Jayzonk

It looks like SW Motech isn't making that bag anymore, but they have some others.  What model is it?  Capacity?

Yes, your bag looks amazing on there!  Usually they look like such an afterthought.  Are you saying you bought it from Yamaha?  Looks great.  Nice bike as well.  So that's not the BF23 adaptor from Givi?  

Not sure who has ridden any of the BDR routes, but I have been giving them some consideration lately.  Obviously, they aren't for the Tracer (except the MABDR perhaps?  Looks like it's mainly secondary tarmac with a bit of hardpack gravel), but I had been thinking about getting a bike so I could ride the MABDR (mid-Atlantic) or the NEBDR (northeast).   So I watched a few of their promo videos...

Northeast BDR - I see riders on BMW 1200's riding up rocky, wet trails with their rear wheels sliding around on the rocks.  There were many many falls on the trails...I think everyone fell at least once and some riders had two and three falls, breaking all kinds of stuff on their bikes.  One rider literally slammed her panniers into a tree as she slid sideways across the trail.  It's funny to watch...someone falls over, and the others park their bikes and run up to help the person push the bike up.  What fun!  Ridic!!

Idaho BDR - two major crashes on the first day.  The first one took out the rider's bike, so he was done.  The second one was a broken leg, requiring a helicopter extraction from the area.  Lots of fun....

So the way I see it...

1) Take a full-sized adventure bike.  No thanks.  Being in SW Ontario, I would have to take a full-sized adventure bike to just get to the trails, which means I'm handicapped right away....there's no way I would want to take something that big offroad.  I saw so many instances of people trying to put their foot down, only to find that it was hanging over a six inch rut.  By the time their foot came down, they had too much lean angle and just fell over.  It just tells me that it's not the way to get through there.

2) Drive down there with a dual sport in a trailer then ride.  Don't think that works out either.  So, perhaps I take a  dual sport in a trailer to the NEBDR.  Sure, I can get myself there, but then I'd have to try to pack enough stuff on board to try to get through the trail.  So, suppose I can pack enough stuff.  Fine.  But the problem is that the routes are pretty long.  The NEBDR is 1200 miles long, and over half of that is tarmac, so how are you actually supposed to do that on a dual sport?  It would be really unpleasant, I suspect.  Perhaps a KLR or a DR or a Husqvarna 701, but even those options aren't going to be fun on the highways, even at 50 mph.  

So the way I look at it, since I do not live near a BDR I don't see either option as a valid way to ride this thing.  If I lived near there, it would be a different story, because I could pick up sections of the trail here and there at my leisure.  

So I've decided that it's best to stick with road (tarmac) touring.  I'm thinking that I can piece together a road route that pretty much parallels the NEBDR without having to do any of the dirt sections at all.  This would mean that I could cover it all on the Tracer, and likely see most of the things that you would see if you did the off-highway sections anyway.  I'm a Roadrunner subscriber, so I might be able to piece together some of the routes in the magazine to essentially cover the same areas as the BDR's.  

I thought about a Tenere 700...driving it from SW Ontario then running the BDR with it, but, after sitting on it, I still think it's too big and tall.  Maybe the MABDR but not the NEBDR.  

Hmmm

You know...it's interesting.  Everyone on the site seems really well-versed with touring on the Tracer and it's just awesome to get all of this coaching...and trust me, I need it.  I plan things out, but I never plan enough, and this has motivated me to slow things down and do a lot of preparing before going.  Oil change, tires, of course.  But getting lots of kms on the touring seat and windscreen are essential.  Paper maps will be my friend, but having a handy place to keep them will need to be found.  

Givi tankbag - I have an XStream that's probably six years old and unused.  I need to get the BF23 adaptor ring for it, but I think it should fit over the bolts and shroud at the front of the tank?  

I know this is an old thread but just checking to see if using the BF23 ring allows the bag to clear the bolts at the front of the tank.  I have an older Givi tank bag but it's in great shape.  If I can make it work, it'll allow me to just use the panniers and not the top box.  

