Larz

Thinking about it. 2024 Has just about everything a Tracer fan could ask for....Gotta a lot of $$ into to both bikes, particuarly the Dyna, of course I'll lose major Benjamins but maybe come to enuff to cover a new bike. Thoughts? ( yeah Old White Guy bored, want new toy....)

7 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

I still think the motow inputs stresses into the front end it was not designed to handle, and extensive use will have a detrimental effect. 

Still interesting. 

You don't wear a PFD or helmet when paddle boarding?  Especially when solo?

Well I don't know enough about enginnerin' to really have an informed opinion on whether there's additional stress on the front end when towing like that. Some might argue that normal trailering with the suspension compressed from strapping is also not what the suspension is designed to handle?

Naw, I use PFD and the leash on a lake or the ocean, where the possibilty of drowning is more likely,eh. On the Lower Salt I suppose you could advance a good arguement for a helmet; folks running serious whitewater on paddle boards often wear a helmet. Ain't much over class 2 at most on the lower Salt though. And it's not like a Kayak where you are pretty much stuck in the thing if you roll over.  Not to mention the heat- can't really go in the Summer without exposure to + triple digit temps, helmet just increases the odds of heat stroke, much more likely than banging your noggin'.

1 hour ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Wow, 10 miles for an old man, even in shape, is a is a long way! 🫠

Interesting contraption butyou need a video showing how you get it on, and going down the road! 

So the front wheel free tracks reverse of the way it was designed?

Does it track well but how does the whole front end including the frame absorb impact opposite way it was designed to do?

I just don't see it.

 

 

Thanks for asking, and yeah I dig running the river, but always kicks my ass. I'll put up a vid in the gear section on the MoTow. You strap the steering head solid so front wheel tracks straight. A fair portion of the bikes weight is on the hitch so the front suspension really carries what it normally would being ridden... Here's link to their website, they have vids. I can say I've towed with mine over 3K miles with lot's of freeway at 80 mph with no issues. And zero affilation with these folks, just think the product a viable option for those that want a trailer but don't have room for one ( like me) or want something more versatile.

https://motowus.com/about-motow/product-videos/

7 hours ago, Paddy01 said:

Many thanks for clarifying. It looked like fun, even with the leak. 

It's on me, should have shown more info with the vid.  Crappy auto-edit off the GoPro app including music I didn't pick; I'm still trying to figure out editing with good software & capable laptop. And really the vid was intended to highlight the utility of the MoTow hitch: trailer your bike without a trailer,eh. When done just pop that puppy into the trunk or whatever; easy storage in a closet,etc.

Only posted here becuase I used the Tracer for this trip- locking panniers mean more protective gear for the ride back to the car. But I've towed my MT-09 SP to track school up at Willow Springs earlier this year, 500 miles to far for me to ride a naked bike and then do 2 full days riding the track. 

7 hours ago, Paddy01 said:

Hey Larz, at the risk of being negative, isn’t towing a bike defeating the object of having one?  I know my brain still can’t comprehend the distances you guys in North America travel, and perhaps you drove somewhere very distant from home and then did some great riding on arrival. But isn’t getting there on the bike half the joy? 

well sure friend, although in this case towing the bike allowed me to accomplish a 10 mile float down the Lower Salt river. I guess it's not very apparent in the vid that I towed the bike to a get-out spot 10 miles down river, where I left the bike. Then drove upriver to the put-in, inflated my ( suddenly leaking) paddle board, ran the river down to where I'd left the bike ( river mule) deflated the board, packed on the bike, rode said bike back up to where I'd left the car.....

Anyhooo, 10 miles would be quite the hike packing the board back up the highway, but if that's the way you would have done it to keep the motorcycling experience "pure" well I salute your dedication to the sport, friend

https://www.facebook.com/100078761633740/videos/746477224145072

Okey Dokey, made the "magic" 600 mile mark, changed the oil and cleaned/adjusted the chain. Found the rev limiter right around 10k rpm ( sketchy the way the bar tach displays the upper rev range). She do have some good "giddy up girl" above 7k rpm, but I am working on very fine throttle control to limit the amount of unintended wheelies. Had a blast on the freeway coming back from the canyons today. Kid on a CBR up ahead, so I gave her some beans to catch up and pass him- hit an indicated 115 mph, not bad but the front end starting to feel a little frisky. Of course he had to catch up, gave me the high sign, think he liked the bike. We weaved through the traffic at a little better than triple digits for a bit. Good times, love this bike.

