Road test of YamahaXV 950 Racer 2016 ''Born to break the rules''

august 2016... 10:00 h, Oli and I set off for Tubize to pick up the 2 Yamaha bikes for the week's test. We arrive drenched and freezing cold, this is Belgium, let's not forget it....!!!!

in the garage, the 2 bikes are waiting for us, and when I see the blue bike next to the MT-07 Tracer, I say to myself, "Well, strange, Harley Davidson has come to drop off a Sportser at Yamaha....!..." Well, it's nothing of the sort: I'm looking at a Yamaha XV 950 Racer.

i immediately fall under its spell and can't take my eyes off it. Oli suggests I take the Tracer to feel more comfortable in the pouring rain, but I kindly decline.

after twenty kilometers or so, I still want more and I'm already looking forward to the ride with the 'Blue Knights' next Sunday..... more or less 500 km through the Belgian Ardennes.

so here's what I think:

design

there's no denying the XV 950 Racer's eye-catching proportions. Black is used just about everywhere: engine, frame, wheels, mudguards, exhaust... except for the tank, which is Glacier Blue, and the curved seat cover. If you're looking for chrome, you'll find it only on the headlight surround. Speaking of headlamps, the one at the rear is identical to that on the XSR 900: round, retro yet modern, with LED technology.

the wristband handlebars are 156 mm higher and 78 mm lower than standard versions.fork gussets, rounded mini front fairing and aluminum side plates, give the Yamaha a Café Racer look.

new, more compact controls have also been installed around the LCD speedometer, whose information is scrolled by a button on the right-hand control. There's no tachometer, no fuel gauge (a warning light comes on before the engine runs out of fuel) and no temperature gauge.

black spoked wheels add a neo-retro edge to the Café Racer look.

the sculpted, suede-finish seat is low to the ground, with a hood covering the passenger area. This cover can be removed in a jiffy using an allen key.

i could write many more lines about the design, but I'll end by praising the bluff finish that is so typical of the brand.

riding position

a little skeptical when I first got on the XV, I was pleasantly surprised by the riding position after 450 km.

sitting on the very low seat and putting your hands on the handlebars, you're carried forward, and your chest brushes lightly against the tank without exaggeration.

i'm sitting low to the ground with my legs relatively tucked up on footpegs that are a little high and a little too far back for my liking, but this Bobber offers excellent ground clearance. The only problem is the long airbox, which makes it a little difficult to position the right knee.

in conclusion, the riding position is quite comfortable, giving me a real sense of security. I'm confident in the machine, which makes me want to increase the pace and the angle of inclination on the small roads of the Ardennes. Admittedly, seasoned riders will bemoan the ridiculous ground clearance, but I'm not much for the "fear strip", so that's no problem at all.

handlebar controls

on the right-hand switchgear, you'll find the "select" button for navigating the speedo menu, as well as the electronic ignition and the button for activating the hazard indicators. On the left are controls for the direction indicators, headlights and horn. The controls are easy to reach and operate, even when wearing gloves.

the ride

i search in vain on the speedometer side for the cylinder to insert the ignition key. I'm told it's on the right-hand side under the fuel tank. I bend over the tank to reach the switch. Note also that the steering lock is independent of the ignition switch. So turning the key isn't enough to lock the steering, there's another cylinder for that purpose near the fork! How strange!

i gently push the starter button, and am curious to hear the sound of the two-cylinder engine. I'm amazed and expected the engine to roar 10 times louder, thinking that a full Akra line had been fitted to the machine, but it's nothing of the sort. In fact, it's just a muffler that gives the engine a slightly deeper sound. Curious to know what the engine sounds like when I open the throttle in neutral, I notice that nothing changes in terms of sound, but I do feel some "good vibrations" in my hands and feet. You can feel that the engine wants it...!

once you've got past the slight jerkiness of the transmission, you can feel the torque right from the lowest revs, especially in the first three gears.

as for the Yamaha XV 950's braking, there's nothing to say, the discs bite well and are easy to master.

having spent over 2 hours on the freeway (average speed 130 km/h), I can certify that the handling is irreproachable, even if I felt "flagged" and completely airy when I arrived. The engine never "suffered" at that speed, and I felt that with its 52 hp, it could still give more.... but not wanting to offend a BMW driver ahead of me, I refrained! ;-) all the more so as fuel consumption then climbs noticeably.

driving on the small winding roads was a real pleasure, and I felt totally at ease in the bends, thanks to the fluidity of the steering.the smoothness of the clutch control and the belt drive, which was a first for me to try.

in terms of everyday use, it's worth noting that while the weight is easy to forget when driving, it's hard to forget when maneuvering. I almost paid the price when I tried to park the Custom... without engine assistance, you can feel the 251 kilos.

minor faults

the passenger is once again short-changed, with only a mini folding seat that will only provide comfort from home to the bakery, but certainly not for long trips.

the 2 different cylinders, one for the ignition and the other for locking the handlebars, are a real eye-opener. What's more, their positioning under the fuel tank and near the right-hand fork forces the rider to bend in 2.

the rider's footrests are very long and protrude well beyond the sides of the machine, making manoeuvring difficult.

conclusion

if you ask me what I think of this XV 950 R?

i'll tell you quite simply that I've fallen completely under its spell. I found it to be a docile, easy-going motorcycle that gave me a real pleasure to ride, full of sensations without ever scaring me. As she's not ugly to look at, she's a real eye-catcher and a queen on the terrace.

i've fallen so head over heels in love with it that I'll be swapping my MT-09 for this bobber in no time. By the way, I'd like to thank Baele Moto Store in Woluwé St Lambert - Belgium(http://www.yamaha-center-brussels.be/) for their friendliness, advice and service, and a special thanks to Jonathan (sales manager) who took the time to explain everything to me and guide me through the various steps to follow.