With their unique blend of cutting edge technology and iconic style that pays homage to past classics, Yamaha’s Sport Heritage models are proving to be a major success with a growing band of riders who appreciate the ‘Faster Sons’ philosophy. By acknowledging some of the classic design elements from Yamaha’s 60-year history, models such as the XSR900 give today’s riders the chance to own a truly characterful contemporary motorcycle with up to the minute technology and class leading performance.

More than any other Japanese manufacturer, Yamaha has fully embraced the growing customization movement, and over the past few years the company has commissioned a range of unique specials. Using various Sport Heritage models as their starting point, legendary bike builders including Shinya Kimura and Roland Sands have created some truly outstanding motorcycles that showcase their skills, and also inspire every rider by demonstrating how to make any Yamaha their own. For the first time, Yamaha has teamed up with Abarth, one of Italy’s most prestigious brands from the car racing world, to create a factory-built limited edition Café Racer.

Abarth has been involved in racing for over 60 years, and with its Italian design flair and race bred DNA, the company’s history and philosophy perfectly complement those of Yamaha. For 2017, Abarth and Yamaha have collaborated on a new project to create the XSR900 Abarth, a café racer special with a head-turning colour scheme that’s been built with a range of exclusive lightweight components.

At the very heart of this new limited edition machine is Yamaha’s 850cc 3-cylinder CP3 engine that delivers strong and linear torque. Equipped with a traction control system and Assist & Slipper clutch, this powerplant provides high levels of controllability in varying conditions.

A key feature of this new Sport Heritage model is its authentic café racer riding position, which enhances rider/machine unity and accentuates the bike’s agile and compact feel. Featuring swallow ‘clip-on style’ handlebars and a racing single seat that give a sporty, tucked in riding position, the XSR900 Abarth builds on the strengths of the stock XSR and transforms it into an exclusive café racer.

The XSR900 Abarth’s compact feel and iconic looks are inspired by the 1960s specials and hybrids created by ‘rockers’ who wanted to build the fastest and coolest motorcycle on the block. The Abarth’s retro front cowl design contrasts beautifully with its high-tech carbon structure – and the stylish suede solo seat underlines this bike’s high quality specification. To keep weight down and underline the bike’s sporting DNA, carbon fibre is used for the front fender and seat cowl – and to match the new sports seat an integrated taillight and lightweight license plate holder are fitted.

True to the original café racer’s ‘need for speed’ philosophy, the XSR900 Abarth comes complete with a performance boosting full Akrapovič titanium exhaust with titanium double slip-on mufflers that give stronger acceleration together with more exclusive looks and a gutsier sound.

Featuring Abarth logos on the fuel tank, as well as on the carbon front fender and carbon seat cowl, the unique grey/red colour scheme captures the spirit of a bygone era, and sits comfortably with the retro café racer styling. Inspired by the 60s, and featuring the most advanced Japanese technology combined with Italian design flair, the new XSR900 Abarth brings different worlds together in a very special way.

Production of the XSR900 Abarth is strictly limited to just 695 units, and on the side of each motorcycle is a production numbered aluminium plaque to confirm its exclusivity.

To celebrate the presentation of this new XSR 900, Abarth reveals a new concept of the iconic 695, the nameplate that refers to the most special cars of the scorpion brand. The 695 Tributo XSR is a concept car finished in a grey livery with red details to reflect the Yamaha XSR style, and features extensive use of carbon fibre components. The concept car and the Yamaha XSR 900 Abarth also share a lightweight Akrapovič exhaust system, a racing derived component that adds personality, sound as well as performance.