Among several announcements by Yamaha today is the introduction of the 2017 SCR950, which is a new Sport Heritage model with scrambler styling based largely on the Bolt engine and chassis. When we first saw the SCR950 a couple of days ago at a private unveiling (pursuant to an NDA), we were struck by its attractive styling (including a seamless gas tank!).
This is a very good looking motorcycle, particularly to riders “of a certain age” that does exactly what Yamaha intended, i.e., it harkens back to a simpler time when your motorcycle would be used for everything and anything … both on-road and off.
Featuring the 942cc, air-cooled engine (fuel injected with four-valve heads) derived from the Bolt, the SCR950 should have plenty of punch for the Scrambler category. We were reminded why we like this v-twin during our most recent test of a Bolt model.
We liked the upright ergos when we sat on the SCR950 earlier this week and at a U.S. MSRP of $8,699 for both colors shown, we don’t doubt that plenty of SCR950s will be rolling out of U.S. dealerships beginning this August. In addition to the specifications you will find on other Bolt models, the SCR950 has a unique rear subframe, and tough, spoked wheels (17″ rear and 19″ front). Of course, it features belt drive.
The gas tank has a seamless appearance (adding a lot to the look, in our opinon) and holds 3.2 gallons. Yamaha claims a 547 pound curb weight (fully fueled).
The wheels should be good for some fairly aggressive off-road exploring, and the “neo-retro” touches (such as the LED rear taillight and steel fenders) add some authenticity to the throwback design.
We can’t wait to test the SCR950. Here is the press release from Yamaha.
Cypress, CA – June 8, 2016 – Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today introduced the 2017 SCR950, an all-new motorcycle that joins the company’s “Sport Heritage” model lineup, which already includes the VMAX, XSR900, and SR400.
The SCR950 combines classic Yamaha styling, tracing its roots back to the iconic DT250, with modern components in a motorcycle that blurs the line between “cruiser” and “sportbike.”
A tough explorer with scrambler styling, the SCR950 is powered by a 942cc (58-cubic-inch), air- cooled, 60° V-twin, fuel-injected engine with four valves per cylinder. The SCR950 hearkens back to the past with its wide and tall handlebars, retro-racing number-plate-styled side covers, fork gaiters, wire-spoked aluminum rims, 2-into-1 exhaust pipe with upswept muffler, and long low-profile seat. All that timeless style blends perfectly with modern engineering touches like an LCD speedometer, LED taillight, flangeless fuel tank, powerful brakes with wave-type rotors, and low-maintenance carbon-fiber-core belt final drive.
The SCR950’s open and flexible riding position gives the rider confidence to handle whatever the road presents. The double-cradle frame features sporty geometry with centrally mounted footpegs for nimble, responsive handling. And the front and rear suspension systems are tuned to provide comfort and agility while contributing to the bike’s stylishly low profile.
The SCR950 will be available in two distinctive colors: Charcoal Silver and Rapid Red. Each color scheme is complemented by racing-inspired red, white, and black graphics with bold, yet tasteful, accent stripes.
The 2017 SCR950 will have a suggested retail price of $8,699 and will be available in Yamaha dealerships beginning in July.
For more information on all Yamaha models–including features, specifications, photos, and videos–please visit www.yamahamotorsports.com.
See more of MD’s great photography:
I live in Alaska and often ride a 1982 Honda CB900 Custom. I drive gravel roads, dirt roads, paved roads, all but the true off-road trails and I have no problems at all on my 600lbs UJM. I have no doubt what-so-ever that this mild scrambler would serve just fine. Besides, I really like the style and look. Have never seen a Hipster here is Alaska for what that is worth.
That is suprising. I would think that Alaska would appeal to the hipster. I too have found that 80’s Japanese “custom” models with their superflex frames and bias-ply tires were quite good on dirt roads.
Yup, I used to ride my ’82 XZ550 Vision on gravel roads and mess around in an old quarry. You just adjust the speed for the bike and have fun.
Hipsters are pretend lumberjacks. If a hipster is not within a 30 second walk from a coffee shop or brewpub a panic attack ensues. I’ve seen it happen.
They made a scrambler out of a virago. Wasted effort, next.
Nice try, Yamaha, but I can’t get past that weird kink in the frame downtubes. Couldn’t do it in the Bolt, couldn’t in the C-type and can’t do it with this one.
Didn’t Honda try something similar when it built the Ascot 500 series of bikes almost thirty years ago? Number plates on the sides and an off-road flat tracker look.
I like it, and I shave almost everyday (hipster reference). I have a Yamaha cruiser and I’d buy this for the city rather than a Bonnie because I know it would start whenever I needed it.
Resist… hipster stuff… stop liking it…
I like it, one thing that bothers me is the air cooled nature of the engine and the back cylinder that doesn’t have any direct air flow.
