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Thanks for posting up. Although I've been happy with my Dianese airbag vest I'm always looking for something better. Really wish the "non tethered" vests would get more coverage like the tethered one have. I wear my vest ALL the time when riding even on my scooter when making a quick short trip to the grocery store. Vest is easy to throw on. Gloves, helmet and vest and I go - would not ever wear that little on the bike but somehow in my mind I make it ok for the scooter!

I agree, some have speculated the valve seats were not seated well but I have to wonder if they set the exhaust to the intake specs. My intakes were all fine so not messing with them. I've run out of shims anyway.

In the midst of checking valves. Bike as almost 19,000 miles on it so early. All intakes were OK but exhaust were real tight! Below is what I've measured and plan to do, Leaving intakes alone and adjusting all the exhausts. Looking at the clearances makes me wonder if it was built with the wrong specs! Exhausts are so close to the intakes and every one would fall into the OK spec for an intake. I measured all the shims with my digital micrometer. It may be a little bit off but the difference between the old and new is what is important. Have to love the web site - "oh I can only upload a JPG or similar, no PDFs sigh. Took a photo of a print with my phone!

Having owned a BMW F800GT I can speak to the cost. Bought the bike with nearly 5,000 miles on it but still in warranty. I bought a 3 year unlimited mileage service agreement at the same time. Over the next 2 years I put 26,000 miles on it before trading it for my Tracer 900 GT. Valve check intervals were 12,000 miles. I took 5,500 to 6,000 mile trips and was having 2 services a year. Over the time I had it they did 2 valve checks. Picking it up from the 2nd valve heck service the tech wrote down the clearances for me and commented about the intakes being very loose. Sure enough they were adjusted to the exhaust valve specs. Fortunately the tech knew what he was doing and set them properly. Not the only service issue I had. With that bike there were 2 problems. First it was a somewhat rare model and they did not see many and the Rotax engine was very different from the boxers. Second was it had the highest mileage of any of that model they had seen so some thing I has having done were rarely or never done by the techs. Nevertheless mistakes like that are a reflection on the dealer and they certainly need to get it done right. I do all the work on my Tracer 900 GT for the very reason it is hard to find good shops and the good ones are overwhelmed. There are a couple of local shops that I would have had do the valve check on the Tracer but I fiddled around not wanting to have my bike out of commission for weeks waiting on service. Yamahas are well made bikes and while not perfect are generally very reliable. My BMW had a rear wheel bearing failure in Nebraska. I wound up buying a used swingarm off of eBay and replacing the swingarm to fix it. Easier and cheaper than replacing the hub with a new part from BMW. I was in Grand Island and there were no BMW repair shops I could find. I'm sure there was at least one shop that could have repaired my Tracer if it had had a similar failure.

That would be a good solution. My first device was an old Amazon Fire Tablet that I picked up at the Unclaimed Baggage store for $30. I had to do some trickery to it. Don't remember the details but seems like need to uninstall an Amazon store and install the Google Play store to get the app. The Samsung tablet was $110 at Costco a year ago and a good solution. Don't think the code reader apps are high HP apps so lots of devices should work. The app I have is the Torque Pro, seems like there was a free version but the paid version enabled me to download a reference table of codes and descriptions. In the Bolt world there are a number of folks using it. Think there are others doing stuff with it as well. I have Forscan for my van but could use Torque Pro to read the codes on it.

Yup good advice. My 2020 Tracer 900 GT makes some noises including an obnoxious whine at some speeds and gears. I keep it maintained and just ignore the noises. I've had other bikes with noises including a Kawasaki ZX6R 636 that seemed to have a lot of valve train rattles but just the Kawai rattle. Best thing for me and noises was the BMW F800GT I had. I bought it used and also purchased a service agreement with it. It ran well but didn't make good mechanical noises more like rocks and bolts in a tin can LOL. Sometimes when starting it hot it would pop and some other things. I just didn't worry about it, just got on it and rode and had lots of great rides and trips.

