DavidS

I had a Madstad on my FJ09, and got another one when I upgraded to the Tracer 900 GT. 

Love the screen, and Madstad support is phenomenal.

Thanks all for your feedback.

After sitting in my garage pondering the likelihood of some catastrophic event wiping out my oil pan, I decided that the likelihood of actually experiencing this would probably be pretty small. One of the considerations that I used to make this decision was the fact that they moved the plug for the oil pan forward, not underneath, like it was on the FJ09. The ground clearance was also 7+ inches as well, and I think that is probably high enough enough to avoid too many hits, especially since I am on paved roads. I do not ride off-road, and even gravel is a very unusual situation for me. 

While small rocks do occasionally pop up and hit parts of the bike while I'm riding, I am willing to take the risk that it won't do significant damage (rolling the dice) and if it does happen, I guess I'll just have to fix it. 

As usual, thanks to all for your feedback and helping me think through this. (And saving me the cash now that I don't have to buy the skid plate)

2 hours ago, KrustyKush said:

I have a hard time believing that... I can look at them side by side and the Tracer is obviously VERY much higher than the Wing.  It may matter where the two bikes are set up.  The Wing is pretty adjustable, and so is the Tracer.  I may get some energy later and try some measuring... just now am testing some vodka...

Well we can't really rely on your testing in your current state, now can we. Seriously, I am impressed with your knowledge of both the Tracer and the Goldwing. I would have guessed there was no overlap of owners in those two groups.

Ya just never know......

I have not installed any protection for my crank case/oil pan on my Tracer 900 GT. (Nor any on my previous FJ-09 for that matter)

I'm curious if others have added a skid plate or other modification to prevent rocks or other items from hitting the case and causing a crack that might render me stranded. I have had a few stray rocks that bounced under the bike while riding, but none of them did any damage.

I am getting to the point where I think I should add some protection, but most of the skid plates cover the oil drain plug. I really don't want to make oil changes more difficult, and I typically change oil every 3000 miles. Having to remove a skid plate or other device every time I change my oil is not something I really want to do. Mostly because I'm lazy, and won't do it, leading to longer intervals before I change my oil.

Oh, I ride 99% on paved roads, and the only time I am off road is when I'm turning around or riding up a gravel driveway.

I'm interested to hear if others just do nothing, like I have been doing? Or bite the bullet and pull the skid plate for every oil change.

Bonus if you have some magical solution I haven't thought of yet. Please share your strategy, hoping someone smarter than me has figured this out. And if you do remove your skid plate each oil change, which skid plate do you use, would you recommend it, and is it easy to remove and re-install.

Thanks in Advance,

David

On 6/10/2021 at 4:20 AM, peteinpa said:

Ouch, that hurts. Glad you're OK. Nice caring boss.

As said, it did snap off a section of the engine case. It might be totalled sorry to say.

I don't think any skid plate would have saved it.

Nah it won't be totaled! When I damaged my Tracer in my move to California, I had a chop saw come free and slide into the bottom of the bike. Took out the case right about the same spot as the picture shows. Although I didn't have any exhaust pipe damage like you appear to have. Unfortunately, this was during COVID, and it took a very long time for them to get replacement parts to fix it. I think I spent 6-8 months before I got the bike back again in working order. On the good news side, they did a great job, and it has been working great for about 1 1/2 years.

Hope the supply chain is better now for your fix, it really sucked having to live without the bike for so long........ 

ValleyRider - Welcome to the forum, as I read your post, most of what you mention are typical issues with the FJ-09/Tracer. There are lots of fixes in the previous posts, you can search and find a myriad of solutions to the issues you mention.

I have been riding the FJ09 since 2015 and the Tracer 900GT since 2020. I have a friend who rides the BMW R1200 GS and there are a few things I would like to have from that bike, but for the money he paid, I'll stick with my Tracer. It is very reliable, fun to ride with lot's of character. The only thing I wish Yamaha would have done, is provide a little more ground clearance and better suspension. Well, that and maybe. better plastic strategy. It takes too long to remove all the plastics to get to the actual motorcycle parts to do maintenance. Although I'd bet that is their strategy to get us to bring it to the shop for repair so they can make some money......

