Review: 2025 Yamaha YZF-R9

Putting the Fun Back Into Supersport

The press briefing for the 2025 Yamaha YZF-R9 included constant reminders from the company brass that the newest R-model motorcycle is as much, if not more so, a high-performance street bike as it is a thoroughbred racer. It’s a conflicting sentiment, considering our rendezvous the next day at Sonoma Raceway. I discovered later that Yamaha had to air freight the test bikes from Japan to ensure their arrival for the scheduled track event. Without time to register the motorcycles for legal road use, Yamaha had to scratch the street ride, leaving me the arduous task of addressing the R9’s street performance with only on-track riding experience. Thanks, Yamaha.

Once aboard and underway, it’s quickly apparent the R9 is a sportbike you don’t feel like you’re perched on top of. The 32.7-inch seat height is 0.8 inches lower than the R6’s. More importantly, compared to the R1 and R6, the rider triangle features a shorter reach to the grips and more legroom, with the footpegs mounted lower and farther forward. I didn’t experience any cornering clearance limitations, but there is a higher footpeg position if you encounter such issues. 

Another nod toward comfort are the clip-ons, with the grips splayed farther outward instead of focusing on the aerodynamics of narrower set hand placement. The slim seat-to-tank juncture made body positioning for corner entry easy, with smooth side-to-side transitions. I was immediately comfortable and, once I learned the track, quickly up to speed. 

How well this translates to cozy street riding is questionable, as clip-ons mounted below the triple clamp are usually indicative of cramping neck and wrist muscles and a sore lower back. Because my focus was on going fast around Sonoma, not getting to Sonoma, I have no idea how comfortable I’d be after an hour straightlining an interstate. 

The Beating Heart

I’ve adored the 890cc CP3 three-cylinder engine powering the R9 since its 2014 introduction in the FZ-09 (later rebadged to MT-09) and its hipster counterpart, the XSR900. As the heart of a naked hooligan, the light, fast-revving, torque-y triple made the MT and XSR a playful blast for street riding and inherently predisposed to wheelieing away from stop lights. For the R9, Yamaha massaged the engine control unit (ECU) settings, increased the radiator size, removed two teeth from the rear sprocket for more top-end speed, and reduced throttle rotation from 78 degrees on the MT-09 to 60 degrees on the R9.