2019 Fj09

[betoney]

I'm just disappointed that we only get black (Raven) here in the USA - BORING. That satin blue w/ matching hard bags looks SWEET.

[Guest highplainsrider]

I like the new side panels a lot more than the old ones. I'm looking forward to seeing what parts with work with the old bike. 

[suitedsevens]

I like the new side panels a lot more than the old ones. I'm looking forward to seeing what parts parts with work with the old bike. 

I'll take 1 color display and 1 cruise control please.

[duhs10]

I like the new side panels a lot more than the old ones. I'm looking forward to seeing what parts parts with work with the old bike. 

I'll take 1 color display and 1 cruise control please.

I want to retrofit the wind screen mount/adjuster.

[fijiman]

Good guys at Power Yamaha in Sublimit, and the prices are very competitive! I got mine from there...

[ross63]

I collect my Tracer 900 GT this Saturday. I owned a 2015 MT-09 Tracer for 2 years, and had a year out with a Harley Street Glide Special.
 
I had a good test ride on the Tracer 900 GT and here are a few thoughts for those thinking about buying the newer bike:
 
What's better?:
 
1. Suspension is much nicer on the 2019 MY bikes
2. Longer swing arm means that there's no head shake coming off max throttle at "sporting" speeds. This was a real problem for some, me included, on the older bike
3. Colour TFT Dash is really nice, along with control wheel menu system
4. Seats are much better than previous, but this is subjective. The 2015 bike used to create a severe case of Iron Arse after about an hour for me.
5. Quickshifter is on a par with the BMW GS on upshifts (ie; briliant), but can't be used on downshifts.
6. Finish/design of the panels, and the gaps between them is much better than previous model
7. Fuelling/throttle response on STD mode is now far less lumpy, much smoother and probably better. I now find myself using A mode more because I actually liked the punchy throttle of the earlier bike. Most people didn't.
8. Heated grips, much needed here in Scotland/Northern Britain.
9. Integrated luggage. High quality, although not big enough for a standard helmet, apparently. Realistically, side bags are for carrying a change of clothing, not for depositing a helmet.
10. Screen height adjuster.
11. Cruise control. Not a deal breaker for me, but good for longer journeys.
 
What's not so good?:
 
1. Narrower bars. This is another effort to get rid of the headshake/weave that plagued the earlier bikes. It was disconcerting, but not dangerous in my opinion. I loved the wide bar on the older bike. The unruly steering should have been dialed out with compression/rebound damping and the longer swingarm. I don't think there was any need to make the bars narrower.
 
That's about it as far as I see it.
 
Is it worth "upgrading"?:
 
I only went for the brand new model because I'd been without a Tracer/FJ-09 for a year. If I still had the 2015 bike, I definitely wouldn't have considered a new Tracer 900, although the Tracer 900 GT might still have got my money, it offers a lot of upgrades for a fairly minor price hike. If you were going from a stock FJ-09/Tracer to a Tracer 900 GT, it's possibly worth doing. There are lots of improvements, and the GT really is a great bike. Put it this way, you could come off an R1200 GS at a lot more money and not feel particularly short-changed.
 

[nocny]

Thank you for your report.
prons
ad3 Is TFT not too small?
cons
ad1 .I've heard that the bar is narrower but only because of the shortening of end-bars. If we measure from the grip to the grip, the width is the same. Am I right?

[ross63]

Thank you for your report. prons
ad3 Is TFT not too small?
cons
ad1 .I've heard that the bar is narrower but only because of the shortening of end-bars. If we measure from the grip to the grip, the width is the same. Am I right?

 
 
I'm pretty certain that the bar itself is an inch narrower. Combined with the redesigned handguards, bar ends and bodywork, the bike is 4 inches narrower overall. I didn't notice the overall reduction in width, but I did notice the narrower bar.
 
The TFT screen is perfect. Just as easy to read as the original LCD for anybody with eyesight of the standard required to ride a motorcycle.

[jonno12345]

Bike looks sharp but I'm just not a fan of that grey, looks like primer awaiting some colour to me :/

[betoney]

What's not so good?:
 
1. Narrower bars. This is another effort to get rid of the headshake/weave that plagued the earlier bikes. It was disconcerting, but not dangerous in my opinion. I loved the wide bar on the older bike. The unruly steering should have been dialed out with compression/rebound damping and the longer swingarm. I don't think there was any need to make the bars narrower.
 

 
That sounds like a "PRO" to me, I hated the ridiculously wide bars on the FJ, they were the first thing to go in the trash (along with the handguards) the day I bought my bike.  I bought narrower bars and still cut an additional 1/2 inch off each end.
 
I agree with you about handling though, if you need wide bars to steer the bike,  to get it to flow through a turn or reduce headshake, - something is wrong, adjust the suspension. 
 
 

[koth442]

Nice write up! Great you had previous experience on a tracer for a good comparison.

[kiwicanuck]

GT finally hits Canada at $14600 ++
 
https://www.yamaha-motor.ca/products/details-build-price.php?model=5096&group=MC&catId=1

[texscottyd]

Every bike comes with the "++"

Truer words have never been spoken...

[pattonme]

assuming the factory suspension is a good step up and will do without any mods.

 
Good luck with that. The 2017 FZ09 was not good by any stretch - the shock is still a basket case. Yes the forks suck less than 2014-16. Even if you can muddle thru life with the forks, a shock is in your future.

[kiwicanuck]

First i thought it was pretty expensive and close in $ to other bikes like BMW, but i guess its now the same price as the ninja 1000 sport tour with similar specs, but at the current price i would expect pretty good suspension.