It’s been a long time coming, but in the interim it’s been gifted more power and torque than we might’ve otherwise expected
From the first time we laid eyes on Yamaha’s FZ-09, we wondered how far behind a supersports version of the 849-cc triple might be. After all, a torque-y, mid-sized three-cylinder was the perfect antidote for the diminishing popularity of the screaming 600-cc fours that had been the heart of sports bikes for so long.
Well, as it turns out, it took longer than we all supposed. More than a decade, in fact. But, it is (finally) here; it’s got more power than it would have had in 2014; and, as promised, it is torquier than the R6 it (indirectly) replaces, and more than a third cheaper than the full 1,000-cc R1 that Yamaha is still peddling.
So what, exactly, do you get if you head to a Yamaha dealership with $15,999 in hand?
Well, first off, it’s powered by one of the perennial top ten motors in motorcycling, Yamaha’s 890-cc triple. With 117 peak horsepower and decent grunt at low revs, it’s fast enough to be fun, but sufficiently manageable that you don’t have to be a superbike star to exploit its sportiness. Just as happily, Yamaha has tuned both the intake and exhaust system to evoke the cross-plane-crank triple’s trademark howl. A slipper clutch and backslip regulator helps control wheel-hop during aggressive downshifting, and a quick-shifter is standard equipment. We’re looking forward to wringing its neck.
Harnessing all that power is a full suite of electronic goodies. A six-axis EMU control unit monitors a nine-level Traction Control System, three-mode Slide Control, and a three-mode Lift Control system that presumably prevents wheelies. There’s even a Launch Control system, though we suspect not many R9s will go racing unless Yamaha sponsors a single-model class specific to the new triple.
Yamaha also says the R9’s gravity-cast Deltabox frame is the lightest aluminum frame ever offered of a Yamaha supersports. On top of that, it’s specifically tuned to offer the right balance of flex and rigidity that is the trademark of the best of modern sports bikes.
The suspension is likewise upper-spec. Both legs of the KYP inverted front fork offer compression and rebound, as well as spring pre-load adjustments. Ditto the rear single shock, except that it also boasts a remote pre-load adjuster.
Brembo supplies the brakes, with superbike-spec 320-millimetre discs up front squeezed by Stylema four-piston calipers and a radial master cylinder. Stainless steel brake lines and what Yamaha calls “aggressive pad compounds” should mean the R9 stops as well as it goes.
Styling-wise, the R9 adopts Yamaha’s trademark angular fairing and tail section. A nod to the company’s MotoGP efforts — but probably not of that much import to a bike with 117 hp — are the fairing-mounted winglets. Whatever their effect, Yamaha says the R9 is the most aerodynamic motorcycle it’s ever offered.
And finally, a word about ergonomics. Yamaha calls the seating position “supersport ergonomics for the street.” Yes, the clip-ons are below the top triple clamp. But the seat is a little lower and further forward, and the stretch to the footpegs a little longer than both the R1 and R7, which should make life aboard the R9 a little more comfortable. Oh, and being a thoroughly modern motorcycle, the gauge set is a five-inch colour TFT screen, and, yes, you can connect your smartphone to it.
If you’re interested, the 2025 YZF-R9 should be in dealerships this coming February.
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