14 hours ago, Ride365 said:

Hope you are ripping that engine to it's full potential by now? I have a thing for the MT-10, don't need but damn do I want!!

Just got enough miles on her to start exploring the powerband. Have to wait for the 1st oil change to find the rev limiter. Two weeks in the Philipines delayed breaking in the bike.

MT-10, man you gotta get the SP version with semi-active Ohlins on both ends,eh. I dunno, fast bike but not as fast in the tight twisty stuff as the -09. Catch up right quick on the straight aways though.

10 hours ago, betoney said:

 

Didn’t the throttle grip and housing get changed with the latest fly-by-wire?  I believe the throttle sensor is part of the grip now. 

Since the '21 model, yes. However on my '23, it is the plastic tube and the cam lobe interface that is apparently changed from '21-22 models. This is just on the SP & 9GT, I believe.

5 hours ago, skipperT said:

I’d also be curious…. @Larz
question though: have you experienced this characteristic in all drive modes? If you’re not sure, it might be worth trying each one to see if it’s more/less pronounced depending on the selected mode. 

-Skip

Hi Skipper,

I've tried mode 2 TC 2  in  a canyon enviroment and thought it might have felt a hair smoother, but not significantly. On Ivan's flash, my Tracer's 1 &2 modes feel very close power wise with mode 2 being significantly smoother/snatch free. Sport riding in mode 3 doesn't appeal to me. on either bike.

The flat spot off 5k rpm isn't there in 3&4; i'll have to try 2 some more to say.

Speaking of say, say what's up with the throttle tube on the '23 SP? Mine is markedly diffirent from the '21 and '22s: I've tried fitting both OEM option heated grip kit for the standard '21 and '22 MT-09, which allows standard throttle control minus the CC cancel, and the OEM replacement grips for '21-'22 9GT and neither came close to working. Read about some recalls due to throtlle grip failure when picking the bike up off it's side. Is the '23 9GT and MT-09SP throttle tube a redesign, or is mine a freak?

On 1/6/2023 at 2:21 AM, dazzler24 said:

This is an interesting observation.  So not this issue from the 22 version?

I have to admit too changing my opinion regarding throttle snatchiness now that more miles are on the bike with a bit serious canyon carving in the mix.  The Gen 3 is better than I remember my stock Tracer being, but not as smooth as it is with the flash. Not particularly noticable if there's no obstructing traffic and one can maintain a good clip, but rather pronounced ar low speed/ gear transitions. There's also a noticable flat spot right off 5k rpm, if one is gently opening the throttle. I guess a flash is in the cards for this bike. 

On 11/30/2022 at 6:23 PM, kingfisher said:

Wow, you are going to enjoy that bike! As great as the new engine is in the Tracer, it should be amazing in the lighter MT-09.

oh yeah, this bike is crazy. Got to be careful in the Canyons, she will loft the front wheel in 3rd gear off the throttle if you get too heavy handed: lovin' it, man!

At the 6 minute mark. Just to be clear I'm in no way advocating for that guy in the vid. Just picked that one because he uses a big display so you can see the tables he's talking about. Nothing special about his flash, looks like another one-size- fits-all canned flash. And Lord knows what possesed him to put that ugly-assed Spanish pipe on the bike and publish it on Youtube 😬

5 hours ago, dazzler24 said:

This is an interesting observation.  So not this issue from the 22 version?

meh, who is this youtube cowboy? I'll standby my comment, it's feel as good as my flashed 2019 Gen 2 Tracer. Which isn't perfect, but what is? Light years better than the fueling on a stock Gen 1 ... and I've ridden with kids on their FZ-09s, they seemed to have no problem riding very tight technical stuff faster than me, despite the infamous "snatchy throttle". I didn't think it was all that bad on my bike before the getting the ECU flashed, not once I got used to it. There are some weird restrictions on the Gen 3 in terms of RPM and speed though that I think I noticed a bit yesterday. According to some "gurus" that's the big reason now to get the new bikes flashed.