Anyway, hope you enjoy your bike, and if you have any questions, I'm sure one or two folks here on the forum can help.

On 9/22/2022 at 7:47 PM, OZVFR said:

Could be the front sprocket seal.

By the way, that front sprocket is in bad need of replacing.

And replace the chain, and rear sprocket at the same time, they should be done as a set.....

On 9/28/2022 at 3:45 PM, PhotoAl said:

As I was reading was thinking that the MT 07 might be a good choice.  The Triumph 660 is a nice bike and a bit smaller.  I've only had a Tracer 900 GT which is a great bike and quite reliable.  From the early FJ09 to the 2020 Tracer think there were two times where the swing arm was lengthened.  The earlier FJ09s are short wheelbase and will loft the front wheel very willingly but are prone to a high speed wobble.  The Tracer 900 with the long swing arm will still lift the front wheel easily but not quite the hooligan bike the FJ09 is.  They are both fun bikes and quite reliable and parts are usually readily available although the supply chain issues have hit everyone.

I had the FJ-09, and then upgraded to the Tracer 900GT. I miss the hooligan nature of the FJ-09, popping wheelies was a blast, and that bike just loved to go fast. I'm not disappointed with the Tracer 900 GT, but it doesn't do wheelies well due to the fact they extended the swing arm quite a bit. It is much more refined, with many standard features that aren't on the FJ09. I particularly like the Tracer for Touring, and it is still fun to take off the side bags and go up into the mountains. 

For me, the Tracer is the right bike, but everyone will have a slightly different take on what they want/need. Most of my riding these days is twisty roads within 100 miles of my house, but once or twice a year I plan an epic adventure and hit the road for a few weeks. 

On 9/27/2022 at 4:01 PM, 2and3cylinders said:

 I get about the same mileage as you Described

 After the last bar starts blinking the display then defaults to a count up screen and you have to hit the rocker between screens to go back to whatever screen you are on or one of your own you've got point 67 gallons left at that point pun

 Conservatively you can get 20 miles out of it after that I start sweating

That's great information, although I hope I never see that. I try to get gas way before i get to that kind of empty, but traveling on long distance trips, I have definitely missed a turn off (or two) and have been worried about making it to the next station without running out of fuel. In reality, I think the bike holds some gas that the fuel gauge can't measure, so you probably have a few more miles of safety. (Not saying I know this for sure, just my guess based on the way the bike seems to go beyond the max mileage I should be getting since my last fill-up)

I use the 200 mile mark as my max distance before getting gas. This means I'm in the gas station by the time it hits 200 miles. This is just my rule of thumb, and I typically stop when I'm around 150 miles because I'm a wuss, and don't want to have to explain to someone why I had to call them to bring me gas or bail me out.

On 9/27/2022 at 4:21 PM, Xstoff said:

I use B Mode when it's raining...

And since I almost never ride when it rains...

It might be controversial, but I never really tried A Mode!

I ride STD Mode all the time and that's enough for me so far.

 

Nothing controversial about that at all, everyone decides for themselves how they want to ride, and in what mode. There are no right choices, just the best choice for you!

I ride A mode almost 100% of the time. I did have my bike flashed by 2WDynoworks in Seattle, so I think my A mode is a bit different than stock right now. If I remember correctly, they smoothed out the A mode a bit, but it still is a bit of a hooligan when I get on the throttle......

Yes, the gas gauge is notoriously inaccurate. I typically see very little movement of the gas gauge until half the tank has been used, and then it drops very quickly after half a tank.

Something is wonky here. I have the Tracer 900 GT, but also had the previous 2020 FJ-09 and they were pretty much the same with respect to fuel economy and fuel gauge accuracy. I stop to fill my tank at about 170-190 miles, but have gone up to 200 miles without running out of gas more than a few times. (not sure I would want to go much further than 200 miles.) I get about 45 mpg consistently. So consistently, I rarely check the MPG anymore. I typically try to get gas at or before 200 miles. I'm not one to try and push the limits, but I have never run out of gas on either the FJ09 or the Tracer 900 GT.

I used to check the mpg every time I filled up, but I got tired of it always being the same (45-47 MPG)

As always, YMMV.......

