jthayer09

I greatly appreciate everyone's kind words, I notified my boss of my loss of transport and he didn't even ask if I was ok. Just asked "will you be in tomorrow?". Means a lot after the past stressful year. Unfortunately it does look like it's more than just the sump that's done for 😢. My local dealer employs the winner of Yamaha's 2013 U.S. Technician Grand Prix, but even so I don't think he's a magician. Adjuster will probably get a look at it tomorrow or Friday and I'll know by this weekend if I'm getting a check or otherwise. I already have an appointment to check out a demo model BMW R 1250 R Friday morning, maybe I'll take a look at a Tracer 9 GT... if a dealer by me could get one 😁. At this point I'm already thinking of what I can salvage from the FJ09, definitely going to pull the Ohlins rear shock off to sell.

As the title says I'd highly recommend a skid plate for all you new owners of Tracer 900s this season, learn from my mistakes: My first ever "accident" on this bike - roughly three years ago - was taking a rock on I-75 southbound flung at me from the vehicle in front and while it missed the bike, it hit my left foot: Luckily wearing steel-toe boots meant I only lost the toenail which grew back later. I didn't think anything of it... which leads to today: On my way home today I was going down I-75 southbound yet again (in heavy rain) and an accident occurred in front of me moments prior where a northbound car hit the concrete median and threw pieces into the southbound side. Unfortunately this took place coming out of a curve (ongoing construction, a lane pattern shift) and I tried to swerve but wasn't able to avoid all the debris and hit one chunk of concrete with the left side of my front wheel which resulted in this: It's been mentioned many times in this forum about the oil pan being dangerously low and exposed on these bikes, but I never paid any heed due to not riding off-road. Now really wish I had bought one. Stay safe. J

Revit Philly 2 jeans are super comfortable; they're "American" cut with a roomy thigh through the leg without being baggy at all; I wore these for 3 years, the armor in the knees is super flexible and comfortable. They also don't look any different than normal jeans which is a huge plus. If you're on the leaner side the Revit Lombard 2 jeans are the same thing just with tapered thigh and legs, I've lost some weight and now wear these instead of my Philly 2. Cheers,

Have you considered the Versys 1000 SE LT+? (Please rethink your naming scheme Kawi). Kawasaki is currently running a $3,000 discount on any 2019 models still on the showroom floor dropping it from $17,999 to $14,999. Same engine as the N1K but down on top end power for a little bit more midrange torque. But it is more tour focused bike as it comes with actual handlebars instead of clip-ons, luggage, more pillion room, electronic suspension, heated grips, handguards, cornering lights, IMU, the full electronics suite you'd expect these days. Actually a dealer by me has a demo model with new tires and 1-year Kawi warranty for $13,999... hmm...

Was due for an oil change after a long trip and noticed the previous oil I was using (Castrol Power 10w50) isn't on the official JASO list - current as of May1st - even though it claims to be MA2 on the bottle. The Castrol Power 10w40 is on this list however; but only MA and not MA2. I ended up going with Shell Advance Ultra, which is on the official list as MA2 for 10w40 & 15w50 Did a bit of control+F'ing on the list and noticed a lot of popular oils aren't on the list at all. I've used Rotella T6 5W40 every winter and it's not on the list. All Maxima, Motul, and Yamalube oils make the list. Surprisingly only two Mobil oils are on the list and they're not the 10w40. Amsoil is completely absent. I did some digging and looked at some spec sheets: it doesn't look good for Castrol 10w-50... as the JASO MA2 standard is listed under a section called "performance claims". Compare this to Shell's sheet for Advance Ultra: "Specifications, approvals, and recommendations". So what's the consensus here? Is this just companies not submitting samples to renew a certification? If an oil isn't on the JASO list how can the company claim that it meets or exceeds the standard? Is it from their own testing in-house so they don't need to pay for the cert? How do we know who to trust? I wouldn't buy a helmet that claimed "meets or exceeds ECE/SNELL/DOT standards" but didn't go through the actual agencies' tests to that established the standard. Not trying to start an oil thread, as far as I care just pick a weight for your climate that your owner's manual says you can use. But the JASO cert is supposedly pretty big for wet clutch operation and longevity, and big manufacturers claiming to be JASO when they're not on the official monthly list seems shady at best and misleading for consumers. Thoughts?

