KrustyKush

I wouldn't say the older Beemers were less problem prone. I ended up having two R60/5, and both of them had multiple problems while I owned them. They were mostly minor irritating problems. Neither bike ever came close to leaving me stuck. They were very crude, of course. Breaker point ignitions, single plate dry clutch which was grabby as hell. They leaked oil around the heads. The final drive leaked. The 71 blew a head gasket on one side for no apparent reason. I fixed it one night while on CQ. Easy to work on, for sure. Both bikes had a very sweet feel at 70 mph. They were bog slow getting there, but once there it was like riding a motorcycle equivalent of a Rolex. Just a solid feel of quality that the Japanese bikes didn't have IMO.

In 1970 I re-upped and got $10k bonus. I went to local Savannah GA Kawasaki-BMW dealer (Epps) intending to buy a Kaw Mach 3. Mr Epps invited me to take a look at the white 71 BMW R60/5 he had sitting there. He opened the hinged saddle and laid out the tool kit. A hand air pump was included! A few minutes of intimate fondling of the motorcycle was all it took to get me to part with $1550 cash. I loved the bike, but was an oddball among my Army buds most of whom had CB750s or Bonnevilles. Next year I went back to Vietnam, stored the bike in my parents business shop, which burned down a month later. My poor mom having to write that letter to me... it was like a Dear John.

Good looking red Tracer. I'd like the ACC. Droning on the highway it really irritates me to have to cancel my cruise. I will subconsciously go to lengths to avoid it. ACC might keep me more calm. Or not. What I'd like to have is a hill hold feature on the transmission, like the Harleys have had for the past few years. Way useful.

Manufacturing tolerances. Nothing is perfectly perfect. That’s why there are differences. I think.

Well, a couple mornings ago I woke up and peeled the transponder off my cornering lamp lens. It came off fairly easy. Just fingernail and fingertip rubbing. No damage whatever to lens either from the scraping/peeling or the adhesive. I’m going to order a new transponder. I think they charge $20. I think I will stick it at the bottom of the windscreen. This windscreen isn’t going anywhere soon (I like it) and even if it does I will just order a new transponder.

Thanks, Shark. Nice write up. We agree on all points. I like the gear oil, but the stink tends to bother me. That’s why I use the ScottOil. It acts pretty much as gear oil does but without the stink. The Scott Oil comes in a hot weather version. One version is colored red, the other blue. I want to try this Du Pont stuff and maybe I will. Some day. I would avoid anything in a propellant can because off the solvent that may deteriorate the o-rings. later edit: I just ordered a couple bottles of the Du Pont “wax” with Teflon from Amazon. It is cheap. I got a non-aerosol bottle and a 14oz aerosol can for around $20. I will finish my current chain on the oil and switch over when I install my new DID VX3, down the road.

Yeah engine noises. This is a fairly clattery engine, most would agree. As well, noises come and go. They change with heat and cold, as well as the mood of the rider, to say nothing of how well the rider actually hears anything at all, which is something to wonder about given the apparent average age of Tracer owners. Since you are new to the bike, best way to go is to wear earplugs and don't think much about the sounds coming off the motor. As long as the motor is running well, you're probably OK. Not likely a cam chain tensioner is dying at 1800 km. Congrats on the new bike. I'm new to the Tracer also, just since January this year. I'm about to pass 9k miles, and like you, I love the bike. Welcome.

Well, you don't have oil "all over.. rear wheel" because you don't use oil. You use teflon. I betcha you could find traces of teflon back there, yes also on your rotor. However, neither do I have oil "all over." I hate oil "all over" that's why I apply it so sparingly, and wipe off excess afterwards. Even so, there is a very tiny amount of fling using my method. Every day when I oil my chain I also wipe the fling off my side stand, center stand, swingarm, and the rear wheel. About once a week, because I assume that some of this fling gets onto my rear rotor, I spray a bit of Honda Brake Cleaner onto a folded paper towel and give the rotor a good wipeoff. I had implied in my earlier post that someone who thinks the rear brake on these bikes is overly "weak" might want to think about how much oil is accumulating on the rotor and pads back there. Some riders really DO slather it on. I also said I think the engineering of these pads' materials makes them somewhat immune to small amounts of oil. But an accumulation of oil over a long period of time.... might be a different result.

