The real deal...

Updated: 16 October 2024

MCN given preview of Yamaha’s hugely anticipated R9… and it’ll cost £12,250

MCN’s Dan Sutherland is one of the first to sit on the new R9

MCN’s Dan Sutherland is one of the first to sit on the new R9

After years of rumours, teasers, and hints, Yamaha have finally revealed a full production R9 supersport bike for 2025 featuring winglets, lean-sensitive electronics, and a sub-£13,000 price.

First shown to the public on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 9, MCN was granted exclusive access to aUK bike at Yamaha HQ the very next day – giving us the chance to climb aboard, test the ergonomics, and even fire it into life.

If you want to hear that, head to our YouTube channel to watch an in-depth accompanying video as soon as you’ve finished reading.

HIGHLIGHTS

117.3bhp @ 10,000rpm
68.6lb.ft @ 7000rpm
9.7kg Deltabox frame
195kg kerb weight
£12,250 UK guide price

By popular demand

Sportsbike fans have been calling for Yamaha to whack a fairing and some clip-ons onto their MT-09 naked triple since its inception in 2013. These demands were further amplified in 2021, when it was confirmed the four-cylinder R6 would become a track-only model in Europe – a fate that also met the larger R1 superbike earlier this year.

The 890cc R9 is not Yamaha’s first attempt at a sporty CP3-powered triple, with the arrival of the 500 Grand Prix-inspired retro XSR900 GP back in April. Unlike that model though, the R9 is an out and out focused sports machine, with a lightweight bespoke Deltabox chassis, R1 developed suspension componentry, advanced lean sensitivity, and even launch control as standard.

Motoring on

Fed by a 14-litre fuel tank, peak power sits at 117.3bhp – the same as the current MT-09 – with a torque figure of 68.6lb.ft.

Following its reveal, many online commentators were hung up on these numbers – drawing comparisons with the £10,529 Honda CBR600RR that produces 119bhp using what is arguably older engine architecture.

Deltabox frame is Yamaha’s lightest yet

Where the pair differ though is where this power is made, with the Yamaha achieving peak punch at 10,000rpm, and the Honda at 14,250rpm. The RR also makes a lower 46lb.ft at 11,500rpm, meaning that the Yamaha could prove a better all-round road bike, requiring less screaming between cogs to get the best out of it.

Meeting Euro5+ emissions standards, it benefits from new fuel injection settings, ignition timing, and final gearing – meaning top speed, engine eagerness, and pulling power are likely to be different from the MT.

Framing up

The engine is housed in a cast aluminium Deltabox-style frame. Weighing a claimed 9.7kg, it’s said to be the lightest chassis ever used for a Yamaha sportsbike, as well as being stiffer in torsional, longitudinal, and lateral directions when compared with other three-cylinder Yamaha models.

Kerb weight sits at 195kg with a fresh rear subframe helping to provide the sporting riding position and 830mm seat height.

A look around the bike at Yamaha’s UK headquarters revealed the pillion perch to be quite small, and likely to be uncomfortable over long distance rides. That said, a remote preload adjuster should make life easier when accommodating a passenger.

Swingarm is all new. Note fairing aeros

Sticking with the suspension, the bike comes with a new set of KYB springs up front. The 43mm fully adjustable upside-down forks feature a Kashima coating on the exterior, providing a deep bronze appearance that looks the business in the metal.

The single rear shock offers full adjustability too, with both components developed in parallel with the track-only R1 GYTR and R1 Race – which are also new for 2025.

Providing stopping power is a set of Brembo Stylema monobloc calipers up front, which work in tandem with braided hoses to bite onto 320mm discs. You also get a Brembo radial master cylinder for good measure, with the bike rolling on Bridgestone Battlax RS11 track tyres as standard.

Fresh face

Shrouding the engine and chassis work is an all-new set of plastics, combined with pronounced winglets that help give it the most aerodynamic frontal area of any Yamaha sportster.

A centrally positioned rounded LED headlight also features a subtle chin spoiler beneath, which Yamaha says helps to reduce front wheel lift by between six and seven per cent, with the additional downforce rising to approximately 10% mid-turn when combined with aerodynamic winglets either side.

Latest incarnation of 890cc CP3

Electronic intervention

Further helping to keep the wheels firmly on the ground are leansensitive electronics, courtesy of a six-axis IMU. Riders can opt between ‘Sport’, ‘Street’, and ‘Rain’ modes – plus the option of four track modes and two custom preset options.

The customisable settings allow you to pick the level of slide control intervention, engine braking, anti-wheelie, traction control, and more. The R9 also gets launch control, meaning you’ll always bag the holeshot away from the traffic lights, and the rear ABS can be deactivated for some sliding action. Cruise control and a speed limiter are further included as standard.

As you’d expect, there’s also an up/down quickshifter, with modes selected via a five-inch TFT dash that can be paired with a smartphone. Using Yamaha’s Y-TRAC app (Yamaha – Telemetry Recording and Analysis Controller) you can log lap times and analyse data on a corner by corner basis.

TAKE A SEAT

‘Unmistakably sporty’

With clip-on bars nestled under a wonderfully machined top yoke, this is unmistakably a sportsbike, which will put weight on your wrists.

That said, the fuel tank is wide and there’s decent room between the rider and pegs – meaning it should be easy to climb around the bike and hang off either side on your next trackday.

Standard cruise control means you’ll be able to take the weight off on long journeys, too.

Looking forward at the full colour dash, life on the Yamaha triple is a nice place to be. The switchgear is well thought out and chunky. You also get a conventional key, meaning no faffing about with bulky fobs.