johnmark101

Was it difficult to remove the new sprocket once it was installed? My only concern would be that over time any mild corrosion or oxidization could make future removal of the sprocket a bit difficult if it is already a tight fit. I prefer the OEM sprocket with the rubber damper. Only thing to be aware of is that depending on the shape of the side plates on whatever new chain you install, the chain slack may become loose after the side plates wear into the damper a bit. This will occur rather quickly so you would want to recheck your slack soon after first riding with the new chain and sprockets.

Looks like a fun trip and you have some great photos as well. Thanks for sharing.

I have been leaving my batteries on a maintainer all winter long for decades and have never had a single battery related issue on any of my bikes. Perfectly safe to do this with a quality battery maintainer which uses dedicated software. As mentioned earlier, the CTEK 5.0 is about as good as it gets. I use one of these on a car I own that sits through the winter, and it works very well. I have used Deltran Battery Tenders on my motorcycles for decades. If anything ever happens to the Deltrans, they will get replaced with a CTEK 5.0.

Have to agree with Kilo 3 on this one. I understand your hesitation on shipping your ECU, but all things considered I would recommend doing so. Getting a good ECU reprogram is super easy and will do about everything you are asking for. One of the best and most reliable can be found here. Ivan's Performance Products (ivansperformanceproducts.com)

My 2019 GT clutch has always been noisy compared to any of the other motorcycles I have owned. Been that way since day one. Mine now has 23,000 miles and no issues.

I have two motorcycles, both with aftermarket suspension work from Traxxion Dynamics. Both with excellent results. The first was my 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 1000. I had the stock forks and shocks rebuilt with new springs and valving for my weight and riding style. It was a big improvement in stability, ride and handling. Excellent bump absorption and very planted in the corners. Next was my 2019 Tracer 900 GT. This time I went for the premium upgrade with AK-20 cartridges in the forks and a Penske triple adjusting rear shock. The cost was almost double what I spent on the basic rebuild on the Kawasaki. Again, excellent results. I can ride all day in comfort and attack the twisties as if I am on a super sport with no problem. However, at twice the price it was not nearly twice the performance. My suggestion to those wanting suspension upgrades but do not plan to track the bike, and are on a budget, is to rebuild the stock components as I did on the Kawasaki. Great results can be had for not a lot of money. Either way, suspension upgrades make a big difference.

Wow.......how very rude.

That really is highly unusual. I have a 2019 Tracer GT and had my first valve inspection done at 21,000 by an independent mechanic. I also had the spark plugs and air filter replaced at this time. All exhaust valves were tight as was one intake valve. Throttle sync was also done. Total labor cost was 400 bucks.

Add the fuel stabilizer, for peace of mind if nothing else. It will do absolutely no harm and will ensure the fuel is good come riding season. I have been doing this for decades. It does not degrade the fuel in any way if you use only as much as is needed and then fill the tank after to help mix it into the fuel.

Traxxion Dynamics does very good work. They will consult with you over the phone and then you can send them your forks and shock and they can do a custom rebuild to suit your weight and riding style. Home - Traxxion Dynamics

No need to ever turn off the quickshifter. Just ride the bike as normal. The quickshifter is for spirited riding and works best under rapid acceleration. Just open the throttle and shift up through the gears without closing the throttle or using the clutch. On your bike it is only for upshifts. You still need to use the clutch for downshifts.

Let it hibernate. You have done what is needed for storage. I do the same and let mine sit untouched from the end of November until the middle of March or later. It fires right up and is ready to go come Spring!! For what it is worth, I change the oil after the last ride of the year. This insures no combustion deposits in the oil during storage.

Based on my particular experience I would get a good quality rear shock if I were to do only one end. The stock front forks were harsh over small bumps and I did not like that, but it still felt pretty planted during spirited cornering. The rear shock was too soft and because of that I was dragging hard parts and pegs too often. Something to consider is doing a rebuild of the stock components with new aftermarket springs and valves. You will get about 75 percent of the performance of doing a new shock and new cartridges for about half the price. I did this on one of my bikes with excellent results and actually think it is far better bang for the buck than something like the Penske and AK-20's I put on my Tracer.

