jthayer09

Timing on this thread is incredible. Combination of years at a desk job with questionable posture, and long sessions on the motorcycle, I've started developing some C8 nerve pain in neck and arm, with tingling in my 5th digit. Doctor gave me some steroids for and told me to get my posture sorted and incorporate neck exercises into my workouts. In the meantime, I'll be wearing a soft collar around the house occasionally for some extra support until the neck muscles strengthen. But I was thinking about picking up a helmet support like the following: Adult Neck Brace | Motorcycle, Motocross, ATV, Skiing | Bohn Body Armor (bohnarmor.com), seems like it'd offer both comfort and safety in my case. Might look a bit goofy, but that just means I need to pass people faster so they don't get a good glance 😄 But more on-topic: I think I'd definitely wear neck protection if I were riding hard in an off-road course with variable terrain that increases the odds of having lateral force applied to the head if I crash, or in racing an automobile where I'm strapped to the seat so any momentum keeps my head moving without my body. I think for motorcycling on roads or tracks I'd opt for an air bag solution rather than a neck brace, which might be a near purchase for me since the tech is becoming reasonably priced and simple to use.

I've been running the Akrapovic Racing Line Carbon for roughly 5,000mi now and love it, definitely a top 5 exhaust sound for me; with the dB killer in it is perfect. I might go back to stock this season -or try to snag a deal on the Akra system with the catalytic converter-, cops in my area have really been cracking down on the noise laws here. A lot of straight-pipe cruise riders and street-Rossi bros in my area rev bombing at stop lights have made local law enforcement take a zero-tolerance policy to noise pollution from vehicles. That behavior has ruined it for the rest of us 😐

I have a Dominator Titanium HP8 EX full exhaust system with dB killer for sale, compatible with Gen 3 Tracers: Used for about 400mi but it's too loud for me. Great tone and quality welds all around, really enjoyed how it looked on the bike. Does have one small ding on the muffler shown in the picture above. Comes with the original box and all installation parts necessary. I marked the headers and mid-pipe with tape and color indicators for which header goes into which hole. Installation instructions will need to be downloaded from Dominator's website. dB Killer installed in the muffler already. $475 - shipped contiguous 48 U.S. states. A couple of my seller profiles below for credibility: eBay profile: https://www.ebay.com/usr/09jthayer?_tab=1 Swappa profile: https://swappa.com/user/BEF001/profile

Lots of wet riding over the winter and even yesterday. I never had any "oh shit" wiggles in corners or uncontrollable spins from a stop; I would say wet performance is par for the class, I never felt like I was at the limits of the tire. TCS came up once when I was trying to put down more power on top of a crosswalk paint line, but that's my fault. I never fully loaded the bike up on the KM1s, hopefully I can do that this season for camping. I did a couple of overnight trips with loaded top and side cases but left the passenger seat empty. I did increase the rear preload but did not increase PSI to compensate for load and that probably ate up some tire life, and if I recall correctly did weigh the steering down a bit so I had to give it a bit more muscle in corners if I wanted to carry speed through. The VFR thread I linked in a previous post has some detail for interstate touring if you want to look at that. Actually, now on my 2nd read through of the VFR thread... is that the same @RaYzerman as on this forum? 😄

