fjrpittsburgh

Obviously a Super Tenere is going to have better suspension for rough roads or offroad.  The Tracer GT suspension is perfect for road riding.  Much improved over the stock FJ-09 or the base Tracer model.  The GT has fully adjustable suspension.  I find it to be very solid for around town and in the high speed twisties.  You do want to experiment with suspension settings for your individual weight and riding style.  Surprisingly, the owner's manual has the standard settings listed and how to adjust the forks and rear end.  At 180 lbs, the standard settings weren't all that bad for me.  I just had to tweak the settings a little through trial and error.

Well, we're a little below the wear bars on the OEM rear tire and it's time for a replacement.  I've run a number of tire brands on the rear of my FJR over the last 11 years.  PR2's, PR4's, Shinko Ravens, etc.  I keep going back to the Shinko Ravens.  Other FJR riders ask me why I continue to put such a cheap tire on my FJR.  Well, that's easy,  because it's a great tire.

It may be a low cost tire, but it's certainly not a cheap tire.  I've run Shinko Ravens front and rear many times over the years and that's what I'm currently running on the FJR.  They perform extremely well in all conditions.  I've never experienced a butt pucker moment on them at any speed or weather conditions.  One friend of mine in Virginia finally gave them a try.  He's a very hard rider and can ride 2 up like you can't believe through some of the tightest twisties.  I have to ride at the edge of comfort to keep up with him.  His review of the tires was something that interested me since I was such a believer in the Ravens.  He said he felt they were up to par with any Michelins he's ever run.

So next week I'm going with the Shinko Raven for the new shoe on the rear of the GT.  I was going with the Shinko regardless of what he said based on my experience over the years with them.  I have a trip planned for next weekend.  It may only be 600 to 800 miles depending on the weather, but having a new rear tire will be so nice.  New tires always make a bike feel brand new again.

@TorqWrench  This is way too exciting.  Can't wait to read your review.  I hope the flooding in your area wasn't too bad for you and your family and friends.

Maybe it isn't as important as to who does the flash.  It's just important to have a reputable flash done to your bike if there's one available.  I still think I'm going to go with Ivan, but in no way am I insinuating there's anything lower quality about other companies ECU improvements for the GT.  I'm looking forward to a smoother throttle control and full access to the power of the engine.

Be careful.  You won't ALWAYS see 200 miles on a tank.

The MPG registering on the display is optimistic and really not all that helpful anyway.  When you're low on fuel, you have to fill up regardless of what the display shows.  I'm really happy that my speedometer is so accurate.  That's something I use all the time and it's extremely valuable.

I do reset my "A" odometer every time I refuel.  It's nice to see how many miles I ride on a tank.  However, the odometer isn't entirely accurate either, but at least it's a constant to measure with.

That's great news!  I'll give him a call.  Thank you.  Can't wait to read your review!

I wish I could have mine flashed immediately, but I'm going on a bike trip and will have to wait until I return home.

3 hours ago, TorqWrench said:

Just sent my ECU to Ivan for his flash. Will update with results in a few days. 

Do you have a GT?  The flash isn't ready yet.

Maybe the GT's in the US are the ones that have the spot on speedometers.

13 minutes ago, Coop said:

I finally have the gps hooked up and I'm getting 1 mph error.  I did learn one thing when you are going 66 mph and hit resume you better hold on.

Hahaha.  Enjoy Coop!  Fun bike.

Ignition timing and fuel cut to reduce the on off throttle is the biggest improvement I'm looking for.  It makes the bike perform like it has a throttle cable instead of a computer chip turning fuel on and off.  This is the first bike I've had that was a little awkward to hold at a steady speed.  That is due to fuel cut.  The ECU flash would disable fuel cut.  It seems all the 900cc Yamaha triples can benefit greatly from an improved tuning of the ECU.

My friend has a FZ09.  He said after Ivan's flash, his bike is so much better.  Like night and day as he describes it.  Much easier to hold a steady speed without surging up and down.  Like I said, the bike is great as is, but I'm keeping this bike for many years.  I've ridden in every state East of the Mississippi and 7 states West on my FJR.  I want my GT to be the best it can be.  For a few hundred dollars, that's a gift I will enjoy for many years.

1 hour ago, Luma46 said:

I am not sure why people tinker with their ECUs? I have it OEM, runs perfect without any hesitation in any gear or any RPM. More power than I could handle, good fuel consumption...

It isn't the lack of power that pushes people toward an ECU tuning.  The GT has plenty of power.  It's the smoothness of the off and on throttle transitions.  If you read the websites of the ECU tuners, you can see the changes made which improve the ridability of a bike.  Improvements that make the throttle response smoother.  If you're happy with the GT the way it is, that's fine.  I choose to make mine better.  I spend a lot of time on my bikes and appreciate what some of the tuners have accomplished in ridability improvements.

Are we talking FJ-09's and Tracers?  I'm talking Tracer GT.  I can't believe another GT speedometer would be off when mine is dead on with my GPS.  I see many FJ-09 posts in this forum.  The bikes are similar, but they're certainly not the same.  Again, my speedo is dead on to only slightly off at times to my Garmin 665.  It's possible the speedo has to be more accurate due to the cruise control, but who really knows for sure?