Have been riding the area since 2004. Definitely take the Tracer. It will be plenty agile on the Dragon. Have ridden mine there each year since I bought it and never once wished I had something smaller. Unless you just want to go full attack mode, which means taking big risks, the Tracer will do all you need on the Dragon. Take your time the first time through, it is VERY tight and twisty with elevation changes. Try to ride it in the morning mid week as that is when it is the least busy. Weekends can be crazy on that road. Another consideration is the fact that there are literally hundreds of miles of fantastic roads in the area where NC, TN and GA share borders and if you have time you should explore as many as possible. The Tracer will let you do so in comfort. Close by are the Foothills Parkway, Route 28 and the Cherohala Skyway. The Cherohala is considered by many to be the best road, and is one you should make a point of riding while in the area.

If you put the bike in gear while on the center stand it would definitely confuse the traction control and throw a code, blocking you from entering the user menu. Bike will be rideable but you would need to get it to the dealer to clear the code or use an aftermarket code reader. As mentioned before, it is best to not start your bike when stored for winter or any length of time. Mine sit in the garage from November until March and fire right up when it is time to ride again come spring weather. Just keep it on a battery maintainer and it will be fine. Also a good idea to change the oil before long term storage.

Don't know about the current model, but Akrapovic did make a full exhaust for my 2019 that is neatly tucked under the bike the same as the stock exhaust, and installed with the center stand in place. The Akrapovic for the current generation that extends the exhaust out the back appears to interfere with the rear caliper / wheel removal.

Akrapovic is expensive but the quality is unbeatable. I replaced my stock exhaust with an Akrapovic full exhaust after getting the ECU reflashed. The slightly richer fueling after the reflash could clog the catalytic converter of the stock exhaust over time. I left the baffle in and it is just loud enough without being obnoxious. The Akrapovic on my Ninja 1000 is 10 years old and has about 45,000 miles of use. It still sounds and looks great and has not become much louder over time. There may be better value propositions, but you can't beat the quality. Both were a perfect fit and easy to install.

That's awesome. I retired in 2018 at 56 years of age. I take two or three road trips a year down to the TN,NC and GA mountains, and lots of local rides. Fortunately, we have some great twisties here in central KY. If I were to ride as much as you, I might end up in divorce court! 😆

That is some serious mileage! Do you ride daily? Just curious how you pack on those miles. Is some of that commuting back and forth to work, or are you retired and pleasure riding daily? I am retired but only ride about 10,000 miles a year, April through October. Definitely a fair weather rider. This year I hope to do more!!

California seems to be the best place for avid motorcyclists with the combination of mountain roads and rideable conditions all year long. The downside is the outrageous cost of real estate and awful political climate. Most of the best roads are found in mountainous areas, but that usually means winter weather cold enough to keep all but the hardiest of riders waiting for spring to arrive. Besides California, the few states that have decent riding weather all year round do not appear to have much in the way of great motorcycle roads. For many, myself included, winter is a miserable time of year.

Here is a link to Ivan's page for your bike. His work is well regarded. Had him reflash my Tracer as well as my Kawasaki. Very pleased with both. Ivan's Performance Products (ivansperformanceproducts.com)

Welcome to the forum and congrats on getting the 9GT. Good to see that you are still enjoying riding at the age of 72. I am 61 and hope to be able to do the same. One of my favorite riding friends was still riding sport bikes at 82!! The Tracer is a great bike for those of us who need riding comfort but still want something capable of spirited riding when the conditions allow. I have a 2019 which has a different instrument cluster, but it is quite small and hard to read as well. My only gripe with the bike. Well......that and the fiddly wheel for accessing the menu.

Yuasa makes a good battery. The model YTZ-10S should fit your bike.

I absolutely despise winter here in central Kentucky for a number of reasons, one is which not being able to ride. Wanted to move south after retirement but have too much family in this area to leave. At the slightest sign of snow or ice they dump huge amounts of salt on the roads here. If we have the least bit of snow late in the winter the salt on the roads lingers into rideable weather. It just sucks. At least we have a lot of great roads in the area once spring arrives. This and the fact that the cost of living here is very reasonable and central Kentucky is really beautiful.

Welcome to the forum!! Congrats on the bike and I hope you have many, many miles of fun and safe riding!!