A tail tidy neatens up the Yamaha XSR900 GP but an unexpected accessory has made the real difference

It’s been a busy month in the saddle on Yamaha’s XSR900 GP, as I’ve been working on getting the very best out of it. You see, not only is it a gorgeous thing to look at, it also has the minerals to back it up, as I found out with some faster road riding and a trackday at Donington Park.

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• Update one: First impressions
• Update three: Fresh tyres and suspension tweaks

But where it really does let itself slip is on the comfort side of things, especially for a shorter rider. In fact, it’s actually worse for me than a lot of conventional sportsbikes due to the sheer size of the tank and the stretch needed to reach the bars, but just one small tweak has made a massive difference.

The fix? Don’t laugh, but it’s a Wild Ass Air Cushion. At 5ft 7in the XSR is a big, spacious beast, and because I’m stretching so far, my arms are fully extended, which puts even more pressure on my wrists and arches my back.

Now, if I could do whatever I wanted with the XSR I would’ve got a seat specialist to fire in some extra padding, but after sampling the Wild Ass, I’m glad I didn’t. That’s because the GP is now far more comfortable with less stretching through the forearms and a more natural position on my back, which is life-saving for any time in the saddle, especially with a little more space between the pegs and the seat.

For those more spirited rides it’s a little too lofty for my liking, but the pad is attached by just a couple of Velcro straps, making it a doddle to remove and reinstall. They start at £79.99 but this model is the £179.99 Neoprene edition which does seem like a lot of cash, but at least journeys over an hour are now bearable. 

I’ll tell you what isn’t bearable though, and that was installing a tail tidy, and more specifically one from R&G. The standard numberplate holder is the only thing that really lets the aesthetics down, so I was desperate to get one fitted, but after removing the existing one (with the attached light and indicators) I was ready to give up all hope.

The instructions are average at best and are vague on removing the original OE bits, especially with what you need to keep. What makes it worse is that, even when everything is hooked up, the wiring colours don’t match up, which could be because of how the kit is originally designed for the original XSR900, and not the GP.

I’m not the most skilled mechanic in the world, but with an extra set of hands we managed to get it all together and working – but it did take far longer than I’d hoped and was more difficult than I imagined, or have experienced when fitting these on other models.

• Related: Garage essentials for home motorcycle mechanics

It looks utterly beautiful now and the silhouette and is far tidier, so I’d say it’s well worth it – but as a word of warning, I’d recommend only taking it on if you’re confident at working on your machine, or have someone capable close by.

Not only does the GP look near enough perfect with a tidier rear, but now it doesn’t try to break my back every time I spend more than ten minutes on a motorway, which I see as a serious success. Next up? Enjoy the last of the good weather, and a set of new tyres for the GP to see if I can make it that little bit sharper in its handling capabilities.

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