10 hours ago, dazzler24 said:

Larz you are really selling it!  And I'm being sucked in.  I keep coming back to this post in anticipation of more juicy news. 🙂

Seating position on the new 'grom' compared to your Tracer - how would you describe it - same, similar  or more sports style with a forward wrist lean?  I'm not keen on any sports tuck on any bike these days.

(Later) - Gotta say it looks like a fairly upright position after looking at some advertising guff.

I think I've earned a gift card or discount on a YES plan from the Mothership🤠😁🤣

Yes it's virtually the same rider position as the FJ/Tracer/ 9GT. I put 3/4" handlebar riser extensions on the Tracer right away. Want to do the same to the "Grom"....although the eliphant in the room amongst all this happy talk is wind blast,eh. So you folks down in Oz get the same "Dark side of Japan" advert jazz on the MTs?

6 hours ago, kingfisher said:

I look forward to your impressions after the break-in has passed. During the break-in period, I’d approach the 7,000 rpm mark and think that this is impressive, and different from before. Afterwards, when setting it free and accelerating hard to redline, I was amazed at how strong the new engine is. The older triple was great, but had a fairly linear power output. The 890 cc version is stronger in the lower and mid range to a degree, but has a killer top end from 7,000 rpm up. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised.

Can't wait to wring her little neck out and bang into the rev limiter.  I will certainly update my impressions 👍

On 1/2/2023 at 11:36 PM, dazzler24 said:

Sounds like someone is VERY happy with their new toy 😁

Sooo, that much better than your GT eh.  Interesting observation.  I'm intrigued now.  Looking forward to further posts of your impressions. 👍

Yeah, even not broke in yet, as far as straight up riding and everything is just that much better sorted. Think it's love at first ride ( actually first sight, went to look at a 9GT, saw the MT-09 Sp on the floor- little voice in the back of me brain whispered: " that's the bike you should buy").

On 1/3/2023 at 8:56 AM, kingfisher said:

That new engine is a peach! I was wondering what you thought of it and that great suspension, frame, etc. It looks great; that flyscreen goes well with it.

Yes, it's stronger, my 900 was not this strong during the break-in, and that's taking weight into account. The fueling is as good as my flashed 900; seems like Mama Yama might be getting that right finally. Well it's totally apples to oranges on suspension and chassis between the 2 bikes, words are inadequate to describe the visceral difference, but Grom on steriods vs adult sized bike is as close as I can come. 

On 1/3/2023 at 11:13 AM, KrustyKush said:

Got my eye on an MT09.  I love my 21 Tracer GT.  I don't need a "tourer" configuration, but rather a strong bike for navigating the highways around here, especially those between the lanes.  I'm thinking of selling my Tracer and buying a MT09.  Love this motor!

Yeah bro, I feel you. What you are like in your 70's and have a Wing? Dude, get an MT-09, it will take you back to your youth, carve up that SoCal traffic like a hot knife thru butter and put a smile on your face every time you ride a piece of twisty tarmac.

On 1/3/2023 at 1:25 PM, texscottyd said:

It’s interesting to look back at the evolution of the CP3 lineup:   I bought my FJ as a slightly more responsible/practical version of the FZ9.   It was a bit rough around the edges, but a fun hooligan/sport/tour package to build upon.   Oddly, as the generations have become more refined & sophisticated (900 GT; the stunning new T9) they actually appeal to me less.   Great bikes, well targeted to their market, but just not for me.  

I would also seriously consider the new-gen MT09 as a replacement for the old faithful FJ09, if the day ever comes… 

Well said. I love my Tracer, it is a great bike! However, I've always felt like she was a hair long, in terms of the wheel base, for really tight technical stuff. Not so the MT-09, which I believe has the same wheel base as the FJ and FZ. Oh and the lowered steering head, which folks have been doing at home to their FJs and FZs for years now ( why did it take so long for the Mothership to do that from the factory, one wonders?). I've thought for a while now that was the main reason a lot of seasoned FJ riders did not upgrade to the Tracer, a little loss in agility in service of a more composed freeway ( Autobahn?) experience.

