miweber929

Welcome!!!

Interesting. As I said, around here the Kwik Trips, Speedways, Holidays, etc. along with the BPs, Shells, and any other big names all have labels saying top tier which is pretty much every fuel station in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois. We do have Casey’s, though I rarely visit them so I’ve never looked, I will next time. One other thing I notice, since you’re in Kentucky which made me think of this, plus I just got back from a 2 week drive of the BRP, Shenandoah Parkway and surrounding areas, is when I ride down south I struggle to find non-oxy, straight fuel when it’s plentiful in the same states I mentioned above. And when I do it’s 88, 89 or 90 octane where here it’s always 91 or higher. Just different areas I guess?

With all due respect, in case you haven't realized it, you do come across very disrespectful, more so than pretty much anyone else on the forum. You are not the only one with experience that transcends decades, lot's of us have as well, and may of us have owned dozens of bikes and ridden probably over 200 over the years and our opinions are just as valid. But when we give it you just tell everyone how wrong they are.

Running the Yosh on my ‘20 with no flash and it runs great. You can flash, but there’s not a NEED to do it.

I also stabilize my fuel every winter with SeaFoam and run it through my systems every now and again. Not sure it’s needed, not sure it’s magical, not sure it’s even doing anything but I don’t have fuel issues so I keep doing it. Maybe I’m the dumb one As far as “top tier” fuels, I feel like that’s a gimmick because show me a place anymore that doesn’t have a “top tier” fuel label on their fuel tanks. Everyone has it, I don’t believe it really means much anymore.

I show sold out as well. May be a US thing?

Sorry to hear about the wreck, glad you walked away. The GSX (and also the Ninja 1000) was high on the list to replace my trusty ‘11 Triumph Sprint GT as my two up bike until my wife and I walked around a few dealerships and she saw and sat in the rear seats of both. Spoiler alert: they both sucked and she was extremely uncomfortable on both. It’s how I ended up with the Tracer. Be sure to have the SO try it out.

Ahhh, shit, wish you had answered sooner. Missed out!!!

That’s what I was asking; sorry, I may have worded this not as clearly as I should have. I realize the Penske won’t fit the stock preload adjuster, since it’s built into the shock assembly, but am looking to retain this feature with a new shock. That was my question.

Does the shock retain the remote preload adjuster like the OEM shock has or do you have to use a spanner?

I may have said this in here already, but if not I’ve had much better luck with batteries NOT leaving them on a Tender all winter and instead charging for an overnight every few weeks during winter storage. Batteries “stored” that way will go at least another year, and sometimes two or three additional years, then if I Tender them and leave. And yes, I’ve tried different Tenders, from different manufacturers and it’s been the same result. It also seems, again, in my experience of storing motorcycles over 40 years, that they tend to die out more normally than catastrophically when not full time Tendered.

Yes, as long as the battery is flat and not bad you can usually bump start them.

I have had that experience as well. Was an early T6 adopter and ran it for a few seasons when I was young and poor as a way to run synthetic without breaking the bank. Did not have good oil longevity before it looked and felt worn rubbing it between my fingers after draining and shifting was very notchy after only a few thousand miles. I also do not care for Amsoil for similar reasons, but also I’ve never owned a vehicle, be it two, three or four wheels that didn’t start to “use” oil once I went to Amsoil and it immediately stopped once I stopped using it I don’t know why, but that’s been my, my dads, and a few other friends though the years, experience.

Zero harm in motorcycle specific synth, non synth or blend as long as it’s wet clutch rated. Lots of dealers still spout outdated information, this is sone of it.

Have you ridden one? You act like you have but I think your thoughts would be different if you actually had. Put a set of 20mm or 40mm bar risers and the Ducati comfort seat on it and you’re touring the country in comfort and kicking ass when you hit a twisty area. I put 30 some thousand miles on a Superhawk over 3 seasons and the Supersport is its spirit animal that addressed every one of its shortcomings and kicked everything up a notch. It’s a wonderful bike and all day fun. You talk fondly of yours, just saying In the segment there are sport-tourers, SPORT-tourers and sport-TOURERS. My Tracer GT, Supersport and Sprint GT are that respectively.

