Tracer 9 GT test ride & comparison to 900 GT

[PhotoAl]

I might have to ride up there next week and take a look 🙂

 

[HGP61]

6 hours ago, PhotoAl said:

I might have to ride up there next week and take a look

Are you sure that's wise, be very very careful, My pal went to the dealer for a "Look at the 9" a month or so ago.

His lovely new Icon silver and black Tracer 9 is now sitting happily in his garage and I'm sure his wife will start talking to him again  eventually. I found it very very difficult to resist the temptation mind you being retired and on half the income I was a few years ago probably helped. 😃How do you set up crowd funding for a new toy?😃

[PhotoAl]

Probably not, my wife is distracted with her 93 yo mother.  She is a hoot all by herself.  Last week she dropped one of the drive wheels of her power chair off the sidewalk doing a U-turn.  Lives by herself but was able to call my wife using her Apple Watch.Well and truly stuck but was ridiculously  easy to get her unstuck.  Before getting her unstuck I did have to have the photo evidence.  A few days later she forgot to turn it off when she pulled up to her desk, reaching forward to get something she hit the joystick and drove it under the desk!  Cut her legs quite badly.  She called my wife and said I've scraped my leg but its not bad no rush!  My wife looked at it and kinda freaked, MIL wanted my wife to bandage it my wife said no we need to take you to doc-in-the-box.  Fortunately she sent a photo to our son the doctor who said ER NOW!  It was quite the ordeal!  At first she told me "it just took off" but under cross examination by her other daughter she fessed up haha.  

So I can get away without too much trouble as long as MIL behaves.  But if I did trade it might be the straw the drove my wife over the edge so that's a powerful incentive.  

I'm already in trouble for the trips I took this year - wife says 3 I say 2.  She claim the 5 day ride to Topeka KS to get a seat qualifies as a trip.  I say it wasn't a real trip.  I've been to Wyoming twice this year, first time went to Vernal Utah and the second time was on the way back from Butte and Red Lodge Montana.  As much as I'd like a T9GT I'm putting lots of miles on the T 900 GT and will probably trade in a couple of years anyway.  She will not ride with me but hopefully some day she can fly out and meet me in some of the cool places I've been.

[HGP61]

3 hours ago, PhotoAl said:

Probably not, my wife is distracted with her 93 yo mother.  She is a hoot all by herself.  Last week she dropped one of the drive wheels of her power chair off the sidewalk doing a U-turn

My 91 year old Dad suggested recently we get a powered chair for my 88 year old Mum, I was shuddering at the thought and was imagining similar incidents.

3 hours ago, PhotoAl said:

I'm already in trouble for the trips I took this year

I usually have a couple of trips away with my two pals but thinking of an extra Europe trip next year to visit My brother in Switzerland But because of the lovely motorbike roads I would like to ride there and back I think I would want a two week trip. Will need to break the news of that gently.

[daboo]

8 hours ago, HGP61 said:

My 91 year old Dad suggested recently we get a powered chair for my 88 year old Mum, I was shuddering at the thought and was imagining similar incidents.

Those incidents will happen.  I have a 94 yr old FIL.  He's banged up the front of the stove, the dishwasher and some doorways with his.

I'd highly recommend NOT getting one.  And not for the damage to furniture and the house.  In my FIL's case, he needs exercise.  Complains his muscles are weak and can barely make it to the car with a walker.  But he sits in the motorized wheel chair all the time, and the only exercise he gets is with his hand moving the joystick.  As hard as it is on your Mum, I think she'll live longer if she can move herself.

Chris

[Dpl900]

On 12/21/2021 at 8:37 AM, skipperT said:

Yes. The 2002-2005 GL18 are all the same bike, changed again from 06-09, then I get a bit lost but I think Honda changed mostly the fairings and dash from 2010-15 or so. At which point they moved production from Georgia back to Japan and pretty much redesigned the bike for a 2018 MY release. There were a couple years where no ‘Wings were produced. The 18-21 Gen models are all the same except for BNGraphics and a different Trunk on the later touring models. 
I could change my comparison to gl1500 to gl1800 if you like.

What I was trying to get across is that the 900GT and the 9GT are very similar bikes, but after riding both you can start to get a feel for the progression of the model and the changes the Factory have made. They’re both amazing, potent motorcycles but the 9GT is the best Yamaha has done yet with this platform.

and to answer the un-asked question, yes I have ridden all the bikes I’ve referenced - DCT and manual clutch models too. The newest GL1800 Wing is the Creme of the Goldwing line, similar to the 9GT being the Creme of the Tracer line, IMHO. 

