So, I'm three months and about 6,000 miles into ownership of a new 2022 Tracer 9 GT. Great bike, except for the suspension, IMHO.
First a short pre-amble: I've been riding for more than 55 years, raced both on and off road, instructed professionally with a race school for almost 30 years, have owned more than 50 bikes, including brand new in the last few years a KTM 690 Duke, a Ducati Multistrada V2S and a BMW F900XR before getting this Yamaha. My annual average is about 15,000 miles. So, I'm far from a rookie motorcyclist.
The Tracer 9 GT is a really nice bike, except for the suspension, specifically the dampening. Compression dampening is much too stiff, very harsh in fact, and rebound dampening is too soft, front and rear for both. Perhaps this is specific to my bike because I read many reviews about how wonderful the semi-active suspension is - not so in my opinion. Spring rates are fine, changing the electronic settings accomplishes no discernible difference.
I've talked with the service personnel at my local dealer. They are nice folks but understand next to nothing about suspension technology. Contacted the Yamaha corporate office in California, same response. Contacted KYB USA, nobody there claim to have any idea of this semi-active technology and referred me to KYB's Japanese web site, good luck trying to find anything of use there.
So, I have a few questions:
1. Does anybody else have similar experiences with the KYB semi-active suspension? Or is everybody happy and thrilled with the semi-active technology?
2. Does anybody know anything about possible re-booting the suspension ECU? Or how to make adjustments to the suspension ECU, which is located behind the left fairing panel?
3. Has anybody converted their KYB semi-active suspension to conventional RaceTech Gold Valve or Ohlins suspensions?
In closing, this is a big enough issue for me that if I can't fix it, the bike will be gone. My 1976 Moto Guzzi and my 11 year old Triumph Tiger with Ohlins are both more comfortable than this Yamaha.