Wintersdark

10 hours ago, draco_1967 said:

I don't know if the T7 and S10 pegs are the same. I found a used set of those pegs from an S10, and they required a little grinding to narrow pivot to fit in the Tracer mount. It was only about 2mm too wide. 

Checked, and no... the T7 pegs are pretty substantially different.  The angle is different, the pivot is significantly wider, etc.  I'm sure you could make it work with a lot of effort, but meh.  Alas.  I actually like the stock T7 pegs a lot.  They're not good for adv pegs, but they're quite comfortable.  Ah well.

For the curious, in this position the rear wheel is about 3" off the ground.  The center stand *just barely* clears the lift: 

For some bikes, if you don't have a center stand, you can continue to tighten the strap between the swingarm and frame and stand the bike up nearly completely vertically, but that's not happening with out center stand.  That's not something supported by Abba, mind you, but it's something I've watched videos of people doing successfully. 

Total front wheel lift in wheelie position.  This would be a very effective winter storage solution, as the bike doesn't use any more "footprint" than the lift itself, is quite secure, no wheels on the ground getting flat spots, and it's very easy to move around.  

Step 4 - Lift.  

This is the first of three lock points.  

Maximum lift.

Step two - Insert the right side brace, lock it in position with the handle set screw at it's base, then use the T handle to apply tension across the swingarm pivot and hold the bike securely.  Use the attached allen key to lock the brace in position with the second set screw for extra safety (there are two, because when you tension the t-handle the upright will pivot outwards some because of play inside the "sleeve" at the base of the upright - you want that to move before setting both set screws tightly):

Step 3 - This step differs depending on which lift position you want.  In this case, for wheelie position, you run the provided strap from the (also provided) swingarm spool to a bobbin in the base of the lift.  This allows the rear tire to lift off the ground, but keeps it just a couple inches up and forces the bike to pivot up into wheelie position.  Alternatively, you can insert a bar into the body of the lift (note the square hole in the red where the upright and base meet) and strap the rear wheel to that, which will cause the bike to lift level, or finally you can not strap the rear at all, which will lift just the rear end of the bike keeping the front wheel on the ground.

So I've had the Skylift for about a month now, figured I'd do a review and picture show of it's use. 

As I've said in other discussions, overall it's an extremely good piece of kit.  Quick and easy to hook up a bike and lift, lots of options in specifically how you lift.  In the following, I'll show lifting in "wheelie" position, but it's very flexible.  You can lift with the bike in wheelie position, level, or stoppie position with the rear wheel raised.  With a little experience, you can go from the bike on the sidestand to fully lifted in about two minutes without rushing. 

Step one - holding the bike upright, kickstand and center stand raised.  Roll the stand in, and lift or lower the left side swingarm pivot bit with the D-shaped fitting until it fits into the swingarm pivot.  You want it a bit low, so the bike leans slightly into the lift.  This allows the lift to support the bike without the right side brace in. 

@Warchild Man, those adjusters are so, so sexy.  Do want.  Totally unnecessary but so beautiful.

Honestly, I'm kind of impressed that you managed to bend but not break the stock pegs.  I broke both the feelers off mine; felt like they were pretty soft.  

Those look exactly like T7 footpegs.  I wonder if the T7 ones fit?  I'm pretty sure I tried that and it didn't work, but... I'd rather run the stock T7 pegs than the rubber topped amazon pegs I have now, and I've got my stock T7 pegs in a box.  Maybe I should check that again.

On 3/30/2023 at 6:54 PM, Kemp said:

I have tried this with decent success: https://www.aerostich.com/helmets/helmet-accessories/universal-helmet-sunblocker.html

Same concept as the electrical tape hack, but you can see through it.

I scrolled past an instagram ad for a polychromatic ("transitions") layer you can stick on your visor too - transparent at night, dims in the sunlight.  

Dunno how it'll be for optical clarity though; I'm always reluctant to add layers between my eyeballs and what I'm pointing them at.  IIRC it was ~$20 or so, so honestly something that would probably be worth trying for the OP.

On 3/27/2023 at 2:34 PM, TomTracer said:

Scorpion makes a modular helmet, adjustable face shield and drop down sun shade, and visor like on a D/S helmet BUT the face shield cannot be raised with the visor attached. The visor snaps on. Price was $270. Modular is noisier of course. Might be an option to consider.

