betoney

Welcome, since you have the GT, it comes with adjustable compression and rebound damping in the forks. -If it were me- I would figure out where your settings are at right now so you have a reference point. DO ONE LEG AT A TIME, count the clicks as you close the circuit CLOCKWISE and then turn it the same number of clicks back to where you started and write that number down. The most important thing you can do it know what the clickers actually do. Grab the front brake while standing to the side of the bike and press down on the bars several time to see how it feels, now, adjusting one leg at a time turn the clickers full clockwise and feel the difference and then fully counterclockwise and again feel the difference while pressing on the bars. Now return the clicker setting to what it originally was from fully closed ie 9 clicks out or whatever and then do the same to the 2nd fork leg. There should be a dramatic difference in feel between fully closed and fully open. Open is Left, Closed is Right turns just like a water faucet. Another thing to realize with the GT is each fork leg is independent, one leg controls how fast the fork compresses the spring and the other fork leg controls how fast the spring rebounds back to full extension. THE VERY BEST THING YOU CAN DO is go out for a ride with a screw driver and adjusting one leg at a time, add or subtract +/-2 clicks at a time until it starts feeling better to you, it really is trial and error to suit YOU and YOUR riding preference.

Like @knyte mentioned, just swap the lids for the FJR models.

Glad to hear that it worked out well for you. I also carry a small, maybe 12"x18" mesh bag for smaller items that can slip through the net openings.

The second hand bike might have had lowered suspension making the center stand require a lot more effort.

There are a lot of opinions on windshields and the solution is VERY subjective, even for riders of the exact same size. There is no "what works best?", only "what works for me". Here are over 2,000 posts to read through. https://www.tracer900.net/forum/38-fj-09-windshields/

I have also ridden the full sized Tenere in the past and felt the same way, I wanted to like it but the motor was characterless and boring to me. It has a lot of great features but its also close to 600 lbs and kind of top heavy. I didn't hate it but it didn't "wow' me. I would like to ride it side by side with the Africa Twin.

I have always avoided going to Canada to ride because the police are well known for being overly militant on speed enforcement, is that not the case anymore? I have several friends and family members who have been pulled over and ticketed for just 2-5mph over the posted limit, in cars and on bikes. They were also warned that 15 over will result in their vehicle being impounded. Is that because they are U.S. residents? or is that the same with locals as well?

I have never seen one like that, I'm not sure what it is for. 🤷‍♀️

If I had the chance to ride one for a full day or overnight trip, I would absolutely ride the wheels off of it. Worst case scenario, you put the curiosity to rest and conclude either "Meh, its not for me" or "Damn, that was impressive".

There's nothing 'wrong' with changing the oil before 600 miles, I was just mentioning it because I found a lot of metal particles in the oil at 100 miles. As far as engine break-in goes, I wont get into that as there are many opinions on that subject and most people believe that all of them are wrong except theirs. I simply rode mine in a normal manner including a few runs up to 9k and back. Your experience my differ, please do what you feel comfortable with.👍

Congratulations on the new bike, the more you get used to it the more you will love it. Before taking it out on a road trip, consider doing its first oil change. Brand new motors get a lot of metal particles in the oil, I did the first oil change at just over 100 miles and was amazed at the amount of silver in the oil.

@texscottyd - This is a a good first impression video of an X-Diavel and Niken owner swapping bikes.

It is absolutely normal to shift the Tracer at 4000-5000 just like your KTM, no need to rev it out to 9000 unless you are riding like a hooligan. The Tracer has a very flat torque curve and pulls a long time in every gear and can be ridden as sedate or aggressive as you choose.

Yes, you owe it to yourself to at least try it and see for yourself. I am always open to try something new and I certainly applaud Yamaha for releasing something so radical, I hope this urges other manufacturers to try something new and different.

@LizN - The bikes look great!, enjoy the new rides.

Every rider is different and the ability to control you right wrist determines if a bike is too powerful for you. My first street bike was 1000cc but I also had 30+ years dirt riding experience. Basically, unless you ride like an idiot, you should be fine on the Tracer. The Tracer is a great bike, as much at home in the mountain twisties as it is on a multi-state road trip. Zero issues cruising at 80mph on the highway for days at a time, just set the cruise control and go.

