Tracer 9 GT review

[Ride365]

1 hour ago, OldBikers said:

I thought it looked good when I bought it in 2021.  Since then I have gotten compliments from others, more than any bike I've owned in the past.

I'm glad they toned down the adventure bike look.

You think the previous versions looked even remotely like an adventure bike? 🤨I personally don't care for the current look, and I very much dislike the new exhaust system. 

[kingfisher]

I liked the looks of the FJ09 and 900GT better, but this one's growing on me. When riding it though, I couldn't care if it looked like a water buffalo, because it is a hoot. The exhaust isn't pretty, but it sounds pretty good. 

[Kenny A.]

4 hours ago, Ride365 said:

You think the previous versions looked even remotely like an adventure bike? 🤨I personally don't care for the current look, and I very much dislike the new exhaust system. 

Totally agree,regarding exhaust.👍  That's why I fitted the Akra system, albeit a tad expensive. ££ 😊

[kingfisher]

Just coming up on one full year of ownership, so thought I'd offer an update. I just had an enjoyable trip to the Ozarks  and Ouachitas in Arkansas and SE Oklahoma this weekend, and turned over 18,000 miles on the bike. I'm on front tire number 2, and the 3rd rear tire, both Dunlop Roadsmart 3's. Have added a set of Denali lights for visibility to others, grip puppies, Givi rear rack, and heated gear lead, and that's about it for add on's. 

Overall, I haven't enjoyed any bike quite as much as this one after a year of riding it. Bike has been trouble free, no maintenance needed except oil changes and tires. The stock chain was toast on my GT 900 by now, but the chain on the 9 GT is going strong. I've consistently used Dupont chain lube with each ride, and cleaning only consisting of wiping the excess lube off with a microfiber towel after each application. The longer chain life on this bike may be from discarding the ridiculously tight chain adjustment recommendations that Yamaha had for the FJ09 and GT 900, or maybe a better batch of DID chains.

Engine: still one of the best engines for overall street riding that I've found. Good midrange and a killer top end that is a joy to explore. 

Suspension, handling, and braking: great, no complaints. Brake pads have plenty of wear left.

 Seat: not the best I've experienced, but surprisingly ok to me. I've done 500+ miles in a day on it, and was on it for 8 hrs straight in Arkansas this weekend and it was OK. Have no plans to replace it.

Windshield: works fine for me; little buffeting and good wind protection for me. YMMV.

Divided dash: Wasn't to sure about this at the beginning, but overall, I actually like the thing. If it was white background with black lettering, it would be more visible in bright light. That would be my one  complaint of the dash. The amount of data available at a glance without scrolling something is nice. Personally, I keep ambient temp, engine temp, fuel consumed (which is pretty accurate, by the way,) and trip on the right screen. 

Dislikes: the wheel for scrolling. Hated it on the GT900 and hate it now. Very touchy to use.

Surprises: The quickshifter. My first impression of a quickshifter was on the GT 900 that only allowed it to be used when upshifting; I wasn't too impressed, so was pretty surprised as to how much I've enjoyed this one that can be used for up and down shifting. It is very smooth too, both under heavy as well as light throttle acceleration. It is nice for when you are just cruising around and you are afflicted with clutch hand laziness, but is a hoot when riding aggressively in tight twisties like this weekend. 

Overall, I recommend the bike highly, especially at the prices that some of the left over '22 models have been going for. Personally, I'm glad I bought it when I did, even though I paid close to retail; I've had a year of enjoyment that I would not have had if I'd waited. I think Yamaha is making a mistake not making both the standard GT 9 and the GT 9+ available in North America, like they are in Europe; I think that there are a lot of people like me who don't need the adaptive cruise and higher price. 

 

[Heli ATP]

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