No worry about the rear cylinder. It’ll cool just fine. That concern bothers me a lot less, than radiators, water pumps, thermostats, fans, hoses, clamps, coolant, and overflow bottles. I’ll take the simplicity and reliability of air cooling any day.
Forgot to mention the music and Michael Parks. Listen to Long Lonesome Highway sometime. Great stuff.
http://www.thencamebronson.tv/
Cool. The pictures remind me of the old ‘Then Came Bronson’ tv show from 1969 with a Sportster. I still miss that show.
19″/17″ is a great size for dual sport tires like the Shinko 705 (great on pavement and good enough on fire roads). Oddly small gas tank for a scrambler – 3.2 gallons, and I assume this will get 40mpg – so 120 miles on a tank?
It’ll be interesting to see how it sells.
Am I the only one that assumes high mounted exhaust when talking about scramblers in general?
No, you’re right but tell that to Ducati. They seem to be making a good living on a low pipe “Scrambler”.
Actually scramblers originally were fitted mostly with low mounted exhausts like this 1962 Husqvarna 500. http://motocrossactionmag.com/more-stuff/vintage-mx-bikes/classic-motocross-iron-1962-husqvarna-500-four-stroke
It’s a streetbike with a modicum of design details to give it a bit of off-road flair. I must say that I’d much prefer to come across this than another cruiser. It’s retro but also refreshing to look at in a sea of cruiser sameness.
Kind of like “Bolt meets XT 500”.
The current (and growing) crop of scramblers follow pretty much the same formula as they did in the early/mid sixties. That is: take a street bike, change the tires and exhaust (in most cases)to something that looks off roadish, maybe add a crossbar to the handlebars and a couple of styling cues. Viola, you have a scrambler. Back in the day, these were used for off road because that is what was available.
But in the late sixties, Yamaha introduced the DT-1 and Edison Dye started importing Husqvarnas. And the off-road revolution was on. Since then “real dirt bikes” have advanced by leaps and bounds into the fantastic bikes of today.
The difference between then and now is today you can buy wonderfully effective dirt bikes while back then a scrambler was virtually your only choice. So if your idea of off-road is a graded dirt/gravel road, a scrambler will suffice, but any further than that, look at a “real dirt bike”. The ADV, dual sport, and trail bikes of today are all very capable. It just depends how far off the road you want to venture.
Weight + tube tires + belt drive = no sale.
I may be wrong, but generally when you travel off road you want tires with tubes so you can repair them and wheels with spokes that won’t suffer catastrophic failure and also can be repaired on the fly.
I’ll take a belt drive over any herky-jerky shaft drive or rusty chain any day.
Generally, tubeless tires are much easier to repair roadside (I have had experience with both). Although I don’t think one would be going too far off-road on this bike, dirt and gravel roads would be OK – belts don’t do well with stones and mud.
For a motocross bike, tubes are great. Many ADV bikes are tubeless so they can be repaired (plugged) with the wheel still on the bike. That said, I usually carry a tube when I’m going to the middle of nowhere, just in case I tear a sidewall.
However, this is absolutely not an ADV bike.
A small tank and belt drive are not things I’d ever want to take very far offroad. This would be fun on back roads and the occasional fire road.
If your chain is rusty, you’re doing it wrong.
On Tuesday, I’m headed out on a 2,500 mile ride, and at least half of it is dirt; Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route. I’m doing it on a modified V-Strom 650, with tubeless tires and a chain. I wouldn’t even consider doing it on this bike (for one thing, it may not make it to the next gas stop).
What are the mods?
High mounted front fender & knobbies. (Heavy!) Rear rack removed and replaced with custom side racks for carrying Wolfman saddle bags.
Removed the entire fairing, windshield & headlight assembly (also really heavy). Built a custom headlight enclosure, dash mount, GPS mount & small fairing. Installed cartridge emulators up front. Installed a skid plate.
I work in a shop with conventional & CNC tools, so I can make all this stuff for fun (and free).
When I get home, I’ll swap racks (so I can mount my Givi topcase), wear out the knobbies and replace them with milder tires and keep working on the fairing until I get it the way I like it.
I was surprised at how heavy the fairing was (30+ pounds?) and the replacement weighs less than 5.
Searching for “thinstrom” will get you images of similar bikes.
Sounds nicely done; would love to see pictures.
I like the tank and the graphics are better than the Bolt. The seat looks like a vast improvement over the stock Bolt seat. Also like the peg position. Exhaust still looks like ca-ca; Yamaha can’t seem to get that right. Looks like it might be fun.Oh yeah, the tail light and signals just look weird.
LOL! Classic. You say this bike looks like it might be fun, but you can’t understand how anyone would want a Grom.
I’d sooner buy THREE Groms for the price of one SCR950…
Stop stalking, it’s unbecoming.I have opinions, just like you, I don’t include you in them, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t include me in yours. I did say this bike looks like it MIGHT be fun, but I didn’t say that I couldn’t understand how anyone would want a Grom. I said, in reference to the Grom, that I didn’t get it.