Many of the posts on this forum are from people who own the original 2015-2017 FJ-09/Tracer 900, which is a different windscreen (much worse) than the revised Tracer 900 from 2018-2020 (and the all new 2021 Tracer 9) that you may have. Also windscreen choice is going to come down to personal preference. It is awesome that you're happy with the stock windscreen, means you have more $$$ for other upgrades 😁.

My RPHA 70 ST came with a pinlock insert in the box to eliminate fogging, and it's advertised as included with purchase. If yours didn't, send an email to whoever you ordered from to send you one. I've had mine for a little over a year now, and would rate it 8.5/10. My girlfriend ordered the Sedici Strada II helmet last month and it's 50% cheaper than the RPHA and has all of the same features -even the same weight- and she loves it. I'd say the Strada II is best bang for buck, and honestly made me feel some buyer's remorse

Yeah, I'd be hesitant to ride with a 300 lbs pillion for 460 lbs total weight especially if you don't have an upgraded rear shock. I just got home from a 5-day trip. I think the total weight was 420 lbs: Me @ 180 in gear, GF @ 150 in gear + 90 lbs in side cases and top box. I've also got an Ohlins stx46 rear shock and had properly adjusted preload, and even then it was pretty squirrely at slow speeds and the moment right before coming to a complete stop was still iffy. Your passenger is going to be 300lbs of concentrated weight at one point above and behind you. Up to you though.

I'm a big fan of the Givi v47n top box for my '15 FJ-09. I use it daily and it only comes off the bike when I'm going for a pure joy ride on backroads, holds my helmet and jacket no problem. I also installed Givi's optional brake light kit. It's alright, when it works it's great but I've noticed sometimes the power contacts between the lid and the bottom don't always make perfect contact so no lights. If you're in the U.S.: If you don't mind waiting for a 8-14 days for it to arrive I highly recommend ordering it and the mounting hardware from an Italian vendor such as Motocard.com or Motostorm.it as it will be cheaper even after shipping than ordering it from a U.S seller. Motostorm frequently has luggage in their "outlet" section for rock bottom prices, I think I got my v47n for $184. Motostorm's customer service is also good, they shipped me a set of Givi luggage and I was missing one key and they sent it out in an envelope the next day after I contacted them.

If I recall correctly they looked pretty normal with a little bit of gold/brown deposits. There was some soot/carbon on the first few threads and the insulator tip; which in hindsight is completely my fault because I ran my LeoVince full exhaust system without a tune for quite a while, on top of regularly running errands and low speed city riding on the bike. Both of which contribute to carbon build-up. I have a tune now and have mostly been doing high-speed and longer trips recently, so I'll definitely be leaving my plugs in for longer as others are doing. Hell, I'd be happy to only take the bike apart every ~24k mi 😁

I did my bike's first sync on my own with the carb tune @ 4k mi when I did the first spark plug change. TBs were very off so I'm glad I did them then. Honestly I'd say do the first TB sync if the vibrations become excessive or just line it up with your first spark plug change. I'd pull the plugs at least once so you can look at them to see how they're wearing out. All of us ride with different exhaust systems, with different tunes, on different tires, in different conditions your plugs may get fouled up differently than someone else. At that point it'd be easy to do the first TB sync since the bike is torn down to pull the spark plugs. Like @DavidS stated I believe some riders do the big stuff on one fell swoop: plugs, throttle bodies, valves every 24k mi when the bike is apart. However, based on what my plugs looked like at 12k mi I could probably only make it to 16k mi on a set and just do the TB sync at that time.

Therein lies my problem, I do about 8,000mi/year but it's usually 1 or 2 long trips and just daily riding for fun or commuting. So I do benefit from the larger fuel-tank on the Tracer and occasionally the increased passenger space. I think it's ultimately going to come down to the aftermarket for someone like me; if Givi makes the racks that fit my current luggage, and wind protection accessories I can just slap on the SP then there's my choice. If not, Tracer time. I'm not going to make a purchase this season but I'll be following the aftermarket closely. Who knows? Maybe Yami will bring the Tracer 700 over stateside at a later point in time and make this decision even harder. I was very close to buying a KTM 890 duke due to dealers in my area selling things $1,000 or more below MSRP from the lack of sales; bike has good reviews and a cruise control trim (or even just a $100 addon). I took a look on the 790/890 section on ktmforums.com to see the general consensus on reliability, big oof. Saying it's "not bad" would be extremely generous. Also all 890 Dukes come with quick shifter hardware installed but you gotta pay a dealer to unlock it via software. I'm not going to support a company that does that; quickshift was standard on a 2019 790. It's a shame the base (non-GT) Tracer 9 isn't available here in the states, that may actually be the best compromise depending on how it was priced.