I've encountered the same crickets you are 🙂 Haven't found any apps that work. Think I bought something for my MacBook but usually dig out a PC notebook I keep around for that and a few other things. I have Android devices primarily for code reading. My Chevy Bolt EV has some folks that have tracked down a number of the codes that relate to the battery cells and cell voltages in addition to other things. Unfortunately no code reader for the Mac or iOS. Costco had a sale on the small Samsung tablet so I picked up one for just that purpose. I added a new phone line for my new daughter-in-law and the carrier had a deal if I added a line I got a free line and a free smart phone. I got the free line and phone. LOL its a Samsung. Set it up in the Android world with a Gmail account and bought a nice app just for reading codes. I have a OBDLink MX+ bluetooth code reader and the adapter cable for the Yamaha connector. Getting ready for a long trip and the phone will be along as a code reader and backup phone. I have a Garmin Sumo XT for navigation but the Sammy phone will be in the backup role. Not going to put my iPhone 12 on the handlebars. The tablet is small enough I may pack it along but will already have my iPad and a small MacBook so need to limit electronic gear. The Sammy tablet (and phone) could also be used with Garmin route planning software as well as REVER.

Good read with helpful insights. I've done several long trips and that is the kind of issue that I have some concern about. When reading thru the post I was thinking stator or regulator but great it turned out to just be a battery and a fuse. I spent 6 days in Nebraska getting parts and repairing my BMW that had a wheel bearing go bad. Good part was I was close enough to where I was going that night to make it. LOL it broke after everything was closed so I had time to sit around and search the internet. Was going to trade for a Tracer 900 GT when I got back from the trip but found one 250 miles away in Sioux Falls SD so after fixing the BMW rode it up there and traded. I missed part of my trip - 6" of snow in Red Lodge MT but made it there last year.

I'm at 18,000+ miles and decided to do a valve check before setting out on a long trip in a week. Got the bike apart, not too hard just tedious and checked the clearances. Did it by the manual. Valves clearances below are shat I'm finding - intakes are in spec and exhausts are WAY out. I'm going to go back thru and re-check before I pull the cams out to change shims. Intake: Exhaust 1a 0.15 0.16 1b 0.16 to 0.17 0.20 2a 0.16 0.15 2b 0.16 0.18-0.19 3a 0.14 0.16 3b 0.15 0.17 Spec 0.11-0.20 0.26-0.30 All I can say is WOW!!!! Expected exhaust to be a bit tight but that seems crazy tight. Will go back thru and double check. I've done this on my Yamaha FZ6 and my CBR600RR (CBR was worse than the Tracer for access.

