XSR 700 Legacy Review
Yamaha XSR 700 Legacy, and I think it’s fair to say it’s pretty light on features.
Look, what makes me say that this bike is so simple? Well, I think a quick look in the cockpit will tell you pretty much everything that you need to know.
XSR 700 Legacy Tech Features
You see, it’s really common nowadays, even on middleweight bikes at a relatively affordable price point, to get a full TFT display with all the latest bells and whistles and numerous buttons on the switch gear with which you have to control it all.
This bike, though, it just sticks with a relatively simple inverted LCD display that pretty much just contains the basics.
And as for the switch gear, well, it’s lights and indicators and the starter hazards. That’s pretty much it.
I mean, one of the reasons that they can afford to have so little in the way of tech in the cockpit is because there’s so little in the way of tech under the hood as well.
Old-School Mechanicals
It’s an old-school cable throttle, so there are no riding modes to speak of.
You’ve got no traction control either, no wheelie control, no six axis inertional measurement unit, no engine break in or anything like that.
Actually, it’s pretty much just ABS, which they have to fit in order to be able to sell the bike, and then just you and the throttle.
Even beyond that as well, there are so many features you’re used to seeing on bikes like quick shifters.
That’s available on some of the other CP2 bikes, but not this one. Connectivity with the dash so you can get navigation, phone calls, and media and stuff like that.
And also, there’s no slip assist clutch on bike, which is something that you’re used to seeing on pretty much all bikes now.
Basically, if you’re a bit clumsy with your rev matching or don’t rev match at all and just let the clutch out, you will get that rear wheel skipping and hopping as it locks up.
But look, despite looking pretty light on features versus many other bikes in this part of the market in 2024, the XSR 700 legacy, is still an absolute joy to ride.
Engine and Performance In XSR 700 Legacy
| Engine type | 4-stroke, 2-cylinder, Liquid-cooled, DOHC, CP2, 4-valves |
| Displacement | 689cc |
| Compression ratio | 11.5:1 |
| Maximum torque | 67.0N・m |
| Clutch type | Wet, Multiple Disc |
| Starter system | Electronic ignition (TCI) |
| Overall length | 2,075 mm |
| Wheel base | 1,405 mm |
One of my favorite things about it is the CP2 Parallel Twin engine, which has been a dependable, versatile workhorse for Yamaha for many years now.
And while at 72 horsepower, it’s not the most powerful in the middleweight category nowadays, the snappiness and direct throttle response mean it’s much more playful and entertaining than the spec sheet might suggest.
Then there’s the sound And look, a parallel twin with a 270-degree crank has become perhaps a little too commonplace now, with almost every major manufacturer offering an engine in this configuration.
But this particular press bike is fitted with the Akrapovic high exhaust accessory, and I will say it definitely adds to the feeling of fun out on the road.
Now, admittedly, it’s the best part of £2,000, which really is rather a lot for a sub £9,000 bike.
But on the flip side, it is pretty rare at the moment to get an official accessory exhaust that actually makes a significant difference to the sound of the bike.
Most, in my experience, are only marginally louder, and you could argue they mainly exist for the purpose of improving the esthetics.
This one, though, has a bit more snal, definitely more bass, and gives you plenty of crackles and pops on deceleration, the combination of which is very pleasant on the ear if you like that thing, which, personally, I most certainly do.
Brakes and Handling In XSR 700 Legacy
Now, break in might not be. In terms of the hardware, the top spec stuff, you’ve got Advex brakes, which Yamaha used quite widely.
They’re four piston, twin disk up front, 298 mill disk.
But I got to say there’s plenty of power there, plenty of feel, and For me, another good point of this bike from a mechanical perspective.
One of the factors that probably helps with that is the pretty slim wet weight. I think this bike comes in at 190 kilograms, fully fueled up.
So yeah, not a particularly big cumbersome heavy bike to stop.
And that also comes into its own when it comes to handling and low speed work and how easy this bike feels to just generally get on with.
Riding Comfort and Position
Also pleasant, I’d say from a day to day perspective as well is this riding position, which, although this is predominantly a road bike, is very scrambler-inspired.
So you’ve got a fairly tall seat height at 855 mills, so a bit above what you’d normally see for a naked bike.
You’ve got big wide bars with this handlebar brace that I fit in my quad lock to. Again, that’s lots of leverage, a commanding position.
You’re sat very upright And I also like the off-road style grippy foot pegs, lots of surface area.
You’ve got the rubbers in there as well to keep the vibes down. And so, yes, a comfy bike that’s lots of fun. And that, for me, is a great combination.
In fact, I’d also say the lack of technology here, the lack of distractions, the lack of notifications, the lack of colors, the lack of buttons, all allows you, I think, to really hone in and focus and pay all of your attention to how good this bike is to ride, how fun it is, how great it sounds, like I say.
XSR 700 Legacy Feature
And look, there is a place for technology, and I do like techy features on bikes.
But it is a little bit refreshing to ride something as basic like this in 2024.
it isn’t quite as swish as something like a Triumph street scrambler or something like that, where it’s been designed from the ground up to be a beautiful, retro-looking bike, because this has inherited a lot of how it looks from the MT07, so they’ve more so adapted it into a semi-retro style.
I think, especially in this legacy edition, the end result is pretty pleasing on the eyes, and there’s a lot to be said for the gold wheels, the slightly rugged accessories, the speed blocks on the tank and the brushed aluminum.
And so, yeah, I reckon it’s not bad at all. there are a few minor niggles you should probably be aware of before you think about buying one. Some of it is pretty easy to fix.
Refreshing Ride in a Tech-Heavy World
I don’t really love off-road style grips. They feel a bit lumpy with the ridges around them. So that’s something personally I’d swap out.
And also the Pirelli MT60 RS tires, they look good for this image, but they probably wouldn’t be my choice on the road.
And so as soon as they wore out, I said this with the Svartpilen 801 the of the day, I’d probably stick something a little more road-biased on them to really enjoy the bike to its full potential.
One area in which it does feel a little bit budget there is the suspension. It’s not that supple on the fork, and then it’s a little bit soft and bouncy on the rear.
While you probably expect that for a lot of bikes at this price point, it does detract from the riding experience a little bit, and it’s maybe something I’d look at sorting out.