rlambke19
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Posts posted by rlambke19
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7 hours ago, betoney said:
Good job modifying the mount to get it to fit but the fact that you had to do anything other than gently click it into place is not good. A finished aftermarket product should fit exactly like oem.
Exactly! And they aren’t cheap either!
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11 minutes ago, betoney said:
As are most of the bike parts you buy from China on EBay, exact duplicates, they don’t even try to hide it. Unfortunately the same Chinese parts that you buy on EBay are now sold on Amazon.
I don’t know if the Chinese parts are priced extremely low or the original parts are grossly overpriced, but I often see a price difference of over 10x.
Completely understood. I guess I just respect the amount of skill and time it takes to design a quality, well-fitting part for a modern motorcycle and it kind of bugs me that others literally steal their work and profit from it. I get that is how the world works though.
As for cost, like most things, the answer is probably somewhere in the middle.
Cheers,
Rob
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It appears to be a blatant copy of the EvoTech rad guard (I have one).
I feel that EvoTech is a solid company that does great work and produces quality stuff for our bikes.
I will personally continue to support them, but totally understand why people would buy this instead as it’s a great design, mounts securely (unlike the real cheapies that use zip ties) and the price is right.
Looks like a good find.
Rob
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1 minute ago, flyfifer said:
It might be useful if this statement ref the Pans was clarified by someone.
When it is said Sargent used an FJ Pan to produce a GT seat does this mean --
Sargent have their own moulding for an FJ seat
or
Sargent used a Yamaha FJ seat to produce a Sargent GT Sargen seat.
Pedantic it might be but I smell the potential for all sorts of confusion coming out of this thread ???????
Agreed.
JohnMark1 is going to give them a call to discuss his seat - I'm sure he will confirm this once he has spoken to them.
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19 hours ago, flyfifer said:
stgolfer sez Sargent have not completely addressed the slope issue ---- see above.
The comment and pic on the non GT section is extremely relevant.
Here is the thread (page 4 has pics of the seat on johnmark1's GT:
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5 hours ago, johnmark101 said:
Here is the picture. The contour of the seat does not at all match up well to the tank pad. May be due to the fact that they started with an FJ seat and modified from there rather than developing it directly from the GT. This may not be an issue for most. I am probably a bit too picky based on the fact that a large part of my career was spent insuring quality fit and finish in the automotive industry. The gap between the front seat and the OEM rear looks like a good place for water to enter and cause all sorts of issues. I believe Sargent makes excellent seats based on my previous two bikes but on those the fit was every bit as good as the OEM parts.
That doesn't look right to me.
It would drive me crazy too. If you're going to spend money on aftermarket parts that are supposed to improve your bike - you shouldn't have to compromise.
I know that there was a lot of pressure to get this seat to market (including several delays) - so I hope they didn't sacrifice quality for time here.
Hope you get it sorted out @johnmark101
Rob
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Checked mine on the weekend. They were tight AND it appeared that the dealership did put some blue Loctite on the screws, so not all dealerships are lazy.
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Sad news re: Hockley General Store
Woman, 26, dead after crashing vehicle into Hockley General Store
One woman is dead after crashing her vehicle into a building early... -
9 hours ago, wordsmith said:
Bought a quality set of 'security' Torx bits including a nice solid handle, costing AUD$20, all of which I'll probably never ever need again. Job done - but frankly it shouldn't have been necessary if Yamaha had themselves taken this tiny extra step of using a miniscule drop of Loctite on each screw. I like my GT, but this is another example of where Yamaha has let themselves down - and their customers - by lack of attention to detail.
Which size bit is required for the pannier screws?
Rob
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Nice report @piotrek!
I did the Gaspesie back in 2005 on my 2003 VFR. It is a beautiful and scenic area to ride. Your pictures of the coastal road brought back memories for sure. We went in August and for the most part avoided rain.
We stayed in Canada, but your route home looks great.
You guys must have either ridden at a good clip or did long days in the saddle to be able to do it in 7 days. I think we did it in 10...but we did have 9 of us and a couple that were on cruisers. 😉
Cheers
Rob
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36 minutes ago, Coop said:
Good luck working it out. Decisions wouldn't be so hard if they were easy. Is that a Yogi quote?
Sort of like, "Nobody goes there any more. It's too crowded."
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23 hours ago, fjrpittsburgh said:
I was showing a friend how the side cases come off and on the bike. I noticed the key in the lock mechanism was rather loose. After unlocking and unlatching the side case, I noticed that the 2 little screws in the back of the lock were both backed out almost all the way. I finger tightened them until I got home. The screws were backed out and I applied red Loctite to each of the screws threads and tightened them back up.
The screw heads are the security torx type. You can buy a little handy dandy folding tool with multiple sizes of security torx screw drivers really cheap at Harbor Freight. Since I'm also an FJR guy, this issue has been going on for years on FJRs with the same side case setup. Multiple people have had their bags pop off the bike at speed which totally destroyed them. Once those screws come out on their own, you can lose the bags quite easily.
