wordsmith Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 I received a note from Yamaha HQ here today that the GT is now released here in sunny Oz! Whoopy doo! Further update from a helpful lass at Yamaha - stock should be in dealers by the end of this week, w/c August 27th. Of course, a key point of interest will be the price otd. I've predicted/ supposed/ assumed that around AUD$18,500 may be close. First-gen Tracers here - complete with hard panniers and centre-stand - initially had an RRP of AUD $16,500, but chronic buyer indifference quickly set-in, and dealers asking AUD$15,500 quickly became the norm. The bike has, for reasons beyond me, been a very poor seller here, despite the excellent value it represents (IMHO). Brand-new '15s and 16s are still readily available as low as AUD$12,500. It will be interesting to see. I wonder if Yamaha will release both versions, the 900 GT and the 900 Tracer, as my info relates only to the GT model. I wouldn't be surprised if GT-only is the case. Then, of course, comes the matter of colours (or colors, as you wish). Sleepless nights ahead! Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suncoaster Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Hi Wordsmith ! It seems to me that the whole motorcycle industry here is struggling. One local dealer just had a "dealer cost +$100" sale in an attempt to move stock, not just on the Tracer, but on any bike. Market saturation ? My 2016 with cruise control etc, etc is just about a GT... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmith Posted August 28, 2018 Author Share Posted August 28, 2018 Hi Wordsmith ! It seems to me that the whole motorcycle industry here is struggling. One local dealer just had a "dealer cost +$100" sale in an attempt to move stock, not just on the Tracer, but on any bike. Market saturation ? My 2016 with cruise control etc, etc is just about a GT... G'day suncoaster - thought you had eloped! You may well be right - buyers are spoiled for choice. Your own '16 is certainly well-set up - I recall eyeballing it some time ago when we met. PM sent...best regards... Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted August 28, 2018 Supporting Member Share Posted August 28, 2018 @wordsmith - I’m not trying to read too closely between the lines here, but... are you perhaps looking to be a Tracer owner once again? Oh, and the answer is Blue. You want a blue one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmith Posted August 28, 2018 Author Share Posted August 28, 2018 @wordsmith - I’m not trying to read too closely between the lines here, but... are you perhaps looking to be a Tracer owner once again? Oh, and the answer is Blue. You want a blue one... Sadly - 'no' - the age-related infirmities that made me give up biking early this year remain, and although are not going to kill me make it unlikely that I'll ever ride again. But the itch remains! As I commented in a PM to suncoaster just now, I think that Yamaha has made some useful and worthwhile upgrades from the Gen 1 Tracer, and I also like the new styling touches very much, including the tasty colour schemes. Obviously, I now want to see the GT in the flesh, but when I wander innocently into the local dealership some day soon I shall surrender my credit card to Mrs Wordsmith at the front door! Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted August 28, 2018 Supporting Member Share Posted August 28, 2018 I certainly respect that decision @wordsmith, and commend you for the honest self-assessment. My dad was 82 when he quit riding, and it was so difficult to watch him walk away from something that had been part of his life for 60+ years. It was time, but it wasn’t easy. Definitely go check out the GT when they land at your local dealer! Last I heard there was no charge to bounce up & down on the seat, twist the throttle, and make vroom-vroom noises... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmith Posted August 28, 2018 Author Share Posted August 28, 2018 Definitely go check out the GT when they land at your local dealer! Last I heard there was no charge to bounce up & down on the seat, twist the throttle, and make vroom-vroom noises... You clearly don't know our dealers!!! Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proast Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 I received a note from Yamaha HQ here today that the GT is now released here in sunny Oz! Whoopy doo! Further update from a helpful lass at Yamaha - stock should be in dealers by the end of this week, w/c August 27th. Of course, a key point of interest will be the price otd. I've predicted/ supposed/ assumed that around AUD$18,500 may be close. First-gen Tracers here - complete with hard panniers and centre-stand - initially had an RRP of AUD $16,500, but chronic buyer indifference quickly set-in, and dealers asking AUD$15,500 quickly became the norm. The bike has, for reasons beyond me, been a very poor seller here, despite the excellent value it represents (IMHO). Brand-new '15s and 16s are still readily available as low as AUD$12,500. It will be interesting to see. I wonder if Yamaha will release both versions, the 900 GT and the 900 Tracer, as my info relates only to the GT model. I wouldn't be surprised if GT-only is the case. Then, of course, comes the matter of colours (or colors, as you wish). Sleepless nights ahead! @wordsmith Yam Aus now has both new models listed on the website. GT and Tracer 900. No signs of pricing on bikesales etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmith Posted August 29, 2018 Author Share Posted August 29, 2018 @wordsmith Yam Aus now has both new models listed on the website. GT and Tracer 900. No signs of pricing on bikesales etc...Thanks, proast - didn't think to look at the Oz Yam website! I have now done so, and to be honest am more than a little disappointed to see that the pannier lids are unpainted, if the bike photos are to be relied upon. All other pix I have seen show painted lids to match the bike's body colour (color), whether official factory pix or taken during published road-tests, or on a new owner's GT on this Forum. An unnecessarily cheapening effect, IMHO. The only colour offered appears to be Midnight Black, which is the Raven Black of elsewhere no doubt, with the blurple wheels, a blue painted (I assume) 'flash' on the tank, and gold fork. That would be my #2 pick of the three (3) colour variants I've seen pix of so far, but again the dull drab matte black of the unpainted pannier lids is a let-down after my expectation of properly-finished painted lids. But it's likely that somebody's MMV...! Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmith Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 Yamaha's HQ here have told me that the GT's RRP is $16,999, excluding registration and dealer charges. I'll try to ascertain what that might all add up to, but don't want to have to endure the lies, hard-sell, and bullsh*tting of the local dealer if I go there in person to ask! Any other locals like to chime in? UPDATE: local Yamaha dealer quoted me AUD$18,500 ride-away, with six (6) months registration. No bike in stock yet, expected next week. This sounds pretty much what I guesstimated some time ago, so no big shocks there. I expect a realistic AUD$17 - $17,500 otd before too long. If so, this would be good buying for what it represents, IMHO. First-gen Tracers were AUD$16,500 on introduction three (3) years ago, and quickly plummeted to $AUD$15,000. Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmith Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 UPDATE: having ascertained that the RRP is AUD$16,999, a local Yamaha dealer quoted me $18,500 ride-away, with six (6) months registration. There's no bike in stock yet, expected next week. This sounds pretty much what I guesstimated some time ago, so no big shocks there. I expect a realistic $17 - $17,500 otd before too long. If so, this would be good buying for what it represents, IMHO. First-gen Tracers were $16,500 otd on introduction three (3) years ago, and quickly plummeted to $AUD$15,000, nowadays much lower of course for the remaining new 15s, 16s, 17s, etc.. Yes - there are still some new 15s around! Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proast Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Thanks wordsmith and yep I did see the lids at the time but failed to mention at the time....obviously they’re the same as my current 15 model Tracer (Lava Red).....but the glossy black I’ve seen every other time the GT is shown is a far better level of finish and would have stepped up the quality perceptions. I’ll be checking Bikesales app regularly to see who’ll be the first to go out with a ride away price. Still immensely satisfied with mine....though the thought of the cruise control, heated grips, one-hand adjustable screen, better seating, slipper clutch........ hmmm tempting. I still would want one in the same Lava Red... just love it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmith Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 Thanks wordsmith and yep I did see the lids at the time but failed to mention at the time....obviously they’re the same as my current 15 model Tracer (Lava Red).....but the glossy black I’ve seen every other time the GT is shown is a far better level of finish and would have stepped up the quality perceptions. I’ll be checking Bikesales app regularly to see who’ll be the first to go out with a ride away price. Still immensely satisfied with mine....though the thought of the cruise control, heated grips, one-hand adjustable screen, better seating, slipper clutch........ hmmm tempting. I still would want one in the same Lava Red... just love it.... Quite right, pro - the 'quality perception' you mention is what it's all about. Surely even the Scrooge-est bean-counter with the sharpest pencil couldn't come up with an added cost of more than a handful of dollars (or yen) to paint those lids: very disappointing. That said, I spray-painted the lids of my late Tracer in Gunmetal gloss metallic to match the tank, and it come up pretty good tho' I say so myself, but factory would have been even better! I too will be looking at BIKESALES pretty regularly to see who first comes up with the discounted price. Cheers from sunny Brisbane. Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmith Posted September 5, 2018 Author Share Posted September 5, 2018 Still no sign of the GT in a dealership I visited just this morning (Wed 05/09). But I did take note of a Gen 1 Tracer newly put out on the floor (though I didn't ascertain its year of manufacture). This one was finished in a somewhat darker shade of grey (gray) to other earlier Tracers - I'd label it Municipal Authority Garbage Collection Truck Primer/ Undercoat Matte Grey. Clearly the local Yamaha warehouse still has old stock! UPDATE: phoned the store (Thurs 06/09): the GT is not expected until next week, maybe later. The 'darker shade of grey' mentioned above is, I'm told, Matte Black. Haven't seen that before. It's a 2017 and they are asking AUD$14,500 for it otd. In the Aussie vernacular - 'dreamin!' Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregiem Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 Hi all took delivery of my tracer gt Yesterday. I have to wait to get some more extras into the country ,but I"M loving it. Full Acca led plus front and rear. waiting on gel seat, rad guard, chain guard, engine and axel sliders, tall screen. Coming off an xt660r this is the ducks nuts and worth the wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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