Can confirm.  I've got the Scorpion AT 960, and it's a great helmet.  The peak is of course removable but even at high speed it's pretty neutral in terms of catching the air.  Well designed to block sun without being a problem.  It comes with side covers so if you do want to remove the peak it just looks like a regular sport full face helmet too.

Modular portion can lock open so it's safe to ride with it open though I wouldn't, as it's VERY top heavy while open and absolutely does catch air badly too.

As you said, it's a modular so a bit louder than a normal full face, but it's significantly quieter than my old modular GMax MD01S.  Even with the chin curtain removed (I hate those) it's actually surprisingly quiet for a modular.

Newer ECE 0.26 rated too!

Edit: The visor and modular face CAN be opened with the peak attached.  The peak rotates backwards when the face is opened, and the visor opens directly under the peak. 

https://www.scorpionusa.com/product/exo-at960-solid/

8 hours ago, dazzler24 said:

 

Just to be clear, I like the look of them too and completely agree that the front of the 2015 bikes do looked 'unfinished' but have to ask - why is it such an abomination to stick something out the front (of the front) but not the back (of the front)?

I refer of course to the much discussed 'beak/bill'.

After all, Daffy had no problem with it either way as I recall! 😉

We can't all be Daffy, rocking our beaks either way with style an panache.

The parts out of the back of the front look nice, whereas the parts out of the front of the front look awful and anyone doing that is clearly just wrong and has no taste whatsoever.

Quote

I sure wish my Tracer looked more like a v-strom!

- No one, ever.

14 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Me too

Not worth it when they're just gonna go mottley bronze again.

The patina promotes better cooling than a mirror finish.  Something about not allowing a boundary layer of air to stagnate.

Kinda like the dimples on a golf ball.

I dunno about improving cooling or anything (and don't really care) but yeah, if it was a garage queen maybe that would be different, but I ride way to often in terrible conditions to even consider that much effort for a very, very short term gain.  I mean, mine didn't look that good new ("new" - it had a couple hundred kilometers on it as a demo bike) and after a month and say 1500kms or so it'll just be splotchybronze again

If/when my headers come off, they're going in the trash and I'm mounting new ones.  Like those that come with that Black Widow tri-oval system I've been eyeballing forever.

All that said: Mad respect for how great they look, though.  Sweet. 

3 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

I use the 7.5" x 4.4 air wedge bag; works well and has dozens of other uses.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08G4S6L5K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1RNETUG1LLHVW&psc=1

15% for 3 versus the cost of 1 of these plus their shipping.

  https://www.pit-bull.com/motorcycle-apparel-accessories/track-accessories/pit-crew-tire-wedge-f0102-000

 

Oh, those look awesome.  So many times that would have come in really useful, and for $15...  There's a new tool in the box right there. 

On 3/31/2023 at 9:36 AM, Warchild said:

T
I've been working on transforming this new platform since the last week in November. It is essentially an upright-sitting YZF-R1.  The MPG on this bike is brutal, like 30-31 mpg after the ECU is flashed. Tiny-ass R1 racebike tank is 4.5 gallons, so the Low Fuel light comes on after only 95 miles.  😖   Had the ECU un-flashed, dropped two teeth in the rear, dumped the *enormously* heavy stock exhaust for a featherweight Yoshimura Alpha T 3/4 system, and now I am seeing a solid 35+ MPG. The bike is almost ready for Desert Running, except for aux driving lamps.

I think this may be the only Yamaha MT10 on the planet that can carry 8.3 gallons of fuel: 





 

This... I don't know what to feel about this.  On one hand, I totally get it, and it's super well executed and all.  On the other, it seems deeply wrong on some level   But I guess it's not like you can just buy a bigger tank, and the stock range on these is embarrassingly bad, so much so that despite there being factory hardbags, a trip of any distance would be incredibly irritating stopping for gas even 20 minutes.  But I'm going to bet that you're right, and that you're the only person on the planet with an MT10 with a 8.3 gallon tank!