When I checked the screws in the back of the lock on my other side case on the GT, they were still tight. I backed both of those screws out as well. Each of those screws had a little bit of blue Loctite on them, but not near enough to keep the screws secure over time. They backed out too easily.
Please check your side cases lock screws ASAP. Even if they're tight, I would definitely remove them one at a time an Loctite them. Some folks use blue Loctite, but I'd recommend red since there is no reason to ever take those screws out in the future. Based on my experience with the FJR bag locks, those things will last for hundreds of thousands of miles.
I looked the other day and couldn't tell exactly which ones were the culprits, but I will definitely look again tonight.
Appreciate the head's up @fjrpittsburgh!
Rob
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21 hours ago, betoney said:
@Larz The bike hasn’t been running bad at all, the only thing I’ve noticed is a slight burble and occasional pop on deceleration. I keep the baffle in.
I was just curious so I decided to give 2wheeldynoworks a call and they informed me that they have a specific flash just for the scorpion slip-on, so I decided “why not”?
Are they doing the re-flash for free? I think they offer that service, correct?
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4 hours ago, daboo said:
Even different profile tires that are new will have different characteristics. Some will fall into a corner more than others.
I like to look at bikes, but usually walk away happy with what I have. I did an hour long test ride on a R1200RS, and liked it. But all the time I was thinking I'd have to change this and change that...just to get it to the place where my own bike was already. And I look at the difference of the money I'd get for selling my bike and how much the new bike is...plus those farkles...and realize I'd be spending a LOT of money and getting very little back in performance or comfort.
Chris
I also took out an RS last year before I bought my Tracer.
It was the first time I’d experienced a boxer engine. I suppose I could have gotten used to it, but my first reaction was - no way. It’s so tractor-like and that low RPM power band was just so different than anything I’d ever ridden. The grunt and torque of the triple is just so much dang fun!
Rob
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5 hours ago, superfist said:
He complained that his Ninja was "fighting" him in turns before we swapped and afterwards was amazed at how effortless the FJ was in the corners. It definitely resisted turning, but when we stopped, I pointed at his worn out front tire as the culprit and not the weight of the bike. He's still fairly new to road bikes and that front tire was 3 flat angles with no roundness left at all. Literally shaped like /▔\. So yeah, I can't really comment on how the steering felt and let him know that replacing that front will feel like a new motorcycle.
I came to the Tracer from a Ninja 1000.
Whilst my front tire wasn’t worn as above, I can safely say that the Yamaha handles so much nicer than the Kawi did. I think for me it has to do with the steering geometry and wider handle bars. They just work better for me.
Rob
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On 4/6/2019 at 12:30 PM, texscottyd said:
@3sum - I use that same Pit Bull stand for my FJ, Mille, and 636. You just need to have a set of swing arm spools (‘paddock bobbins’ I believe is the European term?) threaded into the FJ swingarm. I use ones from EvoTech, but there are a bunch of other options out there. The width is slightly different in each of my bikes, so I have the right side adjuster on the stand bolted down tight, and leave the left side a fraction loose... a quick tap with a hammer moves it in/out to the width I need to each bike.
That said, it’s actually easier to pull both tires if you use the centerstand as @betoney suggests. I pull the rear, then lift the front to pull it. A floor jack under the headers works well, but my preferred technique is to pull the rear end down with tie-down straps from the rear rack to hooks on the lift. Anything heavy to anchor to should work.
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but does anyone know what size thread spools our bikes need? I have a set of M8 spools/bobbins from my last bike, but they are too big. One would assume M6 outs be the correct size, but wanted to check.
Thanks
Rob
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^^^^ I have so many pics in front of the Hockley General Store. Lol
I ride up there a lot for a coffee and a Cowboy cookie.
Glad to see a bunch of you made it and were able to get in some riding in the area.
Was the Versys part of the group, or just happened to be parked there?
Looks like you got a little sprinkling?
Rob
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As mentioned in an earlier post I am out for this one as I am away on family vacation. Hopefully August. Enjoy and ride safe!
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49 minutes ago, Albert Maas said:
I did look a little into Ivan's and that's where am sending mine tomorrow.
Did you have any difficulty with removing the ECU? Seems pretty straight forward except for twisting the fuel line around. I suppose you could just remove it fully, but you’d have to drain at least some of the fuel.
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3 hours ago, countersteer said:
I live near Bristol and yes, many our roads are in bad shape. Tough climate. If you did Lincoln Gap, hope you like gravel.
Sh*t - that's right.
We took the Lincoln Gap back from #100 after taking the Appalachian Gap (#17) from Bristol and it did turn to dirt for some of the way. The App Gap was an awesome road.
Rob
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Looks like you did the Lincoln Gap on Tour 3 to get from Bristol to Warren, VT.
Those maps look great! Thanks for sharing!
Cheer
Rob
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On 6/24/2019 at 7:25 PM, fjrpittsburgh said:
@sp0okz I haven't had time to send my ECU off to Ivan yet. I already know the review will be tremendous as are all of Ivan's reviews. There is no reading of the ECU to be done. You mail the ECU to Ivan in South Carolina and he sends it back to you flashed the same day he receives it.
Ivan is located in Rockland County, NY.