Hi guys, I've owned a 2015 FJ09 since 2016, and I was looking at Yamaha's offerings for 2021. I'm not hurting to sell the fudge 9 as I love it. But I am interested in the revised CP3 engine, and cruise control for longer rides. Browsing the catalogue it seems like the MT-09 SP is the best monetary value for those of use who have our own luggage. The MT-09 SP for 2021 (MSRP $10,999) has full adjustable KYB front forks, rear is fully remote-adjustable Ohlins, and comes with cruise control. In my opinion the single-screen TFT dash is more attractive than the 9 GT's split-dash, and of course it comes with slipper clutch and the quickshifter that have been standard on top-of-line models for a few years now. This is all the stuff people coming from an FJ09/Tracer 900 are probably looking at. While initial reviews of the Tracer 9 GT (MSRP $14,899) are obviously favorable, I'd find it hard to justify $3,999 more for luggage, windscreen, heated grips, handguards, and electronic suspension. Especially since many of us already have our own Givi or SHAD luggage, and are not adverse to a few hundred $ for aftermarket windscreen, heated grips, and handguards. But you do get more passenger room on the 9 GT frame. I'd personally like to see a review of the 9 GT's KYB semi-active suspension vs the SP's Ohlins + KYB combo. I have an Ohlins rear on my FJ09 and it completely transformed the bike. Of course, I can always just install the slipper clutch pack and MC Cruise on my FJ09 for about $1,000 and call it a day. Anyone in the same boat as me have opinions? I think the 2021 MT-09 oozes value, considering its current MSRP was that of the old FJ09/Tracer 900. It's got enough features I think it may cannibalize sales of the non-GT Tracers. EDIT: Just checked Yamaha's US website they no longer list non-GT Tracers so I guess that was the plan all along 🤪 Cheers.

I have the Leo Vince LV-1 which retains the original centre stand and I absolutely adore the sound even with the baffle in. Also with the 2WDW tune it's buttery smooth. It's a full system and I got mine new for $560. Looks like same seller on eBay has in stock for $667 right now: genialmotor.

PMed!

That's a really good price if it's functionally the same as the PUIG screen. Does it come with all the hardware needed to mount? Bracket, screws, etc? Thanks,

I can relate to this, I tried 300v for a hot summer season and I swear after 700mi it felt like it had sheared to a lower rating. All of a sudden acceleration and shifting weren't as smooth as when I initially change the oil. Another +1 for Rotella T6 5W-40 from me, I run that from Oct-March where I live for the 5W cold rating. I then swap to Maxima 10W-40 Pro Plus+ for summer. Rotella is $20-22/gal which is insane value. Maxima Pro Plus+ is $37/gal right now on Amazon, their syn blend is $30/gal which is also fantastic. At those prices my 2 annual oil changes are cheaper than 1 using 300v. Currently at 21,338mi on my FJ09 and I think I'm going to stick with the Rotella & Maxima combo for as long as I own it.

Welcome, I'm in the Toledo, OH area, glad to see another great lakes crew!

I've posted a couple of times on this forum about my dislike of the RS3s, I'm at the wear bars on the rear with 11,000mi and I will not be buying them again. While good in rain and good tread life, like you I find them oddly rigid/stiff and fairly difficult to turn-in. The worst things about the tire for me is that the tread gives me high-speed wobble @ 95 MPH+ and the tires take forever to warm up compared to stock D222s. I ride year-round and the stock D222s were much better in lower temps being quicker to warm up, and I didn't have speed wobble until I was at the speed limiter (115mph); they lasted me roughly 9,000mi. The Roadsmart 2s is supposedly a revision for the D222s and are almost exactly 1/2 the price of the RS3s, even if I had a positive experience with the RS3s it's definitely not 2x better than the RS2s in any metric.

