Yamaha XSR 700, Sport Heritage means beautiful and fun [ROAD TEST]

Photoshoot: ENGINEER

Yamaha XSR700 - Faster Sons by Shinya Kimura: for some years Yamaha has linked its image to this project which opens up to the world of specials. Customization is of considerable interest for manufacturers, given that motorcyclists appreciate a vintage look combined with modern contents, what can also be defined as “old but new”. The specials are certainly fascinating, but not for everyone. Taking a motorbike and transforming it is not easy and often not even very cheap. For this reason, in recent years we have been witnessing the birth of models that leave the factory already with the look of a special, with strong references to the past, but with the safety and performance of current products. The House of the Three Diapasons inaugurates a new era in 2016, with the transition from specials to series motorcycles. new sports heritage rangefirst of all the XSR 700 and 900. These are two motorcycles created starting from two of the most successful models of recent years, the MT-07 and the MT-09, made more captivating by the vintage taste and captivating details. Some might point to them as hipster bikes, but after having tried the twin-cylinder from which it derives.

Aesthetics and finishes:

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Retro and minimal, magnificent in 60th Anniversary color

In our opinion the two MTs (07 and 09) were (and still are) among the most interesting bikes of recent years. Low price, almost exceptional for the smallest 700 twin-cylinder, with rare performance and driving fun. In our test of the MT-07 last year we found very few defects in it (among these the absence of ABS, which is present here as standard). Going into detail about aesthetics however, our personal and subjective opinion is that the MT-07 is well made and up to the list price, but frankly very basic, bordering on Spartan in some details. Its sister XSR 700 becomes more mature and gains significantly better attention and care. The result is a bike with character (this may not be to everyone's liking), with a very minimal look, strong references to the past and a successful mix of modern elements, like the small LED rear light (it's the same as the XV950) and a style that wants to hark back to the XS650 of the 70s. At the front we find a small round headlight, with matt black structure, a color that definitely dominates. The alloy wheels are black, as are the frame, the fork, the swingarm, the handlebars, but the list is still long. We are the first to say what is an exception with a metal-coloured finish, i.e. radiator and side protective covers, as well as the exhaust terminal, in a modern and current style, therefore very short and compact. What then makes the difference from one color to another is practically the tank alone. Needless to say the 300 euros requested for the 60th Anniversary, with the historic yellow and black livery of Yamaha are certainly well spent for us. The XSR 700 isn't bad in other colors either, but so it has a unique charm. It changes completely the instrumentation compared to the MT-07, here it is enclosed in a single small circular element. However, it does not lack completeness nor visibility, even in full light. Only the position, out of sight, makes it perhaps not immediately readable. However, it is rare to see such instrumentation compact, with nothing missing, there's even a gear counter. The saddle is low and decidedly more comfortable and soft than that of the MT-07. It has a contrasting finish, with a glossy seat (to allow the rider to move around corners) and the side and passenger portions in suede. Driving it we will discover that the excellent starting base does not betray expectations, but aesthetically it would be difficult to understand that the XSR 700 is a "disguised" MT-07, only keeps the driving pleasure unchanged. The tires also change, because the vintage look includes the choice of Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp.

Engine and performance:

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As on the MT-07, it remains the most rebellious 75 horsepower you could expect

In an era in which power is a decoy, with engines so exaggerated that they can no longer be exploited on the road, unless you want to at least lose your driving licence, someone is starting to think differently. In fact, we are witnessing, at least in part, the birth of models with more "human" performance, with a view to greater usability and aiming for driving pleasure rather than Guinness numbers. Someone took the new approach too seriously and the result is bikes that are easy to ride, but not too much fun for those who think of their two-wheeler as entertainment, as well as a means of transport. The person who chose the right approach, in our opinion, is Yamaha. The MT-07 unanimously agrees with everyone who has tried it: it's difficult to find 75 horsepower that's so fun. Get on XSR 700 was therefore an announced pleasure, with the only doubt that the changes could have changed her character a little. Once the engine is turned on, however, they only arrive many beautiful confirmations. The 689 cc inline twin-cylinder is always the same, with a "crossplane" shaft with 270 degree timing, hence its acronym CP2 (CrossPlane 2 cylinders). Detail that makes it full of bass almost like a "V", as well as low in vibrations. The 75 horses reach 9.000 rpm, but it pushes well beyond the double-digit threshold (the limiter cuts just before 11 thousand rpm). The couple is instead of 68 Nm at 6.500. Little electronics, given that the accelerator is of the classic type and there is no traction control. To tell the truth, you don't miss it, at least on dry asphalt, because the twin is fun, but never overly mean or nervous. Apart from the slightly long throttle stroke it's all a pleasure. As on the MT-07, If you don't like monowheels maybe you won't give it praise, but it is an engine that can have its say in every type of use. The quick chassis, combined with a truly lively delivery, makes it an almost perfect motorbike, easy and for everyone, but capable of making anyone have fun, even the most demanding pilot. There are few opponents who demonstrate such determination in this market segment, while his specialty remains wheelies. We hadn't had so much fun in months, so with the excuse of taking photos we used a deserted industrial area to let off steam a bit. The nice handlebar makes it even easier and you can play in the first three gears like with few other bikes. The only small flaw we found was the gearbox. It feels a little rough if used without the clutch, while it feels like butter when you pull the lever, and it's not at all heavy even in city driving, where you often have to hold the clutch in your hand. The CP2 of the XSR 700 also has the merit of being the first in line with Euro 4 standards.