On 7/1/2022 at 11:55 AM, Kenny A. said:

Mmmm. Just been checking availability of heated comfort seat. They are VERY hard to source. Yamaha EU are out of stock,and it seems that no U.K. dealers have any either. I understand your frustration. If I find one,I'll let you know.🤞🏻

Try Corbin seats, I have had two of their heated seats (on two different bikes) and they are very good. Of course I am local and can go down to the factory, but my first one was shipped to Seattle.

On 7/29/2022 at 8:42 AM, motoontheweekend said:

100%. I came from a Kawasaki Z650 which is a cheaper bike but I never felt a lack of confidence from messing about with the clutch.

So many bad mechanics out there..

Where are you in California? I know a good one in Fresno/Clovis area if you are interested.....

I used to do valve adjustments and other more challenging maintenance items myself, but I was lucky enough to find an independent motorcycle mechanic in Seattle that did great work, and was very honest and trustworthy. I never had any issues with work from his shop, and trusted him when he suggested repairs for my Tracer.

Unfortunately, I recently moved from Seattle to Clovis CA, and during the move, my bike was damaged. Not knowing anyone else, I brought my bike to the Yamaha dealer for fixing the damage. Six months later, I finally got the bike back. To be fair, they did fix the bike, although they did some wonky things that I didn't find until later. My cigarette lighter plug is now missing from my dash. I don't use it often, but a few months after I got the bike back I realized it was gone. I asked them what happened, but they said it wasn't them and wouldn't do anything for me.

I did some research and found a local independent motorcycle mechanic who I now trust to do big jobs, ie the kind I don't want to do myself. Anything else is done in my garage.

I did mine is a few years ago, but if memory serves me correctly, it was pretty easy to install.

1) I had to install the side bars along either side of the bike for the Base/Platform for the case which will be just behind the seat

2) Attach the flat mounting plate to each side bar - just behind the seat 

3) Make sure the rack is straight behind the bike, and not tilted, and then just tighten the screws (I used a dab of locktite to be safe

4) Your top case should slide into the of the mount and snap to stay secure.

I have around 15K miles with mine, and no issues. I find the top case invaluable for touring and overnight trips, but for day rides, I typically remove the top case and use my side cases only. This helps reduce the effect of side winds on the bike, and for a day trip, the side bags are always enough storage for me.

I sure didn't get that with my Tracer 2020

Wonder if it would fit our bikes as well, and can you purchase that piece from the dealer!

Thanks for all the feedback, I suspect the combination of 1) Motorcycle Rider, 2) On a Red Motorcycle, 3) Driving Quick (but not fast) out of the stop sign, and 4) Boredom for the Trooper were the critical factors to getting the attention, but I'll never get that 30 minutes back again!

Ok, I'm out for a leisurely ride on my Tracer and I am riding some fun two lane roads leading up the mountain. I come to the intersection where I need to turn left to continue up the mountain, or turn right and head down back towards town. I chose to turn left, and I turned my left turn signal on as I stopped at the stop sign. Full stop, as I was pointed up hill, and traffic speed was 60 mph with most cars going faster than that. Once I saw a break in the traffic, I gave the bike some gas and proceeded to cross over the lanes closest to me, and into the far lanes going up the hill. I had to give the bike a bit more gas than I normally would, due to the steep hill and stop sign, but at no point was I going more than the 55 mph speed limit.

After a few minutes, I hear a siren behind me and to my surprise it is a State Trooper waving me to pull over. I pull over to the side of the road wondering what the heck he wants from me. State Trooper comes up and says I didn't stop before turning onto the roadway. That would be impossible due to the fact that the hill was so steep, I would have been going onto the highway blind, with no idea if traffic was coming in either direction. I was very careful when I took off from the stop sign to make sure I didn't stall, and gave the bike a bit more gas than usual, which led me to quickly get across the lanes into the right hand lane. As I explained what I did, and politely said that I was not exceeding the speed limit at any time during my turn, he said he wasn't going to give me a ticket, but a warning instead.

No impact to my license, or points on my driving record, or anything else. At this point I just decided to take the ticket, as he wasn't going to change his mind, even though he was 100% wrong. After about 30 minutes waiting in the hot sun for him to write the warning, he gave it to me, and I continued up the hill.

