Returning 2017 Yamaha Models

The beginning of new model season is always exciting for motorcycle enthusiasts. We’ll spend hours pouring over the details of the all-new bikes (namely the 2017 YZF-R6 and FZ-09) and hotly debate the changes to the merely upgraded ones. However, manufacturers can’t afford to improve every model motorcycle every year, and the perfectly good motorcycles that return with little more than color changes are often mocked as having Bold New Graphics! While these motorcycles are just as competent – or even as exceptional – as they were in the previous year(s), we should give them the respect they deserve for sticking around.

So what if the 2017 Yamaha YZF-R1 is essentially unchanged from last year? In 2016, the R1 notched MotoAmerica Road Racing Championships in Superbike and Superstock 1000. Not too shabby, eh? The 2017 colors of Team Yamaha Blue or Raven still wrap around that 998cc high-output crossplane-crankshaft inline-Four that sings a song so stirring that it will stop enthusiasts mid-sentence just to hear one go by at full-song. The R1 may lack the electronic suspenders of the M, but it still has a raft of electronic aids, including banking-sensitive Traction Control, Slide Control, Wheel Lift Control, Quickshifter, Launch Control, and ABS, among others. The retail price will be $209 higher at $16,699.

How good is the Yamaha YZF-R3? In 2015, the R3 finished second in our Beginner-Ish Sportbike Shootout by a mere percentage point on the famed MO Scorecard. So, while the majority of the R3 returns unchanged, Yamaha chose to add an additional model to the R3 line-up. The YZF-R3 ABS is the same 321cc, four-stroke, fuel-injected Twin we loved when it was released – only with ABS. For street riders, particularly novices, the inclusion of ABS is great news. The colorways will also separate the two models, with the YZF-R3 ABS sporting Vivid White and Matte Black, while the standard R3 will have Matte Black and Team Yamaha Blue / Silver color choices. The two R3s will retail at $5,299 and $4,999, respectively.

A perennial sport-touring favorite, the Yamaha FJR1300ES returns for 2017. After making FJR owners around the country jump for joy at the inclusion of the long-awaited a 6-speed transmission, Yamaha clearly felt that the only change necessary was removing the FJR1300A from the 2017 manifest. Aside from the electronic suspension represented by the ES in the model designation, riders who buy the FJR in 2017 will get to appreciate the super-bright LED headlight, complete with LED cornering lights. The beefy 1298cc, DOHC, 16 valve, liquid-cooled inline-Four has proven for years that it has the long-distance chops for grinding out the miles. The information panel provides all the data a rider needs without the fluff of other bikes. Touring amenities like electronically adjustable windscreen and heated grips help the rider tune the cockpit’s microclimate. An Assist & Slipper (A&S) Clutch makes around-town operation easier on the hands. The color-matched hard bags complete the package. The 2017 color is Raven, and the $17,999 price is a mere $9 more than last year’s FJR. Look for the FJR to arrive in dealerships in November.

Look in the dictionary under rage – as in, all the – and you’ll see a photo of an adventure-touring bike. The Super Ténéré ES and its 1199cc parallel-Twin will get you where you want to go with its electronically adjustable suspension. Using the same interface as the FJR1300ES, the suspenders can be altered over four preload settings. The three damping levels can also be fine-tuned in seven steps. The Super Ténéré has the same features as the ES, save for the electronically adjustable suspension, which is why the Super Ténéré retails at $15,099 instead of the $16,199 of the ES. Strangely, the more expensive Super Ténéré ES has only Cobalt Blue for color, while the Super Ténéré lets buyers chose from Cobalt Blue or Desert Sandstone.

How can the 2017 FZ-07 be listed in both the new models and the returning models? Well, the new FZ-07 receives ABS while the returning version is the same as it ever was. Which means that the 689cc parallel-Twin that the MO staff keeps fighting over when we have one in our stable will still be around for riders to purchase for at least another year. The torquey, fun-to-ride FZ isn’t just popular on the street, it’s been making inroads in flat track racing, too. Bring $7,199 to a Yamaha dealership in February and be prepared to choose from the Rapid Red, Glacier Blue and Matte Silver colors.

The VMax name is instantly recognizable as an important part of motorcycling history. With a V4 engine that is best described as iconic, the Max is all about the engine – and attitude. Riders who have been fortunate enough to experience V-Boost will never forget the first time they opened the throttle of the 1,679cc beast. Shaft drive keeps maintenance to a minimum, and a slipper clutch assists in downshifts. Available in Rapid Red, the 2017 Yamaha VMax will be available in dealerships this month for $17,999.

Just this week, the XSR900 was featured in a shootout in which it captured the hearts of the more performance-focused editors (essentially all of them). So, Yamaha returning the XSR900 as a 2017 model is a good thing. After all, what really needed to be done to 847cc Triple, anyway. The XSR is buzzword-compliant with Traction Control and an Assist & Slipper Clutch, and the aluminum-framed package has a winning personality. The friendly XSR900 will be available beginning in February for a MSRP of $9,499 in Titanium Blue.