The XSR700 in this write-up was provided by a private client for a photoshoot and review. All opinions are my own, and this article was not reviewed or altered by the owner.

Having owned an XSR in the past, I always felt like I would ‘maybe one-day’ own one again. Having the opportunity to ride this one and keep an XSR in my garage for a week has been utterly awesome, and admittedly convinced me that I definitely will own one again!

Here was my 2017 Yamaha XSR700 in the beautiful Forest Green. Kitted to the brim with touring accessories — including 72L of pannier capacity, 58L in the massive wired-in topbox, tank bag, LED Barkbusters, and a Dart windscreen — it was the ultimate urban bike masked as a capable tourer. After venturing off and completing the TT2000 Rally in the South Island (2024), I started thinking about trying something new and began looking around. Within two weeks of coming back, I had sold the XSR off to a happy new owner. At the time, I was too enthralled in my new ride, a 2005 CB400 Super Bol D’or, to feel the extent of sellers remorse.

Fast forward to 2025, and I find myself desiring a bike like the XSR again – something to rip around town in and enjoy. Did it have to be an XSR? Not necessarily, but hopefully something that could scratch that itch…

Onwards to the main event.

A good friend of mine has lent me his 2022 XSR700 for a wee while to see how I find it again. Dressed in the beautiful red/white and gold wheel combo, it looks absolutely stunning! With only 5000kms on the clock, it doesn’t skip a beat either.

CP2 Goodness…

If you haven’t ridden one before, you’d think another 650-class parallel-twin would be yet another bland ride. How wrong you would be! The CP2 is a phenomenal engine, a 655cc parallel-twin characterised by its 270-degree crank. Compared to the standard 180 or even 360-degree cranks, the 270 arrangement mimics the character of a 90-degree V-twin. Throttle response feels ‘fuller’ and whats most noticeable is the addictive uneven exhaust note. Chuck on an aftermarket system to deepen the CP2 growl and you’ll find yourself with an unrivalled soundtrack. 

Power output is sitting at 51hp (@8000rpm) being a restricted model, but a chunky 57.5Nm of torque at 4000rpm is the heavy hitting stat. With a shared engine between the XSR, MT-07, and the Tracer 7, the CP2 offers one of the gruntiest LAMS engines available in the current market.

Though visual styling will always come down to personal preference, it is hard to deny that the retro styling of the XSR is the classiest dress-up of the CP2 line. Even compared to its 900 counterpart, to me, the 700 feels like a significantly tighter and more cohesive package.

Pulling through the gears through dense urban traffic is where the XSR feels most at home. The punchy torque allows for every green light to be a moment of fun, and it proves useful when navigating rush hours where you need some grunt to zip in and out of the flow of traffic. With an upright but sport-leaning riding position, the XSR certainly feels like a good time even just having a sit on it.

Rowdy Tones

Fitted with a Musarri GP slip-on exhaust, the CP2 growls like no other…
With the stock exhaust sounding a little like a sewing machine, some may opt to switch it out for something else quite early on. Being one of the more affordable brands in the market, it was a pleasant surprise to find that the Musarri delivered a deep, punchy exhaust note that didn’t sound tinny. Fuel economy is decent but will vary greatly between riding styles and whether you have made some mods. With a 14L tank, it’ll do a big trip if needed but plan accordingly. My old XSR had an aftermarket Kelpi exhaust, and during my trip down south I was getting around 240km out of a tank (without dipping too far into the reserve). You always make do with what you have!

Keeping it Simple

Tech is minimal, which ties in nicely with a modern-retro motorcycle. It does have a digital LCD dash, which is clean in its display and style. A digital speedometer is complemented with a tach gauge that lines the edge of the circular display. Certain model-years moved the single gauge off-center (truly don’t know why!) and I really think the lack of symmetry takes away from the clean, understated look of the earlier models. Two ‘squishy’ buttons allow for flicking between temperatures, trip meters, fuel economy, a clock, and the odometer. At the end of the day, it’s all you really need in a dash!

Hand controls are compact and tidily populate the flat handlebar, though its ‘compactness’ can come across comically small for its size when compared to other bikes. Personally, the indicator switch felt a little limp but judging from the rest of the bike, build quality isn’t the culprit! Overall, it feels like a well-rounded and considered package, built to both be affordable and premium-feeling. However, I was made aware that corrosion is a huge issue on these bikes. I never had a problem on my XSR, and with this one at such low kms I didn’t see any significant signs of it either. Due diligence may be in order if you’re looking to buy used!

Ride Feel – Ergonomics and Suspension

Seat height sits fairly high at 835mm with the stock seat, but this example is fitted with Yamaha’s own OEM Flat Seat which, though I can’t find much information on the seat-height difference, feels a little taller than stock. Now, for me that wasn’t much of an issue, but for the riders who found the stock seat height tall, may need to test this one out in person before buying.

Regardless, the Flat Seat has got to be one of the most comfortable seats I’ve tried on the XSR. It’s far more plush than the stock offering, and the shape of it props you up to sit a bit more over the bars. Visually too, it makes for a more refined body line and brings a little more class to the rear with its design.

Suspension is middling at best, explaining the high number of owners switching it out for an aftermarket option pretty early on. It’s the rear shock that takes the majority of the blame, and though it isn’t to say it’s a terrible shock, but the rest of the bike outperforms your expectations so much that the suspension feels left behind in comparison. Slow-speed turning is responsive and tight, but add some speed and uneven road surfaces to the mix and you’ll immediately feel the suspension feel tested. It will do the job. Can it be a whole lot better? I think so, and it would change the overall handling immensely.

Highway Hooligan?

Bringing it up to highway speeds, it’ll comfortably sit at 100kph with low revs and will hum along nicely. I took my own XSR for long-distance rides and it handles it well, with the engine barely feeling like it was under any significant load. While there’s still ample power left to overtake, the LAMS restrictions start to make themselves present at higher rpms. Though it does feel like hitting a ‘wall’ in the tach, it’s unlikely you’ll notice given it really isn’t often you find yourself wringing it out in high gears anyways. On my own one, I added a tooth to the rear sprocket to suit my touring needs at the expense of some low-end. Having ridden this example with the standard sprockets, it does make me realise how well this bike came from factory for the urban environment.

Taking it Home

Pulling in front of my garage, I cut the engine and hop off. Pushing it along is incredibly easy, with the bike feeling so incredibly balanced (something I appreciated even more when off the bike). The 186kg wet weight will either scare you a little as a newer rider, or come across ‘light’ for those on larger and heavier bikes. Once the bike is level, it is incredibly light to push and turn, even in tighter garages. The side stand is solid as, and swivel-turning the bike is well within its comfort zone. Having had the week to ride and come home with it once again, it’s with a clear conscience that I can say that I would definitely own one again. With a derestriction and some suspension upgrades, I think this would be my garage staple. As a LAMS bike, I picture this as a perfect second bike after learning on something like a 125 or a 250. It’s got plenty there to grow into for newer riders, but still plenty of rowdy fun to be had after a year or two.

Looking for a modern retro motorcycle? A capable LAMS choice? Something rowdy for around town? The XSR covers all those bases and does it in style.

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