This happened a few months ago, and it has been bugging me ever since. I know I didn't run the stop sign, but for the life of me, I can't figure out why he would pull me over, much less give me a warning ticket. He had to have seen my record on his computer before he wrote me the warning, and I don't have any moving violations at all. I'm a middle age man, actually closer to senior than middle age, riding a Tracer 900 GT, not a crotch rocket or some other crazy fast motorcycle. Only thing I can think of is that he saw me shoot across the lanes due to the steep hill, and assumed that I must have been speeding.

If any of you folks have any insights into my encounter, or advise on handling it differently, I'd love to hear......

4 hours ago, Ride365 said:

IMHO the Tracer isn't an ideal 2 up machine......

I agree! I have taken my Tracer on cross country trips (literally from west coast to east coast and back) and I never had any issues with comfort. (although I did replace my seat with a Corbin Seat before I travelled any long distances)

If you are riding 2-up on short trips it is fine, but on longer distances you will notice the cramped space and suspension shortfalls.

Yep, that always bugged me too! 

It has been an issue since they came out with the initial FJ-09 and doesn't seem to have been fixed yet. I really didn't like the stock seats anyway, so I upgraded my '15 FJ09 to a Corbin Seat, which solved the problem for me. (I did the same upgrade when I bought my Tracer 900 GT)

I don't think Yamaha will be doing anything to fix this any time soon, mostly because seat comfort is so subjective, and the stock seat works fine, even if there is a bit of slack as it sits on the bike. You can purchase seats from various vendors who specialize in customizing seats for your particular taste. 

On 7/18/2022 at 9:31 AM, 3sum said:

 

Well I always thought riding a motorcycle was considered isolating!!!

Helmet on, self serve gas, and drive through food, can't get any more isolated than that......

Yep, betoney is correct. I'm guessing it is there to prevent noises from the seat while riding, but honestly, it doesn't do much of anything. I lost the version on my FJ-09 when I upgraded to the Corbin seat, and didn't notice anything had changed. I don't see it on my current Tracer, but I also changed the seat to a Corbin, so I may have removed it when installing the new seat.

Either way, you don't need it.

On 7/1/2022 at 5:57 PM, Heli ATP said:

Sorry to hear of your situation Brad. Have you considered adding heat to the stock heat. Home project or find a local upholsterer.

Saddlemen Seat heaters.

Or call Corbin seats and buy one of their heated seats, and get an actual seat that is comfortable too......

23 hours ago, PhotoAl said:

I think you did an amazing job of taking care of your BIL at the accident site.  Just having someone you know that cares about you during a crisis like that is so comforting even if he never tells you.  I'm not sure I would have been able to have the presence of mind afterwards to stop and take a moment to look around and make sure I had everything.

Great your BIL had someone like you to ride with not only to look after him during the aftermath of the crash but also to be mindful of his abilities during the ride.  I know it will weigh on you somewhat but you did what you should have done and were mindful of him and is abilities during the ride.  He chose to not wear the gear and I'm guessing with that attitude was probably not a disciplined about riding as he could have been which could also be a contributing factor.  No need to worry about his description of the crash to his friends.  You and his wife know what happened and he is done riding.

I didn't have to describe what happened during my scooter crash to my wife - she was on the back and told me what happened as I was knocked out and don't remember part of it.  15MPH no gear leaving me with a concussion and a shattered kneecap.  She is done riding with me on anything with 2 wheels but I still ride.  

I love to take long solo motorcycle trips but find riding in heavier traffic more and ore difficult.  I avoid large cities wherever possible and generally pick interstate free routes.

Thanks for your kind words, It is hard to have a clear head in situations like this. Fortunately, I had training as a Scuba Diving Instructor, and got some great tips on handling emergency situations, and how to react during events like this. Unfortunately, when it is someone close to you, it is a bit harder to focus and remember what you need to do. I know I did ok, as my BIL is safe. just heard from my Sister that they are on their way home from the hospital tonight after his two surgeries. All he has to do is relax and recover, which will probably be a challenge if I know him.

I took my first ride yesterday, and although it was a bit weird at first, I had a good time, and enjoyed the ride. Had to stay ahead of the forest fires here in Central California, but I was able to have a good carefree ride, with very little traffic, and no police handing out tickets.

Life is good.........