On 3/31/2023 at 10:13 AM, betoney said:

Interestingly, I find Yamaha's onboard computer to be very optimistic, I ran a full tank of fuel yesterday and the dash said 46.8mpg average but real world calculations were an even 42mpg, my fuel light was flashing at 165 miles, whereas my Honda VFR is dead-nuts accurate, the computer reads 40mpg and my calculations also read 40mpg.  Same with the speedometer, when comparing to my GPS, the Yamaha has always been 2 mph difference while the Honda is right on. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Mine is exactly the same.  It assumes I'm travelling faster than I am, and then calculates my fuel economy too optimistically. I just use the display to judge how I'm riding or if anything has changed, rather than as a specific guide.

22 hours ago, betoney said:

I have used nothing but Superlite sprockets on my bikes and they wear like iron, once the chain is toast you will have to look very closely to notice any wear, you can easily use 2 chains per sprocket set, some will obviously disagree with that way of thinking though.

Strong agree.  You recommended these when my Tracer was new, and I've now been through three sets of Superlite sprockets from Sprocket Center over two bikes and yeah.  They're amazing.  Miles beyond stock sprockets, and very reasonably priced. 

15 hours ago, RonZuidhoek said:

I (finally) did my exhaust cleaning. It was looking horrible. I took off the complete (stock) exhaust so i could clean it well. I used some acid-based cream, specialy made for cleaning RVS-steal. It took me 2 days, but i am very happy with the results.

Before:

After:

 

14 hours ago, RonZuidhoek said:

Put in some effort and you will shine as well.😁

1) Oh, my god, that's amazing.  That looks better than mine did brand new, by a large margin.

2) That's WAY more effort than I'm gonna put into it.  New headers, here I come!

On 3/25/2023 at 2:25 AM, dazzler24 said:

I did feel that I had to input mini adjustments to maintain a line when cornering hard on the 5s so am keen to see if the front is as good as you describe.

On a related side note, what pressures are you running in your 6s?  I know you are in a significantly cooler climate from what I am but am curious to see what you're running in your summer and if I may ask - riding weight?

Exactly the problem with the 5's front, and is what the 6's fix.  Much more solid feel, better feedback, less vague mushiness requiring constant attention and adjustment.  

I run 36/42, and am a big chonky boy - 330lbs/150kg or so in gear?  In the winter I lower that a bit, 34/38.  Which is more "just don't adjust pressure as the temperature drops" than adjust to that, if I'm being honest.  Rear likes to be a bit lower to grab better when it's cold.

On 3/21/2023 at 3:59 PM, dazzler24 said:

Thanks for that.  I did wonder about what crazy signals the ECU might have gotten under a completely unusual set of circumstances and hence a CEL.

When I cleaned out the sidestand switch, while it appeared to be in pretty good condition, I felt that the little spring that presses the the little copper bridge that completes the circuit when activated was possibly applying a weak force.  So, just in case, I gave it a little stretch and it should be making positive contact now - if indeed that was the problem?!

I really don't want it to happen again as I was lucky that it happened where it did - flat country road and zero traffic. I would have hated to have been in highway traffic or a steep climb or in a tight corner etc.  Anyway, I guess if it does happen again I will be semi-prepared for it.

If it does, and won't restart in gear, try neutral.  If it restarts in neutral, but dies when you put it in gear, that's definitely the sidestand switch.  If that does happen, you can just cut the wires to the sidestand switch and connect them together to make the bike run and get you home.  

On 3/22/2023 at 6:04 PM, Brian said:

15 FJ-09 stock except Vcyclenut flash.

I am in Houston, TX USA (elevation about 3ft) and am about to trailer my bike to SW Colorado to ride the lower Rockies...some at 11,000ft near Silverton.

Can I expect any issues with the bike at that elevation?

35 years ago, My 1975 Chevy Blazer didn't run so well at high altitudes 

I'm in Calgary, so I'm starting from 3425ft ASL, but frequently ride up into the Rockies here (I want to say 4500ft ASL) which while not 11k, is still pretty damn high, as well as down to the coast.  In that 0-4500ft range, there's really not an appreciable difference at all.  

