YAMAHA YZF-R9 RACE

About the Yamaha YZF-R9

The launch of any new ‘R’ model has always been a game changing moment for Yamaha and the R9 is no different. While this whole next generation of Supersport marks the beginning of a new chapter, the story remains the same with the R9’s identity born from from Yamaha’s racing DNA. From race-developed technology to MotoGP design cues, the R9 is a product of Yamaha’s racing at the very highest level.

A New Generation of Supersport

After years of internet speculation, online teasers, and hints from the manufacturer, Yamaha has officially unveiled the 2025 R9 supersport bike. The new model features aerodynamic winglets and lean-sensitive electronics and a 14-litre fuel tank. The standard R9 delivers 119bhp / 10.000rpm & 93.0N/m / 7000rpm. Its popular CP3 engine, known for a deep, throaty induction sound, is housed in a cast-aluminium Deltabox-style frame.

Weighing just 9.7kg, the frame is Yamaha’s lightest-ever for a sportsbike and boasts improved torsional, longitudinal, and lateral stiffness compared to other three-cylinder models.

Suspension is handled by new KYB components, including 43mm upside-down forks with a bronze Kashima coating, fully adjustable for rebound and compression. The single rear shock is also fully adjustable, developed alongside the track-focused R1 GYTR and R1 Race models, also due in 2025.

Braking is provided by Brembo Stylema monoblock front calipers paired with braided hoses and 320mm discs, complemented by a Brembo radial master cylinder.

The bodywork draws inspiration from the larger R1 and smaller R6 Race, featuring new plastics and aggressive winglets. These winglets reduce front-wheel lift by 6-7%, with around 10% more downforce in mid-corner.

The bike’s electronics are driven by a six-axis IMU, offering lean-sensitive features and riding modes like ‘Sport’, ‘Street’, and ‘Rain’, plus four track modes and two customizable presets. Riders can adjust settings like traction control, slide control, engine braking, and anti-wheelie. Additional features include launch control, deactivatable rear ABS for sliding.

An up/down quickshifter is included, with all settings managed through a five-inch TFT dash that connects to smartphones. The Yamaha Y-TRAC app (Yamaha Telemetry Recording and Analysis Controller) allows riders to log lap times and analyze data.

The R9 takes proven race-derived technology and combines it with the critically acclaimed, triple cylinder engine platform which has revolutionised the Yamaha brand over the last decade. The marriage of this famously high-torque powerplant and Yamaha’s renowned race-precision handling creates a perfectly balanced Supersport model worthy of its status as the R Series flagship.

Retaining many of the MotoGP-inspired design features which have become synonymous with Yamaha’s Supersport models, the R9 represents the progression expected from a new generation, while R1-level suspension and Brembo front brakes offer to the level of precision, handling and agility Yamaha’s Supersport range is renowned for.