Test Rides

[rlambke19]

5 hours ago, superfist said:

He complained that his Ninja was "fighting" him in turns before we swapped and afterwards was amazed at how effortless the FJ was in the corners.   It definitely resisted turning, but when we stopped, I pointed at his worn out front tire as the culprit and not the weight of the bike.  He's still fairly new to road bikes and that front tire was 3 flat angles with no roundness left at all.  Literally shaped like /▔\.    So yeah, I can't really comment on how the steering felt and let him know that replacing that front will feel like a new motorcycle.

I came to the Tracer from a Ninja 1000.

Whilst my front tire wasn’t worn as above, I can safely say that the Yamaha handles so much nicer than the Kawi did. I think for me it has to do with the steering geometry and wider handle bars. They just work better for me.

Rob

[rlambke19]

4 hours ago, daboo said:

Even different profile tires that are new will have different characteristics.  Some will fall into a corner more than others.

 

I like to look at bikes, but usually walk away happy with what I have.  I did an hour long test ride on a R1200RS, and liked it.  But all the time I was thinking I'd have to change this and change that...just to get it to the place where my own bike was already.  And I look at the difference of the money I'd get for selling my bike and how much the new bike is...plus those farkles...and realize I'd be spending a LOT of money and getting very little back in performance or comfort.

 

Chris

I also took out an RS last year before I bought my Tracer.

It was the first time I’d experienced a boxer engine. I suppose I could have gotten used to it, but my first reaction was - no way. It’s so tractor-like and that low RPM power band was just so different than anything I’d ever ridden. The grunt and torque of the triple is just so much dang fun!

Rob