texscottyd

@nhchris - Did you pre-fill the new filter with fresh oil before you put in on the bike? That might explain where the ‘extra’ oil appeared from (it probably would have looked nice & clean, however).

One of those ‘great mysteries of life’ questions with this bike...

Hi @banderso - I assume this is for a big brake upgrade on the FJ/Tracer? I did it on my 2015, and really like the results. Just my opinion, but the OEM Yamaha R1 rotors are cheap enough that I would just buy a new set instead of digging around looking for a straight used set... They’re about $115 each (+/- a couple of bucks) from the various online parts suppliers. The other option is aftermarket: I did the EBC rotors on mine, at a little over $200 per side. Good luck! You’ll like the upgrade. -Scott

Why, oh why, do I have to be at work today? Riding weather doesn’t get any better than this... Unless that's degrees Celsius, in which case you're likely already dead.

Hi @Maverick302! I’m a bit shorter than you are (6’1” and 230 lbs), and personally prefer a shorty screen year round. I live in Houston, where the summers are sweltering, and I typically don’t ride if the weather is much below 50 degrees, so airflow and cooling trumps weather protection for me. I also come from a history of sport bikes and standards, so haven’t lived with touring-style windscreens in the past. Is yours a new GT, or a Gen 1 FJ? On the original FJ the windscreen was a weird compromise that apparently didn’t work for anyone... amusing that Yamaha engineers could come up with something that was noticeably worse than nothing at all. That said, here’s an easy experiment to try: Just remove the stock screen entirely and ride it around for awhile... you might be surprised at how pleasant it is. If you like that experience, then steer towards a shorty screen (I have the CalSci tinted shorty on my 2015 FJ). If it’s too breezy for you, then one of the larger full coverage screens may be best. At 6’4”, I suspect it will have to be a big screen to get you into a nice still air pocket. Good luck & let us know what you decide to try.

Ha! Yeah, you know who you are... Recent conversation with incredibly patient wife ended with her saying “So, what I’m hearing is that we need to budget $10,000 for you to buy a $4,000 MSRP Honda Monkey, so that you can somehow recapture the days of your misspent youth?” God, how I love this woman... Welcome @moto_piper and @dnozzle! Enjoy the new bikes...

Spot on advice. Keep a light touch on the bars, and let it hunt around a bit and find its own way. Motorcycles in motion are inherently stable devices; it’s typically our rider inputs that screw up the process.

Hmmm... uh... well... Today’s jaunt. Redacted to avoid self-incrimination.

Is this a ‘fly and ride’ trip, or is it coming home with you via truck/trailer? Coincidentally, the time I rode 666 was the reverse direction of your trip: I flew to Phoenix to pick up a VFR750, and rode it back to Houston via the most interesting routes I could find on the map. Good times, other than a surprise late-spring snowstorm in west Texas...

As a data point, I just found this prehistoric creature - completely intact, but very dead - hanging out on the gas tank under the right side front tank cover plastics. I would love to know how it made it in there without being squashed on impact...

Welcome @Velvet! You’re in the middle of some amazing riding: I still vividly remember riding 666 from the south up to Alpine, staying at a little hotel for the night, and then heading east into the Gila National Forest... a stunning part of the country. I didn’t realize Alpine was at 8,000 feet elevation, but it explains why I felt like I was climbing the entire ride north. Congrats on the new Tracer. You’re going to love it. -Scott

Amazing accomplishment, and it sounds like you have many miles left to ride. Thanks for sharing.

Hi @krucymucy - I’m curious if there is a reason you didn’t remove the factory peg feelers? Mine came off the same day I bought the bike... they’re way too long for spirited riding. I also trimmed the rubber bump stop to raise the center stand a bit, and I’m good with ground clearance about 99% of the time. Glad to see you enjoying the bike!

The best possible advice you can give for suspension setup. I used to cringe when I would hear one of my students say “I’m gonna change <something> and <something else> and <another dependent variable>” when chasing suspension setup. Yeah, it will be way different, but how in the world will you know what input yielded which part of the result? Glad you’re getting it (methodically) dialed in! That MT-10 should be an awesome bike for you.

Uh-oh... the machinists are getting ready to throw down!