What did you do to your FJ-tracer-gt today?

[Suzukiguy]

1 hour ago, 2NDCHILDHOOD said:

Installed engine guards and had Auggie Doggie inspect them. 

What bag is that on the rear? How do you like it?

[duhs10]

2 hours ago, 3sum said:

I'm south too (Locust Grove).  From everything I've heard about MMS Roswell since getting the Monster, avoid them.  While I haven't been a WOW fan in the past, from what I've heard, all/most of Mark's crew from DucShop have migrated to WOW.  When it's time for service on my Monster.

I too chose the newer 1200 over the 1100 for the extended service intervals.

Well shit... I bought the service package as it will pay for itself after 9000 more miles. Guess I will let MMS Roswell do the next service, but take it to the Ducshop if I have other issues.

[Kenny A.]

10 hours ago, 2NDCHILDHOOD said:

Installed engine guards and had Auggie Doggie inspect them. 

Very nice. 👍

[2and3cylinders]

Did dare get out yesterday!   It was 88 F but it's supposed to be even hotter the rest of the week.  Had to work and by the time I left it was 2:45.  Went up to get some frozen custard and 2 hot dogs at Adrian's in Burlington WI; an easy 1.25 hours, 2/3 on the 6~8 lane I94 toll road.

After my repass it was 4:30 so if I headed home I'd of hit rush hour traffic in the heat with high humidity. Now I was wearing my new mesh jacket and pants due to my girth growing exponentially due to my Covid 19+# and inactivity after my 3 most recent surgeries but with my Hit-Air vest on, stopping to mist down and hydrate every hour or so was mandatory. 

So instead of winding way home on back roads which would have been even worse thanthe superslab, I headed further northwest on one of my favorite routes.   Needless to say I ended up doing double the mileage I planned  or should have!

The good news is this morning I'm OK!  The only issue I had on this ride other than my eyes tearing up and burning due to my normal sleep deprivation, the sun and smog, was near the end of an extended technical section my right hand froze up and I had to stop for 15 minutes!  The EMG on my right arm I very recently had (along with another cervical MRI) done to explore why I'm still having severe shoulder pain +18 weeks since my right rotator cuff surgery indicated I had carpal tunnel issues with my right elbow and wrist.  I'm hoping the hand cramping was just due to lack of use and dehydration.  I need to add another surgery to the 2 or 3 already on my list like another hole in my head.

Just to recap, while I'm up my shoulder pain is usually tolerable with NSAIDs every 4 hours but sleeping and even reclining is still impossible.   Oh well, if my neurosurgeon can't figure it out the shoulder doc will have to go back in to look and maybe fix it again.  Never had pain like this after my left shoulder was fixed but that was a dozen years ago, and it'sworse than before the surgery.

But in the interim I'm going to ride as often as I can stand to, secretly, so mums the word!

BTW I filled up with E0 91 in Palmyra and got almost 46 mpg on the return leg home averaging 75 mph!!!  Ive never before got anything close to that high!  So I outdid myself with my last major service, including eliminating a little shimmy above 90 mph with careful fork alignment after the fluid dump, flush and fill.  My 3rd set of footpegs worked well too.  Lower by .75" and .6" more forward like the ADV width adjustables I used for a season that due to their width inhibited shifting, though these new round peg's serated diameter is a bit small and they are about .25 too short for my gunboats but I'll keep evaluating them.

BTW, I get 15 cents off using my BP card.  Woo woo!

[peteinpa]

Glad you got out!  Does a world of good for mental well being! Just be careful. I won't tell anybody.

I get 90 octane E0 as much as I can. Really makes a difference in power and fuel economy.

[2NDCHILDHOOD]

22 hours ago, Suzukiguy said:

What bag is that on the rear? How do you like it?

It's a Nelson Rigg and I like it a lot. There are different sizes and this is the touring model. It looks great and expands to 33 liters. Amazon has a great price on it...

https://www.amazon.com/Nelson-CL-1060-ST2-Black-Commuter-Motorcycle/dp/B07M719PW9?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

[betoney]

14 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

But in the interim I'm going to ride as often as I can stand to, secretly, so mums the word!

Glad to hear that you are getting back on the bike.  Take it slow, enjoy short rides and don't overdo it.

