HGP61

I remember being quite easy and gentle on the throttle for the first few days getting used to the bike (probably in B mode) The first time I really went for it in an overtake was amazing I think I went from 50 to over 100 without any effort and certainly much quicker than the CBF 1000 I had just changed from. Fantastic bike, Love mine too

Mine has the same sort of free play only noticed it after I fitted the Yamaha heated grips. but installed with the original hand guard fitting NOT the replacement that came in the package with the grips. Gave me good "cruise control" when I switched the grips on and acted like a throttle lock when they had heated up to temp. Replacement was quickly fitted. Bear in mind that we need that little bit of free play if you are asking for it to be adjusted by the dealership.

Happy for you that it arrived and you are happy. I can send you a picture now i'm sure they will almost look like twins. Mine on the Mennock road.

I bought mine from a dealer in Batley west yorkshire last July. The 200 mile run home was nice and I had bonded with the bike well before reaching the M6 at Penrith.

I was going to suggest sending you a picture of mine to put under your pillow but that sounds too much like adultery so i'm not doing that.

That sounds correct I'm sure I measured my earlier tracer at 35" and they are a couple of inches wider than the newer models. Don't worry too much about it, I push my bike into a narrow shed and its easy enough sitting on, pushing, tilting bike slightly and turning bars. Bike is light enough and well worth the very minor inconvenience.

If you are planning something like your profile picture make sure it is a really tall backrest.

It's fine, if you are riding your Tracer with that on people will only be looking at your bike.

If you are planning another trip I would suggest that you head north to the borders using the A68 coming over the border at Carter Bar. Keep on the A68 towards Melrose. Head west to Selkirk and pick up the A708 Selkirk to Moffat road (voted one of the best in Britain by Ride Magazine) Good bikers cafe lunch stop at St. Mary's Loch. After Moffat go a bit further North (about 15 Miles) and use the A702 to go back towards Dumfries & Galloway. Fantastic roads you will not be disappointed. Satisfaction Guaranteed. If you are disappointed with anything (except weather and Midgies) I will personally come down and buy you enough petrol to get you back over the border.

I like that Dalmellington road, Couple of times a year we will head over the A702 Dalveen pass, along to Dalry and up to Dalmellington then a choice of a number of ways back home depending on time. Lovely area.

I was hoping that the statement made on the local news that we could "travel for recreation" covered us. My two mates and myself managed up to Crieff and alongside Loch Earn on Sunday. a lovely wee 170 mile round trip. Felt nice to be on the bike again after three months.

Well done Stew and welcome to the fold. I'm sure you wont have any regrets it's a fantastic bike I managed another short 50 miles on mine today now that lockdown has eased slightly.

I thought that the standard front sprocket was 16 teeth. Changing up is something I have considered, did it on my last bike it didn't make any appreciable dtfference on acceleration and made the bike slightly smoother at steady motorway speeds. Let us know how your change turns out.

Unfortunatly the GT380 is a stock picture, mine was a wee bit rougher looking, I remember the throttle having two positions off and almost full on and doing about 30 miles to a gallon. My XJ900 was a fantasticly reliable big air cooled workhorse that never gave me any issues. Only mechanical glitch in 5 years and 70,000 miles was a broken gear lever return spring, Sorted for about £3.50 and I hamfistedly cracked the alluminium oil cooler when I took it off for some service work being done.

With the two friends I regularly ride with we might plan but always like to keep things very flexable. No point in chasing miles just for the sake of it if its not enjoyable and our best laid plans can often gang aft aglay. Fantastic roads up the eastern side as long as you avoid the A9. The Cockbridge to Tomintoul road regularly has snow gates closed in the winter is fantastic on a summer day. We are hoping to do the NC500 again this August if facilities and campsites are open. Can only plan and hope.

Honda H100, Yamaha XS250, Suzuki GT380, Kawasaki KLE 500, Yamaha XJ900 Honda CBF1000 and the best of the lot Tracer 900 From 1980 to now with a big gap in the middle.

In Agreement, sometimes we take too long thinking about stuff and should "just do it". I sat a few weeks ago and planned a 500 mile longest day ride hopefully for next month around the 20th. plan is to start around 4.00am and have breakfast in Fort William after 190 miles. We will probably aim for 15 hours to complete the ride this should make plenty of time for stops.

Oil and Filter change this morning then I had to say to My wife that I needed a short 50 mile ride to break in the new oil to make sure all the air bubbles had blead out of the system. Her reply was "Aye right" in a very unbelieving tone and I got a very skeptical look. Then had a lovely run out towards Dumfries and Galloway and both the Mennock and Dalveen pass. Lovely short run in beautiful sunshine.

It was the standard 22L panniers that put me off the GT model when I changed last bikes last summer (well that and the price difference.) No regrets My 2nd hand tracer came with yamaha comfort seat and shad panniers in a much more suitable size for my needs, and most of the aftermarket bits I have added to My bike I would have added to the GT model

Remember that this is the power developed at the crankshaft and with transmition losses will be less at the rear wheel when measured on a dyno setup. Personally I'm not to bothered about upgrading my bike for more top end power, as a road rider I havn't needed to run the bike up to the rev limit. Might be tempted to flash the system to even out throttle action if I felt it was justified or wanted to improve mid range response. If you ask yourself "Have I got enough power?" and the answer is yes you are sorted. But, life isn't just about what we need, its also about want and if you want more and you can justify SPEND SPEND SPEND and enjoy the result.

seams like a lot of faff for something that is aesthetic rather than functional BUT i'm all for some personalising so you won't here any critisism from me

That's about the way I wired up accessories to the last bike I had. Relay and separate fuse box inside a electrical project case and tucked behind the side cover of My CBF 1000

I didn't think that it would have a permanent draw from the battery but will check this out before fitting and change plans if needed. I had a similar setup on my last bike all the accessories were connected via a 5 pin relay and I had a 12V accessory socket connected straight to the battery. I found this useful at times at campsites when you could draw a wee bit power from the bike without having the ignition on. I did use a 5V USB adapter with that set up

Just ordered online a USB power outlet to fit to the space in the right hand side of the bike. Probably wire it directly to the battery as that would allow me still able to charge a phone or an intercom while setting up at a campsite. I did have a few issues last summer with the USB socket vibrating loose from the standard socket.

Hi BBB I had noticed this on the Shad website and the three lock kit that I would need but it may just be the Scottishness in me that grudged buying and replacing three good locks for the want of a single key blank that my local shop would have copied for £1.50