Ride them both back-to-back and draw your own conclusions. 

-Skip

I have driven the new tracer but he did not convince me of the change..in many places I consider it ugly and in many beautiful ... the older tracer was nice almost everywhere (design) Engine although great the conversation does not have many differences and I think it is not as impetuous as the 847cc I have compared it thoroughly with my friend who has it..the brakes are the same the lights are the same in intensity and performance

What we noticed is that the new model is "warmer" than the Old engine ... the new engine has almost 80 degrees Celsius while the old one with the same distance does not rise more than 74 degrees and all this because it has a smaller water cooler to save some grams from there ...

In the new model I like the most intense gyroscopic phenomenon and its suspensions

I think the facelift from the new model will be what will make the difference 

[petshark]

5 hours ago, Dpl900 said:

I have driven the new tracer but he did not convince me of the change..in many places I consider it ugly and in many beautiful ... the older tracer was nice almost everywhere (design) Engine although great the conversation does not have many differences and I think it is not as impetuous as the 847cc I have compared it thoroughly with my friend who has it..the brakes are the same the lights are the same in intensity and performance

What we noticed is that the new model is "warmer" than the Old engine ... the new engine has almost 80 degrees Celsius while the old one with the same distance does not rise more than 74 degrees and all this because it has a smaller water cooler to save some grams from there ...

In the new model I like the most intense gyroscopic phenomenon and its suspensions

I think the facelift from the new model will be what will make the difference 

Interesting about the heat. Could also be a EURO 5 side effect perhaps?

I did not feel any extra power (maybe because I have 120 HP at the wheel from my ECU flash) but I just liked the sound and more refined feel of the 9.

I didn't like the looks at all in the beginning but the way I see it, it just takes some time to get used to it.

This bike will always be function over form to me. Bikes that I consider to have perfect lines are always race bikes but that is of course highly subjective. In short I don't think I would regret upgrading but I do agree that for now my 900 looks a lot slicker than the demo 9 that I rode. But with the right farkles... who knows? 

[Dpl900]

39 minutes ago, petshark said:

Interesting about the heat. Could also be a EURO 5 side effect perhaps?

I did not feel any extra power (maybe because I have 120 HP at the wheel from my ECU flash) but I just liked the sound and more refined feel of the 9.

I didn't like the looks at all in the beginning but the way I see it, it just takes some time to get used to it.

This bike will always be function over form to me. Bikes that I consider to have perfect lines are always race bikes but that is of course highly subjective. In short I don't think I would regret upgrading but I do agree that for now my 900 looks a lot slicker than the demo 9 that I rode. But with the right farkles... who knows? 

Observe this with the temperature and you will see what I mean .... it is not a bad thing but I prefer my engine to work with less degrees .. the sound from 9 is incredible, it is as if it has aftermarket exhaust I really forgot to write this and it is understood that technologically in the electronic part are classes higher than the previous model 

[OldBikers]

About the looks of the T9GT, I have received more compliments about its looks in the 6 months I've had it.  More than my 2012 FZ-01 ever received in the nine years I had it.

Go figure!

[petshark]

14 hours ago, OldBikers said:

About the looks of the T9GT, I have received more compliments about its looks in the 6 months I've had it.  More than my 2012 FZ-01 ever received in the nine years I had it.

Go figure!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 

[kilo3]

2 hours ago, petshark said:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 

"That T9 is a beauty"

[daboo]

18 hours ago, OldBikers said:

About the looks of the T9GT, I have received more compliments about its looks in the 6 months I've had it.  More than my 2012 FZ-01 ever received in the nine years I had it.

Go figure!

Really?!

[betoney]

10 minutes ago, daboo said:

Really?!

Agreed, I previously had a Gen II FZ1, very sharp looking bike. 

[petshark]

The 900 GT is the exact middle ground between these two in the looks department, or is it just me?  

16 hours ago, daboo said:

Really?!

 

[betoney]

50 minutes ago, petshark said:

The 900 GT is the exact middle ground between these two in the looks department, or is it just me?  

 

Yes, I think the '19-'20 Tracer 900 is the "Goldilocks" of the FJ/Tracer lineup.

I appreciate the advancements the Tracer 9 has for '21 but -for me-the design aesthetics detract from those improvements, two steps forward, two steps back...