As @bwringer said, EFI != carbs.  Your ECU will adjust fueling for altitude.  Sure, there's less oxygen to work with, but it won't bog down and get really rich like you would with a carb.  You just gradually lose a little oomph which is pretty negligible when considering ~120hp.  It's not like the old days of taking a 40hp carbureted bike up a mountain 😃

The rear is about the same (6 vs 5) imho, but the front is substantially improved vs the 5.  I find you get much better feedback thanks to the much stiffer sidewalls, particularly on the side of the tire. Also, better wear characteristics.  The 4 and 5 fronts tended to wear in a /-\ sort of pattern(think the top of an octagon); flat angled sides, flat top, with a weird pointy transition where the harder center compound meets the softer sides, resulting in fronts that you'd swap out with rears where normally you'd run 2 rears to a front.  Of course, it wasn't that bad, because you'd get around 10k out of a set, but still.

The Road 6 front is dramatically better.  It's a very different tire, and solves what was IMHO the biggest weakness of the Road tire line, at least over the last decade or so - as far as my experience goes. 

I gave the T32's a run between my Road 5's and 6's, and while I felt the T32 was a good value tire, it wore down WAY faster, and was nowhere near as good in the wet and cold as the 5's, let alone the 6's which get purportedly 10% more wet/cold grip than the 5's.  I took mine for a ride in -15C a couple weeks ago, and was genuinely impressed at how much I had to work on it to trigger traction control. 

And that's my Road 6 fanboying for the day. 

11 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

You need FendaExtenda F&R

They really help a lot.

Never figured out why people Bob the rear unless they never ride in the wet...

Yeah, I suspect a lot of people either don't ride in poor weather or live in dry places where rain isn't super common.  Getting that spray up your back and (worst part) up into the back of your helmet then down your neck is the worst. It's awful.  

So much so that I'm *very* choosey even about tail tidies these days.  I appreciate the look a lot, but... ugh.  First day when you're on a big motorcycle trip and need to log a whole day riding in rain and you change your mind REAL FAST.

Yep, definitely hollow.

On 3/16/2023 at 2:47 AM, OZVFR said:

Sorry, missed the check engine light on first post. 
I don’t think side stand operates the engine light. 
Do you have a manual?

If not PM me with your email address and I’ll send you a copy. 

The sidestand doesn't normally trigger the CEL but if it kills the bike at highway speeds *only briefly* while you're still in gear and moving it's entirely possible that the ECU throws a code as it expects the bike to be running except it's not.

I'd put money on the sidestand switch being the culprit. Maybe just a one-off because some junk got knocked into it, or maybe it becomes an ongoing problem.  If it's one-off who cares, if it happens again though the first step is jumping the switch to see if it happens again without the switch in use.

Regardless, I'm definitely curious how this pans out.

5 hours ago, phats22 said:

Can you compare contrast the two engines?  Or what did you like about it vs the triple?

As I said, I've got both too. 

This is something I've rambled on about at length, and while it may be less popular on this specific forum you'll find it's not an uncommon opinion.

The CP2 is a more fun engine.  It's not a faster engine, but it often *feels* faster.  The CP3 is more refined and powerful, but needs to spin up more to make that power and (particularly before the refresh) has kind of a flat spot around 4000-5000rpm.  On the other hand, the CP2 hammers the power on *immediately*, giving it a very raw, visceral feel with acceleration being hard and fast.  

The problem with the CP2 is that it kind of runs out of steam at the high end, and while the CP2 bikes will hit top speeds just a little shy of the CP3, after 100mph the CP2 noticeably lags where the CP3 roars.

On the flip side, to get the CP2 experience out of the CP3 you need to rev it up into the 7000-8000rpm range.  There, it's a monster, tons of power on tap.  But the problem you run in to in town is that with that power and at high rpm you find yourself hitting unusable speeds too fast.  Where the CP2 bike can roar off a stop pulling power wheelies gear after gear as you bang through the gears... But not end up going felony speeds.... The CP3 is either in its flat spot (where I'll note it's still very powerful, just not exciting) or accelerating *extremely* rapidly and god I hope there isn't a cop around.

So.  If you're riding mostly in town, or on windy highways where you're not really exceeding 100mph/160 kph, the CP2 feels gruntier and more exciting. It's simpler, direct cable throttle, no ride modes, traction control, or other degrees of separation between wrist and zoom. Put a short throw throttle tube on it for $20 and it feels almost frenzied. 

