johnmark101

.........raced someone who was driving a car.

Akrapovic also makes a full system that works with the center stand and is tucked neatly under the bike just like the stock exhaust........just in case all the Yosh units sell out.

NIce VFR! Looks like you did similar mods to yours as I did to mine.......seat and bar risers. I installed Helibars and a Sargent seat. Mine was a 2003 with the annoying VTEC. I installed a power commander and custom map which smoothed out the VTEC transition considerably. I think the lightweight sport touring platforms on the market today are the best bikes to own as they are good long distance partners that can still be a hooligan in the twisties. The Tracer is the best for this in my humble opinion. I would vote for the Multistrada but it is a good bit heavier and light weight is high on my priority list.

Welcome Ray! Lots of good information here regarding the Tracer. I too am an "old guy". Retired and love riding my Tracer 900 GT. Like you the test ride did not really get me hooked on the bike but nothing else on the market at that time checked as many boxes for me. So I bought one and have been very happy with the bike! The triple motor is fantastic and the bike is relatively light so it is not fatiguing on long trips. Just needed a different seat. Have 23,000 miles on it now and nothing else on the market has made me consider trading. My first bike was a 2003 VFR 800. Put 40,000 miles on it and sold it to a friend. Picture of yours???

I used to participate in track days but sold my track bike in 2013 and said I was done. Count me as one of those who imagined how good the Yamaha triple would be in a proper sport bike chassis. This might just be the thing that draws me back to doing track days again. Sport bike ergonomics suck on the street but I never got uncomfortable riding my CBR on the track as the sessions were usually about 20 to 30 minutes long and the adrenaline seemed to be a natural antidote for being a bit cramped. Can't wait to see this bike become reality!!!

Just turned 61 a month ago. Had a nasty crash a year ago that made me think long and hard about selling both my motorcycles and giving up riding. The accident was not my fault but shook me up a good bit and my left knee is still very slightly compromised, but not keeping me from doing anything I want or need to. The short version is that I am still riding and like others, prefer going solo for the most part. There are a couple guys who are good friends that I will ride with on occasion but definitely no group rides. I am fortunate that my wife let me decide if I wanted to keep riding after the accident as she knows how much it means to me, and she does not mind when I am gone on the bike for a few days as long as I check in by phone each time I stop, to let her know my location. My health is quite good and exercising four to five days a week keeps me fairly fit for riding, so I feel blessed in that regard. My 2019 Tracer 900 GT is the perfect bike for the way I ride!!

I own both of the bikes you are considering and have put lots of miles on both. For what it is worth I am 61 years old, in good health and decent shape. I stand 6 foot one inch tall and weigh 180 pounds with a 34 inch inseam. 2013 Ninja 1000 with 41,000 miles. 2019 Tracer 900 GT with 22,000 miles. Both bikes purchased new. Have toured on both and used both for spirited riding. The Tracer is definitely the better long distance touring companion with the more upright riding position and more leg room. However when I am going out for just for a day of fun riding with friends and corner carving, I usually take the Kawasaki. Since you don't plan on touring I will compare them in regards to a day of spirited riding. Obviously the Tracer is roomier but the Ninja is by no means cramped. To me the biggest difference is that my knees are more bent on the Kawasaki. It is a little less upright than the Tracer at the bars, but not enough that it matters for a day of riding. The Tracer requires less effort to change directions and feels a bit lighter in transitions, but not by a lot. At the end of the day I feel a bit more fresh coming off the Tracer as less effort is required and the riding position offers a bit more comfort. Not a big difference but noticeable. The Kawasaki however feels more planted in the corners and the front end inspires a bit more confidence to attack the apex, in spite of feeling slightly heavier in transition. The Ninja just feels more on the sport side of things in this regard. Stock suspension on both is decent but I have upgraded this on both bikes. (Best money spent on either). I would regard the Tracer as being closer to the touring side of the sport touring equation than the Kawasaki Both have brilliant engines. The triple is great and has all the power you will ever need. Love the way it rips all the way to redline and it never feels strained. However the Ninja has more low and mid range torque and is a real beast. Either will do the job well but the Ninja clearly has more power. But again, the Tracer does not disappoint by comparison. Brakes are plenty good on both bikes but I give a slight nod to the Kawasaki front brakes as they seem to be a bit better and offer a little more feel and require slightly less force at the lever. One little caveat on the Kawasaki. Mine came with the 190/50 rear tire which made the bike feel a tad sluggish in the corners. Switching to the 190/55 made a big difference with better turn in and more neutral handling. The newer model has advanced electronics and may be calibrated for a 190/50. I don't know if changing tire size will affect the traction control calibration so that is something to look into. Should not be a problem but I don't know for sure. My bike only has ABS and no IMU. I wanted something better in the suspension department on both bikes. With the Tracer it was the front forks that stood out as needing an upgrade as they lacked the bump absorption I was looking for. On the Ninja it was the rear shock that did not have good damping control. Of course, the Ninja stock bits are much better now than they were on my 2013. For most riders the stock suspension will be fine unless you are a big guy. The overall quality of both bikes is very good. But in my humble opinion the Kawasaki feels more refined and well built. Not that the Yamaha is not, but rather the Kawasaki just feels a bit better put together. Even with the mileage and hard riding the bike still feels as solid as day one. The only repair outside of scheduled maintenance between the two is that I just recently needed to rebuild the front brake master cylinder on the Kawasaki, which was just a couple seals and a piston. Cost me 65 bucks in parts and was a simple fix. My opinion......if you are comfortable with the ergonomics of the Kawasaki, and you do not plan on touring, and just want something that is fun to go out for the day, that is the one I would get, but it only wins by a small margin as the sportier ride. If comfort is paramount the Tracer will put a big grin on your face too. Believe me, you will be very happy with either. Both are great bikes!!! Let us know what you decide. Either is a winner!!

