draco_1967

I love my Dirt Ninja! It was relatively cheap to build, does street well, does dirt well, weighs less than a T7 or KLR, and I am not sad if it drops. Ninja 650s are abundant and often crashed, so they are often cheap to buy. I think I have about $3000 USD into my bike. 2007 650R, DRZ400 forks, Vstrom 19" wheel, R1 shock, and lots of little home-made pieces.

I cleaned my tracer up a bit. It was a little bug splattered. I also installed Givi pannier racks, the "rapid release" kind, and they are far from rapid release or install... Hopefully they will break in a bit. I have a set of Dolomiti panniers on the way. I finally caved on hard bags for this bike. I have been using soft bags because I can use the same setup on my ADV bike as well. But I want to be able to lock up my belongings when on long road trips.

I carry a small tool kit for potential small things. I have had fasteners come loose on occasion. I have also had to lend a hand to riding buddies or strangers on a trip. Here is what I carry on most rides: If I am going on a really long trip, I would add tools to allow chain adjustment and wheel removal. It may be overkill for most rides, but my past experience leads me to carry more tools than are always needed. I was on a ride once, and a falling rock bounced across the road and hit my front wheel. It bent the front brake disk, and the bike was barely rideable. I was able to remove the front wheel, take of the brake disk, and reinstall the wheel to limp home with no front brake.

I haven't heard anything about an official recall, so I would say Yamaha or the dealer wouldn't replace it under warranty. My stock chain went 14k miles, but it was pretty rough for the last 2k miles. I had a 2012 NC700X, and Honda did have a recall on the factory chains for some bikes. Mine wasn't one of them. The factory DID chain only went about 8k miles before it was toast.

I've used DuPont Chain Saver for several years. I spray it into a little cup and use a soft brush to apply to the chain. I feel like spraying the stuff on the chain creates a lot of mess and wasted lube. Occasionally, I'll wipe the chain with a rag sprayed with WD-40 to clean off the road grime (or salt in the winter).

Nothing too special needed. If you don't have the little packet of grease the manufacturer includes with the master link, a decent marine grease or moly grease would be fine.

The stud shouldn't be insterted all the way into the hole, to the point where it hits the bottom of the hole. I'll have to check the Yamaha service manual to see if it gives details on this process. The last time I had to do this was about 5 years ago on a Honda.

Use two regular 10mm nuts. Thread them on the stud, jam the nuts together (tighten the top and loosen the bottom). Once they are jammed together, you can use the lower nut to unscrew the stud from the hub. Here is an example of this method: Make sure to put those 12-point sockets at the back of your tool box, and put some nice 6-point sockets that grip the flats of the nut 😄. And don't use an adjustable wrench on your motorcycle 😬. Edit: Also, when reinstalling new studs, check what the manual says. Usually, these are not screwed in until they bottom out. That will likely strip out the stud holes when the sprocket nuts get torqued.

RE: size and weight, On a touring bike, it makes a lot of sense. The bike is more stable, and cruises along without much input from the rider. My buddies all ride Honda VTX1800s. They are pushing 800lbs (the bikes, not my mates 😆). They do a pretty good job of keeping up with me in the twisties too (although I am not super aggressive when riding with them). Having said that, I switched from my 700+ lb FJR (after adding trunk, engine guards, etc. it was almost as heavy as the VTXs) to the Tracer 900 because of the bulk. It is not nearly as fun wrestling a heavy bike through the fun roads, even if that bike handles well. The 460lb Tracer is a breeze! I have ridden cross-country on both, and the FJR is definitely better on the open road. I will gladly trade that comfort for enjoyment in the fun stuff! As far as the R18 goes, it doesn't look bad to me. It is lightyears ahead of the horrid R12C of years ago.

Yes, a second bike is a good way to go. I ended up building the Dirt Ninja because I wanted the challenge of building it and it was a very budget-friendly way to go. Having two bikes also limits down time if one bike needs service.

This one has been modified slightly 😁 https://advrider.com/f/threads/fj09-adventure-rally-build.1500098/

Note, those racks are for the V35/V37 bags only. Givi makes racks for those for most bikes, so you could take them when you sell the FJ. Those cases won't fit on the standard monokey racks, and the standard monokey cases won't fit on the V35/V37 style racks.

