Last month I threw a leg over Yamaha’s all-new YZF-R9 at SMSP South Circuit, and the sense of anticipation was electric. The skies were heavy and grey, threatening to ruin everything, but somehow the rain held off letting us finally unleash the sports beast… Words: Jeff Ware Photos: iKapture
I very clearly remember the first time I rode the MT-09 back when it launched at The Farm. I pulled back into the pits, laughing at how much fun the bike was, and thought to myself, “This engine belongs in a proper sportsbike.” Its punchy torque, linear pull, and that characteristic crossplane triple sound felt like it was just begging for clip-ons and fairings. Yamaha teased us for years…
Yamaha gave us the MT-09SP with its high-spec suspension and electronics, a wicked nakedbike. Then the XSR900 and XSR900GP with retro styling, and while they were brilliant street bikes, they never quite scratched that supersport itch for me. But now, with the R9, Yamaha has finally delivered on what so many riders, including myself, have wanted – a fully fledged YZF-R sportsbike powered by that magnificent CP3 engine, but friendly for the road.
A friendly YZF-R6, (which is still available as the YZF-R6 RACE for $20,249 ready for the track, on slicks), the R9 joins Yamaha’s huge YZF street legal sports lineup of the YZF-R15M, YZF-R3, YZF-R1, YZF-R1M, YZF-R7LA and YZF-R7HO (click on any of those to read our test on that bike) … But the R9 is the first sports triple. Bring it on, baby! We headed to SMSP for the Aussie launch, the day was run for Yamaha Motor Australia by MotoSchool, and they were fantastic, highly recommended…
THE RIDE
The first thing that struck me as I rolled out onto the track was just how different the R9 felt compared to the MT-09 or XSR900GP. This isn’t just an MT-09 with fairings bolted on. The R9 feels like its own model entirely, with a purpose and attitude far removed from its naked sibling. The chassis tuning, geometry changes, electronics calibration, and ergonomics come together to make it feel like a genuine supersport machine, not quite razor sharp and stiff, but very good on track and easier to ride…
Where the XSR900 GP is a retro street sportsbike with a fairing slapped on for styling cred, the R9 is a thoroughbred track-day ready contender. It’s a proper step up from the R7 and fills the void left by the legendary R6, offering something different – more midrange punch, easier rideability, and real-world versatility while still retaining that racetrack soul, and after testing it, I reckon it would be easy to set it up as a serious track bike, given that some small suspension changes really moved it forward that way.
At 187cm tall, I usually fold up awkwardly on supersport bikes, but the R9’s ergonomics surprised me. The footpegs in their lowest position offered plenty of room, and the ‘bars are slightly higher and flatter than a traditional supersport, giving it a neutral yet committed stance. Everything just fits. The seat is comfortable, the tank sculpted perfectly for knee grip, and the overall riding position felt more relaxed than an R6 yet still aggressive enough for serious track work. The bike should fit a broad range of shapes, there is plenty of room there to move around, and it definitely has that YZF familiarity.
I managed a solid 40 laps spread over four sessions, and despite a few injury limitations on my part these days – too many busted wrists over the years and too many hamburgers lately – I settled into a consistent 1:03 lap pace, with my quickest lap a flat 1:02. That’s about a second off my usual testing pace here, but considering I was nursing my wrists and dealing with occasional whiskey throttle moments, the R9’s forgiving nature really let me get away with it. I’ll pop a video on YouTube soon.
I found myself grinning inside my helmet lap after lap. The best way I can describe it is that it felt like riding a bigger R3, with grunt. That same nimble, flickable feel, but with the torque-rich triple engine launching you out of corners with authority. Unlike the old R6 engine, which is a true race motor so needs to be kept screaming at high revs to stay in the performance window, the R9 pulls cleanly from lower in the rev range thanks to its broad, linear power delivery. You can short shift it, ride it lazily, or wind it out and attack – it’s flexible and confidence inspiring, but it does reach that limiter early.
Underneath lies the proven 890cc CP3 engine, essentially the MT-09’s unit but retuned via mapping and ignition changes to suit the R9’s sporting intentions. Internally it remains unchanged, but the difference in feel is noticeable. It’s snappier, livelier, and more exhilarating than the current MT-09, almost reminiscent of the raw, aggressive original MT-09 from a decade ago.
The torque is broad, pulling cleanly from second, third, or fourth gear exits. On Sydney South’s shorter straight, the gearing felt ideal. Top speed? Hard to say without a proper long straight, but with gearing 15 per cent taller than the MT-09, I’d guess around 240km/h. On track, you do hit the rev limiter fairly quickly, but it’s not an issue once you get a feel for the engine.
It’s an engine with character, a triple that spins up with urgency yet remains composed and easy to modulate. The traction control was working hard out of a few corners, but that is because I was just holding it wide open and relying on the TC. Feeding the power in progressively revealed a very nice tractable delivery and good rear tyre control.
The chassis is an aluminium Deltabox frame paired with fully adjustable KYB suspension front and rear. The front runs USD 43mm forks, while the rear is a KYB monoshock with remote preload adjustment, handy for quick changes trackside. Out of the crate, the suspension is on the softer side, making it less tiring to ride compared to a rock-hard supersport machine. The negative is it does get a bit loose when up near the limit, and as grip and speed increases, so too will the need to stiffen up the suspension at both ends, but you would need to be pretty serious, as it is, it will do for track days and club level racing I reckon…
We only went up a little in preload front and rear to suit my 100kg with gear, and that small change made the bike livelier and more responsive. The R9 carries more frame flex than an R6, which makes it forgiving and comfortable, yet retains enough stiffness to attack turns with confidence. Despite chilly track temperatures limiting front-end feel early on, it was communicative enough to push hard. In warmer conditions with hot sticky rubber and dialled suspension, it will reveal its full potential.
