FARKLING MY NEW AUSTRALIAN 2019 TRACER GT

[wordsmith]

 

FARKLING MY NEW 2019 AUSTRALIAN TRACER 900 GT

Farkle #1 – July 3^rd.   It may not be necessary, as the mirror stalks on the GT are longer than on earlier models, and rearward vision seems to be better, but I have added a pair of 2” ‘blind spot’ mirrors.   I do this on every bike I have owned in recent years, and find the wider angles of view to be helpful, and safety enhanced.  

Edited July 3, 2019 by wordsmith

[wordsmith]

Farkle #2 – July 4^th. Not exactly a farkle in the sense of adding something, but it fits the definition in other ways: on either side of the GT, below the rear of the rider’s seat is a sort-of nacelle - I can think of no other word - about 30cm/ a foot long.   

It looks well enough, but on lifting the seat reveals quite a useful little bit of potential storage space on either side.   It’s reminiscent of an almost identical feature on an earlier BMW boxer twin Roadster.  

So I have placed inside one of the nacelles a small puncture-repair kit in its plastic pouch – an easy fit and quickly accessible – and will likely put a small roll of on-the-road tools in the other nacelle, in a plastic pencil case.   A useful find.  

Incidentally, pic #1 also shows the BMW key-fob in the odd vertical/ upside-down location of the seat-release lock.

Edited July 3, 2019 by wordsmith

[wordsmith]

Farkle #3 – July 4^th.   As on previous Tracers, I took a short length of clear PVC tubing, slit it lengthwise, and slipped it onto the underside of the rather sharp-edged pannier-locating arm, securing it with three zip-ties.   Not the neatest look, but it does the job.

I use that arm to help me to pull the bike up onto the main stand, and the softer PVC tube makes it a lot more comfortable.   As does the fact – or at least my belief – that the GT is better balanced and I no longer almost suffer a hernia when lifting it this way!   The pic below also shows a cut-out in the arm, doubtless done to reduce weight.

Waiting for rain and strong winds to clear so I can get out!

 

[StealthAu]

Why don't you use the passenger grab rail for lifting the bike onto the stand?

I find it rather effortless doing so, but I am 2mtrs tall, so maybe a height/reach thing?

[wordsmith]

Farkle #4 – July 4^th.   A steady procession of heavily-laden postmen is making its way to my door, bearing farkles.   Lovely!

Grip Puppies are always among the first things I order when a new bike is on the horizon, but they gotta be the genuine thing, not some cheap substitute that is so thin that you can see through it.   Genuine GPs are about 4.5 – 5mm thick (as close as I can measure) and really do a great job in improving comfort over the pencil-thin grips and (though not really needed on the GT) smoothing-out minor vibrations.

Installation could not be easier (though I’ve had a lot of practice, which helps).   First, remove the bolts that secure the end of the handguards, and lift the ends out of the way.   The instructions suggest using soapy water to ease the GPs onto the grips, but I simply dunk the GPs into some warm water to wet the inside, then apply a fair bit of liquid soap to the grips and smear it all the way round, liberally.  

Getting the GPs started onto the grips is the trickiest part – I use the handle of a small smooth-ended teaspoon, like a tyre-lever, to ease it on over the first half-inch or so.   DO NOT use a sharp tool such as a screwdriver to do this!

Then it’s a relatively simple matter to squeeze the GPs firmly under a towel or similar heavy cloth, twisting and pushing inwards while so doing.   On the clutch side to-and-fro twisting makes it easier – not so on the throttle side!   The cloth gives a better grip than hands alone, and also soaks up excess soap, so that when out in a rainstorm you do not leave a trail of bubbles behind the bike.   Job done!

Edited July 4, 2019 by wordsmith

[wordsmith]

11 minutes ago, StealthAu said:

Why don't you use the passenger grab rail for lifting the bike onto the stand?

I find it rather effortless doing so, but I am 2mtrs tall, so maybe a height/reach thing?

It's a leverage thing... I am not 2m tall!

[StealthAu]

Fair enough. With how effortless it is to get on the stand, I would have thought most people would have no issue. 

It is definitely a lot easier than any other bike I've owned before.  