I test rode the MT-10. That engine just wants to go! I contemplated getting one instead of the Tracer, but I know I would have lost my license or hurt myself (or both). The riding I do, I would rarely use that bike to its full potential. Plus, the teeny tank and dismal MPG would have made touring a pain. Now, if I had the cash, I would definitely have one (and a few other bikes) in the stable. My eye wanders, but I can usually keep it in check for 4-5 years...

Another vote for Warm n Safe. Their products are great, the customer service is great, and they offer a huge discount for a first-time purchase (code: STEVE). A heated jacket liner is better than a vest. The heat on your upper arms will be welcome on long, cold rides. Heated grips are great, but even with handguards, the wind will steal warmth from the top and bottom of your hands quickly. Heated gloves help a ton there. A short ride at 40 will be ok, but after 30 minutes, the grips won't be able to keep the outside of your hands warm. Heated gear is a drug. Once you try some, you will want more, better, etc. until you are in a cocoon of electrified warmth cruising down the road in freezing temps 😆

I have an SW Motech luggage rack on the back, which has a solid grab handle for strapping a duffle to the pillion seat. I also use a Green Chili ADV Uprising soft rack. It offers a lot of flexibility in strapping bags to the bike. I didn't buy a GT for a few different reasons, and the factory luggage was one. I just didn't care for it. I also use the same setup on my "dual-sport" bike, so I don't have to pack any differently for my trips. The dry bags aren't quick access like hard saddlebags, but anything I need to access quickly goes in the top case or tank bag anyway.

So, I lost the dual nozzle on my last ride. I think the chain was able to tap it on full extension of the swing arm. The arm and L-bracket were there, with no signs of damage. I think the chain cut through the zip tie that holds the nozzle on. I just sip tied the hose on the top of the L-bracket, and it seems OK. It's out of the range of the chain movement at full extension. Luckily, I tucked enough extra hose up under the tank that it still reaches the sprocket.

My solution was not the cheapest, but I'm extremely happy with it 😁

The windscreen is terrible, get a Madstad. For me, the seat is actually quite bearable. I have done multiple 500+ mile days, and an SS1000 on the stock seat. Not everyone feels the same way 😆 Having said that, I will get a custom seat for it soon. Otherwise, add your favorite accessories and ride the snot out of it!

Barkbuster has them listed as compatible on the website, but for some reason retailers don't seem to list them the same way. It's odd that retailers don't list it, but they are the same part number on Barkbuster's website. @keithu brings up a good point. I chose the two-point mount because I was worried that the bar end mirrors I am using (that are attached to the handguard) would add too much weight or cause vibration with a single point mount. The two point guards are certainly overkill for a street bike.

That question came up here: I ordered Barkbuster handguards for an XSR 900, and they fit perfectly. They also don't list handguards for the Tracer, but the instructions talk about installing them on the Tracer, so I would imagine they are similar bars (if not the same).

Mine is a 2019. I wrapped it in white, because I hate the gray color. The mirrors are CRG Arrows with Rottweiler mirror mounts. A spendy package, but I scored this set used for about half price. They work really well for me.

I bought the kit for the XSR900 and it fit perfectly on my Tracer. I don't know why the Tracer isn't on the compatibility list. The instructions even say that the bar end inserts aren't needed on the Tracer. Barkbusters Aluminum Handguard Kit Yamaha FJ-09 / FZ-09 / MT-09 / XSR900 As the structural foundation of hand and controls protection, the...

Who makes that little protector for the water pump? My buddy low-sided his MT-09, and would have been able to ride it home if that hose hadn't been ripped hitting the pavement. I have sliders, but I think that hose would still be exposed.

Same. I started with an old RC to see if I liked it. I bought an R3 with Aerostich's 25% off gift card sale at the beginning of the COVID lockdowns. I love it for long distance travel too. I hate heavy wastebands when I'm riding (I'm a bit ... huggable). For colder days, light insulation and heated gear are the best. I use a lightweight down jacket as insulation when it's really cold.

No, the OBD reader will tell you what the code is, and you can reset it as well. No special software needed.