Is the Yamaha XSR900 Like a Badass Ice Racing Motorcycle? Why Can’t You See?

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. The Yamaha XSR900 is one of those bikes that gets under your skin. I rode my bike to the cafe where I am writing this. I parked it outside, took one last look over my shoulder like I always do, and this story popped up on my screen. XSR900 built by Deus, for ice racing. Of course it did. Admittedly, it made me want to finish my coffee early and go for another ride.

Because if there’s one thing about the XSR900, it’s that it’s begging to be made straight off the showroom floor.

And that’s exactly what Deus Ex Machina did. Together with Yamaha Motor Europe, they have transformed this three-wheeler into something that looks like it’s on the side of a frozen lake with a strong wind. Built for the Deus Swank Rally On Ice, this bike was designed to tear up the frozen track in Andorra, where riders spend hours racing on the ice with a mix of vintage and custom machines.

Another thing that really caught my eye was the back panel. It’s a pure form of flat track. Great speed number, with plaque, stripped tail, nothing extra. It changes the whole life of the bike. The Stock XSR900 already has that compact, muscular stance, but this pushes it into full-on race mode. It looks like it wants to be thrown to the side even when it’s standing.

And once you realize that, everything starts to click. The tires are full off-road, designed to dig through ice rather than hug asphalt. The situation seems very long, and very interesting. You can imagine the sticks biting into the frozen ground as that crossplane spins three times and tries to take out the rear wheel.

Then there is the style. Yamaha says it was inspired by the classic Yamaha YZ125 and Yamaha YZ250 from the 90s, and yes, it checks out. The white and pink livery is based on the retro style, which the XSR already does from the factory, so it just works. It’s loud in the right way.

Photo by: Yamaha

And since this is Deus, you know it’s not just paints and plastics. There are handcrafted pieces throughout the bike, the kind you can’t see right away but can invest in in person. And then there’s the Akrapovic liquid, which is basically a universal sign that this thing means business.

Underneath all the custom work, it’s still an XSR900. The same CP3 engine that makes 117 horsepower and 68 pound-feet of torque, is just as playful, just a little less wobbly that makes you want to mash the throttle a little more than you should. That core DNA is intact. They just point it out in a completely different way.

Photos by: Yamaha

And really, that’s why this bike works so well. The XSR900 has always felt like a blank canvas with a personality. It is not sterile. Not overly polished. It has just enough complexity that builders can take anywhere. A cafe racer, a street tracker, and a full-on ice racing bike, obviously.

Seeing this made me look at my bike in a different light as I walked back out of the cafe. My stock. Clean, of course. It still makes me smile every time I ride it. But it also feels like it’s just waiting for me to do something about it. I’m not saying I’m about to build an ice skater. But give me a license plate, dirty tires, and a questionable life decision or two, and I’ll probably send it.