I've written on here a couple times about the Supersport S vs. the Tracer so be sure to search for posts by me to see more details. Very shortly: I have 3 great sport touring bikes: the '17 Supersport S, the '20 Tracer GT and an '11 Triumph Sprint GT. All 3 are GREAT sport tourers but go about the task differently with the Duc essentially a sportbike with factory bar risers and factory bags available which LOVES a curvy road and a fine way to spend a few days having fun. The S is the one to have with the Ohlins fitting that bike extremely well. It's drawbacks are really the Ducati cost of ownership including services and parts and the lack of a cruise control or it would be almost perfect. Especially the 950 version which tweaks a few things and nails the look a tick better than the 939 which had a few weird angles. A SPORT tourer or gentleman's sportbike; if you've ever ridden a VFR (I've owned I think 5) this is what the VFR should have been all those years. The other negative is outright speed: it's a blast up to 125mph or so but signs off shortly after. I think top speed is boring so it's perfectly acceptable to me; if 155+ mph is in your blood you will be disappointed. If Ducati puts a cruise on it I will trade mine in, and keep the new one forever. Otherwise mine stays for days when I want to play. However if Yamaha does a sport-comfy R9 with cruise, I will sell it and buy that. The Tracer GT is in my mind the best only-own-one-bike made. Its fast, comfortable, hauls a passenger fine, decent luggage, is super easy to ride and ride fast, and is lightweight, especially minus the luggage and with a small windscreen. I have a local curvy road I know well and can go fast on all 3 of my bikes: the Tracer is easiest to ride and I have to watch my speed or I am WAY too far into non-safe, go to jail, speeds. The Sprint is as well, though heavy and wallowy (it needs a suspension update bad), I can be surprisingly fast on that one, especially with a passenger and is probably the second easiest. The Duc is faster than all, but I have to think about it and want it. Not to say it's hard to ride fast, I have yet to ride a bike that has the mix of flickable and stable like this one does (a V2 may steer quicker but it’s not nearly as stable in long sweepers), you have to think about it and be "on" it. The Tracer just does everything you ask without hesitation and does it all in comfort. When I go to the garage I almost always grab the Tracer. Not as much as you'd think. Both are sport tourers good for a day of fun, they are just different in execution.

Welcome!!!

I’ve heard the deal with demo bikes in the US is that the manufacturers have to “ok” a bike to be sold at a discount after its been demoed and has to be responsible for the cost of upkeep while it’s in the demo fleet so there’s a cost with that. Can’t imagine that cost if every dealer had one of every model. And most people want their new bike to have little or no miles on them, not 350 or so, without a discount. That’s why the Japanese brands have demo fleets that travel place to place so they can control the environment. My ‘20 Tracer was (one of) the photo bikes available to the press to ride and photo and I bought “new” last summer with 5,000 miles on it at a decent discount. Similar situation as a demo bike. The Euro brands, however, almost universally, not only like demo rides, but encourage it. I wouldn’t own my Ducati Supersport S had I not had a demo ride on it so it definitely works. I also wish there were more available, having a picky passenger makes buying a new bike tougher to do without a ride.

The Yamaha 225 and 230 and the Kaw 230 are really fun bikes for playing around. The newer Honda CRF250F or XR150L would be fun as well. Several years ago my dad an I were talking that the most fun we ever had off-road was when he had a Yamaha TTR225 and I had my '84 XR250R and we used to go play in the woods up north. Even more fun than the CR250R, RM250, WR450F I had after: https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/dual-sport/xr150l https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/trail/crf250f

Agreed!!!

Curious as to why? I love my ‘20 and have been tempted by the insane deals on the ‘22 and the ‘24 GT+ and going back down to 1 (or 2) street bike(s). I’d miss my Ducati but I just don’t ride it much anymore, and my Triumph is getting to the point it’s not as comfortable as it used to be.

Just a guess here but ‘15 was the first year made and a ton were made so a ton were sold because it was a very popular bike when introduced. It’s now ‘23, soon to be ‘24, and I think a lot of the owners are finally now moving on to other bikes after a long stay in the garage. If you’re specifically looking FJ-09 that’s what you’ll see since the name was “changed” to Tracer in ‘18 to match the world sold units. Lots of members still have their well setup ‘15 and have no intentions of selling them so I’d say they are a solid mount still once you get a flash and setup suspension for you.

Welcome!!!

Welcome!!!

Four banger for puttering without question. Once they grow up a 2 smoke will be a blast. There is a newer CRF250F that’s a great, low impact 4 stroke you’ll have a ton of fun on puttering with the kids on, or if you really want fun there’s a CRF150F that’s around too. Stay away from the motocross, high perf models unless you want high maint bikes. You can neglect them, but they’ll make you pay by grenadine at inopportune times. They are an okay play bike but unless you’re on the throttle it’s not super fun. The Yammie 230 is a great bike too, as is a WR250R and CRF300L if you’d like to ride on the road. You’re in the cities as well, I have a ‘10 WR250R in great shape, pretty well setup with under 900 miles on it I just don’t ride much as you can tell. Second owner, bought it in ‘19 from the original owner with under 300 miles on it. I’m looking at selling it to clear space and I just don’t ride it enough to justify it. Pm me if you’re interested, thinking $4,500 or so for it.