I didn't intend to write so much but here are my thoughts: For some perspective on where I'm coming from. Had a 2012 CBR600RR then a 2014 Kawasaki ZX6R 636 ABS. Both were stellar sport bikes and for me way more power than needed on the street but so much fun and racer sharp reflexes and brakes. Just had to think about dropping into a corner and they did. Power was great, not so much torque at lower revs but once the tach went north of 8 or 9 thousand it was wahoo here we come! Took some ability and experience to wring the max out of them but that was part of the fun. That and the scream of an I4 turing 15,000 RPM. I like lighter weight bikes and don't want a big heavy touring bike. When I retired I traded the ZX6R for a BMW F800GT. It dropped into corners just like the ZX6R and had great brakes. Suspension was not a good but it was so soft and comfy compared to the ZX6R. The power and sound just weren't there. It also had a heat issue but we had a great couple of years together and 30,000 miles and I have some fond memories of great trips on that bike. I traded it for a 2020 Tracer 900GT. It is still not a heavy bike and drops into corners well. Suspension isn't the greatest but good enough to be entertaining on most roads. It is always a balance between handling and comfort setups. I don't think the 2019 and 2020 GT's are good 2 up bikes without some suspension work - specifically springs and a rear shock minimum. Looks like Yamaha is steadily morphing the old FJ into a nice midsized sport touring bike. Power is more than enough to get into lots of trouble but if you are wanting to run 150+ MPH down the interstate it's not for you. I put 18,000 miles on mine in the first year and have lots of miles ranging from all day runs on mostly straight roads to playing in the mountains out west. It is not perfect but comfortable enough to do the long rides getting there and still be nimble and sporty enough to carve the mountain roads once there or if you happen to encounter some along the way. I'm starting to think the weakness of the Tracer GT is it's a wonderful bike and aside from the CP3 engine has no singular outstanding trait. That makes a great bike but one that sometimes is overlooked. I seriously considered the Ninja 1000 and the Suzuki GSX F1000S or whatever the faired version was called a few years ago. I don't particularly need to power of a liter motor. BMW 1250RS interests me but two problems - weight and BMW. Too many service issues and too much cost. The new Suzuki jasllsdfjsdafiojdf GT version is really a great bike but no center stand. For a long trip I really want a center stand. Have tire go? Put it on the center stand and pull the wheel off and get it replaced. Lube the chain - put it on the center stand and lube it. Is it essential? No but is very handy. So I come back to the Tracer GT and it checks all the boxes. Not hating on BMW but the costs can be significant if you don't do your own wrenching and parts and service can be an issue. I've looked at the RS several times since the 1050RS I think it was. I've looked at KTMs and then hear the stories about warranty and reliability issues. Ducatis are beautiful bikes but dealers are not as many and there can be reliability issues. I wind up every time back to a Japanese bike as reliable and repairable without breaking the bank. My BMW F800GT was very reliable outside of service caused issues and a good bike. It did have a big problem with heat on my inner thighs when the temps were above 90 and running interstate speeds and I wanted more power. It was OK on power but I wanted more zing in passing situations at higher speeds. So back to the Tracer GT, no heat issues, plenty of power, heck almost boring power in that it is very linear and has power all over. Bike can do the interstate grinds and be fun in the mountains so a great bike IMO.

Wahoo lots of fun. LOL my wife refuses to let me do a track day even though I've had some great sport bikes. I occasionally work as a corner worker at Barber when they are having trouble finding folks. Motorcycle track days are fun as the session are not too long. B group or intermediate is the scary one as they are faster than novices but sometimes don't know enough. LOL one time I had fun watching some of the liter bike folks pull massive wheelies out of Charlotte's Web. One fella was on a ZX10 and the fella at pit out was getting lots of prompts to show him where the setting was to turn the wheelie control on LOL. We are not talking small [power wheelies but massive ones and the abrupt throttle changes that indicate the rider got in over their head. I really enjoy watching everyone even the slow riders in novice as know they are out there having a blast.

In the US it is super easy to get a motorcycle license. My daughter has one but has only ridden a Honda Metropolitian scooter but could go buy a Goldwing and ride it legally. In Europe with the graduated license system and insurance system it is much easier for a dealer to know they have a legitimate rider who is capable of handling the bike. Here many folks start on 600cc sport bikes and even liter bikes. I cannot imagine someone getting on a liter bike having never ridden before. Add to all that the fact that we are a very litigious society and for the dealer loaning or demoing bikes is a no go. I have never ridden a bike before I bought it. Did lots of homework and reading about the seating position etc. before I bought.

I bought a bluetooth code OBDII dongle and a cable to connect to the Yamaha connector. I haven't pulled any codes yet but take it with me on trips as cheap insurance. Sounds like you have a problem that would be simply solved by resetting the codes but in the meantime it is a royal pain. I really like the OBDII stuff but the hassle is if you don't know or don't have the proper equipment it can be a major headache. I have a Chevy Bolt which is an EV. Being an EV it has a giant battery but also has a standard 12 lead acid battery like normal cars. LOL if the 12V battery goes dead then the car is done until it is replaced. What totally cracks me up is the car can be started using a jump box just like any other normal car. Many folks have encountered stuff like getting in the car and trying to start and the dash lights up like a Christmas tree. Since EVs don't have a starter motor there is no good way to tell the battery is getting weak and about to fail. Son-in-law has the 2013 Volt I bought new and it still has the original 12V battery which is mounted in the trunk. He worries about it and I tell him not to worry just carry a juice box and you will be OK.