Seriously, this is an awesome bike for someone my age! Mid-late-50’s. Load it up with a bag, credit card, little tent, drive down roads and gravel roads. Keep away from motocross courses and steep washouts and gullies, and stay on the gravel roads, fire roads, dirt roads. Just cruise in a calm, controlled, carefree manner like you did when you first got on a bike as kid. Forget your teenage and craziest years (too old for that) and remember the fun of backwoods roads. Perfect. I want.
Motorhead, I too, am mid 50s have been riding since I were 9, have ridden/owned a bit of everything, and am always fond of a simple, reliable, reasonable bike. Intertubes haters be damn – this will be my next bike!
Wondering why Yamaha deigned to give this one clear turnsignal lenses while sticking giant orange pumpkins on the XSR900 and FZ-09?
Maybe these pics are from a Euro-spec model, and the U.S. version will again get the Great Pumpkins.
Too heavy, Too slow.
Lipstick on a Mid sized cruiser.
Take a look at the guy hauling grass across the prarie. Notice just how WIDE his feet are apart. Oh, THAT’s how they built in the stability control…(but he still has a kind of worried look on his face. However, I like the old XT look. Yes, I’m old.
This bike actually has some useful hipster survival tools. The low position of the exhaust outlet (ausfahrt in German) indicates the maximum level of any stream you want to cross. Any deeper and you will fall over and never be able to pick it up again. And the low suspension travel shows how rough a terrain you can travel on. If you start to see double, turn around and go back. Otherwise a home run on the ergonomics and styling front. Much better than the C-Spec. The Bolt is a real sweet heart. This is even better.
Ausfahrt = exit, Auspuff = exhaust pipe. So close but no Zigarre.
This might be a stupid question. But can you ride off-road on a belt drive? Doesn’t it get destroyed if stones, dirt and mud get between the sprockets and the belt?
Yes, you *can*, but it’s not advisable because yes, it does.
I’ve sucked rocks, large branches and who knows what else through a belt drive with no ill effects. I don’t know if all belts are created equal, but mined proved to be tough as nails.
They are most certainly not all created equal! Ask the owners of any 2003 model year Buell…
Weird
So I realize it’s in a different market subsegment or whatever, but for the same money you could get a KTM Duke 690 with something like 25 more horsepower and a curb weight 200 lbs less. I like this Yamaha, but it mainly makes me realize what an absolutely amazing bike the 690 is.
So maybe it’s just a styling exercise, but if so it’s still a pretty good one. I like it.
That frame!! What year is this?!
Hello? Central casting?
Yeah, send us a generic 20 something hipster type. Yes, definitely with a beard and plaid shirt; scruffy looking engineer boots would be a big plus.
What?– you got dozens of them? Great, pick an ironic one and send him over.
Thanks,
Yamaha
The only picture missing was a bunch of hipsters hanging out after the ride with a couple buckets of pbr or bottles of Sailor Jerry’s spiced rum…
anyone else notice the incredibly poor photoshopping done on the pick of the guy unrolling his tent? How is there a shadow of the front wheel between the bike and the sun?! What surface exactly is the shadow of the front fender even being projected onto?
And look how the sun shadow side of the bike is all lit up. It’s almost as if the photo shoot setup used a …. light.
RE: fender, not shadow, rock.
Or maybe one of those reflective things to light up the subject?
Because a portable flash is no match for the sun? Or was set not to be?
Photogs knew how to make impossible images before digital editing.
Yup, sun behind, flash in front.
Fantastic. Home run. Well done Yamaha, well done.
It looks decent enough but only 2.8″ of suspension travel is barely enough for smooth pavement. Taking it on a scrambler-appropriate rough dirt or gravel road would be some form of mild torture, especially dragging all that extra weight along. A hint of washboard would lock the rear up (yours and the bikes).
Probably better to take an SV650 or FZ07, spoon on some knobbier adventure tires, and call it a day. But, hey, whatever floats your boat, vive la difference, and all that.
Yep, I’d agree that the lightweight and better-suspended FZ-07 (or SV650) would be a more-sensible basis for a “real” scrambler. This is a styling exercise, with Yamaha going for the air-cooled look and lower-rpm torque of their much-heavier Bolt model.
Hmm, now that I think of it, this could kind of compete with the (albeit much lighter) air-cooled, V-twin Ducati Scrambler.
A lightweight (well, lighter) and better suspended SV-650 Scrambler is called a V-Strom. And with some mods, it make a hell of a scrambler.
Keep whippin’ that horse guys. This bike is no more of a dirt bike than the 1964 YDS3C Big Bear “Scrambler” was. We didn’t believe it was then and we don’t need to believe this 950 is now. It’s just a nice styling job to create a standard out of a cruiser. The profile is good, the stance is good. It has an appropriate 17″ rear wheel and I’m sure it will be more fun to ride than the Bolt which isn’t that bad itself. Not a dirt bike though.