Some early impressions from a few hundered miles:

Wow, what a difference losing 60lbs, 2.5 inches off the swingarm, a gallon off the gas tank, shorter tail section and being all "nekkid" makes in how a bike feels. The grom joke has some basis in reality when comparing this sled to my Tracer. It's almost disconcerting, but in a good, this is "raw" (🙄) motorcycling kinda way.

The engine: rain and the holidays have prevented me from getting her to the magical 600 mile mark yet; however- keeping her between 3-5K RPM and we are on the freeway at 80 mph, carving some canyon at a decent pace and feeling relatively comfortable with the power around town. Given that this nowhere near the powerband, anticipate some serious fun factor after the break-in.

The tranny: yes! We be rowing thru the gears right now, very slick and the quickshifter is flawless. 

The suspension: very taut and well sorted. Have the same Ohlins shock on the Tracer, took around 5K miles to break in the spring, on this light of a bike, it's a bit stiff right now. The KYB fork feels much better than expected, maybe won't have to do anything but set-up this package for my weight/style. Possibly re-spring the fork if I get any tubbier....

The electronics: display is a bit small, but no problem reading it at speed. Man, there is a whole lot of menu available Same old right-hand thumbwheel....

The seat: actually feels better than the Tracer's, better foam maybe. The fake suede cover is great, very grippy, I like that.

Overall, it's a Naked sport bike with a more standard UJM rider triangle. There is no "Tour" here beyond the cruise control that comes on the SP.

The  Hulked out Grom in the stable. She-hulk? Nooo.... if the Tracer is a hot fit Milf who does Yoga, the Gen 3 MT-09 SP is her really hot college age daughter who's into Martial Arts as well as Yoga....

resulting in a 200lb/100 HP muscle gain- don't know but that is what this bike feels like compared to my Tracer ( Yeee Haaaw)

On 12/29/2022 at 2:29 PM, texscottyd said:

I don’t have the Powervision programmer, and the Target-tune seemed to be running pretty rich, so I temporarily removed it and put the stock narrow-band sensors back in.   It’s running so well now, I’m tempted to just leave it alone.  

It’s a weird guilty pleasure to ride this thing:  There is no rational explanation for what makes it so fun… 

" If it ain't broke don't go fixing it".  I'd just ride it then.

" ...Weird guilty pleasure...." , there is something about a big airhead V-twin pushing all that heavy metal around, dunno, someone else called it visceral. To me it's a far more primordial feeling experience than any of my Japanese bikes- although I pick them more often then not to go ride. But I'll never part with my Dyna, not near as nice looking, it's garage built, as your XR ; that is a good looking scoot🖕 ( a truly rational person would never risk life & limb for the mere pleasure of zipping around on two wheels....) 

On 12/17/2022 at 10:13 AM, texscottyd said:

.....target tune fueling thing (haven’t investigated yet)........

https://www.dynojet.com/target-tune/

You don't have the Powervision module itself then, I'm guessing? 

On 11/30/2022 at 1:13 PM, kingfisher said:

Yes, on the '22 model you can only use the quick shifter to downshift when the throttle is closed. If the QS is turned on, you see two small adjacent arrows on the display, one pointing up, and one down. If the up arrow is green, as it would be in gears 1-5 under throttle,  you can upshift; if the throttle is closed, the down arrow is green and downshifting is possible. 

Yes now I understand what you were saying😏. And the QS on the '23 MT-09 is the same as your '22 9GT, must close throttle to downshift. Works a treat though, smoother than the QS on my '19 and being able QS down is cool🤠. Might actually use it quite a bit!

8 hours ago, betoney said:

I believe the SP forks also have high AND low speed compression damping!

yes sir they do indeed. Really to early to say and again it's apples to oranges, but these KYB forks feel superior to the KYBs that came on the GT 900.

19 hours ago, kingfisher said:

Excellent! What a great looking bike. ....

Thanks bro. Yes I'm fairly impressed with some of the little details on the SP: smoked brake MCs, suede-like seat covering, black DLC coating on the fork tubes....etc😍