Warchild

Definitely! Have down this route a gjillion times over the years - usually, it's my main path to Nevada. Have killed two deers on this road since 2001 - the latest on the Hayabusa in Sept, 2019. However, today I am doing one of the entry-level Iron Butt Association rides, called a "Saddlesore 1000" - a documented 1000 miles in less than 24 hours. Always need to do a legit IBA ride on any new bike I own. The Tracer is about 5 weeks old now - time to ride. Sadly, HWY395 isn't in the cards today. In this particular Saddlesore, the rider starts out like any SS1K, but stops for a documented killer Milkshake (photo of milkshake with dated/timed receipt) anywhere from the 400 to 600-mile mark, then continue the ride as usual. So I will be stopping for one of the world-famous kick-ass Milkshakes they serve at Fields Station, OR, a little outpost in the High Desert just north of the Nevada border. The first and last 200-ish miles of my route are I-84, because those miles will be night riding hours. Basically, the 1037 miles route is: Home - Flying J Truck Stop, Ontario, OR - Burns, OR - Fields, OR -Denio Junction, NV - McDermitt, NV - Jorden Valley, OR - Flying J Truck Stop Ontario, OR - Home I did this very identical ride last year on the 2020 BMW S1000XR. Today may not be as fast as the ride was on the hooligan Beemer, still, but this is the intended route: Wish me luck, fellas! That first 200 miles to Ontario, OR will be some cooooooold shit - the Tracer will be fine; so let's see how the rider does. 😁

I like it also. Normally, not a fan of the gray. But against the black tank, this looks superb. 👍 For me, personally, I find the bright yellow wheels a bit much. But that's just me. 😁 Like betoney said, I am all for making your bike "uniquely yours" - that's why I might have the only 2020 "Triple Black" GT:

Yes, you can. I've done it many times. Though I do feel better about lifting the rear with the Pit Bull rear stand, then the front with the front Pit Bull stand:

Well, here is the rest of the story.... 😁 I am using the black connector to run a Datel digital voltmeter. This is the same one I used on the Hayabusa for a decade - important to me, because I installed a lot of electrical goodies on the bike, and you want to husband your power drains over the course of some of these long nutty rides I do. In the cold night, with aux lamps and heated gear is running, that's where I want to watch the electrical health the closest. Without the other end of the Yamaha connector handy, I just made my own connectors to fit those small pins inside the black connector: The leads are then carefully inserted into the Yamaha connector: Then some marine-grade heat shrink to protect the connection: All tidied up with a bit of BMW fabric electrical tape - even though, again, it's risking a final drive leak on the Tracer to use BMW tape... 😃 Now for the dicey part of the install: the circular Datel needs a 33mm hole for a snug fit. Of course, the right-side opening is ~31.5mm, so its DRILLING time! 😬 First, I drape the drilling port like it's going in for surgery - because it its! This was a gnarly drilling exercise... no fun at all... 😖. When complete, the hole is deburred, and the Datel fitted. The Yamaha connectors are then tucked back into their rubber sleeve, the Datel feed wires are tidied up with a small zip-tie holder, the zipped into place: Viewed directly from the pilot's seat... 14.2 volts at idle, looking pretty snazzy. 👍

No, I did not. The lamps are fed by a single 10-amp circuit (position # 2, switched), using 16gauge cable all the way to the Bosch mini-relay input. The signal wire source is piggybacked off that 16g cable - runs to the handlebar switch, then back down to the relay to trigger it. The voltage to signal the relay is milli-amps - just trace signal voltage, so it's fine to piggy-back for that application. The output side of the relay has two 18-gauge wires to feed the (+) connectors for the aux lamps individually.

I wouldn't bother, myself. You are just not drawing a ton of power if your lights are truly 10-watts a-piece. If the electrical goody being powered is high-draw, you definitely want to use a relay, and perhaps a beefier gauge wire. The Aux Driving lamps I installed do take a more noteworthy amount of power, so they get the 30-amp relay and 16-gauge wires:

Probably be fine. 20-watts is roughly a 1.7amp draw on our 12v systems, so even if they are fused by one of the 2-amp circuits - which is likely - you'd still be good to go. 👍

Well, this was unexpected - and very convenient. Went to hook up the "spare" aux circuit located behind the windscreen mechanisms that everyone refers to, and discovered not only the gray one, but a second unused, uncapped black connector. Both are switched circuits... and I have plans for both of them. 👍

Headed south to Nevada... maybe HWY 395, or perhaps another route. 👍

I've seen this before - they look to be peel-n-stick clear protection applied to paint near the hard bag attach points. Should have two sets of these - check the other bag?