Speaking of electronics, Yamaha has kitted the R9 out with a trickle-down of the first-gen R1M package…
On upshifts at full throttle, there were a few times the front got wild, near tank-slapping, so I would be fitting a high-quality steering damper if I owned an R9. The Bridgestone Battlax RS11 tyres warmed up well despite cool conditions and offered confidence on corner entry, edge grip and drive out, these are awesome tyres and I’ve raced on them in the past. The SpinForged wheels keep unsprung weight down, look great and come straight from the YZF-R6 RACE.
Braking is handled by Brembo Stylema calipers up front with a Brembo radial master-cylinder. Braking performance is decent, but not as jaw-dropping as some Stylema setups I’ve used. The initial bite requires a firmer squeeze, and there’s a hint of ABS valving sponginess, but the six-axis IMU-based ABS system never intruded harshly. We ran with rear ABS switched off, which I’d recommend for track use, but front ABS intervention was minimal. I also noticed the clutch take-up was abrupt and right at the end of the lever travel, making pit exits a little tricky, but on track it didn’t matter thanks to the flawless up and down quick-shifter.
Speaking of electronics, Yamaha has kitted the R9 out with a trickle-down of the first-gen R1M package from a decade ago. It has a six-axis IMU enabling 9 level traction control (TCS), 3 level slide control (SCS), 3 level lift control (LSS), brake control (BC), engine brake management (EBM) plus cruise control, variable speed limiter, and multiple ride modes – Sport, Street, Rain, and two Custom plus four Track modes. It has it all, and a new style switchblock pair to help navigate it, and the Y-Connect app.
I tried a mix today, see the settings in the dash photos above. In full attack mode, it’s lively and urgent without being intimidating, but I preferred Power 2 rather than 1, as the throttle was nicer on initial opening, allowing me to keep the bike more balanced and retain rear grip off turns… One awesome feature is the Y-TRAC race setting complemented by a virtual pitboard feature that displays instructions and information from pit crew to rider in real time! You can also drop a pin on a GPS location on the track you are on, and the dash will do your lap times and display it on the dash each lap!
“The 2025 YZF-R9 is a friendly R6 with a broader power curve, stronger midrange, and easier ergonomics for real-world riding”…
The TFT dash is clear and intuitive, with four street themes and one track layout. Switchgear is typical Yamaha – functional and logical – although I struggled to change ride modes on the move, even with throttle shut. I’ll dig deeper when we test it on the road next month. The triple-clamp looks straight off the R1, with neat M1 MotoGP-style grooves, and there’s a GYTR race triple available for trackday warriors.
The R9 looks like a bigger R7 or smaller R1, slotting perfectly into the YZF-R family. The fairings are sharp and aggressive, the LED headlight compact and menacing. It looks every bit the middleweight supersport weapon Yamaha needed to fill the void left by the discontinued (road anyway) R6.
CONCLUSION
Overall, the 2025 YZF-R9 is a friendly R6 with a broader power curve, stronger midrange, and easier ergonomics for real-world riding. On track, it’s fast, confidence inspiring, and fun. On the road, it promises to be practical enough for commuting yet thrilling on your favourite twisties, we will find out soon. At $23,199 ride away, it’s not cheap, three grand more than the R6 (but ten grand less than an R1), but you’re getting a bike with true supersport handling, a punchy triple engine, and electronics that rival litre bikes from just a few years ago. For track days, weekend scratching, and even daily duties, it’s a winner. We’ll have a full road test coming in August after our street ride in July…
2025 Yamaha YZF-R9 Specifications
Price: $23,199 R/A
Warranty: Three-years unlimited km
Colours: Team Yamaha Blue, Matt Black, Intensity White/Redline
Claimed Power: 87.5kW@10,000rpm
Claimed Torque: 93Nm@7000rpm
Wet Weight: 195kg
Fuel capacity: 14L
Fuel Consumption (Claimed): N/A
Fuel Consumption (Tested): N/A
Range (Claimed): N/A
Engine: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC, Crossplane triple, 78.0mm x 62.1mm bore x stroke, 890cc, 11.5:1 compression, three-into-one exhaust Gearbox: Six speed Clutch: Assist & Slipper Clutch with Quick Shift System (up & down), EFI, three-into-one exhaust.
Chassis: Aluminium Deltabox frame
Rake: 24.7° Trail: 109.2mm
Front Suspension: USD 43mm KYB forks, fully adjustable, 120mm travel, KYB monoshock, fully adjustable with low-speed valve, 117mm travel.
Brakes: Twin 320mm discs with Brembo Stylema four-piston radial calipers, Brembo radial master-cylinder, stainless braided lines, cornering ABS (f), Single 220mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS (r), rear ABS disconnect for track
Wheels & Tyres: 10-spoke cast alloy wheels, Bridgestone RS11 120/70 – 17 (f), 180/55 – 17 (r) tyres
Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 1420mm
Seat height: 831mm
Ground clearance: 140mm
Overall width: 706mm
Overall length: 2070mm
Overall height: 1181mm
Instruments & Electronics: 5in full-colour TFT dash with four street and one track theme, Y-Connect app compatibility, Garmin StreetCross Nav support, 6-Axis IMU, Traction Control (TCS), Slide Control (SCS), Lift Control (LIF), Brake Control (BCS), Engine Brake Management (EBM), Back Slip Regulator (BSR), Launch Control, Cruise Control, Quick Shifter, Ride Modes (Sport, Street, Rain, Custom x 2), Virtual Pitboard, Variable Speed Limiter, Immobiliser, LED lighting.
