Yamaha XSR900 - First 100 miles

After the first 100+ miles I'm loving the XSR900 even more. 

I'm still getting to know the bike, but I've been riding it every day. I ride for much longer periods of time than I did with my FZ-07. I the FZ-07, I would get uncomfortable after about two hours of riding. With the XSR900, even after four hours or more, I haven't been uncomfortable yet. 

I've been going through the different riding modes and I like 'STD' or 'A' mode most of the time. I've kept the bike in TC mode 1 since. The light clutch makes riding in NYC traffic bearable. The bike is easy to control and maneuver around taxi cab's and busses. 

The suspension hasn't been adjusted yet, but it soaks up the bumpy city streets with ease. The stock Bridgestone tires seem pretty good so far. The gas mileage is around 30 something mpg in city traffic and much higher on the highway. 

When riding on the highway, the XSR900 feels really planted and the wind isn't that bad. The bike can accelerate well at any legal speed so far. I've been trying to keep the revs below 5,000, so I ride in 6th gear on the highway. I've tried out the slipper clutch by down shifting a few gears and it works great. There isn't much engine braking with the XSR900, and when it does engine brake, it does so very smoothly. 

My wife asked me to pick up a few things from Costco, so I decided to leave the car and take BumbleBee. I was able to fit everything on the back of the seat with a few bungee cords.

The XSR900 makes me want to hit the road and go on a long trip. I want to see how far I can push on this bike.

60th Anniversary Yamaha XSR900 in NYC

60th Anniversary Yamaha XSR900 in NYC: The first few days

After a year and a half of owning the Yamaha  FZ-07, I traded it in for the 2016 Yamaha XRS900 60th Anniversary edition. I rode the bike home earlier this week on a rainy day and I couldn't be happier. The XRS900 (X9) rides so smoothly! I had no complaints about the FZ-07 except for the cheap plastic parts, but the X9 is on a totally different level.

The 2015 Yamaha FZ-07 I traded in.

Here's a picture of the dealer putting on the plates.

For my first ride, I was advised by the dealer to ride in "B" mode at first, but after scrolling through the modes, I was as comfortable in "A" mode. What made me trade my FZ-07 in for this the XSR900 was sitting on one at the dealership. The bike just felt like it wanted to go home with me. This was last Wednesday, and by Monday I picked up my very own Anniversary edition.

After riding the bike home, I noticed that plastic center tank cover was starting to scratch already. This sent me on the hunt for a quick solution. I stopped by a vinyl wrap shop and they quoted me $50 to wrap the center tank cover. I also looked online and I considered the Techspec tank pads on Revzilla, but the size I wanted was sold out. My next plan was to visit a local motorcycle shop.

I ended up at Union Garage in Brooklyn (www.uniongaragenyc.com). Union Garage NYC | Quality Motorcycle Gear[/url]) and was blown away by all the nice gear that they carried. It was the best motorcycle gear shop I've been in and the people were really nice. Union Garage focuses on cafe racer style gear, so they didn't have a tank pad. I ended up picking up a pair of Biltwell goggles to match my Bell Rogue helmet. Even though I saw the goggles for $25 on eBay, I ended up paying $35 plus tax because I like supporting local businesses.

Upon leaving Union Garage, I ran into a new Raven FZ-07 owner and shared some advice about the bike. The next day, today, I went to  local motorcycle dealer and looked for a tank pad. They only had a few that were designed for sport bikes and the guy at the shop told me that they will leave sticky residue on the tank. The next stop was Auto Zone. I didn't know exact what I was looking for, plastidip, racing stripes,??? I ended up buying a sheet of flat black 3M vinyl wrap and a sticker remover kit.

I went home and use a heat gun and the sticker remover on the warning sticker and then the "60th Anniversary" sticker and I wrapped the plastic middle tank cover.
I liked the way that the matte black looked on the bike because it flowed with the matte look of the seat. I've never used vinyl wrap before so the job didn't come out perfect.

I wanted to try something else, so I cut the sides of the vinyl wrap off and reattached the "60th anniversary" sticker in a different location with 3M tape.

That's it for today, but I want to finish the tank with some sort of pin stipe on the edges of the vinyl wrap to tighten it up. Maybe a white line, maybe black, maybe checkered, maybe reflective???

After finishing reinstalling the tank covers, I went for a ride. Wow the XSR900 is an amazing bike. I wouldn't be surprised if it wins Bike of the Year in some of the magazines. My journey with this bike is just beginning.

.... To be continued

P.S.
The only thing that bothers me about the 60th anniversary yellow is that it attracts little flying insects. I first noticed it outside the dealership and now whenever the bike is uncovered. I might have to get the brushed aluminum side panels and use the yellow ones in the fall and winter, or just wait until the blue or another color becomes available later this year or next year....