On 4/26/2023 at 5:58 PM, Wintersdark said:

Tires: on a long trip, mount new rubber first.  If your old tires still have a reasonable amount of life left, just keep them and throw them back on in the future, but DO NOT risk needing new tires on a trip.  As others have said, you never know what availability will be like when you suddenly find yourself needing new tires mid-trip.  Get high mileage sport touring rubber (Michelin Road 6, T32's, etc) so it's definitely not an issue and you know you'll have good performance in inclement weather. 

Ergonomics: Don't change anything before a trip.  Keep stuff you're used to, it'll be fine.  Last thing you want is to find out that new windscreen hurts your neck due to wierd buffeting once your hundreds of kilometers from home.

Tools: as others said, bring what you need to take the wheels off and the plastics.  That's a small kit, but you're probably going to need to for example adjust your chain.

General Packing: Go light.  Don't try to solve every potential issue before you leave because you'll weigh the bike down a ton and it'll ride terribly. Particularly on the tail bag! Keep as little weight in it as possible. Think hard about whether you're better off bringing a thing, or bringing a credit card and just buying a thing if you need it.  Every single thing you bring with you comes at a cost in decreased riding fun, fuel economy, and simply space for something else.  Remember, you can wash clothes on the way.  Definitely bring clothes that are comfortable to spend a day riding in. For me, that's typically a sweatshirt and sweatpants that'll be under my gear.  I may look silly, but people only see the riding gear anyways and I'm extremely comfortable.

I was thinking about skipping the top box and just going with the panniers.  It'll be a bit tight but could work (I'd like to find some new FJR bags and put them on but they go for $4500 Canadian!).  

On 4/29/2023 at 2:57 PM, Heli ATP said:

mydogtag.com -  inexpensive and quick turn around with many options...

 

A little morbid, but a good idea.  Have you considered getting them for your kids?  I'm thinking about it.  

On 4/27/2023 at 7:25 PM, betoney said:

My towing coverage through my insurance coverage isn't much better.  Last year I needed assistance and called my insurance, they connected me in a 3-way call with a tow company, they said towing was covered but they would only tow me to the closest bike shop even though it was a different brand shop than I owned and was even further away from home than my current location.  I was about 80 miles from home, I asked them how much to just tow me home, she asked my zip code and quoted me just under $900. 😳

You know, of all the ridiculous apps that are out there, I think an app that pinpointed all of the motorcycle-capable towing companies across the world would be really useful.  Because it's so useful, it probably doesn't exist lol.  

I'm writing off the phone mount as I think the phone is just too distracting.  

Can a heated vest run off the DC socket?

22 minutes ago, OldBikers said:

About the tire pump, if you use the existing DC socket you will blow the 2A fuse.  Best to get one that is wireless, one charge will last a long time topping off the PSI in the tires.  Amazon has them from $40 on up.

Alright.   

14 hours ago, nhchris said:

I did not see mirror extensions on your list.  I find mine very useful on long rides, especially on multi lane roads.

I also find a mechanical throttle lock really helps with right hand fatigue and cramping when blasting highways.

Mirror extensions?  Do you mean having a small convex mirror attached to the original mirror for a longer look back?

On 4/24/2023 at 9:47 PM, maximo said:

Well guys, my time on the FJ has come to an end. Her new owner just took her away, leaving an empty slot in the garage.  She and I were friends, but we never became besties. We had a lot of good times, but she needed to be with someone who would not stop thinking about her. 

She did teach me one thing, that I really like the riding position. So much so that the empty slot in the garage will soon be taken up by a new R1250GS I just bought. 

This has been a fun and useful forum, thank you all for being a good group to chat with.  

You all take care, enjoy your rides, and be safe. I'll see myself out...

Well, you rarely get an owner of a new bike saying that they don't like it better than the old one, but perhaps we will get a more forthright comparison in a couple of years!  
I went from an R1200GS Rallye to the Tracer and couldn't be happier.  Although everyone says that the weight on a Beemer is down low, just wait until you make an emergency stop while on an angle (in a turn) and tell me how "low" that weight feels.  Happened to me twice and that was enough to find a more manageable ride for me.  The seat was good, the wind protection was really good, and the standing position was really good.  The "Get to the dealer!" warnings flashing on the TFT screen...really annoying.  The rear wheel failure in first three months of ownership...also annoying.  Damn I miss that thing..... 🫤

...so no mount required.  