 

[fjrpittsburgh]

With the bike in neutral or holding the clutch lever in, center the ball of your right foot on the center stand peg.  Grab the left rear passenger grab rail with your right hand.  Push down on the center stand until you feel the bike centered on the 2 legs.  Stand on the center stand.  You can stand on it comfortably.  From this position, pull up on the rear grab rail and the bike will go up on the center stand so easily.  My son who is shorter than I and weighs only 160 lbs, can put the GT on the center stand with ease.

Many riders I've seen try to put the bike on the center stand with the bike in 1st gear.  Definitely a no no unless you have the clutch lever pulled in.  Just raise the bike onto the stand in neutral.  Much easier that way.

Adding another grab bar in another location is absolutely unnecessary and certainly isn't all that attractive IMHO.

Give it another try.  Certainly the easiest bike to get up on the stand that I've ever owned.

[wordsmith]

I'm not quite sure why this is being addressed!   Personally, I have no difficulty getting the GT onto its c/stand, especially now that the bike seems better balanced, making it easier than previously, when I sometimes did struggle a bit.   I YEARN to be a seven-stone weakling!   

But FJR's explanation is word-perfect and confirms that for some, maybe many, maybe most, use of the passenger grab-rail is the way to go - I simply happen to prefer the use of the (modified) pannier-arm without having to feel a wimp.   As Gen Douglas MacArthur famously said "these proceedings are now concluded".

[countersteer]

How well do Grip Puppies play with heated grips?

[wordsmith]

4 hours ago, countersteer said:

How well do Grip Puppies play with heated grips?

I don't know, countersteer, as I have yet to try the heated grips on the GT.   But reports here are that the grips become very hot when in use in the hottest position, maybe even a bit too hot for some, so it may be  that the GPs are not detrimental.

Anybody care to chip-in here?

[roadrash83]

1 hour ago, wordsmith said:

I don't know, countersteer, as I have yet to try the heated grips on the GT.   But reports here are that the grips become very hot when in use in the hottest position, maybe even a bit too hot for some, so it may be  that the GPs are not detrimental.

Anybody care to chip-in here?

 The Grip puppies will let the heat pass thru with no problem.

Edited July 5, 2019 by roadrash83

[wordsmith]

Farkle #5 – July 5^th.   Installed the Stebel Magnum horn in place of the squeaky-toy OE item – I have a wonderful collection of discarded OEs from this and many other bikes!

I don’t know if on a scientific loudometer the Magnum puts out more decibels: what I do know is that the deep two-tone note certainly seems more authoritative, more assertive, and definitely makes others sit-up and take notice.   A very easy installation, plug-‘n’-play as they say, just a bit fiddly in its restricted location, but well worth the effort and the $28.99 cost.

 

[wordsmith]

Farkle #6 - July 5^th.   The postman has been a regular visitor today!

The new Yamaha rear luggage rack arrived.   It’s beautifully made - and at an rrp of AUD$224 quite expensive - and being pretty heavy at 2.8kg (6.2lbs) makes me think it must be made of steel rather than an alloy I’d have expected.  

The OE pillion grab-handles were swiftly removed and the new rack installed.   My only gripe with it is that it’s painted black, while the OE pillion-grabs it replaces are a tasty mild-steel or silvery grey (first pic), which IMHO should have been retained so as to make the back of the bike look less ‘heavy’.  

Still, I can now proceed to install the mounting-plate for a new 30L capacity top-box which arrived yesterday.   Busy, busy!

 

Edited July 5, 2019 by wordsmith

[wordsmith]

Farkle #7 – July 5^th.    With the rear rack installed I could fit the mounting-plate for the new ‘universal’ 30L top-box which arrived yesterday.   The universal mounting-plate also allows me to quickly fit any of my Pelican-style smaller boxes when out on a day ride and needing only minimal carrying capacity.   

The top-box itself is a solid, quality item and the very complete package includes various fasteners and other bits to make installation easy.    

Costing AUD$55 post-free from Singapore, this is exceptional value-for-money, IMHO.   I’m aware that as a general rule ‘you get what you pay for’, but it staggers me that branded top-boxes can cost five or ten times as much – admittedly a little more glamourous, perhaps, but still only doing the same job.

This box has a feature I haven’t seen before on these cheaper alternatives, namely a spring-loaded fold-out ‘handle bar’ – as they call it – like that found on a business brief case.   See pic – the yellow zip-tie is there only to hold up the handle.   Will make carrying it so much easier!     

That’s it for today!

 

 

Edited July 5, 2019 by wordsmith