Very rough business, Wordsmith. But obviously the correct call. Vertigo and two wheels are a bad combo, a prescription for trouble. The leg issues are almost as bad, especially in city traffic where you are stopping a lot. Getting along in ones year's calls for periodic adjustments. I know myself and quite a few others are on the Tracer because our previous heavy touring bikes were becoming more of a problem in low-speed/parking lot maneuvers. My loaded up FJR1300 was getting to be an uncomfortable handful when fully loaded. Best of luck to you, sir. 👍

I have a major-league ride coming up this coming Friday. Need to carry some bulky items. So I am going to use my bro's FJR1300 hardbags with the Yamaha Racing paint job. The stripes alone should be good for an extra 10 hp put to ground. 😁

Took the Tracer out for some high-speed runs on my personal racetrack out in the High Desert. First time I did this, still had the hard bags mounted and those ridiculous factory D222 tires. Backed off in the high 90's because the bike felt too flighty. Without the hard bags and now with fresh RoadSmarts mounted, ran it up to 124 IAS before I saw a car in the distance and backed off. Naughty Warchild. 😁 Many gnats and bugs sacrificed in the Name of Speed: Back in the stable, I gave the driveline some TLC. A clean chain is a happy chain... 🔥 🔥 🔥

Outstanding, gentlemen, I am a candidate for these lines... are the credit card cools off from the Ohlins procurement... 😥

😃 I have that exact Scott Shock Setup[tm] on order, and it should be here before the end of May. Also doing Ohlins up front - the NIX 30 cartridge kits, sprung to specification. Together, this is a painful procurement - very painful - but if I keep the bike for 10 years, it should amortize well. 🙄 Yes, I know I am reaching here, but that got a laugh from Warchild-wife, which I translated as "Get it, honey!" 😆

I was very much wanting to do this also... but that initial "block" fitting (from brake lever to the fitting, located just behind the triple tree, pointed to by red arrow below) gave me a lot of pause. So how did Galfer handle this? I assume they are using some suitable substitute, or even a different method to handle this... yes?

I only deserve a 10.5, for only turning the snips 180-degrees away from hands, or at least turning them up against the adjacent plastic. 😥 😃

Looks awesome, Matt, nice job! 👍 I am going with a classic Powerlet female connector on the right side - whenever I have the bike down long enough to install it. Too busy riding it right now. This will be the 15-amp mamma-jamma edition... 👍

Got a set of Rizoma turn signals inbound, but that are destined for the rear of the bike. Really leaning towards leaving the pumpkins on front. Yes, the pumpkins are gnarley and definitely look dated, but they do seem to work well for conspicuity - and we have a lot of brain-dead cagers around here; I need every advantage riding amongst them. 😕

All reassembled... looks like a Night Train! (Guns-n-Roses reference) 😆 Every 2020 Tracer I see is the same orangy-metallic paint; I like this dark theme much better. 🔥 🔥 🔥 And check out how the aux lamps look in this quarter-front shot, all tucked away nice and tidy. This project came out better than expected: I am not quite done with the cosmetics here, but I am definitely done for now - it's time to ride! Got a 500-mile trip tomorrow over White Pass, WA. HWY 12 is an awesome ride when there are no rockslides closing the highway. 👍

I have a full Tom Tom Rider package available for sale - it's just not needed on the bike any longer. I will make someone on the forum a KILLER deal on it. It's about 3 years old, not used very often, it's like new. PM me if there is any interest. 👍

😁

W00t! Today I got back my bodywork from my painter - now for the tedious re-install job. Also still waiting for the 3-D chrome "Tracer" emblems from Yamaha. The original ones get destroyed when removing them for painting. I had him do the windscreen at the same time - won't bother posting that, due to the angst that windshield discussions always produce. 😃 Might be a good candidate to post on the FB groups, though.... they love pointless arguments like that. 🙄

Good eye, Keith, and yes, that zip tie is *very* close to a pillion seat bumper. Pretty sure Swiss watch engineers designed many aspects of this bike - everything is tight. And I do mean, everything... makes farkles a real challenge sometimes. 😕

That's some really nice work on your Tenere switchpod, draco. Also, love your mirrors here. 👍