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vs FJR???


ted

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@TracerDoc  Awesome!  We can definitely do that.  I live 20 miles Southwest of Pittsburgh and would welcome a meetup and ride.  You might want to join FJRiders.com Forum.  There are rallys, tech days, and get togethers planned all over the continent all year long.  The FJR folks welcome other bikes.  A great group of riders.

Hang in there and think Spring!

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On 2/15/2019 at 7:44 AM, johnmark101 said:

Have been riding the Ninja 1000 since 2011.  Want to get a new sport touring bike this year as a retirement gift to myself and the Tracer GT is the only bike I am considering other than getting another Ninja 1000.  Have been lurking here to learn more.  The ergos on the Tracer are slightly more upright and there is a bit more leg room.....definitely something to consider for those of us who are beginning to get senior citizen discounts.  The Ninja is still all day comfortable for me, but after a test ride last October the Tracer is definitely a strong contender as it fit me very well, ( 6"1' with 34 inseam ), and seemed a bit more flickable than the Ninja.   Both my Ninjas have given me stellar service with bullet proof reliability, but I would expect the same of the Yamaha.     

Same here. I had 2 Ninja 1000 before switching to the Tracer GT.

My second, a 2017 had issues with running hot and even overheating that no one could suss out, so I took that as a sign the motorcycle gods wanted me back on a Yamaha. 😎

No regrets here.

Rob

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I'll add a reply with probably nothing new from previous posts.  Owned a 2007 FJR and put 46,000 miles on it before selling.  Then owned several R1's and now have 3,000 miles on my 2019 GT.  If you only have 1 bike best choice comes down to what most of your rides are.  FJR is a stable rocket that can bring you 500+ miles without breaking a sweat.  There's little to no "burble" passing trucks, etc.  6.2 gallon tank is a big plus too.   With the lighter weight and less fairing protection of the GT, you'll feel more of your trip.  But that lighter weight is great too for having fun on the curves.  And you can still go long distances comfortably.   There's no wrong choice.  Just what is best fit for what you do.

 

A few particulars:  GT has higher seat and more upright riding position than FJR.  But more legroom too.  My 07 took regular gas, the GT wants premium.  Any inline 4 can get quite warm/hot if you're not moving.  I don't think the heat of the triple even enters the equation.  I bought in Sep so no summers yet but I cant see it being an issue - ever.  

If you ride 2 up much then likely the FJR is best fit.  But I ride solo 99% of time and like the sportier feel of the GT.

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If not mistaken, the FJR is shaft drive versus the GT/FJ-09 chain...and that makes the experience quite different for me.
The bikes I've owned that are shaft driven were bigger bikes and accelerating was not quite the same and the snappy FJ.
So I do prefer the chain drive... even though it has chain maintenance requirements. 

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'82 Yamaha Virago 920 safe but no so fun '84 Honda Magna V45 750- real speedy machine '90 Honda ST1100 [opps-crashed that bad boy- she went down like a large buffalo] '92 Yamaha Virago 750- not so fun '94 Honda Nighthawk 750-kinda fun '04 Yamaha VStar 1100- slow boat 2005 BMW RTP1150 cop bike-fun diversion 2015 FJ09 red- best yet!!
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Oddly enough I can comment on a lot of these posts and recommendations.


I had a 14 FJR, it was great for touring but when we got to the destination it was much heavier and less flickable in corners which took away some of the fun from riding. I always felt like I had to muscle the bike everywhere and I'm about 190lbs / 5"11. The FJR was comfortable and convenient, about as comfy as it gets for a sport tourer IMO. It was also a bit hot to ride in the summer compared to the tracer.

I bought a 2019 Tracer and it's a fun bike but isn't as comfortable as the FJR but I'm hoping that improves with a different seat. The windscreen is "OK" with a CALSCI but overall there is a lot more buffeting on the GT over the touring FJR windshield. The buffeting is minimal on the stock windscreen but the noise is unbelievable. The angle of the FJR seat along with the material seemed to be perfect for my butt. The Tracer, not so much.

I really liked the hassle free maintenance of driveshaft that the FJR has but pretty much every other maintenance item is a bitch to do in comparison to the GT. I did TB sync, rear swing arm, drive shaft lube, spark plug replacements and coolant flush on the FJR and the amount of work to take off the plastics typically far exceeds the actual work needing to be done outside of that. The Tracer everything is pretty much right there to get into and replace in comparison.

