johnmark101

Anyone here have the Yamaha rear rack and top case? If so do you find it to be of good quality and how much trouble is it to key it to your side cases and ignition? Also, will it hold a full face helmet. Thank in advance for any responses!

Nothing wrong with getting a nice aftermarket exhaust if that is what you like. But in order to achieve any real performance improvement you need a full exhaust that eliminates the catalytic converter, and has a well designed header, along with airbox and intake modifications to take advantage of the better exhaust, and fuel and ignition map changes to match by way of ECU reflash. Or just install the new exhaust and enjoy the sound of that sweet triple.

I treated the OEM chain on this bike just as I have all other chains on the many bikes I have owned, yet it started shedding o-rings prematurely, so I don't think the proper maintenance I performed had anything to do with the chains early death. I normally get good service life from my chains yet this one was done in less than half the mileage I would expect. I worked In QC for Toyota Motor Manufacturing for 28 years. Twenty of those were dealing with suppliers. On rare occasions we would get a "batch" or "lot number" of parts from a supplier with a particular fault. Seeing that many are having this issue while others are not, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that the supplier (D.I.D) had a run of nonconforming parts. For example maybe they had a machine in the process that fell out of calibration for a particular period, or maybe their sub supplier sent them a bad lot of o-rings. One other thing to consider is that Yamaha probably required their supplier to provide parts at a price point in order to control per unit cost, and in order to secure the contract the supplier had to cut their cost somewhere, (this is why OEM tires are often not so great). Our suppliers had to pass monitored capability studies in order to produce parts for us, and it was not an easy test to pass. This is one possible explanation for what we are seeing.

That was interesting. If his results are accurate, you could possibly do more harm than good by using certain products. I have always used Stabil. It helps that my bikes spend winter in an unfinished portion of my basement where the temperature never drops below 55 degrees.

Fill the tank with fuel that has stabilizer added, change the oil, put the bike on a lift or stands to get the tires off the ground, connect battery to a tender. Don't start the bike until your first ride after winter.

I like PJ1 Blue Label and have used it for years with good results. Usually get a little over 20,000 miles from a chain.........except for the crappy OEM chain that this bike came with. I have heard good things about DuPont Chain Saver but have yet to try it.

One other thing worth mentioning is the lighter wheels. I don't know how much lighter they will be than previously. However i know that when I had a track bike and put a set of lighter wheels on it the difference in handling was quite noticeable. Bike transitioned from side to side with less effort and felt more responsive. I like that they have added the IMU and a two way quick shifter. As much as i would like to have the latest version, I will be keeping my 19 for a few more years.

It's a shame you were in Tellico Plains but did not cross the Cherohala Skyway. It is easily one of the best roads in all of the Smokies.

My OEM chain was a D.I.D as well but is no reflection on what they sell in the aftermarket. I am pretty sure the OEM chain was built to a price point to keep cost down. The D.I.D chains I have bought for replacement have all been excellent products.

Seems like this has been a fairly common issue with Tracer owners. Had the same thing occur with my 2019 around 7500 miles when my OEM chain started shedding o-rings. At 10,000 miles (which is less than half the mileage I normally get from a chain), I replaced it along with the sprockets. My guess is that Yamaha got a bad batch of chains or they pushed their chain supplier to make them chains at a price point to keep costs down. Like you I am very thorough with my chain maintenance and normally get over 20,000 miles from them. The D.I.D. ZVM-X chain is an excellent choice.

Looks like you went up the south side of Blood Mountain......one of my favorites. 👍

Pretty much anything you get will be an improvement over the stock seat. Have read good reviews on the Bagster. I went with a Terry Adcox seat. In an effort to get home quickly at the end of a four day ride I got on the interstate and did 150 miles without a stop with no discomfort at all.

Perfect. This appears to be it. Placed my order. https://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-Universal-Funnel-RED/dp/B00CIGGE68/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2UI20UU8RIPKI&dchild=1&keywords=right+angle+funnel&qid=1602540512&s=automotive&sprefix=Right+angle+%2Caps%2C178&sr=1-3 https://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-Universal-Funnel-RED/dp/B00CIGGE68/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2UI20UU8RIPKI&dchild=1&keywords=right+angle+funnel&qid=1602540512&s=automotive&sprefix=Right+angle+%2Caps%2C178&sr=1-3

Just my opinion but that new cruiser from BMW is hideous.

I agree that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I don't actually think the bike is ugly, but it is my first somewhat "naked" bike. I am all about function over form. 👍

Regarding the aesthetics of the hose fitment; Don't look at the rest of the bike....😄. The Tracer GT is easily the least attractive bike I have ever owned but it is like the somewhat plain looking girl you met in college who you did not give a second thought about.......until you get to know her and find out she is just what you were looking for all along.

Having ridden an FJR I can understand why someone who travels often on two wheels would want one. It's a brilliant sport tourer. But for me the weight is a deal breaker. Even though it handled surprisingly well for it's size, my preference is for something that can get the job done while being a light as possible.

I would say the sizing on these gloves is pretty accurate. I had size large (size 9 numerically) in Held gloves and they were just the slightest bit on the snug side but still a good fit. These Racer gloves do not come in numerical sizes, and the large size fits me perfectly. Sportbiketrackgear.com has the Racer gloves and they are very good about returns and exchanges if you need to try another size. In the past when buying boots or gloves if I had any size concerns I ordered two sizes from them and then returned the ones I did not want to keep.

I just ordered my second pair of these Racer Gloves. My first pair is not quite done yet but I have watched the price of these creep upward and wanted a second pair to put back for when needed. Brilliant gloves. Feel broken in from the first time you put them on. Quality materials and construction. Kangaroo palms, carbon fiber on all the knuckles, Knox palm sliders. I ordered a couple pair of other gloves that cost less and were actually quite good, but ended up returning them and paying more for these.....so worth it.

Glad to see you are back. Were I not touring I would also strongly consider the same bike. I am sold on the Yamaha CP3 motor!!

Yes, as Betoney suggests, do it yourself and save a good bit of money. Get three quarts of motorcycle specific oil, a new crush washer and a new oil filter. The oil change is very easy on this bike.

Welcome to the forum. Yes, the Tracer really is one of the best, lightweight all around road bikes on the market. Lots of good people and valuable information to be found here.

I have always run my chains on the loose side of specification. I found 40mm seems to work best for me on the Tracer.

Yes, I had to put the seat in the lower position to comfortably reach the ground with both feet due to the added height. I have a 34 inch inseam for what it is worth. I too have used Sargent seats in the past on my other bikes and they were quite good, but Terry's seat is much better. For what it is worth I was one of the first to get the Sargent seat for the GT. The fit to the bike was horrible and sitting on the seat I was not impressed.

I have one of his seats but did not ask for any special provisions. He asked me to take some pictures of myself sitting on the bike from the side, shoulder to knee and then one a bit closer. Like you I had to have my name put in a que and wait for him to contact me. It was about three months. Well worth the wait. At first I was a bit surprised at how firm the seat is. However one long ride was all it took. It's a great seat, and very well made. Did not take long to get comfortable and there was very little break in. Easily the most comfortable seat I have ever had on a motorcycle by a wide margin. Feels like I could drain a tank and never squirm.