The motorcycling world had been waiting for the Yamaha YZF-R9 for so long that it is almost out of mind. But Yamaha USA had just dropped a teaser video in YouTube with the line, “A new era is rising. October 9th.”
It can be seen in the video that there is a fully-faired sportbike in the background and a countdown that stops and repeats at the number 9. Additionally, the video shows a centrally-located headlight in between side DRLs, an arrangement like that of the Yamaha YZF-R7’s. So, this video truly confirms the launch of the YZF-R9.
Now, Yamaha has the R7 as the “everyday” sportbike which occupies the same segment as the Honda CBR650R, Suzuki GSX-S800, Triumph Daytona 660, and Aprilia RS 660. As for the “pure” supersport range, there are only two horses here – The Honda CBR600RR and Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R – after Yamaha dropped the R6 years ago.
On the superbike front, there is the Yamaha YZF-R1 taking the fight to the Aprilia RSV1100 V4, Ducati Panigale V4, Honda CBR1000RR-R, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R.
So, where will the the 2025 Yamaha YZF-R9 fit in? There is only one other sportbike in this range, the Ducati Panigale V2. The Italian manufacturer had stopped producing the Panigale V2 with the Testastretta engine and are looking to produce a new V-Twin.
In any case, a practical sub-1000cc sportbike that is good for everyday riding and the occasional trackday is always welcome in our books. Let us look forward to 9th October.