[petshark]

On 7/18/2022 at 10:06 PM, texscottyd said:

@petshark - Looking good!   Are you happy with the T9GT as an upgrade from the previous Tracer?  

So happy! So much more than I had anticipated. It's that same playful engine but smoother, more refined and it sounds killer. The chassis is a huge improvement, the suspension is amazing. I love that there is no dive at standstill. Hold the brakes and push forward... nothing happens. All the parts are more robust. Highly recommended.

20 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

But in the interim I'm going to ride as often as I can stand to, secretly, so mums the word!

BTW I filled up with E0 91 in Palmyra and got almost 46 mpg on the return leg home averaging 75 mph!!!  Ive never before got anything close to that high! 

I know a thing or two about chronic pain as have been suffering from spinal issues since my early twenties. But mine is just the constant pain, never broke anything or had any surgery in that area. Anything that can take your mind of the pain and put a smile on your face is worth a lot. So good for you! Here's to many more rides to come.

I'm amazed at your mileage. I switched to the T9 now and my mileage stays the same, just barely above 30 mpg.

[2and3cylinders]

Glad you like your T9 so much comparatively.  I've modded my 15 so far I can't see the T9 being better enough to warrant stepping up.  I'm also not impressed with the T9GTs SAS or dash, and that it lost the friskyiness and raw lack of sophistication that magnifies in it that function over form, nothing you don't need character.  And that's not just me but then again my lack of discretionary funds and frugalality colors my perception.  I bought it because of my neck disc pain, and Monday, as its been since the bar, saddle and screen swaps, front and rear suspension tweaks and McCruise install a veritable magic carpet ride; once I'm on it.

I've been living with debilitating pain for over 15 years that got so bad I couldn't walk.  A dozen years ago my left shoulder fix was the first step on a path I'm still haven't reached the end of.  After C3 & 4 were cleaned up, shimmed and fused I was riding in 9 weeks, maybe too soon; and I still mount and dismount like you do with a horse. It's kind of a scary feeling, like it's going to fall over and/or the side stand will snap! With 4 down, I still have 2 more dates with my surgeons, maybe 3 as my right shoulder fix may have to be redone, and just last week my right wrist AND elbow had to get on the band wagon with carpal tunnel issues.  A DCT trans is an answer for my left hand's issues but doesn't turn the throttle or activate the front brake for you.

My 111k mile 98 VTR1000F with its huge carbs and notorious poor mileage does better than 30.  Something has GOT to be wrong with your T9?!

I used to average 40+ mpg on my 15 FJ but maybe my last tune up coincided with the engine finally wearing in to a sweet spot after 50k miles.  Fingers Xd

Pain cannot be sublimated without drugs, which I can't tolerate, and resulting sleep deprivation is the worst aspect of it all.

Cheers and thanks.

[petshark]

29 minutes ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Glad you like your T9 so much comparatively.  I've modded my 15 so far I can't see the T9 being better enough to warrant stepping up.  I'm also not impressed with the T9GTs SAS or dash, and that it lost the friskyiness and raw lack of sophistication that magnifies in it that function over form, nothing you don't need character.  And that's not just me but then again my lack of discretionary funds and frugalality colors my perception.  I bought it because of my neck disc pain, and Monday, as its been since the bar, saddle and screen swaps, front and rear suspension tweaks and McCruise install a veritable magic carpet ride; once I'm on it.

I've been living with debilitating pain for over 15 years that got so bad I couldn't walk.  A dozen years ago my left shoulder fix was the first step on a path I'm still haven't reached the end of.  After C3 & 4 were cleaned up, shimmed and fused I was riding in 9 weeks, maybe too soon; and I still mount and dismount like you do with a horse. It's kind of a scary feeling, like it's going to fall over and/or the side stand will snap! With 4 down, I still have 2 more dates with my surgeons, maybe 3 as my right shoulder fix may have to be redone, and just last week my right wrist AND elbow had to get on the band wagon with carpal tunnel issues.  A DCT trans is an answer for my left hand's issues but doesn't turn the throttle or activate the front brake for you.

My 111k mile 98 VTR1000F with its huge carbs and notorious poor mileage does better than 30.  Something has GOT to be wrong with your T9?!