Electronics seem to be dollar for dollar in comparison but I liked the layout of the controls on the FJR better. Of course one button was for a windscreen that was mapped to ECU controls on the tracer but to me the layout on the FJR just makes a lot more sense. I also think the Tracer windscreen brackets are cheap and probably won't hold up over time the longer I use it with the CALSCI shield. 

My brother bought an 18 Ninja 1000 last year that I ended up putting some serious miles on myself. I like the bike, it's definitely a lot of fun. I don't see it being as comfy as the Tracer but it is likely just as much fun. Think supermoto (Tracer stance) vs sportbike. I prefer a more upright ride over the hunched over feeling of the Ninja. The electronics on the Ninja are incredible and are top notch for feature set. The area hurt biggest on the Ninja is in the cruise control department, I just can't get why Kawasaki couldn't get their act together there. My 2010 concours was a beast of a bike but always reliable in the 40K I put on that so I tend to trust the reliability of the brand. 

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2019 Yamaha Tracer 900 GT
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Reading a few of these comments - especially mikerbiker's  just above - made me realize that I may have gotten some my answer last September, when I had the opportunity to ride a friend's Super Tenere on a 2500 mile trip through parts of Alberta, Montana, Idaho , Washington and BC in September.

Obviously the Super T and Tracer are not truly "comparable" bikes - in terms of  weight the Super T is much more akin to the FJR.  And I'm sure the Tracer has it hands down in the fun department (the FJR is more fun than the Super T!) . But I did like the  upright riding position and very much appreciated the increased legroom, both of which  the Tracer offers.   The Super T also provided a taste of diminished weather & wind protection compared to the FJR, but I didn't find that to be too much of an issue for most of the trip.  Only that first day with the onset of early winter between Edmonton and the US border (sub-freezing temps and flurries)...and the day of pouring rain and chilly temps in BC... but had I not been a naive Texan traveling north for the ride lacking the quality of gear needed for those conditions, it might have been a different story!!  

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I came off a 2001 Concours C-10 machine. I put over 168,000 miles on that beast. I was a great machine for everything other than local street riding. That being said I did major modifications to be to get there. 17" wheel conversions, 4 pot front wheel brake conversion, custom Russell seat, bar risers, cruise, etc. The best things about the old connies are the fairing weather protection, the solid planted feeling to the ground and the in line four power of the de-tuned ninja 1000 engine. Oh yeah I rebuilt the carbs and air box as well. Also the simplicity of operations and the ridiculously low cost of the bike with hard bags! Coupled with the immense support of the COG forum it was an incredible 16 years of ownership. I sold the bike to a friend and he still rides and loves the bike. The downside was the weight and old school brakes (no ABS). The replacement C-14 Concours is a modern rocketship of a bike with all the bells and whistle and unfortunately just like the FJR, another fantastic machine, the weight. Have no time with a new job and other pressing needs I found a 2014 Versys 650 with ABS for a song and dance. Larger windshield and hard bags added it was a great commuter and could handle longer trips, but wasn't the Connie on long hauls. I've done plenty of LD rides and several IBA rides with the Connie. The versys was terrific, but lacked power. I lusting for a FJ being about the same weight as the Versys 650 but with 40 more ponies, I figured it would fit the bill. In 2018 I found a steal of a deal in a NOS 2016 FJ09. Larger windshield, hard bags and top case, Aux lights, heated grips, case guards and several other mods I am happy with the bike so far. PR5's on the wheels and it grips well, rides good over long distances and handles all of my local commute with easy. The seat sucks but that's a mod I'll take on this year.  I've only done 8200 miles so far on it, but expect more this year.  While it is not the perfect bike, it is a easy bike to master, light yet heavy enough to not get beat to shit on long rides, has all the modern bells and whistle with ABS and TCS and has a large aftermarket of farkles available for the forking idiots like me.  Its not a long distance two up bike, but my wife rides her own Vstar so I don't care. Someone recently asked me why I didn't get a new GS 1200 BMW? I said I needed the additional $10,000 to buy gas.......  Oh and I'm 62, 195 and 5'9"  and been riding since 1973.