The YDS is 200 pounds closer to being a dirt bike than the Bolt – and has pretty close to the same power to weight ratio.
Grom has 46% more rear suspension travel
First thing I’d do is move those rear lights lower for a tail rack and tail bag.
Absolutely! Big mistake there, and the seat is just too small. Aftermarket!
Putting the hipster on it in the opening photo kind of ruins it, but once you see if without the hipster it’s a good looking bike. I’d probably buy a Ducati or Triumph first, but they’ll sell.
That next-to-last photo just makes me want to get on it and twist the wick. Really matches my needs – I’m amazed! I’m used to the bird finger from the Japanese bike mfg’s.
Good call on the factory number plates. Ready to Race!
“Ready to Race!” — Yeah, it looks that way, but at 547 pounds, 2.8″ of rear suspension travel, and 3.2 gallon tank, it’s still a Bolt cruiser (with better ergonomics).
It might be interesting if it was chain drive and had actual suspension travel. This is just another suburb scrambler. The Bolt has a bit over 2″ of travel in the rear and this doesn’t look like much of an improvement. Bolt wet weight is 540. A wet Duc scrambler is 423.
Nice job Yamaha! This (and a few other recent releases) may be the beginning of the long awaited return to utilitarian motorcycles with simple, functional styling and reasonable price tags. It looks like a motorcycle, not the result of some teenage designer’s latest wet dream. Awesome! Thank you Yamaha. I will definitely consider buying one.
That engine must be built like a tank. Can’t see where those 547 lbs come from, especially considering there is only a three gallon fuel tank. Should be nice and stable on the highway tho!
Nice. Clean lines. Utilitarian for lots of situations. It will sell.
He’s a lumberjack and he’s OK, he sleeps all night and he rides all day………………….
I was under the impression a “scrambler” had an up pipe???
DT-07 anyone? This is what should have been …
https://villagemotorsportsconnect.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/yamaha-dt-07-flat-tracker-concept-studio-4.jpg
aye, verily
DT-07-yes, that is a bike worth buying!
Can anyone tell me what the rider in the bottom pic is wearing over his leather jacket in the bottom pic? Looks like his hoody is blowing, but upon closer inspection it looks like some kind of vest in front..maybe some kind of chest protector?
Let’s call it a HANS device.
Probably a leftover prop from the mad max movie.
Looks like a backpack with a chest harness and he forgot to clip the rain flap in place so it’s flapping around.
looks like the top of a roll-top backpack to me.
Parachute. See the large “oh sh**” button on his chest?
It’s a motorcycle backpack. The round thing is a magnet closure.
https://www.velomacchi.com/products/velomacchi-rolltop-backpack
Hey Random nailed it..it’s a $300 back pack made for a lap top during extreme commuting or a water hydration system on weekends when you are scramblin (now we know when the pic was taken lol)
“A high speed, watertight, versatile pack that carries your load close to your center of gravity and distributes the weight off of your shoulders allowing for a more aggressive riding style. This bag was designed to carry a computer or tablet for extreme commuting during the week and swap for a hydration system to explore the trails on the weekend.”
Perfect dirt road bike. Maybe this is actually a new category with a retro look. We old guys don’t ride single track anymore anyway, so why pretend we do? I like it.
Nice looking bike: priced right, looks right, dead reliable, has the factory dealer sales and service network behind it. Yes, that what makes a winner.
Looks like a scrambler to me, scramblers have always been overweight street bikes, dressed up with a few dirt bike parts and had very little off road capability. It fits the scrambler name to a t. Do agree the comparison to the DT-250 is wrong, the DT was street and trail bike. Fun bike but excelled at neither.
I like SCR950. Will have to check on out when the hit the dealers.
I look at the bottom pic and think:
Sorry, folks.
That’s a street bike.
It does seem that the Hipster look has taken over with Yamaha motorcycle ads.
When I was young, I wore gear like that out of lack of money, and it was considered dorky.
Now, it appears to be cool and trendy.
That dude with the hipster beard and flannel is what we call a Lumber-sexual … part lumberjack, part metro-sexual.
And that body armour / Brando costume combo on the promo shot dude is amazing.
I am happy to say that this re style is a more functional one that the other Bolt variants, but that just could be the pretty and co ordinated paint schemes.
I would love to see Yamaha lower the headstock by 6″ and then it would handle like my ex Yam SRV250 of the 1990’s. It had the Virago Vee 250 motor, and I loved that slow beat of the long stroke motor.
Come on GK Design, make it for Yamaha to sell to me!
“we were struck by its attractive styling (including a seamless gas tank!)”
Yes people – if we complain enough on motorcycledaily.com we can CHANGE THE WORLD!!!
This is a sad statement of a motorcycle. Yamaha didn’t even attempt to engineer a scrambler; they just bolted retro parts onto a fat, ugly motorcycle. I think a lot of us would be intrigued by a 425 pound scrambler with useful suspension. But to go back to some of Yamaha’s beautiful old designs, steal images, and tack them onto a cruiser…well, it just ain’t right.
