stonesie Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Hello, I'm Matt Stones and thought I had better come on here since I have been thinking about a tracer for a while now, finally I test rode one at the MT test ride day up at Squires on Sunday. It was an escorted ride so it was short and slow with no overtaking allowed but it was enough to get me to go straight from there to the local Yam dealer who told me that there was no chance of a deal on one because they had sold out and didn't know when more were coming. A couple of things did pop up on the test ride though. Throttle snatch, my current bike is a 2013 Street Triple R with a speed triple throttle tube (quick throttle for £ and is in need of the chain tightening up, still the tracer was noticeably worse unless it was in B mode... Not a deal breaker since a remap will cure it. Low speed wobble and following any imperfection in the road with the bike moving about at the rear... All that I think was down to low tyre pressures, it's a test ride mule so I have no idea when they were checked last. The screen, I would need a 'Proper' test ride to play with that. Moving my head up or down helped but sat naturally it was very noisy compared to my naked bike. All that being said, I liked it a lot and it is a contender to replace the STR as I am finding it increasingly less comfortable on longer rides, but I don't think my local dealer will get my money. I am having fun looking round the forum and learning a lot so far 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member johan Posted July 6, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted July 6, 2015 Welcome Matt. You'll find plenty of discussions, opinions and advice for the issues you mentioned. I have now done over 4,000 miles, including a week long tour to France. The Tracer is a wonderful bike, it's light, has a very good engine and the handling is great fun! It is capable, I commute in London and also found it good at touring, and once in the mountains the real fun started. The screen is noisy, I use good custom ear plugs and it no longer bothers me. I might try the new Puig touring screen with spoiler. The seat makes my backside numb after a couple of hours, but after eight days I never felt sore or truly uncomfortable. I might spend the money when Sargent comes out with their seat. I experience some head shake at high speed, under hard acceleration or in strong cross wind. Never so that it scares me and has not turned violent so far. Touring with luggage it never bothered me. Some fit a steering damper, after the trip to France I'm not sure that I need it, but I can see why some might want it. Never experienced the wallow you describe. See if you can get a proper test ride. I don't regret my purchase. The best part? The price of course. Surely the most fun per pound you could get from a motorcycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member wessie Posted July 6, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted July 6, 2015 Hi Matt. I doubt you will get a discount on a new bike anywhere at the moment. However, you may get a discount on some accessories, either Yamaha branded ones or other stuff the dealer stocks. Skellerns, my local dealer in Cheltenham had a grey one in stock when I last visited. They have a red demo bike which they will let you take out for a couple of hours to have a decent ride. Might be a bit far from you, if you live up north near Squires. All of the niggles you mention can be resolved, with threads here on the subject. As @johan says, the bike is great fun on twisty roads here in the Cotswolds or in the French Vosges, good for commuting into Gloucester and tours well loaded with luggage. I will be having my 6000 mile service in a couple of weeks - I've enjoyed riding this bike and I have done more miles in the last 4 months than I did in the previous 12 on my last bike (a Super Tenere XT1200Z) This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonesie Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 I have been to another local-ish dealer today (SMC Sheffield) and after gawping at the Panigale R (£26,000) I got myself booked in for 2 hours on a Tracer on Thursday, they were impressed with the condition of the STR and didn't rule out doing a deal of extras for extras so if I leave the extras on the STR they may do a good deal on a top box and fitting kit... They stock the Givi range and a trekker 52 in black would hold my lid and jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringman Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 It may be too late but when I was looking at new bikes I got a couple of different dealers offering me brand new bikes on the road with tax and heated grips for £8150 which I thought was pretty good but in the end I went for an ex demo with some crash protection for a grand less Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member bugsplatered Posted July 23, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted July 23, 2015 Welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonesie Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 Thanks, I had my 2 hours today and loved it, I was surprised at just how quickly I got used to it and started playing on the country lanes... Meeting with the bank manager on Tuesday to see what he says, if my ideas work out I could save a lot of money AND have a shiny new bike. Already been pondering which mods to get first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notty100 Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Do it You won't regret it Fantastic bike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diveslob Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Welcome. Do it.... Pull the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonesie Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 Not yet, tomorrow me and some friends are loading our bikes into a hired van for a trip to Cadwell Park for a track day on monday so I am waiting to make sure that the Street Triple is in it's usual pristine condition for trade in... Oh and have to get rid of the car too, Vauxhall corsa with 15K miles on it and the flywheel is a bit dodgy, it also has the power of a wet fart from it's 1.2L petrol engine... It has a firm quote of just over £5K so that + STR = Tracer + money for a more powerful older car and maybe even a track bike for next year. http://www.reveley.com/oldsite/circuit/cadwell.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonesie Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 Little update, I made a BIG mistake and bought a 13 plate Multistrada, It's awesome but appears to like more attention and kind words than the Mrs. The thing keeps falling apart and surprise surprise, the extended warranty I was sold with it doesn't cover anything that's gone wrong so far, including the tail light falling out because the engine vibration sheared the mounts clean off. I'm just not gelling with it and there's always the thought that it will be getting home on a recovery truck. The corsa did go though, replaced with a 2002 BMW 325I touring which has no rattles or squeaks at all, the 2013 corsa rattled and squeaked a lot. So, I'm back, topping up the knowledge and seeing what I want, the mutly is too unreliable and heavy for me really so a Tracer would be better. But I will miss the immense grunt of the big twin. I am booked in on the MT-10 on Friday, it should have the grunt of the ducati with the agility of the Street Triple and optional touring kit. But for the same money I could get a Tracer with lots of option boxes ticked.... Time for lots of test rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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