Alright ladies and gents, after riding through a NW Ohio winter into an early spring season the rear is done at ~4500mi: I'm extremely happy with these, nothing has changed since my last review except that they are impressively fast to warm up. 36F and sunny? No problem. Chicken strips are 3/8-inch to 1/4-inch all the way around: The guy on the VFR forum got a documented 14,000mi out of his rear. But he also primarily toured and ran the pressures of 42R/36F, both of those will buy him more life; even more so if he's doing interstate touring on paved asphalt. My tires lived at 36R/32F for grip, and my miles were 90% hard recreational riding in my area and all-around Appalachia. Scooter takes care of grocery and in-town duty, and I have worked remote since 2018 so I've eliminated the need to commute. Also, nearly every back road in my area is all chip-sealed rather than pavement, it definitely accelerates tire wear. I would bet money on nicer roads and higher PSI these are a 6K-8K mile tire for the average person. I'm also impressed with the wear pattern, that's a pretty round tire, evenly worn, and it's stable up to 140MPH tested, and the wobbling at that point comes from the bike aero rather than the tires. Front looks about 40-60% remaining depending on where I'm measuring: They're $160/set on Motosport.com currently. A rear on its own is $90.99, so you could get 9,000mi from 2 rears and 1 front riding like a knob like me and still only be at ~$270.00. They clearly perform, I have another rear being mounted by the shop as I'm typing this. I'll run higher pressures (likely 39R/35F) with the new tire to experience handling and lifespan changes. It's probably the only tire I'm going to buy going forward, with Dunlop and Michelin playing in the $500 range, and Bridgestone's rebate is now $60 instead of the old $100 it's not just "saving a buck or two" anymore. Only negative I can think of is that I can't run my Givi rear mudguard for the rain and winter slush because Kenda's solution to increasing mileage on a tire made out of a single, soft, and sticky compound it just to give you a lot of rubber in the center of the rear tire.

If you want to avoid taking it to the dealership and save some money on labor, it just looks like you're missing the nut and the collar that attaches the angular position sensor to the swing arm. You want parts 14 & 15 in this diagram: Yamaha Motorcycle 2022 OEM Parts Diagram for Rear Arm | Partzilla.com Drop the collar - part 14 - into the rear fender circle in your picture, then you want to use part 15 to screw the position sensor rod bracket on top of the fender, securing it to the swing arm; from bottom to top: swing arm, fender, sensor rod. There will be a groove traced into the swingarm that the "hook" in the shift linkage should fit nicely into: There is a slight raised portion/projection "b" on the swing arm, the hook "a" of the bracket should be touching "b".

No, it's 2024 let me be outraged at everything 🤪 My fiancée rides horses so it is something I already had some research on previously. The equestrian community takes safety very seriously, it's impressive. But I guess that makes sense when what you're riding can think and act on its own. Indeed, Helite's products are top notch and - in my opinion - can stand on their own merit. I already want their MOOV airbag backpack without being misled about the safety of motorcycle armor. CE sizing is a pain. When I did my upgrades: I ordered Axial AX2 Air pads, and they are size B elbow protectors, but all of my jackets are size A pockets except for one garment; it worked out in the end but now I have 3 jackets with upgraded armor instead of the 2 that I originally planned. I do wish more manufacturers would just list size A, B, or C (C is comically large) to make it easier. The compromise is that it seems manufacturers make armor pockets to fit D3O measurements for size A, except for RevZilla/CycleGear in-house brands: those all look to be size B pockets.

But his core statement is also disingenuous - and I think intentionally so, because he's shilling to sell more Helite airbags. The <4kN rating for equestrian gear he mentions is specifically for chest and body protectors; Ryan conveniently doesn't mention that. He's intentionally comparing motorcycle shoulder armor (most amount of force allowed) to equestrian body protector (least amount of force allowed). He also doesn't mention that Equestrian gear is certified under EN13158 which has different testing methods than what motorcycle gear is certified under: EN1621. If you compare the same body zones to each other, the narrative changes: Motorcycle: CE EN1621 level 2 (Limbs, Hips, Shoulders): <9 kN Equestrian: BETA level 3 shoulders (follows CE EN13158 standards) : <25 kN (60J) If you're curious to EN13158 testing and methods (it's very different than testing motorcycle gear) I'll leave it up the reader to find a PDF online. But here's a table of the forces allowed by EN13158 to back up my number above: Level 2 motorcycle shoulder armor is objectively better than equestrian shoulder armor, huh. What gives Ryan? Equestrian gear is designed bulky and thick because it's supposed to be worn as outerwear over top of your clothing. If he compared external motorcycle armor worn over clothing instead of pad inserts, I would put money that it tests similarly - if not better - to equestrian gear. Ryan briefly shows us an example of a back protector that exceeds the standard but of course doesn't test it or provide us with a technical data sheet. Of course, the solution to this "problem" that he poses is to toss your pads and buy the Helite airbag that F9 sells.

