[sportrider - features] - More Photos of the 2016 Yamaha XSR900

It was only a matter of time before Yamaha officially dipped its toes into the hipster/cafe racer bike scene with something other than its underpowered and admittedly frustrating SR400, but chances are you didn't expect that bike to stem directly from the sporty, wheelie-loving FZ-09. Would changing out a few cosmetic pieces really bestow the XSR900 with the persona Yamaha engineers were very clearly hoping it would?

To be entirely honest, I didn't initially think so. And then I saw the XSR900 in person at the International Motorcycle Show, and again in these photos that Yamaha recently snapped of it. And I've got to admit, the bike is growing on me.

Sure, the 847cc, traction-control-equipped XSR is still more of a modern naked bike than a true cafe racer or "retro" bike, but there's no denying that it doesn't at least elicit some memories of the motorcycles that made men, men back in the '70s and '80s. Hell, I've even got a buddy who's considering trading in his Harley-Davidson Nightster for one of these, and well if the XSR can introduce at least a few more people like him to the sportbike world, who am I to judge?

Check out some more of our favorite photos of the XSR (below) from Yamaha's shoot and let us know, is the XSR growing on you too? Would you consider it over the FZ-09, for the styling alone?



















Of course, Yamaha will also offer its 2016 XSR900 in the slightly more sporty 60th Anniversary Yellow graphics.

More photos of that bike below:

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