Ride and handling:

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Wide handlebars and a nice position, more classic and less motard-like

The MTs (07 and 09, given that we don't know the new and exaggerated MT-10 yet) you either love them or hate them, at least in part. Thanks (or fault) to a setting deliberately designed to be "on the front", as is used in motards. We still remember the struggle with the motorbike to maintain a fast pace on the San Marco pass during our road test. In fact, in all sincerity, we don't like this type of setup. We are for classic things, to "feel the front" the old fashioned way, without having to drive in a more nervous and neurotic way. The. The handlebar is 8 centimeters wider than the MT-07 (740 mm versus 660), the saddle is just 815 mm from the ground e the position is more rearward and less exasperated. This all translates into excellent ride comfort (apart from aerodynamic protection, which is obviously absent) when you "go away calmly", but also in having everything perfectly under control when you start pushing. Never an uncertainty or one of those steering locks that MTs can usually be exposed to when the speed is increased on curves. Also thanks to the Pirelli Phantom Sportscomp which manage to combine the pleasantly retro look of the tread design with excellent performance even in sports driving. The suspension is set up a little soft (the fork also has no adjustments, while the mono is configurable only for the spring preload), with some advantages (comfort first and foremost, but also greater ease of riding and a help in simplifying the ascent of the front wheel when you want to do the "hooligans"), while if you want to be serious you would like it to be slightly more rigid and reactive, but the XSR700 remains great fun to drive. Not even in rapid changes of direction does the effect of a soft calibration of the fork and rear monosuffering suffer too much, thanks to the fact that the bike is compact and light, weighing just 186kg in running order. Excellent braking, ABS is standard and manages a pair of 282 discs at the front (245 single behind) with 4-piston calipers, truly a top-notch system for a bike like this. The handlebar is mounted on silent blocks, a solution that eliminates any type of vibration (even if the CP2 is already practically free from it), but which by forcing the pace on winding mixed terrain is felt, with a shift during braking and reacceleration, which can at times be a little annoying under the wrists. Overall the XSR 700 is an easy bike for everyone (plus it is also available in a weakened 35 kW version for new drivers), but which is very much loved even in the hands of the most knowledgeable motorcyclists. Lightweight and easy to handle, it can also be a valid alternative to a scooter for the city for many.

Price and consumption:

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7.590 euros, 300 more for the 60th Anniversary, really well spent

We have said it and we reiterate it forcefully, for us it is one of the best fun/price ratiosPlus, with this color it's a bike that gets noticed and appreciated a lot, even more than competitors with a much more expensive price list. Compared to the starting point, the bill goes up by 1.000 euros round and round, given that the MT-07 ABS costs 6.590 euros, while the XSR 700 costs 7.590. If you are not "satisfied" with the two standard colors, Forrest Green or Garage Metal, you need another 300 euros to bring home a specimen like this, with the beautiful yellow of the 60th Anniversary. If you then want to personalize it and enrich it, the space is almost infinite, limited only by the capacity of your wallet and your imagination. On the Yamaha website you can already find a list (at the date of this article) of almost 50 items. We start with what for us would be a great gift for this very fun bike: the exhaust. THE two Akrapovic, one has the high terminal, the other as low as the original, they mainly have only one flaw, they cost around 1.200 and 1.500 euros. They certainly give a more important voice to the CP2, and to be used for road circulation, another 145 euros must be added for the catalytic converter. For solo riders there is the solo seat, to also give a more aggressive look to the XSR (180 euros), but there are many details to characterize the bike to your own taste and liking. They range from levers machined from solid material (from 153 euros upwards), as well as other elements always machined from solid material, to the front number plate (approximately 161 euros). There is no shortage of luggage-related items, with rear racks, supports and side and tank bags, all in perfect Sport Heritage style. THE 14 liters of tank capacity translate into a fair amount of autonomy, given that the inline twin is really very economical. Even making full use of it it never drops below 20 km/l, while normally it is easier for it to settle in the 25 zone.

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
Unbeatable fun/price ratio, easy, fun, beautiful and economical

We do not like it:
It just deserves a sportier exhaust

Yamaha XSR 700: the Motorionline Report Card

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Test clothing:
Jacket: Segura Jones
Gloves: Secure Sidney
Trousers: Spidi Ronin Pants
Shoe: Stylmartin Sunset
Helmet: Shark Vancore