Edited by 2linby

Everything is simple, Nothing is easy

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On 2/20/2019 at 6:17 PM, jdude said:

If not mistaken, the FJR is shaft drive versus the GT/FJ-09 chain...and that makes the experience quite different for me.
The bikes I've owned that are shaft driven were bigger bikes and accelerating was not quite the same and the snappy FJ.
So I do prefer the chain drive... even though it has chain maintenance requirements. 

Basically the FJR and the FJ are about equal in acceleration.  Basic difference is that the FJR keeps going after 112mph.  0-60 is about the same.  My 05 FJR was clocked at 2.8 sec to 60, same as the FJ.  Acceleration feels different on the FJR, as it feels so much more solid and seams faster, even though it isn't.  I have 220,000 miles on the FJR's (two, both 05s) and I'm up to 74,000 on the FJ.  The FJ and the FJR weight to hp and torque is almost the same.  At least that is my experience.

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Ken, Candy Ass L.D.R. Sleeps 8 hours
(2)2005 FJR1300abs:  230,000 m
2015 FJ-09:  114,000 m (Replaced engine at 106K)

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Regarding this new Versys 1000. Here in Canada there are actually two new models the LT ($16600) and LT SE ($19600). The SE has dynamic suspension and other upgrades, both have now cruise control. I was seriously looking at the LT model, what eventually turned me off was the weight - 253 kg without side cases,  almost 40 kg heavier than GT. Being 72, this is a major factor for me...

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  • 4 months later...
On 2/15/2019 at 2:50 AM, ted said:

This is similar to the "new member, not owner yet" thread  -- for the past three years I've been riding a 2015 FJR and have enjoyed it (prior to that I'd only ridden cruisers).  It's a great bike,  perfect in many ways for the 1-2 long trips I may make per year (3000+ miles over a week or so) as well as the more typical 200 mile single-day jaunts closer to home.   But I keep wondering if something smaller and lighter would be suitable for those long hauls while at the same time being possibly more fun on the day trips?  Ideally I'd have both, but I'm not sure I can justify that.  So, wonder if anyone else out there has made the switch (or has both in the garage) and how you'd stack one up versus the other.  Again, I know they're different bikes - and I also know that experiences are subjective - but would appreciate any personal insights that might be out there.  FWIW, I'm a shade over 6' tall, 180 lbs,  with a 32-33" inseam and in pretty decent shape for a "1957 model".

Hi, I've just done this swap from a 2015 FJR to a Tracer 900 GT after owning the FJR for around 12 months. Reason; finally decided the FJR was a bit on the big side for me at nearly 290kgs opposed to the GT at around 227kgs. Loved the FJR for comfort in the saddle and especially the wind protection, not to mention the carrying capacity, can fit loads under the seat in addition to the panniers and the 50L top box. Tons of power and loved the open road but a bit heavy to manually handle in the garage and car parks as I am only 1.7 mitres tall and weigh around 70kgs.

The GT will give you all of that but to be fair it is not a full blown tourer so wind protection won't be as good but it will tour in relative comfort plus you've also got the added bonus of a slipper clutch, quick shifter, not to mention it's 63kgs lighter which is considerable. More Sports orientated but will also tour pretty well. Added Yamaha frame sliders, radiator guard and a side stand extender, have a topbox on order which I should get sometime this week in time for the 1,000km service. I've only had the GT for less than a month so far, very glad I made this choice, looked at other machines but the Tracer GT came out tops in value for money.

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On ‎2‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 12:06 PM, rlambke19 said:

Same here. I had 2 Ninja 1000 before switching to the Tracer GT.

My second, a 2017 had issues with running hot and even overheating that no one could suss out, so I took that as a sign the motorcycle gods wanted me back on a Yamaha. 😎

No regrets here.

Rob

I remember reading about your issue on the Ninja forum.  That was strange and I don't think I ever heard of anyone else having this problem.  Sorry you were not able to work it out.

I kept my Ninja 1000......it is the bike I can never part with.  But this Tracer GT is quickly becoming my favorite all around bike as I have become more interested in the touring aspect of sport touring.

Edited by johnmark101
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There is nothing like spending a day riding with friends in the grip of a shared obsession.

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12 hours ago, johnmark101 said:

I remember reading about your issue on the Ninja forum.  That was strange and I don't think I ever heard of anyone else having this problem.  Sorry you were not able to work it out.

