Buy a Skidplate!

[2and3cylinders]

2 hours ago, Heli ATP said:

I've seen you post this before about the McCruise and QS not been compatible. What is the source?

I have both on my 2017 and they work fine together. Is it a 2015-2016 thing?

It might be worth a try, and you could return the QS if it don't work.

I was told by Translogic and 2 other manufacturers a year or so ago. When did they start offering the QS, in 17?

Whose QS do you have installed?!  I'd go for it in a Chicago Minute*! 

*3 X longer than a NY Minute, we're more later back here; but X 2 quicker than LA.

[2and3cylinders]

2 hours ago, PeterL said:

I agree wholeheartedly with only your last I'm afraid. Trials is a motor sport, and arguably at it's best when at 5mph or less. Flat track? Fast, but not THAT  fast. And I know I'm not brave enough to run that close to other riders on big iron, in a situation where traction is largely a theoretical concept.

And sport IMHO can be found when any 2 or more individuals wish to determine who is 'best'. I used to compete in hang gliding events. Dozens of flyers, often not in visual range of one another, as you hunt for thermals and tailwinds to navigate waypoints and reach a goal first. Airspeed: 20 to 60+ mph. Difficulty: as a species we were not DESIGNED as flyers, so yeah, rather demanding to learn to do it well ('tis more art than science). But at the end of the day, sipping our beverages and telling our tales, we all felt like sportsmen and women. 

Don't care about the odds. I drive a car only when riding is impossible. So where my car may log 5k in a year, my bikes cumulatively manage 10 or even 20 times that. Driving is transportation, riding is life itself to me.

Uh, no response to "Life begins...", which I certainly didn't author.  And Ernest Hemingway is associated with the motor racing and bull fighting saying, not me.  And you can thank Rod Stewart for the lost youth verse from Faces song "Ooh La La".

I jumped out of a perfectly good plane over Lafayette Field, IN in 1967, and learned to fly a sail plane at what was then a small private airfield in West Bend, WI in 68 & 69, and there was no bigger thrill to me than when the afterburners kicked in on the first dual seater F16 Flying Falcon when taking off from the runway at Edwards AFB during certification.  And I've hang glided over Black's Beach next to Torrey Pines at high tide.  I've also flown an ultralight I built into Oshkosh during the EAA Fly In, which becomes the busiest airport in the world one week a year.  I also worked for Convair until 1981.

And flat tracking can kill!

But I agree cages are transportation but in Chicago they're a necessary evil.  I did commute into the Loop for a decade, which at least is not as bad as Manhattan.  In San Diego I didn't have a 4+ wheeler for years.  I just wish I had the time (and health) to ride more but hopefully some day soon I can!

[Heli ATP]

2 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

I was told by Translogic and 2 other manufacturers a year or so ago. When did they start offering the QS, in 17?

Whose QS do you have installed?!  I'd go for it in a Chicago Minute*! 

*3 X longer than a NY Minute, we're more later back here; but X 2 quicker than LA.

I have the Yamaha QS for the 2017 and up, that I installed myself in less than an hour. Here is a threads that talks about CC and QS in a 2015, and install of a 2017 Yamaha QS from Two Wheel Obsession.

Page 2...

QS install

[2and3cylinders]

3 hours ago, Heli ATP said:

I have the Yamaha QS for the 2017 and up, that I installed myself in less than an hour. Here is a threads that talks about CC and QS in a 2015, and install of a 2017 Yamaha QS from Two Wheel Obsession.

Page 2...

QS install

 I read through the forum thread you provided but it appeared it was for the OEM quick shifter which is up only that I understand only fits 17 ~ 20.

 I need a upshift and down shift (blipper).  What I was told, including from Heel Tech, is that a blipper would not work with the McCruise.   Do you have information or links that indicate a quick shifter up-and-down blipper will work with the McCruise?

Thx

[PhotoAl]

On 7/25/2021 at 9:28 AM, 2and3cylinders said:

No thanks.  I'm too old to add more risk to an already risky lifetime pastime.  I read that a motorcycle is 16 times more dangerous than a car.

After 35 you don't heal as fast and I'm going on double that.  I'm suffering with bad feet and EVERY major pair of joints up from them plus my neck and back.  Hopefully my now finally scheduled L3/4 & L4/5 disc fusion and decompression will allow me to get into better shape but bad discs at C4~6 mean even a moderate sporbike tuck is impossible.  That's why I got the FJ.  I started road racing in the early 70s and while I haven't for years had to give up even track days.  I've put off right rotator cuff surgery for 10 years because my left was botched.  Now my clutch hand has 2 bad joints so I'm considering either a NC750X (too slow and the TA is too tall), or something with a super good blipper-QS.  Can't add one to my FJ because it won't play nice with the McCruise.

Life begins at 140 mph on 2 wheels.  There are only 2 real sports, motor racing and bull fighting, everything else are just games.  I wish I knew then what I know now when I was younger...

 

Know what you mean.  The double 35 is getting close for me.  I've been fortunate to have not had major back problems but did bulge a disk 25 years ago which was a miserable experience.  I actually did better with the sport bike position as the compression forces over bumps were less than in the upright position.  I may buy one more motorcycle but a CanAm Spider is looking more likely.

Be careful about putting off surgery to fix things like rotator cuffs as there is a point where it becomes more difficult.  Fortunately I live in a city where we have some great orthopedic groups but even the best sometimes have not so great days.  5 years ago lost the bottom quarter of a kneecap in a scooter crash, had to get the tendon re-attached.

