larolco

With heated jacket/pants/gloves and a balaclava, I'll ride down to as cold as it gets in my neck of the woods, which is about negative 15 Celsius, or 5 Fahrenheit. At those temps, the air and ground here tend to be bone dry. I don't think I would ride for kicks in those temps, but I do commute in them. 

The worst weather is when it's just above or below freezing temps and wet. I hate having to clear sleet off the visor and the visor fogging (even with a Pinlock). It's not fun. I don't intentionally set out in that stuff, but get caught in it now and then.

I've only ever had to park the bike once when a snow squall struck on the way to work. I was able to wait it out and the road cleared enough to ride back home. Never did get to work that day.

I have to admit though, as I get older (50s), I'm less and less inclined to push boundaries.

6 hours ago, bguth33 said:

I can not get the mirrors adjusted. 
I can not see behind me bur I can see to the sides. I have to lean a little to the right to see behind me. My coat is in the mirror also. I pushed the mirrors out and it did not fix it. 
Is this the way the mirrors are? 
Thanks for answers. 
 

This is an irritation to me as well. I always have to tuck in to get a better view. Maybe some day I will mount different mirrors or extenders. But then you have to make sure at full lock they play well with whatever windshield you have mounted. 

Normal. Nothing to worry about. Just hot exhaust evaporating road spray. Ride in the rain more often and it will go away or you'll get used to it. One of those has happened for me. 

2 hours ago, Heli ATP said:

It's deal season. How about a new 2022 Tracer 9 GT for $3000 off list?

NEW 2022 GT on sale

For a brief moment, I thought about going that route. There are a few kicking around these parts, but the deals weren't significant enough for me to bite. Plus, I have stuff that bolts onto a 2020 but not a 2022. 

So, I now have another 2020 GT with about half the kilometers the crashed bike had, and a few grand in my pocket to spare. I decided to spend some of that on a set of Michelin Road 6s. Pricey tires even at Black Friday sale prices and they will probably spoil me for any reasonably priced tires for the rest of my life. But, hell, why not? The bike still has a stocker Dunlop on the front. As soon as I have a left arm that's up to working a set of tire irons, it's coming off.  

I believe the new-to-me bike to be fairly gently used. The header is still shiny and its average mileage reads 4.2 liters/100kms (56 mpg). My old bike read 4.6 (51 mpg), so that says to me this bike has lived a life of fair weather recreational highway use and gentle right wrist. Plus the rear is not squared off but has chicken strips and the peg feelers have never touched the ground.

Haven't ridden it yet and it will be a while before that's a possibility, I think. Still suffering some pretty bad whiplash a month later. 

For sure I'm booking a ride when demo day comes around next spring. I wonder how much the 2023s will drop in price. 

1 minute ago, RaYzerman said:

Seems they're all competing by adding features we don't really need and of course, we're paying extra for it.  The GX is an interesting bike, but 2" taller than the S1000GT.  Has anyone sat on a GT, can one be comfortable for a week or two trip into the mountains?

I've sat on a 2023. It's not as neutral a riding position as the Tracer, but it's not full-on sport bike posture either. I would have to get it on the road and feel what the wind management is like before I made a judgment. That extra 2" height should make for a nicer ride on less manicured roads, I would think. I don't mind a tall bike. In fact, I always felt the Tracer didn't have adequate ground clearance for my purposes.  

16 hours ago, PhotoAl said:

Suzukis are nice but lack a center stand.  

That is true. I don't know that it would be a deal breaker for me, though.  

I don't think you can even put a center stand on that bike if you wanted to. 

I think my plan is to ride the new-to-me Tracer for a few years and then look at perhaps one of those Suzuki 4-bangers. That was the plan 2 years ago when I bought the now-dead Tracer as well. 

I can run Gerbings jacket, pants, gloves full blast on the 2020. No problemo. 

I really wouldn't worry about it unless you sit at idle with everything cranked up, which would cook you in short order anyway. A volt meter is always a good idea in case there ever is an issue with the charging system. 

Well, after lusting over a whole bunch of bikes, the practical side of me won out and I put down a deposit on a very clean and lightly used 900GT. So, I guess I'll be hanging around this forum for a while yet. 

Still waiting on insurance to seal the deal. This whole process has been slow as molasses. I really miss the old days when you could make a phone call and talk to a human bean. 

6 hours ago, ZigMerid said:

No, No and no.

The only reason to wrench a write-off is a love of wrenching and a total disregard for the hours you put in to bring that tracer back to life.

If you vaguely feel that wrenching a write-off might save you a coupla bucks then you will hate every minute of it, resent every purchase of parts and will likely be unsatisfied with the end result or the sale price.

There are only two good reasons to wrench on a write-off. You are a professional wrencher who knows exactly what they are getting into or... you are wrenching for the love of it.

If you don't fit into either of those categories then take the insurance money and buy another Tracer. Life is too short to do otherwise.

