betoney

I own the GT Air and like it a lot, all-day comfortable, well made, good air flow and relatively quiet. Since the GT Air II is out now, you can probably pick up the original a bit cheaper. Regardless of brand or features, determine your head shape first. Not all helmets cater to every head shape. How to size and buy a motorcycle helmet - RevZilla Six simple steps to getting a helmet that fits both your riding style and your...

+1 for ceramic coating. I have had a previous bike's headers ceramic coated and it was very durable. Obviously the VHT and other high heat paints were made for just this purpose, I just don't think it will be as as durable since the header is exposed to the elements and rock chips, you may have to touch it up once or twice a year. As with any painting project, surface prep will be crucial. Share photos when you are finished.

I am all for making it unique and making it "your own", something to make it stand out from the masses. There are 20,000 red FJ's out there (I don't know the actual number) but none of them look exactly like mine. 😎👍

My local dealer is the same, the 2019 GT's all sold out and they currently have 2020 GT's and 2019 Tracers.

I agree with you on the side panel decal - dont like it. The wheel stripes look good, it gives saparation from the black/black of the rim and tire but I am not a fan of lettering on bike graphics, but thats just me. I think (again, just my opinion) a solid red rim stripe that matches the red on the tank would look nice. I like small accents but think less is more, like the blacked out TRACER emblem, I think a brushed aluminum or silver would look great on the flat black.

Preload ring and rebound knob are no problem, how about the compression knob on the remote canister?

Its interesting how different the seemingly identical 8983 shock can be. Mine was ordered Through Traxxion Dynamics and the remote canister has a hose inserted directly straight into the top and has stepless adjustment with a 13mm wrench. My buddy ordered the exact same 8983 shock through Stoltec and his has a canister with the hose exiting at a right angle and his compression knob is round and has to be turned with pliers.

@stumpy - Likely there is nothing wrong with your fork setup (Gold Valves are a great upgrade), it might simply be due to the single leg setup or lack of compression adjustability? My buddy has a FJ with the Stoltec pre-valved drop in cartridge and I have Forks by Matt Advanced setup, (both legs have revalved rebound and compression valving with adjustable rebound fork caps and compression adjustable base bolt) Riding the bikes back to back, we both notice a definite difference in fork action. The Stoltec single leg upgrade is a massive improvement over stock but still only adjustable for rebound damping. We have spend considerable time and miles setting his up the best we can (ride and tweak, ride and tweak) and yet we both feel a difference as soon as we swap bikes. On your shock, the compression adjustment should be stepless (no clicks) turn the knob 1/2 - 3/4 turn COUNTER CLOCKWISE (as a start) and see if that helps. We have found that the Penske doesnt need huge adjustments to make a dramatic improvement. 👍

@getpetey - As much I will always be an advocate for custom suspension as a worthwhile performance upgrade, I will echo what @texscottyd said. Not everyone "needs" to spend a lot of money on an upgrade, since the FJ/Tracer is such a versatile machine, everyone is going to use it a little bit differently. If you were just riding around town or general commuting, the suspension isn't horrible, especially with the correct springs. As you get more comfortable with the bike and pick up the pace in the twisties or use the bike for more longer distance touring, you will probably realize the limitations of the stock components and want it to be more plush for highway comfort or compliant for sport riding. If you need advice or assistance with upgrades, feel free to ask.

I have not used the comfort seat but have heard the same as @roadrash83 - only marginal improvement over stock. For nearly the same price you could get the Bagster Ready-Luxe w/Bultex foam. BAGSTER READY LUXE YAMAHA MT-09 TRACER 900 GT 2018-2019 BLACK WOVEN SUEDE BLUE BULTEX SEAT - ChromeBurner Buy the BAGSTER READY LUXE YAMAHA MT-09 TRACER 900 GT...

Original Yamaha FJ-09 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT 2018-2019 GPS Phone Holder Fits Tracer 900 (and tracer 900GT) and FJ900 2018 - 2019. This holder can...