Thanks. You might be right, but I doubt it. Reason I doubt it is because I use a very precise method of oiling my chain. Each link, by hand, with a small-tip squeeze dropper, followed by a wipe down with towel to remove excess oil. I use Scottoil without the Scottoiler. It is summer time, I use the hot weather version. Chain manufacturer says to use gear oil. I don't like the gear oil stink, so I use the purpose designed stuff without the stink. I also don't like the waxy spray on stuff; I don't think it really does very much except stay on the chain. Actually, I doubt a significant amount of chain oil ever gets onto the rear brake rotor, but we must assume that some does, because I find spots of oil here and there on the rear end, including on the right side of the wheel. That's why I go an extra step every few days and wipe off the rear rotor with a brake cleaner solvent. There's a tremendous amount of air flow back there. Micro droplets get blown around. Some will undoubtedly find their way onto the rotor. Because brake pads, that operate nearby oily chains in windy conditions at high speeds, have been under development for so many decades, I bet pad material isn't much affected by this micro-amount of oil. Even so, I do clean it off now and again. I also clean my front rotors. There's oil out there besides that which comes off a chain.

I’d say the rear brake on my 21 GT is weak. I figure chain fling gets on the rotor. Not much, but some. I frequently clean my rear rotor with brake cleaner but not often enough to keep all the chain oil off it. I will also say that it is adequate. It does what a rear brake is supposed to do. It takes a fair amount of foot pressure to get it done.

I take that OM statement to mean no stick-ons that affect light “flow.” It could also infer that an adhesive may adversely affect the lens material, although you have to read between the lines to worry about that. I have had these stick-ons on two bikes so far. The FLTRU (now sold) and this Yam. I never saw any damage to the lens from sticker adhesive. At same time I have not tried to remove one of these. Doubt that I would. I certainly don’t advocate sticking it on the lens. I won’t do that again on a subsequent bike. Must also mention I have never had a non-read.

Someone here recently made a comment to the effect that "comfort on a motorcycle is over-rated." I agree with that. After long years chasing the comfort fairy, with very mixed results, I finally have arrived at the idea that comfort on a motorcycle is about as possible as comfort suspended above a raging volcano.

In the nearly five years I've lived here in southern CA, I've seen a handful of different transponders. Seems like they change now and again. The newer ones are the stick-on types. They are supposed to go onto the headlamp lens. The instructions that come in the mail with the transponder are extremely limited. The diagrams assume a large headlamp lens, not the tiny beamers on the Tracer. I doubt there is a requirement for backlighting, or any lighting at all. I'm all but certain the thing would work in another location, but it might want to be up front and have no body materials in front of it, hence maybe why they specify the headlamp. For sure the sticker does not affect the light intensity in any knowable way. No more than a large bug splattered thereupon, and probably much less. It sorta grinds me that the sticker is so visible to the naked eye in sunlight. I should have tested it with masking tape in another location before I pulled the tape.

Yeah, probably what it is. The ones for cars look different; those stick on the windshield just under the rear view. This type for the bike worked a lot better on the large Harley headlamp lens. Yam doesn't give us a lot of glass real estate. I could probably have stuck it anywhere and it would work just fine. If there is a next time, I will try it.

Doing without a new bike for 6 months is simply unacceptable. They should have bought it back and given you another. at the same time, I am having a different experience with my new Tracer. I’ve had no issues with the bike apart from the ecu recall. I think I know what you are referring to as flat spot in acceleration. I feel it too but it appears to be a case of too much throttle at too low a speed. It feels a little boggy. If I more gently coax the motor and increase throttle only as fast as it can “handle it” my flat spot doesn’t appear. To my way of thinking, this is a small motor. I’m more accustomed to big displacement low revving motors that come off the line like monsters. Those don’t have to be coaxed. More throttle results in smoking rear tire, not a bog down. Still, you had an earlier version of Tracer/FJ that you were happy with. I wouldn’t have expected the newer version to be anything but better. Coming off of a life aboard huge motorcycles to the Tracer, I have had to make many adjustments. Hasn’t been easy. But I’m there. I broke my old butt in to the stock bike, and I’m very happy with it. Even with the (agreed) sorry TFT displays. Useless for a 73 year old. I naturally assume Yamaha did not have my 73 year old eyes in mind when they designed it. So I accept it as it is. It is a strong bike with a few undesirables like any other bike I never had one among over 50 that was perfect

Interesting for comparison. Here in southern CA cars/motorcycles may have one of a few types of transponder. For my Tracer they sent me a stick-on transponder that must go onto the headlight lens. A problem for Tracer because of the new small projector type lamps. So I stuck it on the left corner lamp lens. I was immediately sorry I picked that location but can't un-do it without a hassle. No idea where I would've stuck it if not there.