Yea, probably better to just let it go. I thought California was a state without laws 🙂 I think after a period of time a warning ticket goes away. I got pulled over a year and a half ago - I might have deserved it. First comment from the officer was I didn't expect you! Got off with a warning and had a great conversation with him. Ticket said something like did operate a motorcycle in an illegal manner. A few years ago I was riding to work on my new Kawasaki ZX6R 636. It had traction control and the road was wet but not raining. Was stopped at a traffic light and when it turned green I decided that since I was in the middle lane in front it was a good time to check out traction control. Launched pretty hard and with lots of throttle, shifted to second and lots of throttle again. Bike was stuttering massively as the traction control was cutting everything to keep it from spinning the rear wheel. Ran it it the speed limit of 55 then let off and sifted up to 6th and proceeded on my way. LOL attracted the attention of an officer from the town next door who followed me all the way to where I turned off to go downtown. I didn't get even 1 MPH over the speed limit. I even waved to him as I took the ramp. Once on the ramp there was a Mini who was trying to sneak by - LOL he found out very quickly he needed a lot more HP. And then there was the Sheriffs deputy I passed in Montana last year - he wasn't doing the speed limit and the road was clear. All in all I've had good encounters and they are mostly like us. There are a few bad ones who ruin it for the others - like the one who rolled the stop sign yesterday when I was headed to the track in my car.

Congrats on your new T9 GT. Love all the comments about going from a heavier to a lighter bike. I came from 600cc supersports with the last being a 2014 ZX6R 636 which weighed 424 pounds. Then to a BMW F800 GT and now a 2020 Tracer 900 GT. They are still light enough to drop into corners like the supersports an yet can munch the miles on a long trip. Tracer doesn't have the explosive high RPM power of the ZX6R but is a quick bike and a lot of fun. The T9 GT is even more so from what I hear - resisting looking too closely at one as I would probably be in trouble for trading bikes.

I think you did an amazing job of taking care of your BIL at the accident site. Just having someone you know that cares about you during a crisis like that is so comforting even if he never tells you. I'm not sure I would have been able to have the presence of mind afterwards to stop and take a moment to look around and make sure I had everything. Great your BIL had someone like you to ride with not only to look after him during the aftermath of the crash but also to be mindful of his abilities during the ride. I know it will weigh on you somewhat but you did what you should have done and were mindful of him and is abilities during the ride. He chose to not wear the gear and I'm guessing with that attitude was probably not a disciplined about riding as he could have been which could also be a contributing factor. No need to worry about his description of the crash to his friends. You and his wife know what happened and he is done riding. I didn't have to describe what happened during my scooter crash to my wife - she was on the back and told me what happened as I was knocked out and don't remember part of it. 15MPH no gear leaving me with a concussion and a shattered kneecap. She is done riding with me on anything with 2 wheels but I still ride. I love to take long solo motorcycle trips but find riding in heavier traffic more and ore difficult. I avoid large cities wherever possible and generally pick interstate free routes.

I have a 58L duffle from Amazon I bought over 3 years ago. It has over 40,000 miles on it and has held up well. I may buy a new on for the next trip but it still does well. I use the straps it came with and have not had a single problem with it coming loose. I do add a nylon strap as a backup but it has not been necessary but a secondary fastening system is good. It is a roll top design and has bee overloaded to the point it was hard to get more than one fold of the top but has always bee waterproof. Fold is always to the back so that water is not blown into it. Bag has seen all day rains, cold rains and torrential thunderstorms without ever leaking. I was not an expensive bag - not the cheapest either. Good quality vinyl and has held up nicely.

Something about the 2020 Tracer 900 GT is Yamaha does not recommend a top case and side cases. Most folks on here that want to 2 up tour replace the rear shock and spring. I think the reason for the recommendation of no top case with side cases is it is too easy to overload the bike if doing 2 up. I have been running the small Yamaha top case and have had no issues with it. My touring has been with side cases full plus a 58 liter duffle on the back seat but with very little in the top case. It holds my lightweight rain jacket and at stops is used for helmet storage. Occasionally I'll but a six ack of cokes in it but thats for a short ride back to where I'm staying. I got the top case from Revzilla after asking them to notify me when it came in stock. Over a year ago but worked well for me.