Well, at least it is better looking than the plain old Bolt (kind of), and the exhaust is better looking than the plain old Bolt (sort of), but it still has that ugly dumb tail light similiar to the Bolt. The whole Bolt line is a non-starter for me, but it’s just my opinion. I didn’t think the CanAm Spider would get very far either.
It’s a YamaBuell. A Yamalysses.
Can you Florida…and Hageman?
it is a goofy looking cruiser in disguise
Nice looking bike. But, if one’s to believe the advertised wet weights, how can it possibly be 124 pounds heavier than the Ducati Scrambler? Did they fill the frame tubes with lead?
Does anyone else build a belt drive scrambler?
Wow!!! A Yamaha scrambler that only weighs 15-20 pounds more than my CB1100F.
But it’s only about 180 lbs. more than my last scrambler. ’66 Tr6C Triumph.
Will you have to remove the muffler in order to remove the back wheel or does it fold out of the way? And I guess it has tube tires. Kind of a nice bike (and heavy) to lay on its side to change out a tube while “off-roading” I do like it much better than the Bolt!
Its belt drive, replacing a tube just might be the least of your worries. Rocks and drive belts don’t go together very well sometimes.
I’m not saying this might not be a perfectly acceptable street bike, even call it an scr 950 if you wish, ( even though the letters SCR undoubtedly stand for scrambler) Please Yamaha, please, just don’t call it or advertise it as a “scrambler.”
Here here. Not a bad bike, just not a scrambler.
coooooooool
We live in the best of times !
Shades of my XV920RH that I loved so much and put about 40K miles on before getting rear ended and totalling it . But, it will never be considered by me even close to the ‘ 72 DT2 I had or the ’76 XT500 I also had. Maybe a step above the XS650 I had for a few years that I called my Japanese Triumph. Gonna be watching this one close when it hits the dealers floors.
If I see one more pic of a skinny hipster with a beard wearing skinny jeans and a plaid open collar shirt while wearing an open face helmet and riding a retro-replica … I’m going to hurl on my keyboard.
I agree!
I’ve been around motorcycles for almost 40 years, and I’ve never even met that guy! Does he even exist??? I see him in commercials, magazine ads, etc., but I don’t know him, and even though I ride an XSR900… It sure as hell ain’t me!!!
Ok, pretty cool looking use of the basic Bolt components to make something to ride the scrambler wave – the seat is especially on target and the tank construction/paint, if not the shape, looks good too. But wow, the weight! Where does all that ‘road hugging’ weight come from in cruiser designs? Still, it’s something different – just hope this doesn’t kill the DT700 concept as a potential production bike. If or when Yamaha combines the FZ-07 engine with REAL heritage good looks (in other words, not the XSR) I could end up buying my first new bike in a long long time.
Seems like the FZ-07 would be a better bike to build a Scrambler bike. Light, powerful and affordable. Why is it so hard for the product planners to figure that out? Who needs a 550# Scrambler? Pass.
Something like this! (Oberdan Bezzi does it again…)
http://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/gallery/this-yamaha-mt-07-could-give-ducati-scrambler-a-run-for-the-money_2.jpg
The SR400-based bike that some folks are wishing for sounds cute, and certainly would be fun playing around in the dirt, but sometimes you have to get on the Interstate with the semi-trucks, and I’d rather not be on a friggin’ 400…
Thats the artist guy I was talking about above or below whichever way this forum runs. SEe I told you he could draw a cool FZ-07 scrambler. This would be on my radar for sure . That looks so good.
The point being whether its a 400 or a 700, it COULD look cool if the mfgs just hired this guy to mock up prototypes.
He also drew up an FZ-10 with a single, normal headlight that looks WAY better than the factory front end. I don’t know why they don’t use him more, if they even do at all…
Scott, that’s a great example of what COULD be done with the FZ-07 platform. Funny thing is, YAMAHA will never figure it out. BTW, I’m in the market for a dual sport, not one that weighs 550# and has looks only a mother can love.
That’s the right formula right there!
The Japanese really do need to hire Oberdan Bezzi … all of his renderings are perfect to my eye.
Love the seamless tank and spoked wheels. Of course it’s not an off-road bike and I don’t really think they’re guilty of pretense. It’s like a Ducati Scrambler without the preferred power to weight ratio. I wish Triumph would lighten up their scrambler and get rid of those terrible pipes. Throw in a seamless tank and headers that don’t blue, and out comes my checkbook.
Wow, who unlocked and opened all the doors of Naysayer Prison? It’s as if Yamaha designers painted mustaches on the presidents’ faces at Mt Rushmore during the night.
No, worse. They applied the sacred term “scrambler” to a motorcycle and showed their interpretation of it. What nerve!