Doesn't matter much, but in case anyone lives local and wants to ride their bike to have the service done.
This guy lives and breathes tuning and is very passionate about certain bikes - i4 Litre bike Kawis and Yamaha triples seem to be 2 of his passions. Luckily - they are mine as well!
Please beg my pardon - it seems that Ivan's new address is indeed in South Carolina. Learn something every day!
(my bad @fjrpittsburgh)
Cheers
Rob
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10 hours ago, vincep said:
I loaded up the Tracer in the pickup and drove up to Bristol VT, near Burlington on Lake Champlain. It was about a 515 mile drive and I wanted to knock it out rather than ride the bike. This is the first time in almost 40 years of road riding, where I have trailered/trucked to start a ride (not including dirt biking).
I am using Bristol VT as a base and using a RoadRunner magazine cloverleaf ride. For those not familiar, RoadRunner comes out every two months and always has a “cloverleaf” ride where you base yourself in one place and they have four loop rides – usually planned as day trips each.
I have done two of the loops in a day (they average a little over 200 miles each) and one each on the other days. The magazine also gives you the .gpx files – which I have been using. I have ventured out on roads that look interesting as well. Lake Champlain is huge with VT on the east and NY state on the west. Very pretty area with rivers and streams and lots of boating and swimming.
The roads could be great, but their surface condition is overall poor. I guess the hard winters here destroy the roads. VT232 running through Groton State Forrest is the worst asphalt / sealed road I have ever ridden. I was bought up on dirt roads and this road is crap – I am not sure if it frost heaves or whatever they are called, but the surface is bad!
I wanted to head north for some cooler weather – it is very hot and humid in Northern VA at the moment. It has been warm in VT as well, but nice for riding.
Last few days have been great. Raining this morning (Wed) and will sit it out. Should clear at lunch.
I think I will try more of these RoadRunner cloverleaf rides. When I ride with the four regular guys at home, three of them like planning the routes etc, and I just have to follow along – which I like. Going out by myself I like the fact that someone has already planned it as a starting point for the adventure.
Went from a 2011 Multistrada to the Tracer GT and loving it. In June 2019 I rented a 2018 Multi for a week on holidays and was worried that when I got back to the GT I would not like it – has not been the case. Only thing I miss from the ’18 Multi is the up/down quick shifter and the better suspension. The suspension is the only thing I would invest in, on this bike.
PS: One dumb thing – do not leave the EZ Pass on the bike in the pickup - $36 in tolls from Arlington VA to Bristol VT on a bike that did 0 miles!
I was in VT a few years ago and didn't find the roads too bad.
Did you ride any of the "gaps" while in the area? Eg. Lincoln Gap?
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58 minutes ago, johnmark101 said:
Hello Rob,
I also had a 2003 VFR which I kept until I bought a 2011 Ninja 1000. Great minds do think alike! 😁
Totaled the 2011 and promptly bought a 2013. I used my Ventura luggage from the VFR for the occasional road trip on the Ninja. Kind of regretted not getting the hard bags. When I first read about the Tracer GT a little over a year ago it caught my attention since it came with the hard bags standard and more roomy ergonomics while keeping the weight below 500 pounds.
Yes, at times I contemplate which bike to ride, but in general the Tracer is used for relaxed local rides and touring. When I am riding with my "sport bike" friends and attacking the twisty roads I take the Ninja. With the exhaust, tuning (Ivans ECU) and suspension upgrades I have added to the Ninja it is the better sport bike. However the Tracer is no slouch when it comes to spirited riding. When I go from one bike to the other the differences between the two become quite apparent, especially the riding position.
I am really happy with the Tracer but am waiting on Sargent to produce a seat for the bike. Will probably send the ECU to Ivan to smooth out the throttle response. As many here have, I replaced the windscreen. Besides those items I am leaving it stock and hope to have the Tracer and the Ninja for a very long time. 👍
Lol - that's funny. Those VTEC era VFRs were fun bikes. I put a set of Staintunes and a Power Commander on mine and never had an issue when the VTEC kicked in. I had the hard luggage on mine and put some serious miles on - riding to the Atlantic Ocean several times. Never had an issue, not even the reg/rec - that happened after I sold it to a buddy. Whoops! 🙂
Those new Ventura racks that pivot and spin around look interesting. Less cumbersome than a full rear rack that can't be removed.
As for my GT - I've only changed the windshield (MRA Sport), installed an EvoTech rad guard and swapped out the turn signals for the Yamaha LEDs. The later are nice and bright, look WAY better - but you do lose the running light capability.
Would love to ride in Kentucky some time. I've driven there in a car and it's gorgeous countryside.
Cheers,
Rob
PS. Sorry to hi-jack your thread OP!
Tracer GT Sargent Seats
in Tracer 900 GT Discussions
Posted
I would have done the same.
An aftermarket seat should fit as well, if not better than stock. To me it’s not something that you should have to modify to fit.
Sargent took a long time to get the seat for the GT to market and this is the best they could do? Someone should make them aware of this thread as word of mouth on these forums is a very powerful thing. It would at least give them the chance to make it right.
Just my $.02
Rob