If you wanted to experiment, the next time you service the forks try a higher viscosity oil to slow the compression stroke.

There are a few options available for the FJ/Tracer, basically either re-valve the factory parts or replace the shock and fork cartridges. Many members here have used K-Tech with fantastic results - 2015 Yamaha FJ09 Parts K-Tech Suspension USA - High Performance Motorcycle Suspension Parts We make your motorcycle go fast! Orient Express high performance... For slightly less money you could get the Andreani fork cartridges Andreani adjustable forks cartridge Misano 105/Y07 Yamaha MT-09 2013>2019 Andreani have developed a sophisticated hydraulic system that ensures... And then get the shock re-valved. The shock is generally considered a sealed unit and "non-serviceable" but NorWest Suspension is rumored to be able to cut it open and perform surgery and you would still need the correct spring, however it might be more convenient and cost effective to buy an aftermarket shock which would also feature compression and ride height adjustment as well as being MUCH higher quality. Many other brands to chose from with varying level of expense, as @johnmark101 mentioned, Traxxion Dynamics offers fantastic products but can be slightly more expensive than K-Tech. Products Archive - Traxxion Dynamics Traxxion Dynamics is proud to introduce the next revolution in motorcycle...

Your adapter should have the circuitry to sent the correct output voltage to your phone. Like the photo of the USB port above, 12v input from the bike and 5v output to the USB cable/charger.

Except the twisty roads, those don't suck... not even a little bit.

I would argue that precision control over throttle, clutch, brakes and body position will make you an overall better rider and not just at parking lot speeds.

Agreed. I never had luck using the 12v power cord for my GPS, it constantly lost power. The dealer replaced it under warranty and the new plug was no different. I finally stopped using it and hardwired the GPS to the switched auxiliary power leads behind the screen.

Also look at Tourmaster, one thing I like about their pants is each size is available in standard, short or tall. For Summer riding I use their Venture Air 2.0 pants. Knee and hip armor with removable rain and thermal liners. LOTS of air flow. Tour Master Venture Air 2.0 Pants The perfect counterpart to the Intake Air 4, the temperature-versatile...

A skid plate is a good idea but at 5.3" ground clearance, the FJ/Tracer is right in the middle of what most "non-adventure" type bikes have for ground clearance. From sport bikes to standards/nakeds to full on touring bikes, they are all +/- a few millimeters of 5.0".

I totaled my bike a few years ago, I hit a deer and the bike slid down the road on its side. I had Shogun frame sliders which were ground down about halfway but the mount bolt held just fine.

Thanks for the info, glad to hear that it is working properly now. Did they give any indication as to why this happened? Surely it shouldn't be "required" as part of replacing the brake lines? I guess I will get the bike to the dealer in the near future.

I will give that a try, thanks. 👍

Yeah, I'm hoping its something simple because it sure doesn't make any sense to me. The only thing that changed on the ABS pump itself was removing and replacing 4 banjo bolts, the pump remained full of brake fluid. I might have to see if I can make it to the dealer to get it checked tomorrow or Saturday like @roadrash83 suggested.

Thanks for the info. I was thinking along those same lines. I'll be interested to hear what your mechanic finds. 👍😎

I recently replaced my brake lines with braided lines, ABS pump was not unplugged or removed from the bike. One line replaced at a time. The brakes work fine but today I decided to try the ABS function on damp pavement. I pressed firmly on the rear pedal and it pulsed 2-3 times like normal and then locked up into a skid. I decided to check the front so I rode through some loose gravel slowly and grabbed the brake lever, again, pulses 2-3 times and skids to a stop. I checked it many times and could not get ABS to gradually slow the bike, the ABS light comes on and I have to cycle the key on/off to clear the warning light but the ABS light only comes on during the skid, not under normal riding. Both pedal and lever feel firm (proper bleed, not spongy) and the brakes work normally until the ABS module activates, there are no error codes on the screen. Any thoughts or experience with ABS issues?