This must a Yamaha USA advertising schtick. This bike is over 100lbs overweight to ever be called a scrambler. And the ropey connection to the DT250 is ludicrous. This is a STANDARD bike (remember those?) with proper ergonomics for riding a fair distance, and enough weight and presence to cope well on the open road. The wheel combos are good as well. This would be OK for unsealed road surfaces, and maybe an easy trail or two, but an off-road bike, no. Not with the belt drive.
BUT….This is a proper motorcycle, just like a Bonneville, and targeting the same buyer. With added comfort over the Bolt, and better cornering clearance (check the chamfered look of the footpeg location) and hopefully more suspension travel and performance. The Bolt is a great bike and very entertaining, but this will be better. But it didn’t need the dirt bike references.
I love it and I want to buy it.
Wuh…? Rather do this:
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new-bikes/2016/june/official-three-heritage-bmws-for-2017/
That’s a whole lot of expensive ugly.
So peter h, do you like the Yamaha or do you just want me to know that you hate what I like? Very popular tactic nowadays. Don’t tell folks what you like just tell them what you hate. Most political conversations start and end this way. Wish it could be different among folks of shared passion. I promise everyone I will not respond further no matter what peter h says. You’re welcome.
I don’t get it.
To my eye, it’s too long and low to even pretend to be a scrambler. I honestly don’t know why they didn’t start with the FZ07 chassis and do this treatment to it. It seems to me that an “SCR07” might just be the most capable all-around bike you could buy for the money…
An SCR07 would be at home on the freeway… A terrific commuter bike… Fun to ride on twisty roads… and if done right, capable of going down fire roads, bumpy trails, small sandy crossings… Kind of like a 1200GS, but half the price and 150 lbs. lighter!
And it wouldn’t look like a dirt bike with lights, ala KLR650.
+1
Why can’t Yamaha come up with a ground up design just like the Ducati Scrambler?
I’ll add my vote for a new XT-500 styled scrambler based on the FZ07 platform. Add a few inches of travel at both ends, a 19″ front wheel, high pipe and a more forward enduro style seat and tank, and you’d have a really fun bike to drift the dirt roads and doubletrack, carve corners on the street, or just style the coffee shops and bars with your hipster beard and all.
I had an XT 500. It was quite overrated.
I remember the tt500 from the day. Good for wheelie contests.
OK-it’s not perfect-but still-this is a darn good effort.
If it’s close to what you want-buy it and change a few things.
Same frame engine and suspension as the Bolt. That tells the story on this bike, zero pretense to have any off road capability beyond parking it on the front lawn…..you can ride a Road King off road if you want too.
None the less a low cost, parts bin, re-bagged Bolt should allow the line to appeal to a wider demographic.
A little lipstick on the pig. Very little risk on Yamaha’s part with the potential upside of selling motorcycles.
On the upside, the bolt has very good frame geometry, and a good suspension. If it’s parts bin – HD etc, are sub arts bin.
I don’t really get the point of this. First, they make a little Harley Sporty knockoff called the Bolt. Not a bad looking little bike, but not at all comfortable to me as the peg to seat length is way too close and I only have a 29″ inseam. I’ll take the Kawi Vulcan S ergos everyday and twice on Sunday. That aside, what’s with bastardizing a Harley knockoff by adding styling from 1970s Yamahas? The bike looks confused.
And to the guy who thought a thin, flat seat for two was a swell idea; may I suggest he sit on a 2×4 for an afternoon, then report back on how that worked out for him.
I am glad to see the flat seat making a comeback
Buy now, or wait for the 2018 Kenny Roberts Flat Trak Special? Oh, the humanity!
Curb weight is within 1-2% of my 81 XV920RH “Euro” model, enclosed chain, 8″ round headlight. 920 had dual front breaks. This 950 is a peach.
OMG I need my wife to set up my computer to refuse access to this website! Yamaha is killing it! Are you kidding me? A flat seat on which two human beings fit! Really? What genius invented THAT?
I’ll eat my shorts if Yamaha does not sell out of this model before 2018s arrive. Finally a bike to make me forget my new 81 XV920RH silver. They nailed this sucker. I’d sell my puny little Ducati 800 right now if I had one, and place a deposit on this puppy.
Come home to mommy sweet little thang!
Dirck, I respectfully request you and Yamaha raffle one of these to your loyal readers. Each entry donates $15 to a MC charity of some kind. I’ll buy 3 tickets.
I think it’s a basically silly combination of parts on this sort of bike, and yet I find myself liking the look. I also suspect the guys in the pictures of this bike are all like 5’8″ max and that it wouldn’t fit my 6’3″ frame so well. That’s OK, though – I’m happy to see more bikes that fit smaller riders, including women, that are also interesting bikes in their own right. Now if they’d just makes bikes other than cruisers (with forward controls) or tall ADV bikes that fit me.
Yet another bike that screams “millennial accessory.” I can’t wait for these people to move-on to something else and just leave motorcycling to motorcyclists.
