Recently, Yamaha India got the YZF-R9 moniker for its upcoming superbike in the country. The Japanese two-wheeler maker did the same thing earlier this year in Japan and three months ago in Europe and Australia. It also needs to be mentioned that the big bike sellers earlier this year announced that they have no plans to introduce any new big motorcycles into the country.
Ravinder Singh, Senior Vice President (Sales and Marketing), India Yamaha Motor, stated at the time that the breadth and capability of the Indian market at this time does not have that type of volume and maturity to sell big bikes.
While Yamaha has stated that it will concentrate on the 150cc and 250cc motorcycle categories in the country. The new YZF-R9 bike will be based on the MT-09 naked motorcycle. The 889cc three-cylinder engine of the MT-09 produces 119 PS at 10,000 RPM and 93 Nm at 7000 RPM. It’s mated to a 6-speed manual transmission with an assist and a slipper clutch, and a quick-shifter is optional for further convenience.
The MT-09 also comes equipped with a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU), three-mode traction control, slide control, and wheelie mitigation, providing the ideal mix of electronic rider aids for a fully-faired sportbike.
Speaking about the design and styling of the forthcoming bike, with its small frontal area and single centre headlight, it may be taken for a larger version of the R7. Although Yamaha is likely to decrease the wheelbase and alter the subframe, it is uncertain if the exhaust will also be improved. However, more information will be out after the revelation of R9 to global markets.