Yup, their videos used to be spaced further apart so it wasn't quite as apparent or at least more forgivable. He took a decent amount of crap for his recent video covering parallel twin 270-degree engines, that's filled with "opinions as fact" as you stated. I don't think he's made a public response yet. I believe years ago he also did a video regarding what the best chain lube is best, and his testing methods were very questionable, and he never revisited; he even showed another Youtuber's tests and showed that he got wildly different results... I remember rolling my eyes at that one. He tries to present scientific data without actually following the scientific method. Like this video in question, citing a source because one line of the study agrees with his opinion without reading the actual study. It's like he started with his opinion first then searched for sources that would agree with his take and wrote a script around it. Starting with the solution and then finding a question that fits, if you will; and it bit him this time. The cinematography and production on the videos are still wildly top-tier quality, so people including myself will still watch; the single take is phenomenal. But if you take a look around, we're not the only people starting to raise our eyebrows at what Ryan's saying. Oh man, I bet Helite has Ryan F9 on payroll at this point.

Agreed on trying to find a quantifiable number; but, fractures aren't the only injuries worth avoiding while riding. Sliding is a big part of motorcycle accidents, not everything is an impact or crash with another object. He specifically cherry-picked fractures to make a point... a point that is not founded in any basis as I'll elaborate on below. If you read the source that Ryan cites in the video, he is lying (or misrepresenting at best) about armor effectiveness: And in the conclusion section of the paper: The paper he cited says "No association between use of body armour and risk of fracture injuries was detected."? Of course, because fractures are a very rare occurrence on their own already, they do not occur enough to be statistically relevant. Here's the chart from the study if you didn't want to read it. Notice that the whole fractures column on the right has "NS" for not statistically significant due to lack of data; with leg & back fractures just straight up being "NA". This has to be an April Fool's joke from F9, it's one thing to be wrong... it's another to directly cite a source and make the opposite conclusion.

I just watched this and while I like F9 and their videos, presenting this as an "all or nothing" scenario is weird to me. There are various degrees of injury; hell, there are varying degrees of fractures too. But Ryan presents this weird argument of "bones break at 4kN of force, so if it doesn't reduce force down to 4kN then it's not doing anything". The testing method for CE is dropping a 5Kg ball on the armor and measuring the force that gets through. The improvement from CE level 1 to 2 is massive, a 50% reduction in force allowed. That is seriously impressive improvement from 18kN to 9kN, and many pads do claim they go beyond this spec (he does mention this). There are many of injuries I would not want before a fracture is even in the picture, and even if it won't stop a fracture: if it takes a lethal force and reduces it to a major/minor injury, it's still worth the cost. He also doesn't talk about materials improvement: many CE level 2 armors these days are using a squishy compressible polyurethane that is non-noticeable in a garment. Or they're using a hard composite with a hex/weave structure so it can change form such as D3O's ghost series. Gone are the days of hard, bulky, uncomfortable foam garbage; I've personally upgraded my 3 main jackets to all CE level 2 pads, and it is a major comfort improvement from the stuff my jackets came with. Two of the jackets I don't feel the armor there at all. It's just such a weird take from F9. Like I'd still rather have 9kN of force hitting me than whatever the starting value was, even if it results in a fracture on impact area, the force reduction is still doing tons of work to the surrounding body parts. You'll only get a fracture on the impact area rather than also sustaining injuries behind and around the impact. Also, a big benefit of force absorption is stopping you from bouncing after the initial hit, which Ryan F9 does not talk about at all. EDIT: Was trying to think of the fallacy while writing the above post and it just popped into my head: Survivorship bias or survival bias is the logical error of concentrating on entities that passed a selection process while overlooking those that did not. This can lead to incorrect conclusions because of incomplete data. Sure, you'll still get a fracture or broken bone, but what about all the other injuries that didn't happen because of your armor that aren't showing up in statistics because well... they didn't happen. Like how the US WW2 helmets were so effective at preventing a fatal headshot that we recalled them due to how many hospitals were overwhelmed by head injuries. It took us a while to realize that it means the helmets were working.

