Nostalgia sells. It always has, and the motorcycle market is no exception. The so-called "retro tax" is alive and well—just look at all the café racers, scramblers, and sportbikes with classic styling that command a premium over their more "vanilla" counterparts. Why? Because motorcycles are emotional machines. If pure practicality were the only consideration, we'd all be riding scooters or adventure bikes. But we don't. We chase the feeling, the style, the soul of a bike.
Enter Yamaha’s XSR900. It’s the quintessential modern café racer…definitely not a retro-styled MT-09 (even though it really is), but a machine that stands in its own category. It’s fast, agile, and, most importantly, a looker. The spirit of old-school café racers is alive in this machine, blended seamlessly with the performance and tech of today’s best sport nakeds. But beyond the triple-cylinder soundtrack, the lean-sensitive rider aids, and the electronic wizardry, what truly sets the XSR apart is its style.
That round headlight, that muscular fuel tank, that exposed engine. All of it is just all so unapologetically retro, yet undeniably modern. And the nostalgia it exudes isn’t just for those who lived through the golden era of café racers. It attracts an entirely new generation of riders, people like myself, who weren’t even born when the original XS models ruled the streets.
And now, Yamaha has taken that nostalgia and cranked it up to eleven with the Ceramic Ivory edition. There’s something about this colorway that just feels like Japan, though I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe it’s the sepia-toned aesthetic, the warm, earthy hues of the brown saddle, or the gray, almost brutalist shade of the tank. It all comes together in a way that’s subtle yet striking. Clearly, it’s nothing short of a visual treat that’s both modern and timeless.
The catch? It’s exclusive to Japan. A total bummer for those of us who’d love to own one. But just because we can’t have this exact bike doesn’t mean we can’t have nice things.
As a proud owner of a 2020 XSR900 in stealthy all-black, I can’t help but think about ways to channel some of that Ceramic Ivory magic into my own ride. Maybe a high-quality wrap. Or better yet, an extra set of tank covers painted in that same hue, paired with a brown leather seat featuring a classy tuck-and-roll pattern.
That’s the beauty of bikes like the XSR900, and yeah, motorcycles in general. They’re blank canvases, ready for personal expression. Whether it’s a simple color change or a full-blown custom build, the possibilities are endless. And at the end of the day, that’s what makes owning a motorcycle so special. It’s not just about the ride; it’s about making that ride yours.
Source: Yamaha
