Yamaha XSR900 Abarth 2017 — Specifications

We remember that feeling, when the first XSR900 arrived at dealerships. We had in our hands a brilliant base, this unleashed 115 horsepower CP3 three-cylinder engine, but dressed in a classic style that was a little too restrained. The desire was immediate: to fit a low handlebar, a flat seat, an exhaust that roars, and transform it into a true café racer. Evidently, the marketing team at Yamaha had the same idea, but with the checkbook of a legendary tuner. The Yamaha XSR900 Abarth is that desire made real, a limited series of 695 units that immediately catches the eye of passionate mechanical enthusiasts.

The result is visually undeniable. The neutral roadster posture is gone, making way for studied aggression. The inverted handlebar plunges the rider forward, the carbon fiber fork taken from the XJR1300 Racer fixes a menacing gaze, and this micro-fairing gives an intention of speed even when stationary. The gray livery striped with red, dotted with Abarth scorpions, and the carbon fiber parts are not there to show off at the café. They announce an intention: to nibble at the asphalt. The slip-on titanium Akrapovic that terminates the trio of cylinders is the icing on the cake, promising a sound that is worth a good portion of the €12,599 asking price.

But once in the saddle, we also touch on the limits of the concept. The very committed position is clearly inspired by purist café-racing. It’s radical, stylish, but we are far from the relaxed comfort of a BMW R nineT Racer or even the more balanced ergonomics of a Triumph Thruxton R. It's an assumed choice for style and pure lines, even at the expense of daily use. The other small snag is the rolling chassis. While the CP3 engine, with its 87.5 Nm of torque and explosive character, deserves high-end suspension, Yamaha has retained the standard chassis. We dreamed of an Öhlins kit or a more refined setting to match the menacing appearance of the beast.

Who is this Yamaha XSR900 Abarth for? Certainly not for the novice. It is the object of a collector, an aesthete of mechanics who wants a classic roadster pushed to its stylistic extremes. It is a motorcycle for the winding Sunday morning streets, to be noticed and savor the roar of the Akrapovic, more than to swallow kilometers or play track racers. It positions itself as an Italian-inspired and exclusive alternative to German or British café racers, with the inimitable fury of the three-cylinder engine in addition.

Ultimately, this special series is an undeniable aesthetic success, a successful tribute to the universe of tuning and racing. It proves that customization does not only go through the accessories catalog box. But it also leaves a slight frustration: with a chassis worthy of its look and its engine, the XSR900 Abarth could have been much more than a beautiful object. It could have been a weapon.