Yamaha XSR900 DB40 Prototype Could Become New Yamaha R9

Yamaha has revealed a retro-styled sports bike prototype at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, based on the Yamaha MT-09 and the XSR900’s 889 cc, inline three-cylinder engine. The Yamaha XSR900 DB40 Prototype, with the ‘DB40’ name hinting at its retro lineage, but it’s also an indication that it may be destined for production in some form in the future, perhaps even in a modern, contemporary sports bike form. The XSR900 DB40 prototype was ridden by former 500 cc Grand Prix racer and three-time British Superbike Championship winner Niall Mackenzie.

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Yamaha's Deltabox aluminium frame completes 40 years.

The XSR900 DB40 Prototype has been revealed apparently as a celebration of the 40^th anniversary of Yamaha’s Deltabox aluminium chassis concept. The Deltabox first made its debut in the 1982 Yamaha YZR500 OW61 GP bike and was introduced in a production model with the 1985 Yamaha TZR250. Since then, the evolution of the Deltabox frame has played a key role of every Yamaha sports bike.

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The XSR900 DB40 Prototype hints at a retro-styled sports bike, based on the Yamaha XSR900

The XSR900 DB40 Prototype clearly hints what the bike is, in essence, a prototype for a future production model, or maybe more than one model. Over a year ago, Yamaha already trademarked the name “XSR GP” and it was widely speculated to be a sportier version of the XSR900. The Japanese brand has since also trademarked names and logos of the YZF-R9, which could possibly use the same chassis and engine but wear modern, sporty bodywork as against the neo-retro design of the DB40. 

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One of the production models based on the prototype could become the Yamaha XSR GP, a name trademarked by Yamaha over a year ago.

The DB40 Prototype may be closer in design and stance to the idea of the final XSR GP, as and when Yamaha decides to introduce that model.

For now though, India Yamaha doesn’t seem to have big plans of looking at introducing any mid-size or middleweight Yamaha models in the near future. What we do know is that an updated Yamaha YZF-R3 will be introduced in the Indian market, as well as its naked version, the MT-03. In addition to that, maybe, just maybe, the Yamaha MT-09 will also be launched in the coming months.