What's in a name?

[wordsmith]

Well, potentially, a helluva lot! When insuring my MT-09 Tracer over the phone I was initially quoted some ridiculous amount. I challenged this, and made it doubly clear - as I thought I had initially anyway - that the bike is an MT-09 [strong][em]TRACER.   [/em][/strong]The important difference is that the MT-09 (non-Tracer) is a hooligan bike much favoured and much crashed by young wannabee racers until they are dead, hence the very high insurance quote.
I'd like to get this straight in my mind, purely as a matter of interest.  
Is the bike called an [strong]FJ-09[/strong] (without the Tracer designation) in the USA, and maybe some other parts such as Canada, or is it indeed an [strong]FJ-09 Tracer[/strong] in these markets?   Japan?   Europe?
Here in Australia it is an [strong]MT-09 Tracer[/strong] (the Owners' Manual refers to it as MT09TRAG). 
I have to ask why on earth Yamaha chose to give this bike at least two designations!

[norcal616]

In the USA its just FJ-09... At first some insurance companies call it a sports bike, some call it a touring bike, some say all bikes above x amout are sports bikes... I even had to talk to the insurance guy in person to show my FJ-09 was not a sports bike like a crotch rocket...
 
As for the 2 bike names many things effect it from market to market such as trademarks, market research, Public Relations, diffrent bike setups between the markets from the turn signal lights or ECU fueling... And the name separation helps keep critical parts separate from each markets rules from getting mixed up...

[betoney]

When insuring my MT-09 Tracer over the phone I was initially quoted some ridiculous amount.

Your experience with name designation is the same that we experience here with the Kawasaki Ninja (Z1000SX in Europe).  Kawasaki North America insists on using the Ninja designation and that has some insurance companies red flagging the bike in their data bases since they sell both standard Ninja as well as Ninja ZX (super sport models)  
I am fortunate in that my insurance company (State Farm) rates are based on the bikes engine size. My new FJ-09 was cheaper to insure than my 10 year old FZ1 (1000cc).
 

[poundinasphalt]

I know this thread is mostly about naming conventions, but since insurance is also part of the discussion I wanted to share this. The 2007 BMW I just sold was worth about $8k and it was a 4 cylinder with 150 hp and a ton of options and fairings. When I bought my 2015 FJ I expected the insurance rates to be in the same ballpark since the bikes are not far apart in terms of retail value and since the FJ has less power, fewer features and less bodywork. Boy was I surprised when my rates DOUBLED. Is this because I have a bike that's only 2 years old now as opposed to one that was 10 years old? I don't know for sure yet because I haven't spoken directly to the company about it (updated the policy online). But as always, vehicle insurance (of all kinds) is a serious rip off to the consumer.

[koth442]

I know this thread is mostly about naming conventions, but since insurance is also part of the discussion I wanted to share this. The 2007 BMW I just sold was worth about $8k and it was a 4 cylinder with 150 hp and a ton of options and fairings. When I bought my 2015 FJ I expected the insurance rates to be in the same ballpark since the bikes are not far apart in terms of retail value and since the FJ has less power, fewer features and less bodywork. Boy was I surprised when my rates DOUBLED. Is this because I have a bike that's only 2 years old now as opposed to one that was 10 years old? I don't know for sure yet because I haven't spoken directly to the company about it (updated the policy online). But as always, vehicle insurance (of all kinds) is a serious rip off to the consumer. 
 

Short answer: Yes. 
 
Longer answer: There aren't as many available statics available about the FJ09 as its only two years old. Thus the insurance rates are higher on an 'unknown" bike. However, I find it fishy there was such a large jump. I had to cancel my policy and start a new one to save myself ~$150 year for basic coverage (now I pay $120 / year instead of the $270 I was quoted). Insurance companies sometimes require some "aggressive" negotiations.
 
And progressive is always the cheapest. 

[poundinasphalt]

Agreed.  I shopped around recently and discovered that Progressive is substantially lower than Allstate, StateFarm and Liberty Mutual.  Geico was the closest, but still higher than Prog.  However, I'm amazed that your rates are THAT low!  I also have auto and homeowner's with Progressive too.  Apparently (and unfortunately) I live in a state with a lot of horrible drivers.  We have a large number of annual road fatalities (and it keeps climbing) and insurance rates just went up on everyone here across the board in 2016 regardless of your driving record.  Still, I think I'll call and inquire about why the big change on my policy, although I hold out little hope of getting an informed or honest answer.

[betoney]

However, I'm amazed that your rates are THAT low!

I have full coverage through State Farm w/ $50 deductible for comprehensive, $250 for collision. That includes up to $3,000 in riding gear replacement, for a little over $300 a year. 
I hit a deer last fall and totaled my 10 y/o bike, they not only gave me more than I originally paid for my used bike, but covered all of my riding gear replacement costs, and I only paid a $50 deductible.
 

[xcsp]

Speaking of insurance, on another cycle forum there was some discussion on insurance & costs and someone had posted this link that I'm sure some ins. companies would rather you not see, not that we could do much about it either?
 
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/car-insurance/auto-insurance-special-report/index.htm?fb_comment_id=891967054210510_893464030727479#f34b9a104026902
 
 

[poundinasphalt]

However, I'm amazed that your rates are THAT low!

I have full coverage through State Farm w/ $50 deductible for comprehensive, $250 for collision. That includes up to $3,000 in riding gear replacement, for a little over $300 a year. 
I hit a deer last fall and totaled my 10 y/o bike, they not only gave me more than I originally paid for my used bike, but covered all of my riding gear replacement costs, and I only paid a $50 deductible.

That's great coverage too.   I feel like insurance companies are free to rip off the consumer and there's not much we can do about it other than to start pushing our gov't representatives to make changes to the state laws.  I'm a great bet for the insurer (age, income, credit, driving record, etc) but I have no doubt that my rates are negatively impacted by the bad drivers where I live.
 
 
 

[xcsp]

However, I'm amazed that your rates are THAT low!

I have full coverage through State Farm w/ $50 deductible for comprehensive, $250 for collision. That includes up to $3,000 in riding gear replacement, for a little over $300 a year. 
I hit a deer last fall and totaled my 10 y/o bike, they not only gave me more than I originally paid for my used bike, but covered all of my riding gear replacement costs, and I only paid a $50 deductible.

What are the liability limits for your policy?  

[betoney]

What are the liability limits for your policy?

I would have to check with my insurance company for that detail, that isn't listed on my insurance card. 

[stevesweetz]

I have to ask why on earth Yamaha chose to give this bike at least two designations!

Actually, it's now 3 names, because in Europe they re-branded it the Tracer 900 and dropped the MT-09 bit entirely. 
Your MT-07 Tracer is similarly the Tracer 700 in Europe (and isn't sold in the US).
 
I find them keeping the MT-0# Tracer naming convention just for Australia to be even more inexplicable than them having different names between North America and Europe.  I'm guessing it's due to some ridiculous legal junk related to what they could get trademarked in different countries.
 
 
Also, I find it rather humorous that the Yamaha Australia website lists the MT bikes in category called "Torque Sport"