Are you 100% set on getting the latest and (possibly) greatest? Bridgestone T30 Evos are $169.98 for a set on Revzilla with 4.6/5.0 rating. (Not available on Rockmymountainadvmc) Dunlop Roadsmart 2 are $161.76 for a set on Revzilla with 4.7/5.0 rating. Same price with 5.0/5.0 rating on Rockymountainadvmc. I have Roadsmart 3s right now at the wear bars on the rear, not a fan after 11,000mi; I actually think they're a downgrade from stock personally. I'm leaning to the T30 myself because I haven't tried Bridgestone since BT023s and want to see how they've progressed. But the Roadsmart 2 are supposedly just a revision for the D222s that came stock on our bike, which I had no issues with.

Little bits add-up on weight for the FJ-09/Tracer: Handguards Windshield and bracket Front cowling; look at pictures, FJ-09/Tracer has plastics & cowling around: turn signals, front and top of gas tank, under the driver seat, and probably more I'm failing to think of right now. Larger seats on FJ, noticeably larger passenger seat. Passenger grab handles Luggage bars Different (better) headlights. Different front suspension setup (this can affect height). Different handlebar risers (closer to chest). Different handlebar - 40mm wider. And with all that comes with weight from fasteners to hold it all on. The subframe is not the same between the FJ-09 and FZ-09. The FJ-09's subframe is 130.6mm longer. They also come stock with different tires. Though I'm not sure what the weight difference is there.

Hah that's almost exactly what I got, except in my mind I was thinking "about 9000mi". Front looked like it could do another couple thousand too. Honestly I think that they are pretty good tires and I never really had complaints even when pushing them hard, just throw the bike in B mode for heavy rain. They're super cheap now as a pair (Roadsmart 2) online, to the point where if I can consistently get 9-10k miles on them is there really a reason to buy anything else? They're literally almost exactly half the price of the Roadsmart 3s on Revzilla.com right now for a set: $150 vs $300. I currently have Roadsmart 3's and I'm at 11K miles and am not at the wear bars yet. However, I do four-season riding and I've noticed the RS3s take longer to warm up the the RS2s, they are measurably better in the heavy rain though so we'll see how I feel when it's time for new rubber. Cheers,

Quick story: I bought a Puig touring screen in 2016 for my 2015 FJ09 from RevZilla, I've been riding with it on the bike year round all-seasons since then. However, a crack developed on the windshield right above one of the upper mounting points on the bracket. I believe that at higher speeds (80MPH+) the windshield wasn't thick (rigid?) enough on its own nor supported enough by the 4-point bracket to avoid flexing, thus the crack developed: While searching for Puig's warranty on their site I noticed that their mounting bracket in their instructions didn't look like mine at all, it had the 4-point bracket with two additional supports extending out from the top to further support the windshield. I contacted Puig's support by email and showed them pictures of my windshield, bracket, and crack. I requested that a replacement bracket as shown in the instructions be sent to me since I didn't want the other side to also develop a crack over time. They escalated to their tech department and who then sent me an entirely new windshield under warranty! I received the new windshield and hardware today and there are a few differences from what I received in 2016: As mentioned above the mounting bracket has additional supports: The new windshield feels slightly thicker, maybe 1mm. The new windshield has more rounded edges, or rolled edges. Old windshield had harsher and more "flat" edges. The tinting of the new windshield does not go to the edge of the windscreen, old one does: New windshield came with stock hand guard re-locators. Anyway, just a PSA if anyone has had the same problem or is considering buying the screen. I'm not sure if RevZilla messed up and sent me one of their test samples instead of a production one, or if Puig just did a revision and I missed the PSA.

Yeah, I tapped it with an M12x1.25 and handle. After tapping I could thread the bolt by hand through the caliper whilst off of the bracket with no problem. Just struggled lining it up, sounds lame I know. But every time I swore I had it lined up I'd start threading and it'd catch again. Maybe my eye is just bad working at that angle, working with bike on the center stand and me on the ground. Would probably be easier having a the bike on a lift. Either way everything is back together and functioning as it should, tightened everything to spec and did a quick ride earlier and nothing was loose. Glad this thread was here, totally saved my ass!

To get the bracket that the caliper is on you have to remove the axle, or at least slide the axle so it can get free. I couldn't line up the caliper with the bracket without taking the bracket off the axle so I could line them up on a table, as you suggested. Below is the piece (bracket) I'm talking about that the caliper attaches to that I could not line up with the caliper and bolt while it was on the axle. Apologies if my first post wasn't clear, I cannot mount the caliper on the bracket while it is on the bike as the bolt cross threads. The result is I had to take the caliper bracket off the axle so I could line it up with the caliper on a workbench or table. Thanks.