Search Tracer 9 GT sidecases and take a look at what's available. I personally really like the OEM sidecases on the T9 so I haven't had any urge to swap it out. If you're getting a new trunk that will hold your helmet, do you still need to swap out your sidecases? If you're curious, SHAD is the manufacturer of the OEM cases. SHAD and Givi are the two premier brands. I'd strongly suggest deciding which top case you like best and buy the sidecases and mounting hardware from the same brand as to ensure compatibility between side case and top case mounts. Givi: MY MOTORCYCLE - YAMAHA TRACER-9--TRACER-9-GT--TRACER-9-GT-21--23 - Givi SHAD: SHAD Products for Yamaha Tracer 9/GT | SHAD USA There are other brands like Hepco & Becker and SW-Motech who have great products but haven't been in the luggage game quite as long as SHAD or Givi. I assume if you purchase aftermarket sidecases and hardware, you will have to remove the factory mounts, keep that in mind.

Cheapest solutions first: $20-$30 windscreen extension/spoiler should be your first stop before buying an entirely new windscreen. It eliminated buffeting from the stock screen for me, this will vary from person to person due to height and riding posture. As far as vibrations go, you can just replace the stock footpegs with the rubber topped pegs from the FJR1300. They're like $10-20 on Amazon or eBay, or the Yamaha adventure pegs if you want to stay OEM. Handlebar vibrations didn't bother me on the 2015 but I did ride with MT09 bar end weights in the summer and handguards taken off which may have helped. Between the 2015 and 2020 models you're looking at I think it's worth the $2000 for the 2020. The 2015 without a tune is not smooth since it was developed in the early days of ride by wire. It also doesn't have factory cruise control hookups or a slipper clutch. It was basically an MT09 on stilts with a reinforced subframe. The 2nd gen Tracers (2018-20) gave the lineup a lot more value than the 1st gen: a longer wheelbase for passenger and luggage, slipper clutch (2017 MY onwards). Also, factory cruise control, heated grips, and luggage with the GT model. If you buy the 2020 model, you'll get the slipper clutch as well as be able to stay OEM for cruise control if you want to add that in the future.

Have you looked into Honda's NC750X? Less power and speed than the Tracer but larger than the CB500X. Very tame ride with 70+ mpg, and a modest redline. The gas tank is located under the seat which means you get a front-trunk for storage where a normal gas tank would be. I owned an NC700X for a few years before I bought my 2015 FJ09, phenomenal bike and the newer updated NC750X seems worth a look.

Your helmet should fit the stock sidecases, I have an XL HJC RPHA 70 ST and it fits. As @OldBikers stated, you have to put the helmet in upside-down to match the shape of the case: I'll put in my 2 cents for top case choice: I have the Givi v56 that I used on my 2015 FJ-09 and then purchased the Shad 58X expandable case when I bought my '21 Tracer 9 GT. The SHAD 58X is one of the best purchases I've made in any hobby. Both hold two full-face helmets but when it comes to convenience and quality the Shad has some features the Givi doesn't: The Shad can be put into what I affectionately call "pancake" mode when its empty; it flattens down to 42L of storage. This is important if you like leaving the case on 24/7 as it is smaller and affects handling less. It has two expansion levels depending on how much you want to carry; fully expanded takes two full face helmets. The SHAD has a flip-out handle for carrying, I've never owned a Givi case that had that feature, and like all SHAD cases you can leave the case unlocked and take the key out; I have no idea why Givi doesn't let you do this. The SHAD 58X is also cheaper, not just the case itself, but the entire all-in cost as with SHAD cases each one includes the mounting plate required. With Givi the plate is a separate purchase. The 58X also comes with drill points marked and molded into the case for the backrest accessory. Givi doesn't, requiring you to print out their guide outline or manually measure the drill points yourself. Good luck.