I've thought about it some more and I think I am going to leave the phone off of the handlebar.  I've made a decision that motorcycling time means not being on the phone or electronics too much.  Consequently, that means "knowing where I'm going" and having paper maps as back-up.  It also means that getting lost is allowed, but leaving enough time so that I can still finish riding by late afternoon.  

16 minutes ago, robzilla said:

SW Motech makes an excellent one. Pro ring and Evo ring including the associated Pro bag and Evo bags. Take note on what you're bringing for your trip plus future rides.

https://sw-motech.us/products/luggage/tank+bags/PRO+tank+ring/

Lots of YouTube video reviews on most of 'em. Personally on my '22 T9GT went with a Pro ring and Engage tank bag as it conforms to the shape of the tank nicely.

I have a Givi tank bag from 2013 that I used on my old Speed Triple.  Perhaps I can find an adaptor that will fit my tank.  

11 hours ago, duckie said:

FWIW… if you don’t currently have this, look into some form of helicopter and medical transport insurance. If something happens to you far away from home, this will cover the cost of getting you back home. 

Plus, use something like life 360 so others can monitor your trip. 

 

Good idea.  It would also be a good idea to know where the motorcycle tow truck guys might be so I can access them.  

Does the ball hold the phone better than the regular Quad-lock?  Or is the ball there just to add adjustability to the phone orientation?  It seems to me that it's an option.  

I am thinking that applying the amount in the exact center of the handlebar will work well but I will have to measure the diameter at that point.  

On 2/24/2020 at 6:42 AM, Pinoy_rider said:

Black 2017.👍🏼🇵🇭

How do you get the drilled hole appearance up by the heads?  ie. just inside your engine guard.  Beautiful bike.  Pipe looks great.  What screen are you running?  What front fender?  Any other pics? 

Thanks.  I don't have that bracket and prefer to keep the phone directly out of my field of view.  I may go the rearview mirror route.  

4 hours ago, kingfisher said:

There are lots of good suggestions made above. I’ll add a few from my experience. I toured on my ‘19 900 GT also before my current Tracer 9 GT.
 

The oem comfort seat was quite a bit better for me than the stock one. I had a Corbin also, and actually preferred the Yamaha comfort seat, but all backsides are different..

 

i found that using dry roll end bags of different sizes works well for me to pack in the side cases. I have a larger one in one case for clothes, and an equal size one in the other pannier for all the miscellaneous items that are needed each night in the motel, such as phone charger, meds, hygiene items, etc. Then some smaller bags to pack around the bigger ones if needed. Each night, just carry the two bigger bags into your room. I have had no problems with a top box in addition to the panniers.
 

Take riding gear for all potential weather conditions. I have a dry bag on the rear seat in front of the top box for my extra heavier/lighter gloves, heated jacket, rain gear, etc. My trips usually include the Rocky Mtn. areas; if you are not including areas of altitude, than obviously the heated gear may not be needed. I’ve had trips in June with temps of 115 degrees, to near freezing with snow at 12,000 feet.

Do NOT make any mods or perform any significant maintenance to your bike immediately prior to your trip. Yamahas are very reliable. Generally, if you have a problem with them, it often can be traced to the last thing you messed with. Do your mods/maintenance a month or so ahead of time, and ride the bike for a while to make sure all is well.

 

Ditto the emphasis above on staring out on newer tires. I usually put them on 2 to 3 weeks ahead of time and put a few miles on them prior to a long trip. Sweating the ever decreasing tread depth on worn tires as you progress in your journey definitely detracts from your enjoyment. 
 

As for tools, on a newer Yamaha, I take enough to do basic things like tighten mirror nuts, remove a battery, adjust a chain, etc. As an aside, make sure your chain has plenty of life left beforehand as stated above. The most important item is a flat tire repair kit. I like the Nealey tire repair kit; the strings are live rubber coated and do not require the rubber cement that other sticky string kits do, that invariably either leaks or dries out before you need it. A tire gauge and small air pump completes the package. 
 

A tank bag is great to have for items that you need to have at hand like sunglasses, maps, etc. One of my most used items kept there is a packet of Pledge all purpose wipes; great for using at a brief stop to remove bug guts from your faceshield. 
 