For years I've noticed that the oil level changes depending on how long it been since its run. I always fill then run and check after 5 or 10 minutes and aim to be close to the top line but not over. Next morning it will be over the line but if run and then checked after 5 or 10 minutes it's where I expect it to be. I think it is oil on the clutch plates takes longer to drain down as well as some in the gearbox but have no analytical proof. My BMW F800GT had a semi elaborate system to check the oil level - basically check it hot. I had a service agreement and most of the time I had it it was under warranty. I checked it a few times, it never used oil. I just rode it and didn't worry about it. I've tended to treat my Tracer GT the same. Use good oil and check it but change it when it is time and the rest of the time don't worry about it.

3 years ago rode 93 in Idaho. On my BMW F800GT fully loaded ad ran across a local in an FJ. He set a very good pace and I just hung out behind hime and enjoyed it. The F800GT didn't have the grunt the Tracer does but handled vey nicely and we were going downhill. Roads like that make me wish for my ZX6R or CBR600RR. They were razor sharp handling but not something to ride 500 or 600 miles a day. Last year in Montana coming out of Red Lodge came up behind a pickup going nicely but only doing 65 on a 2 lane with a 70MPH speed limit. Had a good straight stretch so just rolled on the gas and went around - even used my turn signal. As I got beside him glanced over and saw, in 12" high letters one word - SHERIFF! Oops too late going to have to complete and home he is not in a bad mood - he wasn't and I carefully and slowly motored on 🙂 This was about the time Gabby was killed by her "boyfriend" in the Tetons just a little ways south. EDIT: We have a son in Sunnyvale and have been out there a few times and expect will be out more frequently now that they have a baby. I've seen some great sights and wonderful roads but only in rentals. Contemplating riding my bike out there in August/September.

You all are reminding me why I like to ride in Wyoming and South Dakota and Montana 🙂

Yup, cannot remember how I did mine but yes good practice. Also when adjusting the slack I count the flats turned on the adjustors and keep each side the same. Helps keep the wheels aligned and over the years have learned to not trust the markings being the same from one side to the other. I keep my chain on the loose side and have had no issues. My experience has been the chain will loosen over the first couple of thousand miles then stays about the same for a long time.

I've got a 2020 GT and haven't noticed any handlebar vibration. Previous bike was a BMW F800GT that had a good bit of vibration. It would leave my hands tingling after an hour or so. Realized I was gripping the bars too hard and found if I just relaxed my gip all was good. I did put grip puppies on it which fixed it. Back to Tracer, bought my bike new and figure would put grip puppies on it but have never had an issue with vibration on the bars. The mirrors are usable even when at speed on the interstate, OE Hand guards done seem to vibrate. Not saying you don't have an issue just describing what I have experienced. I bought my bike a long ways from home and racked up the miles pretty quickly. Had over 2,000 miles on it when I got it home. What you describe as angry hornets seems like an engine vibration. I'm at near 20,000 miles and did a TB sync at around 12,000 which did make a difference but not a huge one - didn't have an issue so not a lot to improve. I would try that first. Dealer I got it from seemed to be top notch and the bike was nicely assembled. I have had zero issues with loose or misadjusted components. Vern Eyde in Sioux Falls SD, maybe they get more excited about motorcycles as they spend half the year working on snowmobiles 🙂 EDIT: LOL I just realized you are from South Dakota. I love going there and have been lots of places in the state but never to Sturgis.

There are a couple of very good wheel shops out there. Sorry I can't remember the names of them but they are. They do car and motorcycle rims. I would be concerned about just hammering it back into place, not sure how brittle it might become of stresses that could lead to cracks or breaking.

+1 on the TB sync. My bike is not electric smooth but is not viby at all. No problem with the mirrors. In addition to the engine would be looking at things like tires, wheels and bearings. If while running at say 77MPH and you pull in clutch and coast do the vibrations change? Tires and road surfaces do make a difference but from your description sounds like much more than a road surface. My ZX6R sport bike would vibrate a little at speed but it was higher frequency, BMW F800GT vibrated more and a phone mounted on the bars shook visible. My 2020 F800GT has been quite smooth.