mike

When I hit a deer last year the insurance company gave the check to the dealer and required all parts listed and paid for to be replaced. I was not able to cut the number of repaired parts and/or do the work myself to pocket the money. They required an invoice from the dealer to make the final payment. Now, if you can work with the dealer maybe you can work something out.

Thanks guys, that sets my mind at ease a bit.

The valves on my bike were checked and adjusted at 18,000 miles. As with most bikes, all of the exhaust valves were tight and had to be shimmed. I am pushing 32,000 miles now and am wondering how many of you had to adjust the valves on the second round? Do they hold their clearance better after the first adjustment or do they continue to wear at the same rate? Thanks in advance Mike

My brake and tail lights stopped working yesterday. I tested all the fuses, all were good. I then pulled the connector apart under the seat and the circuits were dead. Going back the the fuse box, I tested for power on both sides of the brake light fuse and there is no power coming into the fuse. I am not finding a dedicated fuse for the tail light circuit on the bike or in the owners manual. I tested every fuse i could find in all three fuse boxes and they are all good. The bike starts and idles just fine and there are no lights showing a problem on the dash. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance, Mike

I'm 6' 2" tall and found the stock screen acceptable for wind protection but the noise from the deflected air stream was a killer. I installed one of the cheep smaller deflectors with the single attachment point which cured my issues with the noise. If you have the same problem, hold your hand up over the screen while you are on the road as if it was a small deflector. If that changes things to the point you can live with it, it is a much cheaper solution. I did have a Madstad installed on both my Vstrom and Tiger 1050 and they are great but damn expensive. I also love using my Pueg fly screen with the handguards removed in warmer weather.

I hit a deer a while back and have finally started getting parts from Yamaha to put the bike back together. I didn't go down but the Tupperware was trashed on both sides up front, the fender was destroyed, the radiator was trashed and the front headlight/screen mounting frame was bent to the left. This is a great time to make a couple of changes and one will be the installation of a set of LED turn signals. Do both the front and rear lights require the same adapters to mount the lights to the body work? I have ordered a kit from TST for the front but their package for the rear is geared to their fender eliminator kit. I plan on keeping the rear license plate and taillight assembly an just replace the signal lights and want to make sure I have the proper parts to make the swap.

Due to a deer strike (The bike and I survived, the deer did not) I am looking for a front fender for my Tracer GT. From what I can see, the fenders are the same on the FJ and FZ as well as the Tracer. I need a cheep unit to use until the new one the insurance company is buying shows up from Japan. As long as it is useable, I don't care about condition as long as it doesn't break the bank. Thanks, Mike

Lainemcvlog, did you ever find the cause? If not, has turning off the QS solved the issue?

The last two sets of tires I have run were Bridgestone T-31's and S-22's. They both approached the maximum mileage delivered by any tire on the Tracer and my last bike a Versys 1000. I have never had a set of tires last more than 4500 miles. The best was 4500 on a set of Dunlop Roadsmart 2's and the Bridgestones both reached the around 4300 miles. I was surprised that The S-22 lasted as long as the T-31 and just ordered another set from Rocky Mountain for future use to take advantage of the rebate.

I have been using the City bag for six years on three bikes. This bag has done at least 50,000 miles and still looks new and latches securely. You do pay more for these bags but this has been the best quality of any bag I have used in the past. I got creative and modified a tank ring from my old Triumph Tiger 1050 to work on the GT and everything works well. If there is a taller ring, that will be the one you need. I had to shim the latching hardware away from the bottom of the bag to get it to work on the standard height ring so the extra height ring will be needed.

Luckily I was buying a new pickup anyway and just upsized the unit.

Well, we jumped up to a full size Silverado with a 5' 8" bed and I believe the issue has been resolved. It appears that the back wheel will be much closer to the bed which is the strongest part of the tailgate. Thanks for the input.

