“A new generation of Supersport motorcycle”
A thing of beauty
After more than a year of speculation Yamahas, not so secret, new R9 has been officially announced. Coming so soon on the back of the heartbreaking news that the R1 is to be consigned to the hall of superbike fame, this news couldn’t have been any better!
Powered by Yamahas latest incarnation of their CP triple
What Yamaha are promising with the new R9 is a new home for that fantastic and well proven cross plane triple by housing it in a supersport chassis. Because they have such a huge amount to draw on, after all the R1 was in production from all the way back in 1998, their MotoGP and WSB wins are well known and their success at Road racing is also well established, putting a package like this together should be a no-brainer.
The R9 benefits from the companies own Yamaha chip controlled throttle. This little piece of magic helps deliver the ignition timing and fuel mapping which are all designed for a Supersport bike even though the motor is shared across a number of platforms. The one in the R9 puts out a shade over 117bhp. And that's before it's ‘flashed’. It has the usual three standard fuel map settings for the road along with four more for the track and even an additional two that the rider can customise to suit their own style. There is, of course, a quick shifter.
Winglets. You're no one without a set on your bike
The styling and fairing technology are all about race inspiration. The new R9 has those all important downforce winglets, adding yet another hammerhead to the shiver of sharks that have graduated from the world of racing to the showrooms. They're not just there for show, they generate 10% more downforce during cornering, making for a faster, more sure footed, riding experience.
Lighter than a 10kg dumbell
The frame, meantime, was designed just for the R9. It’s, wait for it, ‘gravity-cast’. Drawing from decades of experience the Deltabox-style affair is made from aluminium. Like the R1 and R6 before it, it’s made for sports bike use. As technology evolves it’s become possible to make these frames stronger and lighter. This one weighs in at only 9.7 kilos!
A new generation of KYB suspension
KYB fully adjustable suspension is the companies latest. The new 43mm forks have been fully re-designed and now feature individual adjusters for rebound on the right and compression damping on the left. The rear has preload, rebound and compression adjustability. The rear can be used to adjust the bikes ride height.
Stopping, by Brembo
Stopping is done with a Brembo radial master cylinder, another recent evolution from MotoGP, to a pair of Stylema monoblock calipers via braided hoses.
More than just a pretty face
The electrical wizardry is something that we could only dream about a few years ago. Brake, traction and even slide control are standard and all managed via the bikes IMU and ECU. Launch control and even a back slip regulator, to manage sudden engine braking, are part of the bikes package.
A dedicated track only display can be chosen for the TFT All of the information is available through the TFT display which comes with smart phone connectivity for which Yamahas MyRide app is necessary. There are four different ‘themes’ to choose from on the screen. One of them is for track use only. A second app, there are two, is dedicated for track use and goes by the name of Y-TRAC. This one captures all the ride data and in doing so destroys your suite of excuses!
Also available in black
The new R9 will be available in time for the ’25 season and while prices are yet to be confirmed, it’s always a good idea to get an order in now if you want one.
Expect a flood of R6's to hit the used market in '25!