I used to average 40+ mpg on my 15 FJ but maybe my last tune up coincided with the engine finally wearing in to a sweet spot after 50k miles.  Fingers Xd

Pain cannot be sublimated without drugs, which I can't tolerate, and resulting sleep deprivation is the worst aspect of it all.

Cheers and thanks.

About the upgrade to the T9, I was in the same boat. 5000 euro's of upgrades on that bike (half were already on there when I bought it). At the same time I kind of started to lose intrest when I couldn't make it better anymore. And it turns out that the 9 just is better on many fronts that I cannot change. The engine is sweeter with a little more power. You sit more in the bike. They fixed many small things. The dash really is not so bad and the "once you see it you can't unsee it" is completely untrue in my case. I did see it all the time in pictures but now I see the fighter pilot look that Yamaha intended. Maybe I can just bend my mind that way. 

It's true I'm not looking for rawness, I want the power but I want it delivered in a way that tells me that the machine is happy. I wasn't so sure about that with the 900 GT. "It's a triple, it's normal" turns out to be untrue. It can be wild and playful and still sound and feel like a fine tuned machine. Now I only need earplugs to protect my ears and not to cover up the unsettling sounds the 900 make . Perhaps there still was something wrong with my 900 but I don't think so. I did 10000km without changing anything and it always kept the same character, including the rattling and split personality. Most importantly it rode great. But the 9 runs better.. a lot.

I completely agree though that if you're still really happy with the bike there's no need to upgrade. There will always be a better bike, it never ends.

About the mileage; there's nothing wrong with the T9, it's got no miles and runs perfectly. What's more the 900 GT also was perfectly tuned and had the exact same mpg. It's just the way I ride I guess. I do admit to only riding for fun and pushing the bike every time. If I ever do any constant speed roads that mpg will surely go up.

About the pain, I can only say hang in there and wish you a fast recovery. I try not to talk too much about it, just like the tinnitus, thinking about is detrimental to my quality of life. If I sum up what happened and/or is wrong I get down so I just don't do that anymore. We each have to find our own way to deal with constant pain and that is mine.

It's the same with the polarisation of the masses and the soul-sucking social media. I've chosen to mostly ignore and only engage when I feel that it won't consume my precious energy storages. Pain eats a lot of energy as you well know. I find that not giving it the attention that it craves helps. Easier said that done and some pain just won't be ignored of course. Body scan meditation helps a lot but it is not for everyone.

Wow this post is all over the place.

 

[Mark Jackson]

Fitted this Evotech Tail tidy. Fantastic quality, brilliant fit, you can see they've really thought hard about the design. They even supply a bracket for the reflector which is part of the kit. I chose to stick rather than use the plastic nut and bolts.

[Wintersdark]

On 7/19/2022 at 4:04 PM, 2NDCHILDHOOD said:

It's a Nelson Rigg and I like it a lot. There are different sizes and this is the touring model. It looks great and expands to 33 liters. Amazon has a great price on it...

https://www.amazon.com/Nelson-CL-1060-ST2-Black-Commuter-Motorcycle/dp/B07M719PW9?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

I've got the slightly smaller version (the Sport) and I'm very, very happy with it too.  Inexpensive, good mounting, looks pretty decent on the pillion seat, and a bonus it serves a bit as a backrest when packed full of stuff.  

They hold enough stuff for me to take a 5-day motorcycle trip, which definitely works for me.  Capacity when expanded is huge, and when they're not expanded they don't look like a big ugly top case.  

[Kenny A.]

On 7/20/2022 at 7:15 PM, Mark Jackson said:

Fitted this Evotech Tail tidy. Fantastic quality, brilliant fit, you can see they've really thought hard about the design. They even supply a bracket for the reflector which is part of the kit. I chose to stick rather than use the plastic nut and bolts.

Nice. 👍  I have the R+G tail tidy on my GT, but that Evotech one is much better looking.

[3sum]

 I started to consider selling mine since I'm looking for an Alaska bike.  I could buy a cheap third bike but I think I might want to stay a 2 bike garage.

[kilo3]

Cut down the OEM windshield since it's raining and I'm bored.

Something just never sat right with the puig sport, personal preference. I'll probably paint the backside black at some point.

Comparison:

How much I cut: