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Thank you very much for this review. This bike was my top choice but after this review I have decided, for sure, not to get it. The seat in particular really bothers me and I don't want to spend any additional money to get a better one; it should come with one! The turning radius seems ridiculous. Then you point out how the switchgear things seem loose. It just doesn't seem to be well made.

well done my friend!

Knows nothing about the bike

Hi! Thanks for mentioning this, I just bought the 2024 xsr900 a month ago and in some corners I occasionally felt a little more unsure of riding on the standard tyres compared to other bikes I've ridden, so I'll definitely look into changing them. As for the seat, I've just ordered a Kelpi seat with a different trim from Australia, I've heard great things about them, so if you're still looking for a replacement I can let you know if it improves the riding quality when I get it!

Talking about the shifting being to tough lmfao you clearly haven't rode a Harley before. Anything is better than a literal clunk as it goes into gears.

Awesome video, so informative, just what I needed. Thx!!

Thank you for this clear explanation! Great video, keep them up!

I am looking to buy this bike (already tested and tried) and seat is the first thing I would address. I already look at options and Kelpi is one of the best, 320 eur or 640 depends if you want to change original seat or brand new. I owned 2004 and 2018 FJR so switches were always little loose (especially if you are comparing with premium brands like BMW and Ducati) but I sleep sound with japanese bike in the garage. Don't get me wrong I like when something is nice and solid, Moto Guzzi for example makes switches and handlebars looking like piece of art but if you are lucky to own one, you may be disappointed with quirks that probably won't happen on japanese bike. I like your honest review and I won't defend yama but many issues mentioned could be seen at the dealership and surely during test ride. I also understand that when you buy a bike (especially a new one from the dealer) it is often an emotional decision but to be fair you knew what you were buying and hardly there is any competitor that offers so much performance and features in this price range. It would be great to just leave performance and good features and exchange bad features with other bikes but surely the price wouldn't be on this level. Position of switches is always something different between manufacturers and in general switches are expensive to design and produce so they are often reused through years (or decades). If you owned Honda than probably you know that in the past (just few years ago) these bikes had horn almost in the same place where other bikes had indicators and imo that was much more frustrating than mode selector. Speaking to some minor things like display of adjusted speed on cruise control I have 2016 Lexus IS300h and I also don't have this feature so it's not like yama is some special exception. I totally agree that It would be nice to have it like many other things but at the same time we can't expect the same price. Some people in the comments also like to compare this bike to Z900RS where on some markets currently price difference is up to 3000 EUR - almost 16000 EUR for Kawa and 5 years ago I bought for exact same price FJR1300 with all (loose 😃) bells and whistles. Fortunately it is possible to buy used Z900RS for half of the price in mint condition. I wish you long and safe journeys on ur XSR or any other bike 🙂👍

Hey Mike! Thanks for another awesome video. I am waving into a used 2022 xsr900 black like yours with only 4,000km on it, but I am not sure about the S22 wearing. When was your first tire swap? I heard people changing the rear tire after 6,000km

Thanks for the honest review. A lot more useful than people just gushing over their machine.

What a good review. Thank you. Very detailed. We should demand more

waiting for a yearly review brother

"I'm not gonna test the cruise control at 160 speed" - that's reasonable. Nice demo of the systems! Thanks

That bike looks awesome in black!! I'm a little surprised that you wound up purchasing this motorcycle at all with the complaints you verbalized. Especially since the defects were all present and obvious from the start. I personally would have purchased something that I could live with on the daily and not think, "cheap switches"and "Crappy screen" and "poor quick shifter" whenever I climb on. I appreciate your perspective and I'll definitely be looking closer if I get a chance to get another Yamaha. The last Yamaha I had was a 2005 Yamaha fz1 and I had trouble finding anything to complain about. I'm currently wanting to get either a XSR900 VS MT10 VS GSXS 1000 VS KATANA. thanks for the honest opinion.

Thanks for the video its really helpful

Stop moaning!!. Why did you buy the bike?!!

90 percent crying😢! I suggest make your own bike😂

is there any other other bike you could recommend? and i don't care about retro.

Cheap controls does it for me I will go with a Suzuki GSX 1000.

bro your substantial it is too substantial

I've got about 1,000 miles on this bike and love it. I added a Dart windscreen, USB port, iPhone mount, and throttle paddle. Most importantly, I use my Airhawk inflatable seat pad (which I've had for 20 years and move from bike to bike). With the seat pad and throttle paddle/cruise control, I can ride indefinitely in terms of comfort; the only limitations being fuel and bladder range. One of my other bikes is a '19 Triumph Speed Twin. One of the other commenters, after watching this very detailed and excellent review, indicated that he figured this Yamaha would be a step down in premium feel from his Triumph Speed Twin. Not my perception at all! With my setup, the only thing that I'd agree with the author is really bothersome is the feel/utility of the touch wheel infotainment interface. Not nearly smooth feeling enough nor an ideal interface. Not a deal breaker for me, just could be nicer. As to getting a Kawasaki Z900RS as an alternative, that bike is several thousand dollars more expensive. More importantly, it's a completely different feel. Very enjoyable ride, but it feels like the perfection of a 70s bike, enhancing all the good parts of those bikes and eliminating most of their downsides (except weight). The XSR900 on the other hand, while providing a semi retro look, feels like the present and future. The quick shift and cruise control are much more fun additions to the riding experience than I would have imagined. Note, if you really want to enjoy the feel of a 70's bike on the cheap, the Royal Enfield 650s do the job nicely. It's fun to be able to enjoy the Triumph's torque/grunt nature and the Yamaha's screamer nature. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't! YMMV

2023 seats are worse; and what are they thinking for passenger ?

need a smooth passenger seat; not a hi ; wierd looking thing

I have a xsr 900 I find it OK I like I think this man is only running it do by the sound of him he runs all bikes down that he doesn't like

Cool review

ive been eyeing the xsr700 as my first bike to get after passing for my license, but for future proofings sake, as well as having an all rounder thatll do well on highways too, im considering if i can get away with getting a 900 directly, especially considering the changes if the newer models and added electronics that people claim help with how tame it is possible to have it. thoughts? edit: just arrived at the end of the video where you addressed exactly that :p very solid explanation. id be going against the advice of many, but im pretty considerate of the capabilities and people like you that dont solely associate engine displacement but have more nuanced take that have said this abt the 900 makes me think it can be done

Such a good in depth review, it’s usually only after ownership these little things come out. I was ready to put it on my serious must have list but so happy I found you’re post as these things did change my mind about ownership.

definitely needs nicer exhaust

Is it a lcd screen? Dosnt look like it to me?

Liked your videos, will there be more, or have you stopped ?

Nothing comes perfect in life except the things you care about or love. You should sell this bike, bro, because you don't seem to like it much.

The front brakes are awesome in terms of performance, you are attaching an opinion to brand! The S22 tyre is also a very good tyre. I don't get it...

The older model looked different, except from the seat, the new one uses the same display as everyone else uses, why not keep the round clocks, just make it bigger and easier to read, would make the bike more different from other models, which I thought was the thinking behind this model, this is something the Japanese manufacturer can not get right with one exception ( Kawasaki z900rs) where the design is kept flowing and proportionate for the model language! If Yamaha wants to make a model different, they should go all in, look at Triumph with their classic line, beautifully designed ( although they lost the ball on the display of the Scrambler) should be the same a the t120. I hope Yamaha will bring back the rounded clocks and make a model a bit upmarket, this model deserves it, that engine must be one of the best ever produced, period😜

If it's so bad why buy the bike in the first place? Just so you can play the victim on CZcams?

Did you respray tank etc or put cover over. I like red.

10:20 minutes into the video. And I’m still hearing more negatives then great already. Lmao

I've got a Triumph Speed Twin 1200 and am looking for this bike. But after hearing your negatives I'm thinking I might miss the premium feel and looks of the Triumph. I don't know if the all the extra features outweighs that.

Yamaha steering turn-in angles are shortened because their bikes turned in to lock hard when past a certain point, tending to throw the bikes down at low speeds. It took effort to keep them up and pull the bars back out of it. My 2005 FJR was a beast to wrestle when I turned past that point.

I believe Corbin has custom seat for XSR, i just don't know the price

You can also hold the cruise up button for overtakes

The S22's that ship with Yamaha bikes are OEM S22's manufactured to Yamaha's specifications. THEY ARE NOT the same as S22 retail tires from Bridgestone. The OEM/Yamaha S22's are 1-compound cheap rubber tires, the retail S22's are 3-compound tires made with significantly better rubber and to far better specifications. If you ask Bridgestone support, they will confirm this themselves! This is pretty normal amongst all brands - OEM/stock tires are ALWAYS inferiour to retail tires from pretty much ANY brand.

The horrible seat. Combined with the long tank which causes a seating position that is not sportbike, but not upright either. Never experienced such pain after 1-2 hours of riding before. I kept my XSR900 for two months, and swapped for an MT-09 SP, and now I can ride all day in comfort. Big comfort difference! The difference tho is that the MT-09 SP feels like a wild animal by comparison, it power wheelies in 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and seems a bit wild compared to the XSR900 that feels far more planted and safe due to the longer swingarm. The MT-09 is definitely much better for city/urban riding though, the comfort difference is HUGE.

Not related but really like the colour you introduced. I'm also looking at black model. Mmmmm can add colour too

When I bought my r1 I got about 1800 miles on whatever tires came stock. I bought the same ones and got about 3500 then I upgraded to michelins and got over 6000 and the tires were still round. I really think they pay tire makers for a worse cheaper version to put on the brand new bikes.

Well we all know we don't buy this for the electronic BS. We buy for the motor, sounds, handling , and wheelies. If you want power modes buy a Ninja 300 or KTM 390. If you can't control with your throttle hand then you should not be riding a bike like this. Just a rant about electronics. People seem to care more about those then the actual bike performance. Turn that sh.t off and enjoy the natural nature of the bike.

such a great looking bike man I'm jealous!

I'm a bit surprised how many people like Michelin Road, to me the leaning speed isn't very linear especially when you try to push it to a deeper lean angle. (It gets slower when it gets deeper) I do admit that it performs really well on cold tires though, my Q3+ slips when leaning on road marks on cold tires while Roads don't.

When I sat on the bike at the dealer the seat didn't feel good, but when I test road the bike the seat felt ok. but I was only on the bike for around 15 minutes. its definitely not the best seat. and I don't understand why the seat doesn't go right up to the tank. I didn't really notice things being loose on the bike except for the seat. which moves all around if you touch it. but when riding it it doesn't seem to move. I did think the lcd screen could be bigger and better. Yamaha must've wanted to save some money with the screen. and I heard someone else talk about how bad that scroll wheel is. but no complaints on the handling or engine.

I’m thinking about getting an xsr900 but I just sold my fz07 because I didn’t like long distance rides getting blasted by the wind, do you think a tall screen and a slight tuck would remedy the wind noise problem on this bike?