Motorcycle specifications YamahaXSR 700 2025 Harnessing emotions

The XSR 700 didn't need a facelift, it needed a facelift. Especially on the engine side, to prolong its career. Yamaha therefore reworked the CP2 twin's expulsions to bring it up to date. Not a very complicated job, given that it's based on the MT-07. This explains the more prominent blistering of the catalytic converter and its side cover. It loses a little power, but almost nothing.

In a short space of time, all MTs have changed their look. Successfully?
The XSR could also have been swept away by the wave, but in the end, it's only grazed by the scalpel. It's hard to tell the old from the new, with only a new LED headlight, relocated indicators and a pair of new tires (Michelin Road 5s). What's far more obvious is the migration of the dashboard. It's now suspended above the headlight, like a figurehead.

Let's not forget the new fork settings, larger brake discs, the ability to control the instrumentation from the handlebars and the status quo for the rest of the machine. Caution is the order of the day for the company that initiated the "Fasters Sons" movement. One idea, one concept, neo-retro à la sauce Yam: offer a machine with character, enjoy a bike inspired by the values and style of Yamaha's past, combining today's technology with the flavour of creations from the past. That's how you could describe the"Faster Sons" philosophy.

But where did this machine originally come from? The company with the tuning forks presented it as a tribute to the XS 650, a famous model covering the dawn of the 70s. Interesting to see the extent to which the evolution in displacement has upset the reference points. The XS 650 was Yamaha's biggest cube; today, the MT-07 is an entry-level bike, despite its 45 cm3 increase in displacement. It's a top-seller in France, and deservedly so. Playful, with a lively, super-fun engine and as agile as a ballerina, it's a pleasure to ride. As the XSR 700 is equipped with the same chassis and engine, you'll find the same performance and the same pleasure in riding this bike. The riding position is more relaxed, with handlebars bent further back.

so it's the look that will make us choose one side or the other. The XSR asserts its "Sport Heritage" identity with a stylishly worked tank, double-textured leather seat and perforated plates covering the injection system and electronics.
The round headlight at the rear is nice, old-school style, but plastic is just average. A metal part would be much more appropriate. Let's stop grumbling for a moment and appreciate the opportunity to ride a neo-retro machine at a reasonable price. The XSR 700 is around 1,000 euros more expensive than the MT-07, making it far more affordable than a Nine-T or a Bonneville T120. But the competition has come a long way. It now has to counter the Z 650 RS and the Trident 660.
We appreciate the little goodies, such as the XSR700 inlay on the back of the seat, the XSR logo on the tank, the stitching on the seat, the minimalist dashboard, etc... and as a very chauvinistic bonus, this bike is assembled at the MBK factory in St-Quentin.

The XSR also lends itself to customization. The bolt-on rear frame has been designed with this in mind. And the owner will be able to maintain the spirit of the XS 650. Because, apart from a little engine architecture (parallel twin 4-stroke), the silhouette of the seat and the curvature of the handlebars, the resemblance between the two bikes is more a matter of imagination than anything else. Everyone can accentuate the temporal bridge with spoked rims, two exhaust pipes running along the sides, chrome mudguards, etc...

M.B - Manufacturer's photos