2022 GT Updates

[ZigMerid]

A year or so ago we all worked a thread pretty hard on this forum regarding the 2021 Tracer.

We all had fun speculating but nonetheless I think quite a few of us were surprised by the 9GT since it was quite a significant chance from the previous model.

Which brings us to now.

It's getting close to that time of year in which manufacturers traditionally announce their models for the upcoming year, so it occurs to me that a thread on our speculation on 2022 models might be of interest.

Two complicating factors are of course C19 which has severely limited sales and the chip shortage which has affected a lot of vehicle manufacturers including Yamaha.

So my first question is, will there even be a 2022 model of the Tracer? I have my doubts. But if there is, surely it will be an incremental change, in which case what bugs and features will Yamaha change? The Display? Better smart-phone integration? Increased range?

Or is someone out there brave enough to predict a radically new tracer? If so, what will it be?

[whisperquiet]

BNG will be the big change for 2022.

[Garz747]

The few '21s available in the Toronto Canada area are stickered at 17000$ so this is a moot point for me. Too much for a weekend toy. Will be keeping my 19 for many years lol.

[betoney]

Since many dealers still haven’t even received ‘21 models yet and since it is already a ground-up revamp, I wouldn’t expect any changes. This platform seems to be on a 3 year cycle for updates (‘15-‘17 and ‘18-‘20) so maybe ‘24 will reveal a Gen IV???

[jthayer09]

With the global silicon shortage and the '21 model being the major revision I doubt anything is going to change with that requires electronic hardware components.

Probably different colors/paint.

If anything I bet a software update such as allowing inverting of the display colors or something along those lines as a small but meaningful improvement.

[Radja]

 

[zvezdah1]

1 hour ago, Radja said:

 

this is odd, the price is the same it was for 2021 (I think 22 is $100 more)and I think it's essentially unchanged from the 21 model. This sounds more like  talking about the launch of the tracer 9gt for 21 model year.

[ZigMerid]

On 12/6/2021 at 3:33 AM, zvezdah1 said:

his is odd, the price is the same it was for 2021 (I think 22 is $100 more)and I think it's essentially unchanged from the 21 model.

I just did a side-by-side comparison of the 2021 spec sheet vs the 2022 spec sheet. Both from the Yamaha US web site.

Apart from the $100 price bump it appears unchanged from the 2021 model. Even the colors on offer are the same!

The 2022 spec sheet cleans up some of the text and rearranges a few things, but otherwise it appears identical. Methinks they asked their intern to apply a global change-all /2021/2022/ to their marketing material to make it seem fresh.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's a bad thing to have a stable model, but not even a new paint job suggests that they, like many of us, are just trying to pretend that the year 2021 never existed!

I'll try to remember to start a new thread on the 2023 model in about 11 months from now 🙂

Edited December 7, 2021 by ZigMerid
typo

[zvezdah1]

I noticed on the yamaha website, they've also added in a $100 freight surcharge at the bottom of the page.

I'm actually happy they're keeping the same colors, I quite like the silver blue combo

I've asked my dealer to contact me when they get one in as this is going to be my next bike.

Edited December 7, 2021 by zvezdah1

[Jayzonk]

I really like the idea of this thread, and it would be interesting to know how closely Yamaha would track the suggestions that we provide.  Seeing that we know they must look at what's in the forum, it's probably wise to suggest changes that we would at least think would be within the same current budget for this bike.  

But I haven't ridden the new one, so my only reference point is my 2020.  Hmmm.  

[PhotoAl]

with everything that went on in 2021 a $100 increase doesn't sound too bad.  Suddenly we are in a supply constrained world with lots of inflation and inflation pressures.  I think 2022 will be another messed up year particularly at the start.  From my perspective Omicron is very very rapidly expanding  across the country but will be gone quickly as well.  My wife has it now - like a cold.  Listen to Dr. John Campbell for good scientific analysis.  By March we will be moving out of Covid and back to normal but will take supply and infrastructure time to recover.  Coming out of Covid though will be a different world.  Manufactures ad suppliers have spent the last 30 or more years driving manufacturing costs down.  Not sure we will see the competitive pressures to keep the focus on cost reductions.  However as interest rate rises autos, cars and motorcycles will become more expensive for those who finance them.  Agree that it will certainly be 2023 if not 2024 before we see somewhat normal returns to supplies of cars and motorcycles.  

Now that my gloom and doom is out of the way.  I don't expect to see big changes in the Tracer 9 GT for a few years.  IMO they have taken the FJ09 from 2015 and slowly transformed it to a mini FJR that is lighter and more fun.

[Paddy01]

On 1/4/2022 at 2:10 AM, Jayzonk said:

I really like the idea of this thread, and it would be interesting to know how closely Yamaha would track the suggestions that we provide.  Seeing that we know they must look at what's in the forum, it's probably wise to suggest changes that we would at least think would be within the same current budget for this bike.  

But I haven't ridden the new one, so my only reference point is my 2020.  Hmmm.  

I personally get the feeling that Yamaha don’t care what we think, otherwise they’d have read the damning reviews on the seat and screen (for a start) and made necessary changes from the ‘20 model.  And don’t get me started on unnecessary changes like the dash… I’m about to do the tank/seat mod on my ‘18 GT as I can’t stand it any longer. Yamaha have been making bikes for almost 70 years and still don’t listen to their riders. I estimate at least 95% of owners on this forum hate the seat and screen but owners of the new 9GT are making the same complaints; so much for ‘model refresh’ or ‘update’.  Has anyone on this forum ever been contacted by Yamaha asking for feedback?

Changing our bikes to suit our needs is what we bikers do. It’s all part of the joy of riding.  But changing should mean making slight improvements and not replacing badly designed components, at huge expense, because the manufacturer couldn’t be bothered to use a wind tunnel or actually sit a westerner on one of their seats. 
 

The GT is like chalk and cheese. Fantastic in so many ways but utterly dire in others.