I do enjoy wrenching. If I had all the time in the world, I wouldn't hesitate. At the least, it would make for an interesting track bike without much of an investment. But, that's not my situation at the moment, so not going that route. 

Another Tracer of the same vintage is a real possibility. 

2 minutes ago, Xstoff said:

Here are my 2 cents : if your bike is salvaged and don't think about spending countless hours putting it back together, just walk out with the money and get a new bike! I think you got that already, but, just to reiterate!

Now, new bike, I would say think about what you'd like your dream bike to be and get it!

In another post I mentioned the Kawaski H2 SX/SE-whatever they put after H2 that is the sport/touring version (if you want to get crazy insane perf with some comfort).

If you'd like to keep in the same style Tiger900 is nice and smooth (did a test one the 800 before buying the FJ09), S1000XR would be a nice upgrade (engine speaking), the MV looks awesome, but if you don't have a dealership close to where you live or work, I wouldn't think about it! Have you considered the Multistrada V2? or perhaps a KTM 890 Adventure?

I've already decided to let the Tracer go. Just waiting to hear back from the insurance company to arrange the transfer of title. Now it's down to what replaces it. 

I plan to check out a few bikes tomorrow at a local dealership (which also happens to be an MV Agusta dealer...). I won't buy the MV ($), but I will sit on it for shits and giggles. 

I've not ridden the KTM 890, but do have regular access to a 790 Adventure. It doesn't thrill me much. 

We'll see what tomorrow brings. I'm still a ways away from riding again, anyhow. 

12 hours ago, Heli ATP said:

 

An interesting review. One of the reasons I went with a Tracer 900 originally was because I figured it would be a good commuter first, and a fun bike on weekends/trips second. It is certainly both those things. The only thing it lacks, in my opinion, is a more rigid chassis/suspension that would handle a passenger and luggage for weekend getaways. 

I haven't ridden the T9 but he ranks it higher than the MV as a daily rider. 

The MV isn't a serious contender for me (way too much dinero for my practical budget), but it sure does grab my attention. For the same reason, I don't think the T9 is in the cards either.

I think if I was going to move up to that class, the BMW S1000XR is where I would put my money. That bike is a hoot. There's a used one available near me right now but it's a high-miler. 

1 hour ago, ItsTracerTime said:

Either a new Tracer with cruise control and all of the tech, or an Africa Twin probably? I'd consider a Tuareg as well because they're designed to be worked on easily in the middle of nowhere

The new Tracer is going to be more than the budget will handle, but another 900GT is a possibility. There are a few kicking around in my market. The Tuareg and AT aren't really what I'm going for. Whatever I buy won't see anything rougher than gravel except through lack of planning. (One of the reasons I loved my old V-Strom was you could just head out and go wherever you wanted.) I've ridden an AT before but not the Tuareg. I liked the AT and, if I was a one-bike guy, it would be on the list, but I don't plan to sell the DRZ. I've got it set up to suit my needs and quite like it. It handles all my off-pavement riding nicely and I don't need anything for those purposes. 

I traded in my old beater Tacoma this summer on a new Tacoma. Probably I'll end up with another Tracer to replace the buggered Tracer. 

I did, however, come across this bike, which has me drooling:

7 hours ago, Heavy said:

I'll sell you mine and deliver it in the spring.  The bike has just under 22,000 kms on it now.  It would have another 4,500 by the time it got to you.  😏

That's a trek and a half. I've done it as far as Regina and back for an Iron Butt, but never ridden further east than that. One day, I'd like to ride all the way out to the Maritimes. 

Unfortunately, I'll be needing a bike long before springtime comes. Out here on the wet coast I commute year-round by bike. There's usually only a handful of winter days that aren't rideable. I'm hoping I'll be back in riding shape before too long. 

How's the TransAlp for power delivery? If I didn't already have a DRZ, I might be looking at the TransAlp, Tenere, V-Strom 800, etc. But I think I'm in the market for something more street/touring biased. 

I didn't notice this before, but the appraiser provided an incredibly detailed breakdown of parts estimated to be required to put it back the way it was pre-collision and the cost of those parts: over $14000 in parts alone! 

Now, if I were to be rebuilding the bike, I would not be replacing a lot of that stuff that was just cosmetically damaged. But still. Yikes. 

The headlight assembly alone runs $1300.  

Verdict is in: Bike is a "total loss". 

I can buy it back for salvage if I want but I'm not sure I want. 

Problem is I'm in no shape to be wrenching right now. Otherwise, I think it could be a viable option.

To get it ridable and inspection worthy, it needs left-side engine case cover and plug, left-side front end plastics, turn signal, all kinds of headlight assembly plastics, headlight assembly mounting bracket, windshield, handguards, right-side foot pegs, pannier mount, exhaust guard, plus inspection. And it still wouldn't be pretty and would have a salvage title. 

I started looking here at prices for various bits and pieces: https://www.partsfish.com/oemparts/a/yam/5df7a41287a8661054377fc4/flasher-light

Those are USD prices and I'm in Canada, so for sure I'd be paying at least 1.5 times higher in Canadian dollars. It'll add up quick. Plus, I have no idea what the delivery time is on those parts. Just a lot of question marks that would be a gamble on a bike that wouldn't have much resale value.

