsense dual-sport tires, could make the XSR900 feel even more reassuring. As for the liveries, choosing the "right" one would be hard if we had to do it. Guess we should toss a coin and let it decide which of the two speedblock designs makes it to the production stage. Cometh next week, cometh EICMA 2015, with all yer answers!
Such a move would not come as a surprise, as Yamaha has already showed the XSR700 model, a machine derived from the MT-07 middleweight naked bike. Even more, the philosophy behind the Faster Sons series is that the bikes don't need any hacking and sawing, being rebuilt with bolt-on parts solely.
This means that only the aftermarket parts need to be fabricated, and this means a lesser effort for both Yamaha and the customers. That is, in case they want to build the bike themselves using a kit, instead of ordering a ready-made one.
Oberdan Bezzi delivers four liveries for a possible XSR900 scrambler
The Faster Wasp harked back to the flat track days, but it's far from certain that Iwata will follow in its steps. Designer Oberdan Bezzi imagined a scrambler version of the XSR900, still with the same degree of incertitude as to how the bike might look in the real life.If you ask us, such an XSR900 scrambler has good chances of giving BMW R nineT a run for its money, even though shaking the Bavarian maker's (exceptionally solid) position is a monumental task.
However, the narrower profile and nimbler engine response of the Yamaha MT-09 engine might be strong selling points for the XSR900 Scrambler. We took the MT-09 Tracer out for a test and we're pleasantly surprised with it, even on very rough roads.
Adding a more compliant suspension and knobbies, or at least no-nonsense dual-sport tires, could make the XSR900 feel even more reassuring. As for the liveries, choosing the "right" one would be hard if we had to do it. Guess we should toss a coin and let it decide which of the two speedblock designs makes it to the production stage. Cometh next week, cometh EICMA 2015, with all yer answers!
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