Sounds like you know your limits and avoid exceeding them which is wonderful.  Wish you the best in your upcoming repairs.

[2and3cylinders]

6 hours ago, PhotoAl said:

Know what you mean.  The double 35 is getting close for me.  I've been fortunate to have not had major back problems but did bulge a disk 25 years ago which was a miserable experience.  I actually did better with the sport bike position as the compression forces over bumps were less than in the upright position.  I may buy one more motorcycle but a CanAm Spider is looking more likely.

Be careful about putting off surgery to fix things like rotator cuffs as there is a point where it becomes more difficult.  Fortunately I live in a city where we have some great orthopedic groups but even the best sometimes have not so great days.  5 years ago lost the bottom quarter of a kneecap in a scooter crash, had to get the tendon re-attached.

Sounds like you know your limits and avoid exceeding them which is wonderful.  Wish you the best in your upcoming repairs.

Thanks

 

Thinking of a used one of these, which would solve my clutch hand issues and it stays upright at stops unlike the Nike, and the top model even has reverse!

https://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/piaggio/2019-piaggio-mp3-sport-500-hpe-ar184826.html

[PhotoAl]

I have looked at them more than once.  Not fun like a Tracer GT but like the Niken but more stable when stopped.  I've got a couple of scooters and really enjoy riding them around local streets.  That's big enough to go most anywhere.

[PeterL]

FWIW- I took a 30 minute test ride on the latest gen of the Can-Am Spyder RT (that's the touring version w/bags and such) a few months back.

These days they are using an electric power steering system. The original model had NO power assist, and going around corners took a lot of grunt. Aside from a touch of hunting at VERY low speeds, this new system worked quite well. The transmission will work in either fully automatic mode or via bar-mounted switches. No manual option is offered. And the braking system is linked (arguably good) and operated by a foot pedal reminiscent of a VW bug or a 60's Vespa (which just felt weird to me). Reverse was kinda neat, especially compared to grunting through the chore manually on my C14. Ergonomics were well thought out, and all the controls fell readily to hand. The engine was smooth and seemed to have plenty of power, but bear in mind I did NOT get it on the freeway.

It was actually a lot of fun to drive, and I can understand why I seem to be seeing a lot more on the roads these days. Still loves me my two wheelers, but if the creeping decrepitude ever catches up with me, I might take a closer look.

[cbr600]

On 6/20/2021 at 10:54 PM, 2and3cylinders said:

Obviously, all happy only your poor bike got hurt, possibly terminally. 

As was mentioned, not sure a skip plate would have saved the sump, maybe, but not the  header up above at best.  How big was that spall!?

 

I have the curled version of the SW Motech skid plate. Taking a dual sport riding class, a large rock bought me to a full stop very quickly 😒

The plate bent, the brackets did also.  The plate stopped with the exhaust both front and back. A very small scratch on the rear exhaust, a small bend on the header. That was it. Got up and kept riding (~5 mph to 0 in 0 seconds on high rocks with no place to put the feet to stop the fall).  I plan to replace the skid plate with the same. 

Chose not to make a hole for oil changes since it can become a “grab point” and removing the filter with the plate on is messy anyway. 

[3banger]

Thoughts on this?

https://www.amazon.com/Homyl-Motorcycle-Cover-Yamaha-Tracer/dp/B07GVHV7M3

[2and3cylinders]

13 hours ago, 3banger said:

Thoughts on this?

https://www.amazon.com/Homyl-Motorcycle-Cover-Yamaha-Tracer/dp/B07GVHV7M3

Not a chance, does nothing to protect the headers and sticks out the left side waiting to get whacked.  Cast stainless steel and anodized??? Come on!  Take a big pass IMO!

[sandman900]

On the euro based Tracer Owners Facebook page, I was called out for wanting a skid plate. "Why? It's not an adventure bike." Hard to believe that I had to explain and justify my decision, but it's the interwebs. I could state we're all human beings on planet earth, and get an argument.

Here's a real reason. A few seasons ago I was riding on a 4 lane boulevard, not divided, a residential area, 35 mph speed limit, daylight, moderate traffic. Well, this suddenly appeared from underneath the car I was following, right in front of my front wheel. I was not following too closely, but still had only one chance to identify the hazard, decide what to do, and execute. Did the right thing and counter steered around it. If this class lll ball mount had hit my engine sump...

[2and3cylinders]

My SW Mototech basic skid plate catches road rocks and grit despite also having a Fenda Extenda, that if anything else, while they may not have cracked or holed the sump or dinged the headers, at least keeps them from being more extensively sand blasted.  The amount of grime that accumulates on it is also amazing.

If it saves the headers and sump just one it's paid for itself IMO!

[betoney]

14 hours ago, 3banger said:

Thoughts on this?

https://www.amazon.com/Homyl-Motorcycle-Cover-Yamaha-Tracer/dp/B07GVHV7M3

That’s one of those ‘something is better than nothing’ items. I have it on my bike and haven’t had any issue with it. It’s built pretty tough and when I cut a hole in the bottom to drain the oil, it took a LOT of effort to do so. 

[GeeAndTea]

Failed to adapt the Givi skidplate to work with the Akrapovic exhaust. I guess i'll take the mounts off the bike, clean it all up and stick it on ebay.

At this point i'm very tempted to get some 5mm aluminium (or 3mm steel), bend it, and directly strap it to the exhaust with steel ties.