I kept my Ninja 1000......it is the bike I can never part with.  But this Tracer GT is quickly becoming my favorite all around bike as I have become more interested in the touring aspect of sport touring.

Cool. I figured there’d be some folks on both lists as great minds think alike!

How do you decide which bike to ride? I had an ‘03 VFR and an ‘01 ZX9R and I found I never rode the Viffer as it wasn’t as much fun as the 9R. I sold the Honda.

Do you use the Ninja for around town and the Tracer for longer rides?

Cheers,

Rob

 

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10 hours ago, rlambke19 said:

Cool. I figured there’d be some folks on both lists as great minds think alike!

How do you decide which bike to ride? I had an ‘03 VFR and an ‘01 ZX9R and I found I never rode the Viffer as it wasn’t as much fun as the 9R. I sold the Honda.

Do you use the Ninja for around town and the Tracer for longer rides?

Cheers,

Rob

 

Hello Rob,

I also had a 2003 VFR which I kept until I bought a 2011 Ninja 1000.  Great minds do think alike!  😁

Totaled the 2011 and promptly bought a 2013.  I used my Ventura luggage from the VFR for the occasional road trip on the Ninja.  Kind of regretted not getting the hard bags.  When I first read about the Tracer GT a little over a year ago it caught my attention since it came with the hard bags standard and more roomy ergonomics while keeping the weight below 500 pounds.

Yes, at times I contemplate which bike to ride, but in general the Tracer is used for relaxed local rides and touring.  When I am riding with my "sport bike" friends and attacking the twisty roads I take the Ninja.  With the exhaust, tuning (Ivans ECU) and suspension upgrades I have added to the Ninja it is the better sport bike.  However the Tracer is no slouch when it comes to spirited riding. When I go from one bike to the other the differences between the two become quite apparent, especially the riding position.

I am really happy with the Tracer but am waiting on Sargent to produce a seat for the bike. Will probably send the ECU to Ivan to smooth out the throttle response.  As many here have, I replaced the windscreen.  Besides those items I am leaving it stock and hope to have the Tracer and the Ninja for a very long time. 👍

 

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There is nothing like spending a day riding with friends in the grip of a shared obsession.

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58 minutes ago, johnmark101 said:

Hello Rob,

I also had a 2003 VFR which I kept until I bought a 2011 Ninja 1000.  Great minds do think alike!  😁

Totaled the 2011 and promptly bought a 2013.  I used my Ventura luggage from the VFR for the occasional road trip on the Ninja.  Kind of regretted not getting the hard bags.  When I first read about the Tracer GT a little over a year ago it caught my attention since it came with the hard bags standard and more roomy ergonomics while keeping the weight below 500 pounds.

Yes, at times I contemplate which bike to ride, but in general the Tracer is used for relaxed local rides and touring.  When I am riding with my "sport bike" friends and attacking the twisty roads I take the Ninja.  With the exhaust, tuning (Ivans ECU) and suspension upgrades I have added to the Ninja it is the better sport bike.  However the Tracer is no slouch when it comes to spirited riding. When I go from one bike to the other the differences between the two become quite apparent, especially the riding position.

I am really happy with the Tracer but am waiting on Sargent to produce a seat for the bike. Will probably send the ECU to Ivan to smooth out the throttle response.  As many here have, I replaced the windscreen.  Besides those items I am leaving it stock and hope to have the Tracer and the Ninja for a very long time. 👍

 

Lol - that's funny. Those VTEC era VFRs were fun bikes. I put a set of Staintunes and a Power Commander on mine and never had an issue when the VTEC kicked in. I had the hard luggage on mine and put some serious miles on - riding to the Atlantic Ocean several times. Never had an issue, not even the reg/rec - that happened after I sold it to a buddy. Whoops! 🙂

Those new Ventura racks that pivot and spin around look interesting. Less cumbersome than a full rear rack that can't be removed.

As for my GT - I've only changed the windshield (MRA Sport), installed an EvoTech rad guard and swapped out the turn signals for the Yamaha LEDs. The later are nice and bright, look WAY better - but you do lose the running light capability.

Would love to ride in Kentucky some time. I've driven there in a car and it's gorgeous countryside.

Cheers,

Rob

PS. Sorry to hi-jack your thread OP!

 

 

 

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