betoney

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...

Not necessarily. I read many different motorcycle forums for Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki and one of the most hotly debated accessory you can buy for your bike, or ANY bike is a wind screen because it is so subjective. Just read through the hundreds of posts on wind screens and you will find that everyone likes something different, even those who are the same height have different opinions and it can be an expensive journey finding what works for YOU. One thing to know is that the windscreen CAUSES the turbulence and noise, next time you ride your bike on the highway get up to a common cruising speed-75-80 and stand up out of the blast of the screen for a few seconds and see how smooth and quieter the air is, or swap bikes with a buddy who has a naked bike and prepare for a revelation and see how quickly your buddy complains how loud your bike is with a wind screen.

I don't know how anyone can enjoy excessive engine braking, I have test ridden a few bikes that felt like the brakes were being applied anytime the throttle was closed, ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE riding experience. Thankfully the ECU flash reduces a lot of the engine braking.

Today I took a ride through Gifford Pinchot National Forest Google Maps

They couldn't find the issue and just returned it back to you not working? Is it still under warranty?

Its hard to go wrong with Sprocket Center. I have used them for years with zero issues and their customer support is outstanding. I have had questions and they always respond promptly. They have all of the specs in their data base so even if you change your final drive with different size sprockets, they will send the chain cut to length for your specific configuration. Their Superlite sprockets are VERY high quality. On my last chain change I decided to keep the same sprockets on the bike and even going through 2 chains, I compared the sprockets side by side with brand new ones and couldn't find any perceptible wear. A word of caution, since you have never replaced a chain before, it requires a special tool for removing pins as well as riveting the new master link and you don't want to over flare the pins or it will be too tight and possibly kink. If in doubt, have the dealer do it for you. FJ-09 | Sprockets & Chain Kits Sprocket Center is dedicated to being the world's premium provider of...

Yep, 10mm is around 2%

It might sound silly but I carry a spare pair of ice fishing gloves with my rain gear. I have the quick over pants and jacket like you mentioned. I have been through some horrific down pours into very cold temperatures and these gloves are nice to carry along. They wont protect you much in a low side crash but I just use them to get through the storm and then switch gloves. WATERPROOF Ice Bay Glove by Glacier Glove 813BK Best Selling Neoprene Waterproof for Cold Weather Ice Bay Glove by...

You have the GT so you have adjustable rebound and compression in the fork👍 HUGE improvement over previous models. Correct springs and a few clicker adjustments should get you set up nicely. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Before throwing money at it, have you done a quick bleed to check for any air bubbles? A quick bleed check should only take 10 seconds, - pump/hold, open, close, release, done. Not saying that replacing the pads isn't necessary but checking for air is very quick and free.

I would absolutely address this issue, you use the brakes and suspension for more than track riding but most importantly - since you carry a passenger. At a minimum get the proper rate springs for your weight to help reduce the brake dive, the stock springs are aimed at someone who probably weighs 140-170lbs. The correct rate springs front and rear might cost you $250.

Does the extended wheelbase due to the swingarm extensions adversely affect the cornering very much?

I have watched many video reviews and all of them say the same thing, for how wickedly powerful it is, that it is also amazingly easy and relaxed to ride. I have to test ride one some day.

Can you give a quick comment on power delivery? I have never had a vehicle with a turbo, does it spool up and then hit? or is it linear?

True, you could always disconnect the rear shock and elevate the rear tire so the output shaft, swingarm and rear axle are level to get the truest idea of the tightest point, so you would always have that reference figure. Personally, from that tightest measurement, I would add 10mm slack.

Agreed, the performance numbers out of those supercharged engines are AMAZING and from what I have read the output is extremely linear, although linear at an alarming rate! 😎

I love their outside of the box thinking but they are just too expensive, the price almost doubles with the addition of the supercharger when compared to the closest comparable 'standard' model.