Has anyone with a Tracer GT had their ECU flashed.  I know Ivan has his coming out in a couple of months.  As of now, I'm waiting for his flash as I trust him from his history of improving bikes ride quality through flashing.

Vcyclenut has a flash available now, but I would like to see some positive reviews before choosing their update.

Please pass on any info you have on an updated ECU flash.  Vcyclenut's flash is $100 cheaper than Ivan's upcoming flash.

That's fantastic Larz!   You are going to love that machine.  All the best to you!

As the tire wears, the speedo and odometer will vary slightly.  I find the speedo much more accurate than the odometer.

It's very minimal compared to any other bike I've owned.  It's almost dead on with my GPS speed.  I'd trust it to actual speed under most circumstances.

Hey Larz,  I don't think you'll be disappointed immediately or in the long run.  The GT has almost everything you need for touring.  I only had to add a Givi topcase, a power outlet for my heated gear, and a power mount for my Garmin 665.  Everything else is already there.  In 2 months, Ivan will have an ECU flash to make the bikes power much smoother and not as jerky.  I'll definitely have my ECU flashed as soon as Ivan gets it all sorted out.  Nothing all that bad with the bikes jumpiness, but I have a friend who has an FZ900 with Ivan's flash.  It's so much smoother after Ivan turns off the fuel cut on deceleration and adjusts the ignition timing, etc.  Awesome bike and I also own and ride an FJR.  More details about Ivan's ECU flash here:

http://www.ivansperformanceproducts.com/fz09.htm

Like I said, in 2 months, Ivan will make this bike perfect. 

A guy on one of the FJR forums had his side bag damaged when another guy clipped his side case with another bike.  He was able to drill out the rivets on the lid hinge and pop rivet the lid hinge back on.  He said it was fairly easy to do.  I searched everywhere for the actual link for his post and can't find it.  I know that swapping the side case lids are definitely doable.

My bet is you'll still see the wobble with the hands off the bars.  Just a guess.

10 hours ago, nicksta43 said:

I've kept mine at 36, checked every day. The tire is definitely scalloped. I'll try higher pressure but that tire is probably too far gone to notice any difference. 

I still need/want to check the steering head bearings. The dealer allegedly did them at the 600 mile service but I have zero confidence in them doing what they said they did and/or doing it correctly.

Yeah, 36 psi is not enough.  The tire will still be scalloped, but you'll still notice a little improvement.  Once you get a new tire after wearing this one out, you'll see it's good as new.  It's normal to think there's something else wrong, but there probably isn't.  You can put the bike on the centerstand and prop up the front of the bike with something under the pipes (carefully). With the front wheel off the ground you can pull on the wheel from the front to see if there's any play in the head bearings.  I'll bet there is no play and everything is fine.  Once you get the thought that the steering bearings are loose, you'll keep convincing yourself of it.  Relax and enjoy that bike!

Also make sure you have a quality tire gauge.  Over and out.

My bet is still low tire pressure.  36 psi front is still too low from my experience and testing.  If the tire has been low on pressure, the scalloping of the front tire tread has already started.  Put a few more pounds of pressure in the front tire and ride with your hands on the grips.  Once you wear the front tire out and replace it, the decel wobble will be gone temporarily until the tire wears some.  It's just what happens, especially with low tire pressure.

When I've see wobble on the front end of a bike on decel with hands off the bars, a new front tire always solved the issue.  If you don't keep enough tire pressure in that front tire, it will wear funny and scallop.  I always keep 40 to 42 psi in the front tire and I never have that issue any longer.  I've learned this trick from multiple experienced bike guys over the years.  Some people think that high of pressure will reduce the contact patch size on road.  You can follow me and see the results for yourself.  Couldn't be further from the truth.  Keep that tire pressure up a few pounds.  You'll soon see the excellent results on better tire wear and longer tire life. 

Still though, coming from a 135cc, 10hp scooter?  Come on now.  The Tracer is not the next logical step.  The Versys 650 is still my recommendation.  Ride the Versys for a year or two to get some experience.  The Versys is a bike with plenty of power to learn on.  Top speed is about 120 mph.  0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds.   I love my Tracer, but would not recommend it for a rider graduating from a small scooter.  And that's my 2 cents worth.

I own a Tracer GT, an FJR1300, and a Ninja 650.  The Ninja has the same motor as the Versys 650.  I'd have to say if money is no object, the extras on the GT are really nice.  If you want a bike to run around on for a couple of years to get more acquainted with a larger bike, get the Versys.  The Versys is no slouch.  0-60 mph in about 3.6 seconds compared to the crazy 2.7 seconds for the GT.  The 650 engine is smooth and the gearbox is equally smooth.  You could save yourself some money and buy the Versys and get a little more riding experience.  You'll certainly have no trouble selling it when you're ready to upgrade.  Both great bikes.  It's really up to you.  GT folks are going to tell you to buy the GT and likewise for the Versys 650 owners.  Personally, I think I'd recommend the Versys for someone in your position.  However, I absolutely love my Tracer GT.  The Versys will have more power than you'll need and is a good next step in your bike ownership.