Why can’t millennials be motorcyclists?
The young p o t dealer demographic is ah smoking hot.
are you referring to fat guys on bloated advs and windshields that are 4 feet tall? It’s getting a little embarrassing out there.
When was a motorcycle not an accessory, a toy, a purchase of passion? “these people” are the ones who spend money on new bikes and provide chumps like me with a rich second hand market full of power and fuel injection. Yamaha is killing it these days. Every bike they throw down is, for the most part, a rollicking success. And as for leaving the motorcycling to the motorcyclists, I’m sorry that being old has made you bitter.
Un-inspiring, just that. To continue would be waste of space.
Why is Yamaha building such a strange looking motorcycles lately?
550 lb? Lighter than the M1 Abrams, that’s for sure. But not so well armored.
the comparison test should be with the VT750RS and then maybe the Street Twin (which would destroy it). I think the RS is a slightly more attractive version of a cruiser UJM. Maybe the new Harley Roadster is another.
Not since Suzuki released the T125, have a seen so much mis-matched items on one machine.
I like it. cheap, well built, easy to modify. I bet they sell a lot of them, and I bet the guys who buy them never look at this website and read the comments to find out why they shouldn’t like it. Not that I will buy one…
I agree with Mickey that this bike (a retro scrambler) should have been based on the SR400/500. This kind of bike should look great, first and foremost. It should be lightweight, have a low seat height but still be capable of dirt roads or light trail rides (and no, you dont need a full on dirt bike for that … )
This SCR950 looks like a stretched out, overweight 1983 Honda Ascot VT500. Other than the retro paint job there is nothing cool about this bike. Come on Yamaha .. give us old guys something to get excited about. We have the money to spend at this age. Do it right and we will buy it.
You’d be right on the SR400/500 based bike if you wanted more of a dirt bike but then why not just re-issue the XT500? With 24 to 27hp (2016 emission regs you know) and $6000+ MSRP people would say it’s a weak old relic and overpriced. The SCR950 ain’t a dirt bike, it’s a market response to Ducati’s best selling “Scrambler”. Think of it as just a big old standard and you’re closer to what it is. Good grief, a 540 pound bike with less than 3″ of rear wheel travel isn’t ever going to be a dirt bike. They do sell a actual dual purpose bike the WR250R (too bad it’s not a 450) if buyers really want to go off road.
I agree with you that this is a street bike dressed up as a scrambler. And I guess there is a market for it. But its not what many of us want. In my mind there is a market for a modern Honda XL350, Yamaha DT400, Suzuki TS400 etc. These old “Enduros” were essentially street legal dirt bikes. Many people (myself included) like the retro style of these bikes. And many appreciate a dirt bike that doesn’t require a step ladder to get on. Presently, no manufacturer is making this type of bike for some strange reason. In my mind, it is these enduros that we 50-60yo riders are nostalgic for. This is what we grew up on. In my case 1970’s DT125/175/250s. Most in the States never had 60s-70s Ducati Scramblers. Guys who are nostalgic for 1960s Triumph TT Specials are probably too old to ride (almost). Nostalgia is a great motivator. So they should produce bikes that we actually loved and remember. So I guess what I really wanted Yamaha to build was a Retro Style Enduro. And the SR400 motor is the natural choice for a new DT, XT or a TT.
Scrambler? Overweight and unwieldy. For ‘scrambler’ it needs raised exhaust to project lofty impression.
I agree with you that this is a street bike dressed up as a scrambler. And I guess there is a market for it. But its not what many of us want. In my mind there is a market for a modern Honda XL350, Yamaha DT400, Suzuki TS400 etc. These old “Enduros” were essentially street legal dirt bikes. Many people (myself included) like the retro style of these bikes. And many appreciate a dirt bike that doesn’t require a step ladder to get on. Presently, no manufacturer is making this type of bike for some strange reason. In my mind, it is these enduros that we 50-60yo riders are nostalgic for. This is what we grew up on. In my case 1970’s DT125/175/250s. Most in the States never had 60s-70s Ducati Scramblers. Guys who are nostalgic for 1960s Triumph TT Specials are probably too old to ride (almost). Nostalgia is a great motivator. So they should produce bikes that we actually loved and remember. So I guess what I really wanted to build was a Retro Style Enduro. And the SR400 motor is the natural choice for a new DT, XT or a TT.
I really want to dislike this bike……but somehow I just seem to like it.
No tank flanges 🙂 But only 3.2 gallons inside 🙁 Sits up nice and high for taller riders to to unbend their knees 🙂 But still short travel shocks 🙁 Can’t tell if the “knee knocker” air cleaner is thinner but it looks OK in the photos.
Yes my only concern is the 3.2 gallon tank as well. Otherwise looks good.
Totally the wrong platform for a scrambler. That blurred line between cruiser and sportbike looks more like a Sportster than anything else to me…with just about as much ground clearance. Mind you, watching a hipster try to off-road this 550lb scrambler in name only in the high desert would probably be quite amusing.