As mentioned above, your front sprocket is in need of replacement. It might be a good time to pull the sprocket and investigate for a leaking seal there. It is recommended that the front and rear sprockets, as well as the chain, should be replaced as a set.

Did not change mine until I performed the first valve inspection at 20,000 miles. At that time the original plugs still looked to be in good condition.

This engine can run at 7000 rpm all day long and not break a sweat. You can set the cruise control at 90 mph and ride until you run out of gas and the engine will not suffer one bit. This engine is designed to run at a higher rpm than your previous bike. Look at it as a percentage of the total rpm available (redline).

Loved my 2003 VFR and put 45,000 miles on it before selling it to a friend. Sweetest exhaust note of any bike ever with the Staintune exhaust. Had it tuned so the VTEC was not an issue any longer. The engine was turbine smooth when cruising, but gutless below 6000 rpm. Replaced it with a Ninja 1000 which I found to be a much better sport tourer. More comfortable and way more power everywhere, especially in the low and midrange. I still have the Ninja 1000 with over 40,000 miles and now have 21,000 on my 2019 Tracer 900 GT. The Tracer is lighter and more comfortable than the Ninja, which leans a little more on the sport side of the equation than the Tracer.

Like many here I have been going to the area for about 20 years. The Dragon is still a fun road if you know when to go and when to avoid it. Hope to be in the area in about 10 days. Photo taken back around 2008.

Have noticed this as well. Very odd.

You did not mention what year your bike is, but for a 2019 it appears to be B5C-84144-00-00. It's $13.41 at partzilla.com.

OEM Pads are just fine. If you want to upgrade, I recommend Vesrah pads. Expensive but worth it.

The link to the member map appears to have gone missing.

I don't think there will be any loss of horsepower with just the full exhaust, but the bike could run a bit on the lean side. Ivan's Performance Products makes an excellent reflash for your bike.

When installing the front bolt into the rear brake caliper you need to push down a bit on the caliper to fully seat it and align the holes. You can see this by seating the caliper, then shine a flashlight into the bolt hole. As you push down gently the holes will align. Partially install the front bolt, then install the other bolt before torquing each of them to specification.

That's about 80 miles west of where I live. I hope one day to visit your country which is where my family originated.

The mechanic had replacement shims in his shop. I think they were Hotcams brand shims. Did he swap shims or did he have to use the Hotcams shims........I don't know to be honest. Am okay with either, as the after measurements were good.

I have a friend who is a retired motorcycle mechanic and does work out of his rather large garage. He did the job for 350 dollars. All the exhaust valves were tight. I think one of the intake valves was out. I no longer have the sheet where he recorded the before and after measurements. Inspection was performed at 20,000 miles.

First thing I would do is check the fuses under the seat. I know that one of the 7.5 amp fuses under the seat will cause the menu to be locked out if it blows, along with other symptoms such as the QS being shut off. Worth a look. Otherwise I would let the dealer hook up to the diagnostic port under the passenger seat and see what they find.

Shop around for a good independent mechanic and you will save money over taking it to the dealer. I found a good mechanic about a one hour drive from my home. Valve clearance inspection, throttle body sync, and new sparkplugs and air filter all for 350 dollars. I supplied the parts which I bought online including all new gaskets / seals.

So sorry to learn about your accident. I hope you heal quickly and fully. I cringe every time I read the stories of others who have gone down and were badly injured, or worse. I broke six ribs on my left side in a crash last year, along with some injuries to my left leg that are yet to fully heal. I had the same thoughts of giving up riding. But I am back on the bike and glad I did not decide to sell it. I am taking extra precautions and not doing nearly as much "spirited" riding as before. Some of my friends who could not keep up with me in the twisties are now waiting for me briefly at the end of the road. Still enjoying riding just as much as before but being more risk averse.

The quickshifter was standard on the GT in 2019, but not on the base model Tracer. Don't use mine a lot. It's nice on occasion but its function is not the smoothest. I have tried quickshifters on other bikes and they tend to do a better job. I think the one that comes with the GT could be better calibrated.