Has anyone ever hauled a Tracer in a short bed small pickup? I'm thinking of buying a Chevy Colorado with a short bed, five foot length. I figure I will have to fortify the tailgate somehow to keep the weight of the rear tire from causing damage, to the tailgate, when hauling the bike over longer distances. Maybe a channel running front to back to help keep the full load off of the tailgate or some side to side brace on the tailgate to distribute the load over the full width of the panel. Any comments from those who have run into this situation would be appreciated,

I will look forward to your experience with the Road II's. I have been wondering if the new II is the same quality as the old tire. The price is so much less than the old II and the new III that I wonder about it. At that price the new Dunlop II is very attractive and, if it holds up well, may very well be my next purchase. Hell, these are cheaper than Shinkos.

The T31's I just changed out gave me 4500 miles which equaled the best mileage I have ever gotten from a rear. The only tire that has lasted that long for me in the past was a Road Smart 2. I just installed a set of S22,s and am looking forward to testing their longevity. You can't argue with the dollar to mile value with the Bridgestone tires when you are able to use the rebate and get both ends for less than $200.

I ride in A all the time. The other day I switched to B on a stretch of steep gravel road. I thought I had broken my bike until I realized I had forgot'n to switch back when I hit the asphalt.

I traded a Versys 1000 for the GT. The Versys is a very good bike. Smooth, pulls strong from 2000 RPM and extremely stable. It is heavier and almost too refined in feel. The Versys could be run through most of the roads I enjoy the most in 5th and 6th gears. If I was going to be traveling long distances, this would be a better bike for me. I really enjoy the fact that I am more involved with the bike on the GT. The GT could be kept in the lower gears and use the upper RPM without shifting but I enjoy using the gearbox and being more attuned to how the engine and suspension are responding to what I am asking of them. The GT is a whole lot more fun to run through the twisties due to the light weight and sportbike like front rake and trail. For the 200 to 300 mile day rides I am enjoying these days the GT is a much more fun machine. All of the other goodies like cruse, heated grips, QS and fully adjustable front end are also a plus.

All I can say is that it is fun pulling out of a corner and running up through the gears with a strong, even if not pinned, throttle with the QS. Is it necessary? NO Is it fun? YES. True, there are some other things that I might rather have as part of the overall package but this is what was offered and I, for one, will be using it on occasion and grinning the whole time.

It must be the way I ride. My technic must be bad. I would love to be able to get more miles. I run 36/42 psi. Maybe the pressure is too high?

I have no idea how you folks get that kind of mileage out of a set of tires. I don't commute on the bike. I am an old dude who loves to ride the twisties. I am no Ricky Racer but I do scrub the tires within 1/4 inch of the sidewall edge. The rear is not squared off due to heavy acceleration but shows a smooth transition from the center to the sidewall. The front tire is also getting close to the wear bars at 3,000 miles. I am a little heavier than most of you at 260 lbs which may cause some additional wear. The best mileage on a rear tire was 4,500, or so, miles on a Dunlop Roadsmart II that I babied to extend the millage. I have run Michelin, Pirelli, Dunlop and Bridgestone Sport touring tires. The bikes were a Triumph Tiger 1050, Versys 1000 and the GT so all had decent power and were ridden spiritedly. I know a few of you are able to stretch the life of these tires. I just don't have any idea how you are able to do it.

I am just finishing up on a set of Bridgestone T31's. Installed them in June and have been enjoying them in SW Wisconsin and SW South Dakota. These are wearing well. I should get somewhere around 3500 - 3800 miles out of this set. They stick well, track beautifully and are wearing evenly with no feathering. The only tire I have tried that got better mileage was a rear Dunlop Road II on my Versys 1000 that lasted around 45000 miles. I have a set of S22's in reserve when these finally give up the ghost. We'll see how well these work. As stated above both of these were bought using the Bridgestone rebates for less than $200 a set.

The GT in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Mt Rushmore visible through the tunnel.

It sounds like you are not going to the track with the FJ given your experience. I weigh 260 lb and can ride my GT rather aggressively without problems. The stock suspension definitely could use upgrading but for normal use I would think you would be OK until you can afford the improvements. It all depends how hard you are going to push it.

Thanks

I have never noticed excessive heat from the stator cover in the past. Yesterday I took a short ride and the cover was damn hot. I felt it through my riding pants when I came in contact with it at a stop. It was very hot when I felt it with my riding gloves. Have I just not noticed it in the past or have I got a problem on my hands?