Very true, and why I didn't bother to complain to China about it. Not complaining, really. It's a great product and a great company. And Cycle Gear has really upped their online game. I've ordered a few things lately from CG and the service has been terrific.

Damn. This one will be interesting for sure.

Similar to Harley beginning every maintenance procedure, no matter how simple, with “Remove main fuse” to prevent any possibility of an inadvertent starter motor activation or other electrical event. Not too many ppl actually do this.

I’ve got a 1060-ST2. I bought it 3 months ago. I don’t use it at all for local riding because it kind of gets in the way of my mount and dismount of the bike (gettin’ on and gettin’ off). Plus I don’t need the storage around town, the panniers are way sufficient. I use this bag on a longer ride where I need the additional storage. The bag is China made. The first one Cycle Gear sent me had a defective main zipper. Cycle Gear was good about handling the return. The replacement 1060 has been perfect. It’s a good high quality build but, because of the cheap zipper on the first one they sent me, I am paying attention to the new one. A zipper failure would be annoying out on the road. My only complaint, which I also have mentioned to Nelson Rigg via email and to Cycle Gear by phone during ordering and replacement, is that they are China made. These should be made in a western country IMO.

I came direct from a HD FLTRU to this 21 Tracer. Yes the Tracer vibrates more than most any modern rubber mounted or twin balanced Harley. My two HD tourers were real smooth. And there was rubber everywhere: handlebars, footboards, etc. moreover as we know, the Tracer is a much faster running motor RPM-wise. Even with the balance shaft it will vibrate all over. Seat, foot pegs, handlebars. It hardly bothers me at all. However, I notice that after a couple of hours highway riding I will get a little numbness in my smaller two fingers, each hand. I’ve had creeping neuropathy for years. Even as I type my fingers tingle. But yes the Tracer does seem to bring on the tingle.

Nothin’ drive ya crazy more than a loose mirror out away from home with no wrench on hand.

Hmmm, I never considered it had anything to do with suspension. I’ve never heard of this method before this bike. I assumed it had to do with safety. Maybe a likelihood of bike being pushed off center stand while wrenching on the axle nut. Most bikes nowadays whether belt or chain, have no center stand so there is no such risk. All expect measurement to be done with full weight on wheels. It is only the position of bike while loosening/tightening the axle nut that differs.

Here are a couple of pics of the Heli Adapter I bought online direct from that company: Top view. You can see the offset from stock. Side view. another angle on the offset. You can also see what I had to do with the cables and brake pipe. I had to untie them to allow slack. The brake pipe was released from its upper stay. It is a little tight upon full lock to the right. I need to work on this. Ideally, will replace it with longer.

In answer to KeesH: there are actually several positions possible with the Corbin, same as with the stock saddle. It is true that the widest area of the Corbin is all the way back, and that this pulls me farther away from the bars. If I am pushing my tush all the way back, I will lean forward and keep weight off arms by supporting torso with torso muscles, not with arms as in front-leaning rest. I will also slide forward at times. There is plenty of room there but less side support. I like to push all the way back into the saddle and lean an arm on the fuel tank, lowering my head behind the windscreen, so as to reduce turbulence on my head. I find this an extremely comfy position that I can maintain, with frequent modification, for long spells. Modification by shifting butt side to side. Arching back. Tilting pelvis. One leg out into the wind. Then the other leg. Etc. Very happy also to be back on a bike with foot pegs in such position that rider can stand up on them while riding. Nothing helps an aching butt better than one or two minutes standing up! The saddle is breaking in well. I’m back to riding after having half my left ear cut off 10 days ago due to skin cancer. I modified an older helmet so I can ride, and have been gingerly taking the bike out in the cool of mornings the last three days. I noticed that at no time now does the saddle call attention to itself. Unlike the stocker! Taking a week off the bike seems to have helped take my mind off the saddle. I’d say it is broke in, at around 700 miles. It will continue to soften and form, but probably is 90% broke in.