The “Hipster” in the bottom photo seems to be doing just fine.
A toddler on a tricycle could easily ride along a trail like that. Or a rider on a supersport, or a big touring bike.
Not that it matters – it’s about image, IMO, not actual off-road performance, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
A bit heavy for a scrambler at 547 lbs. Hard to tell looking at the images whether the foot peg position is OK. Otherwise the look is right and it will probably sell. I was hoping for something much more exciting than just a “me too” scrambler styling exercise.
Needs to lose 150 lbs.
Why, and from where?
I don’t like the Bolt pipes but in most other ways this seems like a fun and mellow knock-around bike. I especially love the long flat seat and spoked wheels. Those two things alone will probably steal a few sales from more modern bikes like the FZ and SV.
It is just hard to make a cruiser appealing to me. I applaud Yamaha for leveraging the Bolt platform to the max, but this just doesn’t work for me any more than the “cafe racer” version of the Bolt does.
yea, this just doesn’t make sense to me.
THe SR400/DT400 would have been cool. Or an. XS 650 inspired FZ07. There are a lot of ways they could have gone, but a Bolt with some number plates and an orange paint job and calling it a scrambler? Geesh
If they want to appeal to MY generation, it should at least RESEMBLE a scrambler. Same for the Ducati. Guess they are targeting these things at 20 somethings who have no idea what scrambling means.
You could take a wing down the path shown in the picture above.
But wouldn’t you have said the 24hp of the SR400 was lame and the SCR07 was ugly. If someone wants a real dirt bike they’ll buy a real dirt bike. These are street standards for just riding around and enjoying life.
Curly I have never complained about the power of an SR 400. For what it is it probably has enough, and being made into a real dirt bike inspired street bike wouldn’t change that. The SR 400 is not a tourer. I had a YPV 400 and it had plenty of power for me for just riding around. Maybe had a few more ponies than the SR. But I liked it a lot. Even had a CVT auto trans.
As far as the XS inspired FZ-07 looking ugly, depends on how it looked. it could have looked cool. I’ll bet that Oberdanzi something guy could draw up a cool one. He draws up lots of cool bikes I wish they’d build. I might have complained about the vibration though as I did after actually riding an FZ-07. Although I have heard from others their FZ-07s don’t vibrate so I plan on riding another one on June 24th to see if I still feel the same way about the vibes.
I think ALL motorcycles are for just riding around enjoying life.
It just occurred to me that I had three Yamaha 650 twins…73 TX 650, 79 XS 650 and an 81 XS 650 Special. In comparison an FZ-07 is electric smooth lol
we have become so spoiled
The DT series and TX/XS series bikes were iconic Yamahas. Yamaha needs to do justice to them when making something that resembles one. It should be worthy. A Bolt is not worthy. The kickstarter on an SR 400 would have made sense in a DT inspired bike.
Something like this perhaps?
http://www.bikeexif.com/yamaha-sr400-usa
Rd350.. EXACTLY! ..yes yes and yes. That is a stunning looking little motorcycle. Hey Yamaha, look at this pic….duplicate….sell.
I agree. I see a v-twin standard, which is appealing and what I hoped for out of Victory’s Project 156. But it leaves me asking “are soft bags and camping gear gonna fit on that, how many hours is that seat good for, and how am I gonna pull that front end in so it steers?
I have to agree with Mickey. For me, cruisers aren’t the basis of anything I want to ride. They are just too dang long and heavy. I was hoping for a retro DT400 with the SR400/500 engine? Like this:
http://www.bikeexif.com/yamaha-sr400-usa
Or even better, something with the FZ-07 twin (but without the FZ-07 frame)
Like this:
https://villagemotorsportsconnect.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/yamaha-dt-07-flat-tracker-concept-studio-4.jpg
Raised pipe always = scrambler to me.
I guess Yamaha decided to leave that to the aftermarket.
Looks like an interesting bike.
I like how Yamaha is building several bike using the same chassis, engine and suspension platforms as that simplifies a lot of customization and aftermarket things.
R1, FZ10
FZ09, FJ09, XSR900
FZ07, FJ07
Bolt and SCR950
Good base platforms and great options abound.
What other configurations could we do with Yamaha’s platforms?
Maybe a FZR09, FZR07, harder edged adventure touring version of the FJ09 or the FZ10 ala the S1000XR
My dealer told me yesterday that Yamaha was going to announce a really cool retro model today. I pray this isn’t it. The only thing about this that is reminiscent of a Yamaha “scrambler” is the 1975 DT 250 inspired paint scheme.
They could have at least put a raised front fender and an up pipe on it for petes sake.
so disappointed.
Nice looking bike. Scrambler in the name of marketing only Mick just like the Ducati which also features a low front fender and pipe but still somehow manages to be their best seller. Come on, how many people are going off road or even gravel roading on these things?