I guess I could buy it back and part it out, but that is a major hassle as well and probably wouldn't turn much of a profit when all was said and done. 

If I wasn't screwed with whiplash I might have more interest in taking on a the project but I already have one headache on the go and don't need another. I'm leaning towards just taking the cash and going shopping.

oops. Posted in wrong thread!

I've been running a Tutoro oiler on mine. The OEM chain has about 40 000 kms on it. Still going fine. I'm not stingy with the oil because I ride in the rain a lot. I'd have no problem going with another chain bike.

10 hours ago, Smokamoto said:

Ok new answer…this bike😄!

Not the bike for my replacement purposes, but I sure would like one! I hear it's only slated for Europe at the moment. 

On 10/21/2023 at 12:18 PM, Heavy said:

I have a few pairs of boots but the A-Stars Belize look to be a good step up.

Gaerne mid-cut dirt ... nice rigid soles so great for standing on the pegs but not comfortable.

A-Stars Ridge ... comfy and easy to walk around in but not a lot of protection

A-Stars SMX ... higher cut and better protection but getting old and certainly not waterproof

The Belize is the same as the Corozal, just shorter. I also have a pair of supposedly waterproof Gaerne's, but I can't keep the water out of them. They are definitely a sturdier sole but not as much ankle protection as the Alpinestars IMO. 

I am and have always been a proponent of ATGATT, though I have been known to ride in shorts and T-shirt on short summer jaunts to the local store. I am very grateful I was wearing the full complement on this day. My Klim Badlands gloves are scuffed up, as are my Gerbings pants and jacket (both brand-spanking new this season), and the Alpinestar boots. My head never touched the ground, so I can't attest to the LS2 helmet's protective qualities. There are a couple scrapes on the visor, but I don't know what that's from, perhaps flying debris, or maybe my own flailing limbs. Now that I think about it, maybe the visor glanced the windshield on the way overboard. 

As for myself, I'm still waiting for physio. I think I'm at the point now where I can manage that. Left wrist was held captive against the handguard and is badly wrenched. I'm operating one-handed at the moment. No clutch work for a while. Right leg suffered a major contusion where the car hit. No riding boots on that leg for a while. The rest is whiplash stuff (back and neck) and that's probably the worst. 

I did a bit of a deeper dive on the bike damage today. All the front plastics are damaged, even if some only minor. I also discovered the left fork tube is gashed from the headlight assembly bracket being shoved back into it. I think the replacement of the part and associated labour is pretty big on that one, as is the cost of replacing the gouged up swingarm. Those two may put it over the edge. If it were just the rest, the bike is repairable with little labour - just bolt-on parts. The bike is still sitting in my shop. I'm waiting word on what the appraiser says about the photos I sent before they decide if they want to send the bike for in-person estimate/repairs. Sounds like that might take a while. 

In the meantime, I swallow muscle relaxants, try to keep moving around, keep work going in my absence, and type stuff like this in short bursts. So, wear your gear, folks.

Thanks to everybody for the new bike suggestions. I'm using them to see what's available in my area and make a short list. Some of them I wouldn't have initially thought of, like the Ninja, but that's definitely a possibility. The Triumphs, too. And like, Ride365 said, maybe this will turn into an additional bike, though my wife won't likely stand for three bikes in the stable. And insurance rates, being what they are in these parts, make it prohibitive. 

Yeah, the photos aren't that revealing. Most of the damage is of the relatively minor variety. The problem is that there is a lot of it, mirrors, plastic paneling, turn signal, engine case (both sides), all footpegs and brackets (rider and passenger, rear brake lever, gear shift, tail assembly, entire headlight assembly and windshield plus bracket that attaches to the triple tree. Both handguards, swingarm, fuel tank (minor). Top case. So, that, plus labour, all adds up in a hurry. And then, there's the issue of damage that will only be revealed upon disassembly. I suspect the handlebars and subframe may be tweaked as well.

I just got off the phone with the insurance company and they didn't say a flat-out "no" to the idea of paying out the cost of repair, and said it may be a "possibility" once there is an appraisal completed. Their threshold for writing it off is 80% of its insured value. 

I did take a cash pay out when a similar thing (less damage) happened to my old V-Strom, so it used to be possible up here in BC and may still be. Just a waiting game now. I'm open to the idea as long as I don't end up with a salvage title. I don't mind riding a bike with a few nicks and scratches in it, especially as a commuter. The swingarm, for example, is probably only cosmetically damaged. 

Looks like I'll be doing physio for a while anyway. Neither ankle is fit to ride a bike right now and my left wrist is pretty sore as is the whole left side of my torso. All soft-tissue injury and who knows how long that will take to heal. 

I can tell you though, those Alpinestar Belize boots took a direct hit, blew out the buckle and stitching, but saved my ankle from worse injury. I'll buy them again.