A European rider doing a fine impression of the Mille Miglia or Targa Florio aboard the new Yamaha XSR900 GP, available only in Europe. (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
Is “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” still true? With the love of all things retro, years can pass between that mythical Sunday and the eventual sale on Monday. What if the winning car or bike isn’t even for sale in America, where the quote itself (attributed to 1960s-era Rhode Island Ford dealer Bob Tasco) came from?
Yamaha is testing this theory with the lovely looking Yamaha XSR900 GP. It channels the spirit of the legendary Yamaha YZR500 (OW61 through OWEO) that won six MotoGP titles between 1984–92. Using the same 890cc triple-cylinder crossplane crank (CP3) mill that’s powered the XSR900 since 2016 (read the 2016 Yamaha XSR900 First Ride Review), Yamaha is channeling the mystique of the liquid-cooled two-stroke 60-degree V-4 that dominated MotoGP in the later 1980s.
Editor’s note: We test rode the standard version during the 2022 Yamaha XSR900 Second Ride Review and 2022 Yamaha XSR900 First Ride Review articles and videos. Read and watch this content to get up to speed on this new motorcycle model.
The round LED headlight has been replaced by a compact lens module in the front cowling of the Yamaha XSR900 GP, which is only available in Europe. (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
The Yamaha XSR900 GP showing off its half-fairing, which will only keep European wind off riders’ legs and torso. (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
The starboard side of the Yamaha XSR900 GP, as shown in a stately European workspace. (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, and Wayne Rainey had somewhere between 120–155 hp of wildly unpredictable power at their right wrist. But XSR900 GP owners get the benefit of 106 hp at 10,000 rpm (as measured by Cycle World) of very tractable four-stroke power, aided and abetted by rider aids like Yamaha’s Traction Control System (TCS), Slide Control System (SCS), Lift Control System (LIF), and stopped by Brake Control (BC). Motorcyclists not located in America will no doubt rack up countless kilometers in various non-US locales and landscapes.
While the engine and electronics are unchanged from the XSR900 you can legally purchase on American soil, the real story is the styling, fairings, and actual race bits here and there. Yamaha’s press release specifically mentions the XSR900 GP is its first production streetbike to use a beta pin. That’s a “b” shaped pin used to secure bodywork to race vehicles, allowing for quick removal. This beta pin holds the upper fairing in place, said to be inspired by the classic TZ250.
The idea is to create a cockpit that echoes spartan “Golden Era” machines. Fairings and cowling are held in place with period-inspired tubed structures and straight brackets supporting the dash. Said fairing and bodywork is claimed to increase both acceleration and top speed while side panel ducting disperses radiator heat better. Heat in Europe, that is.
This could be you, assuming you live in Europe. Life aboard the Yamaha XSR900 GP. (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
A new 5-inch TFT takes shelter behind the retro windscreen and fairing of the Yamaha XSR900 GP. (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
Those fasteners, though. Angular knuckle guards summon the spirit of 1990 on the new Yamaha XSR900 GP, which is only available in Europe. (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
The other story is the iconic Deltabox frame. Originally designed to take advantage of the slimmer two-stroke V-4 engine on the 1982 YZR500 OW61, it blossomed in the 1983 OW70 version rode by “King” Kenny Roberts. A familiar trademark on Yamaha FZRs of the 1980s and 1990s, the XSR900 GP gets a chassis and swingarm finished in silver to highlight the Deltabox-style frame. Fun fact: Like the new XSR900 GP, the OW61 never came to America either, as the 1982 Grand Prix season featured no US races.
A color-matched seat cover is fitted over the passenger seat, making for a classically appealing “bum stop.” The boxy tailpiece features a yellow number board surrounded by red-and-white livery reminiscent of period tobacco sponsorship. A compact lens module in the front cowling replaces the standard XSR900′s round LED headlight. Altogether, the livery is reminiscent of Rainey’s 1990–91 years. If you squint really hard after a few drinks, the underslung exhaust could pass for exotic expansion chambers. Maybe.
Aluminum footrests are adjustable, but come set at the upper position to emphasize sportiness on the Yamaha XSR900 GP, which is only available for purchase in Europe. (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
Tubular fairing supports evoke the spartan nature of early YZR500 racebikes. The Yamaha XSR900 GP is only available for purchase in Europe. (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
The “bum stop” tailsection deletes any passenger seat (and footpegs) on the Yamaha XSR900 GP, which is only available for purchase in Europe. (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
Is “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” still true? The XSR900 GP is apparently a product of Yamaha Europe design, so it’s up to them to find out. Like many Europe-only models throughout the years, winning ways don’t get a chance on American sales floors. It’s a safe marketing strategy, if not a winning one on Sundays.
Currently available for purchase in Europe. And currently not available for purchase by anyone physically located in the United States of America, with US currency.
The liquid-cooled 890cc CP3 three-cylinder motor in its Deltabox-inspired frame on the Yamaha XSR900 GP, which is only for sale in Europe (Yamaha Motor Europe/)
2024 Yamaha XSR900 GP Technical Specifications and Price (Europe)
| PRICE | N/A |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 890cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, inline three-cylinder; 12 valves |
| BORE x STROKE | 78.0 x 62.1mm |
| COMPRESSION RATIO | 11.5:1 |
| FUEL DELIVERY | Fuel injection w/ YCC-T |
| CLUTCH | Wet, multiplate, slip/assist |
| TRANSMISSION/FINAL DRIVE | 6-speed/chain |
| CLAIMED HORSEPOWER | 106 hp at 10,000 rpm (Cycle World testing) |
| CLAIMED TORQUE | 63.5 lb.-ft. @ 7,000 rpm (Cycle World testing) |
| FRAME | Control-filled die-cast aluminum |
| FRONT SUSPENSION | KYB 41mm USD fork; fully adjustable, 5.1 in. travel |
| REAR SUSPENSION | KYB monoshock, preload and rebound adjustable; 5.2 in. travel |
| FRONT BRAKE | 4-piston calipers, dual 298mm discs w/ ABS |
| REAR BRAKE | 1-piston caliper, 245mm disc w/ ABS |
| WHEELS, FRONT/REAR | Spin-forged aluminum |
| TIRES, FRONT/REAR | 120/70ZR-17 / 180/55ZR-17 (tubeless) |
| RAKE/TRAIL | 25.3°/4.3 in. |
| WHEELBASE | 59.1 in. |
| SEAT HEIGHT | 32.9 in. |
| FUEL CAPACITY | 3.7 gal. |
| CLAIMED CURB WEIGHT | 441 lb. |
| WARRANTY | TBD |
| AVAILABLE | Currently (Europe only) |
| CONTACT | yamaha-motor.eu |