But once you're on highways more often, open roads (winding or otherwise) where being able to put significant power down when you're already moving pretty fast is important, and suddenly everything changes.  Or if you want to ride two up, and need more power to overcome the weight.

As well, if you ride like a hooligan on both, you'll tend to get better gas mileage out of the cp3 as it gives fewer phucks about wind resistance due to the higher power, whereas after around 120kph/75mph the CP2 becomes very inefficient as too large a percentage of its output is going to just countering drag.  This specific point is less relevant for the R7, however.

19 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Obviously they must be removed to ride!

Lol well not reeeeeeally, they wouldn't interfere with riding but you'd certainly lose them.  They just sit kind of loosely in the holes, they don't actually attach to the bike. Was just demonstrating how they fit in.  The lift squeezes the two sides together holding those in cups, which allows the bike to pivot for the wheelie/flat/stoppie positions.

Max height straight lift:

@knyteJust had to push down when releasing the lowering valve to drop it all the way down.  Lol. 

On 3/5/2023 at 12:35 PM, Brentinpdx said:

I have a question about the Skyjack and the FJ09.  It says that it uses the swing arm points on the bike. On my bike I checked it out and there is a bolt head in the way,  the access is D shaped and nut on the other side. Does the sky jack have adapters that work on this? I don't want to order one and send it back as I can't use it.

Here's the Tracer adapters:

It's rock solid stable with them.  

4 hours ago, DavidS said:

What betoney said!!!!!!!!!

I once traded my old FJ09, fully outfitted with after market sparkles to the Tracer 900 GT. I quickly realized I had the newer version of my old bike, but not much improvement or extra features. I had added all the extra sparkles after market on my old bike, and my old bike was about the same in almost every way to the new tracer. And I still wish I could have the shorter wheel base like the original bike, I miss the character of the old FJ09.

Hah this is a good point too.  All the farkles you put into the bike have zero resale value but if you're going to need to spend that money again farkling the new bike pushes the price up even more.  

Incremental upgrades at thousands of dollars... eh, that just doesn't really work for me.  I know I'd never consider trading my 900GT in for a Tracer 9, and if I'd bought an FJ I wouldn't have considered a Tracer 900.  

7 hours ago, skipperT said:

MT/FZ07 if you can find a clean one. 

but even with a heavy throttle hand, I’m surprised by your fuel mileage. Are you up to date on maintenance?

-Skip

Honestly, around town, I enjoyed my prior bike (2018 MT07) more than the Tracer 900GT.  The Tracer is a better bike, but the MT07 was wicked fun and super maneuverable.  It just fell down on longer rides, and was pretty small for my 6'4" frame.  If I had to choose one for primarily city riding however it would be an MT07 every single time, without a second thought.

Interestingly, I bought a Tenere 700 last year, and frankly it too is significantly better to ride around in town than the Tracer is.  That CP2 is a delight at low speeds, and it's height (directly in opposition to the OP's ask) is IMHO a huge benefit: I can stand on it and easily see over pickup trucks, and seated I've got clear LOS over cars.  Vision is safety riding in a city, you're never surprised by someone obscured by the car in front of you.  It's the same weight as the Tracer and taller, so if OP is very small that'd probably be a problem, but frankly the Tenere is an absolute beast of a city bike.  Gravel on the road?  Who cares.  Curbs?  Just ride over them.  You can put the bike whereever you want, don't need to care about roads at all.  I'm a bit of a hooligan on mine  

I dunno.  Just my opinion of course, this is all very subjective, but I'd argue that the gains are very minor and most aren't relevant for your stated use case (urban commuting) - the electronic suspension, slightly more power, etc.  The seat height difference is pretty minor and unless you're having issues getting feet down I don't see it really making a noticable difference.  

All of which and more are all things that are better with the new T9GT.... But they're all small, too.... And it's a HUGE price difference.  I know personally I couldn't justify that spend for such minor gains - again, particularly given your use case.

I mean, if seat height is that important to you, why not just lower the existing Tracer and save several thousand dollars?

8 hours ago, Turd Ferguson said:

 

Looks pretty damn cool though 😃