Enjoy your trip greatly. Long motorcycle trips are one of my favorite things in life. I hope it will be for you too.
 

 

 

 

 

Thanks.  I like the idea of a tank bag but am unsure as to which ones won't scratch the tank...you'd need one that has the fitment ring for the gas cap.  Who makes one?

3 hours ago, Heavy said:

How many kms do you plan to ride?  Are you going to do your 500 km/day for the full 2 weeks or having the odd day off?  I just changed the tires on my 2020 @ 14,000 kms.  The front was well used but the rear was certainly finished.  I'd say that new tires before your trip all depends on your plans. 

With only 5,000 kms on the odometer of your bike, I wouldn't expect any serious repairs needed ... of course, the unexpected can always occur.  In 2008, I took off for a month trip on my V-Strom (about 35,000 kms on it, when leaving home).  I took tools to adjust my chain, a tire plug kit and a compact air pump.  Over my 14,000 km trip, I got an oil change and adjusted the chain, at a friend's, in Victoria, BC and a new rear tire in Kelowna.

Fuel stops early is great advice and don't always believe GPS about open locations.  I had a scare when a planned fuel stop in the middle of nowhere Nevada ended up being a vacant building.  😵

 

At what age should my tires be replaced?  It's a 2020 with the OEM tires, so really, those tires are four years old with 5100km.  If I'm covering 400km per day over two weeks, that's 5600km.  Perhaps I should change them before I go...would you say the OEM tires are good for 7500km?  

I've heard all kinds of funny things said about the way bikes look on the forums over the years.  It's rare that you get consensus on a bike being beautiful, but some are more polarizing than others.  Had a VFR1200F that was very polarizing...even to me.  If you looked at it from certain angles, it was menacing.  From other angles, it looked almost like a bit of a scooter.   Very different.  
I was reading a post on the V Strom forum where someone described the Tracer as "being taken off of bake in the oven ten minutes early..."  so ridic!  I have no complaints about the V Strom's appearance, but I don't see that it trumps the Tracer by any extent.  
At the moto show about four years ago, the big manufacturers were still coming out, and any and every bike being brought to Canada was there.  After looking at all of the bling on the Beemer and Ducati side, the Tracer was an actual fresh welcome....in sort of that  beautiful simplicity way.  And size-wise, it was winning too.  It's funny how the most sensible things fall into obscurity some times.  

Went for the rust red/flat black.  I originally wanted a shiny black/silver with blue accents and blue wheels but this was the unit that the dealer had in stock.  Surprisingly, I'm not tired of it, and the flat finish stands up really well.  

On 3/20/2023 at 3:04 AM, Wintersdark said:

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.

I've got a '20 900GT and have spent significant time on a '16 MT-07.  If you do not need the additional height of the Tenere 700, I'd look at the MT-07 as it's got a steeper rake and the bike will in general be more maneuverable that the longer wheelbase of the Tenere.  And I really don't think that gravel and curb jumping is going to be part of your daily commute, so I see the MT-07 as being a good fit.  I personally found the SV650 to be interesting but I kept sliding forward from the seat into the tank so much that I sold the bike (I also found the brakes and lack of ABS a little unsettling).  

That being said, there's NO WAY that an MT-07 engine is going to give  you nearly the enjoyment that the 900 triple would.  Keep that in perspective.  I've had lots of time and speed on an MT-07 and it's a great bike, but the engine is rattly and chuggy, and it just doesn't compare to the 900 triple.  If you're merging onto freeways then jumping off, you're going to find the acceleration much smoother and sharper on the Tracer, and you're going to find the engine braking much better as well.  Overall, the stability of the Tracer will be much much better at speed, fatiguing you less than the 700 twin.  

I think what you're experiencing is the curse of the Tracer...it's working well for you but you're looking for something better as an excuse to get a new bike!  I know, I've been there, but I'm telling you, keep your Tracer.  You'll always wish you did unless there's a groundbreaking change in the sport tourer segment that I haven't heard about.  The curse of the Tracer is that it becomes incredibly difficult to find something better than the Tracer for just about any type of urban riding you're going to do.  Short of venturing to Alaska (and I'm sure it could do that too), it's just so damned good.