I would like to give it a full day test ride, maybe 300-400 miles in all different conditions. I would absolutely put it on the list of possible bikes, in no way would I NOT consider it. I came away very impressed. When I finished the demo ride I was talking to one of the safety riders and he said the reaction is exactly the same as yours "It looks so weird"... until they ride it and then the reaction is usually like mine. He said its one of those bikes that no one wants to like but then they usually come away very surprised.

Yamaha had their Demo Days in Olympia today so I stopped in to see what they had to offer. Appointments were 45 minutes apart, test ride was 25-30 minutes and then 15 minutes to spray down the bikes and prepare the next group. When I got there the 1:00pm ride was already booked so I signed up for the 1:45 group, when we got back a lot more riders had shown up and the 2:30 group was booked and only a few spots left for the 3:15 group. I talked to the sales guy when I got there and he said not to worry about riding the T7 or the MT10 today, they had some in stock and would let me demo them at a later date to avoid the wait time but insisted that I HAD to try the Niken. First off the fueling is ultra smooth, way more than any flashed bike I have ridden, like B-Mode smooth with A-Mode aggressiveness, VERY impressed. The suspension was also impressively plush, we rode on urban surface streets and some rural farm land roads, man hole covers, pot holes, pavement cracks etc and I never got any spine jarring jolts, for stock Yamaha suspension, it felt great. 'Supposedly' the engine tune is milder and the bike weighs around 100lbs more than the Tracer, I expected the acceleration to kind of be a dog but it was sharp and smooth and pulled with authority. I only used A-mode, they call it 1, STD would be 2 and B-Mode would be 3. I tried all 3 for a second or 2 but liked 1 or A-Mode the best, especially considering how smooth it was. You always read about the front end and handling, I will say, had I not looked and seen 2 wheels out front, I never would have realized what I was riding from the riders experience, it absolutely feels just like a 2 wheeler. We rode through several traffic circles, right angle turns and some sweeping curves and I rode it almost as spirited as I would my bike (it was still a demo ride of course) and was instilled with confidence and grip through every corner. This was also the first time I have ever ridden with a quick shifter and LOVED it, I hit neutral a few times between 1 and 2 but other than that, just keep the throttle pinned and grab gear after gear. The only negative to report would be that the front brakes weren't exceptionally strong, the seat felt like it had a weird downward slope and the soft bags were kind of floppy on their mounts but other than that, VERY impressed with the bike. FWIW, for anyone considering going to a demo day, they had almost all of their bikes available to ride except the R1, VMax and scooters.

Sounds fun, where you headed? Since this year has been so unpredictable and chaotic, I had canceled all of my road trips. I was originally supposed to be in the Black Hills of S.D. this week, riding Needles Highway and Iron Mountain.

Today the mail man delivered a new TPMS from Sykik. I haven't ridden with it yet but the set up is as easy as installing the valve caps on the air stems, it automatically pairs and has an auto shut-off after 5 minutes of no movement. I will have to wait to determine longevity. SRTP300 Mounted Tire Pressure Monitor Tire pressure monitor for motorcycles. with 1.5" water-resistant monitor...

Same happened to me on a brand new Pirelli Angel GT, I was just scrubbing it in and I stopped for gas when I noticed a large screw just like yours. I plugged it and kept going. Its surely not what you want to see happen to a brand new tire though.

I have always used a tank bag but a small one, 5-7L i think, perfect for wallet, phone, tools and some small stuff. I cant bring myself to use a top box, I have never liked the looks of them and the only time I would ever carry that much stuff is on a multi-day road trip and would prefer the SH36 bags. I always travel light, even on my 10-day trip to Utah and Colorado, everything I needed fit in the 2 side bags.

It comes in very handy. Mornings and higher elevations can be quite cold so I dress in layers. Its nice to be able to store my extra clothing as the day warms up as well as carry a lunch without having to install my side bags.

Today, I rode the 3-Pass Loop. White Pass, Chinook Pass and Cayuse Pass. One of the best days of riding I have had in a LONG time. Google Maps

@trevinator - these photos might give you an idea on what needs to be fabricated. Moose Racing Expedition Side Case Mounts The Moose Expedition Side Case Mounts are constructed of strong and...