texscottyd

Thanks @fddriver2 - You’ll appreciate this supplement, then. I found it buried away in my toolbox... back when I had a license to race the fastest motorcycles in North America. @micah2074 - The next challenge is your call. What do you have in mind for you?

Sticky biscuits... worth their weight in gold! And for the record, I kept it under 100 last weekend... 😇 @NordyNordman - Apologies for side-tracking your thread. It looks like a great trip you have planned, so good luck & enjoy the ride!

The engineer in me HATES unverified speculation. You should test this hypothesis - preferably multiple times to verify consistent & repeatable results - then report back with your findings. 'Cause, you know... science & stuff

I'm going to leave the beach challenge for @micah2074... we're waiting, dude But as a bonus round on the 'favorite place' challenge, I wanted to throw something a little different into the mix. It's not technically a favorite place, but just a roadside rest area near Jones Creek, Texas that always makes me smile when I see it. It was here, way back in the spring of 1990, that a friend I highly respect pulled me aside after a very spirited run down the local river road. His comment to me: "You've got to slow down or you’re going to kill yourself. I think you could be a damn good road racer... you should look into that." That simple remark set the wheels in motion, and for the next 20 years I was doing some combination of sprint and endurance racing, including several years instructing for a track day program after I retired from competition. I ride on the street just for fun now, but I can't help but smile when I think about how a simple conversation on a Sunday morning ride changed my motorcycling experiences for the better. Good memories of a favorite place...

Welcome @Therealal - Congratulations on the new Tracer... it’s way less boring than a V-Strom. Simpson references: You’ll fit in just fine around here.

Hi @stevesweetz - I also use the EBC HH pads, and installed them exactly as they came out of the package, with that backing plate in place... I honestly didn't even notice that it was removable. I suspect that is an anti-squeal shim which is pre-installed on the backing plate. Leave it alone and enjoy your strong - and quiet - new brakes.

Go for it! The ‘your favorite place’ challenge got away, but it turns out you’ll still get to use the picture you intended. Utah looks as spectacular as I remember... hope you’re enjoying the trip

Very cool @jdavis! If you followed the 500 GP series around the turn of the century, it would be impossible to not remember Garry McCoy. In the pre-traction-control 2-stroke era, he was always exciting to watch! And by all accounts a genuinely nice guy...

Don't miss Utah Route 12 through Escalante down past Bryce Canyon... I'm jealous. Enjoy your ride!

I posted this a couple of years back... I've seen numbers from the EatSleepRide app consistently in the 45 - 50 degree range. That seems a bit optimistic, but may not be too far off. Years of racing YSR50s on go-kart tracks has apparently carried over to my street riding, so I'm a 'momentum rider' with flowing lines and more mid-corner speed. I don't hang off on the street (seems pointless to me), so my riding buddies have commented that I do tend to carry a lot of lean angle. -Scott

@Dark&Stormy - That certainly doesn’t look right, unfortunately. Is this a brand new system, or has it been on the bike already? I have a LeoVince on my 636, and it’s a beautifully made piece that fits perfectly. I suppose any vendor can have a random manufacturing defect, but that is really surprising to see... Good luck & I hope you find a quick resolution.

I must ride one! For those times when a V-Max feels just a little bit sluggish...

Nice @BBB! Have any thoughts about oil or break-in procedures?

That's a valid point, and It's possible the newer bikes are better. I'm not sure what model year bike I rode, but it was a couple of years back... maybe a 2016? It would be worth riding a new one to note the improvements. The Tracer GT is a big improvement from the original FJ09, so it's reasonable to assume the XR has also improved over the same time span.

I fully anticipated falling madly in love with the XR. But the actual experience (based on a 30 mile test ride) left me somewhat cold... I have ridden a friend’s S1000R, and really was impressed, so I figured the XR would be the perfect sport tour crossover. In my mind, the R to XR evolution paralleled what Yamaha did creating the FJ from the FZ9. But the dynamics of the XR just didn’t work for me... a very noticeable & puzzling vibration throughout the bike was the most intrusive concern. And although it was fast, it somehow felt muted & detached to me... maybe some break in miles (or more familiarity with the bike’s unique characteristics) would have made an improvement? But overall it just didn’t grab me... nice, competent, pleasant even, but not stellar.