Italian Yamaha Dealer Creates R9 Sportbike Based On Tracer 900 GT

After months of anticipation and some lousy secret-keeping, Yamaha revealed the 2022 YZF-R7 on May 18, 2021. Built to fill the R6-sized hole in our hearts, the platform marks a new direction for Team Blue’s supersport range. Of course, before the dust settled, fans already started asking about the potential for a bigger bore sportbike powered by the 889cc crossplane triple joining Yamaha’s ranks.

Iwata hasn’t given us an official indication that an R9 is in the works, but one talented builder at the Venezia Moto Yamaha dealership in Veneto, , isn’t waiting on Team Blue. The skilled mechanic, Jacopo Marzaro, took it upon himself to build his very own R9M based on Yamaha’s vaunted CP3 powerplant.

Starting with a Tracer 900 GT, a model that shares the same frame and engine with the MT-09, Marzaro stripped the sport tourer down to the chassis. To achieve the sportbike silhouette and stance, he constructed a new subframe and upgraded the suspension. Now, billet aluminum triple trees clamp new Ohlins fork legs and Ohlins monoshock sorts out the rear end as opposed to the stock Tracer hardware.

While Marzaro hailed the capability of Yamaha’s liquid-cooled, DOHC, 12-valve, , he couldn’t help but modify the mill for the track. With a new Akrapovic exhaust system and ECU modifications, the 847cc motor goes from 115 to 140 horsepower. As always, more horsepower also requires more stopping power, and the R9M benefits from Brembo GP4 RX calipers.

Gallery: R9M: Yamaha Tracer 900 GT

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The forged OZ Racing wheelset also saves precious pounds and Pirelli slicks solidifies the R9M as a weapon. Despite the top-grade componentry and performance upgrades, the fairing kit and livery steal all the attention. Marzaro hand-made the unit to custom fit the Tracer 900 GT chassis and finished it off with Yamaha’s modernized speed block livery.

After all the modifications, Marzaro’s R9M looks like a worthy companion to the new R7. Hopefully, Yamaha will take similar measures if/when it releases an MT-09-based sportbike.

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