Gravel or light offroad

[Mojmir]

Hello, does anyone have an experience with Tracer on gravel road or very light offload?  Thanks

[betoney]

17 minutes ago, Mojmir said:

Hello, does anyone have an experience with Tracer on gravel road or very light offload?  Thanks

I did by accident and with street tires, it WAS NOT fun. 

My GPS led me astray looking for a "shortcut" while on a road trip in Idaho, after about 10 miles the road turned to gravel and before I knew it, it was further to turn around and go back than to keep going forward.

With street tires going in a straight line is fine holding the throttle steady around 30mph.  I stopped a few times to get my bearings and wheelspin would activate TC and cut power, so I had to turn TC off.  Slow sweeping curves in the road were ok but sharp turns resulted in losing traction so I had to ride with my feet down like outriggers.

I'm sure with proper tires and moderate speed you would be fine but this isn't an adventure bike, only about 5" ground clearance.

[Mojmir]

Thanks a lot

[duhg]

The sport touring tires I'm running did not perform well on big gravel.  Lots of tire deflection. 

[Mojmir]

So, I have Michelin Road 5. Definitely these are not offload tiers, but for light gravel would be ok. I do not plan a lot of miles on gravel, but some last parts (mlies) of the roads to passes in the Alps (Italy) e.g. Lago Nero are gravel  I guess it would be ok

[texscottyd]

1 hour ago, Mojmir said:

So, I have Michelin Road 5. Definitely these are not offload tiers, but for light gravel would be ok. I do not plan a lot of miles on gravel, but some last parts (mlies) of the roads to passes in the Alps (Italy) e.g. Lago Nero are gravel  I guess it would be ok

With realistic expectations, and a healthy bit of caution, you should be fine.  I’ve run Michelin Pilot Roads (4s & 5s) on my FJ, and frequently run across dirt & gravel roads when I’m out exploring.   As long as it’s fairly hard-packed and not large/loose gravel, it motors through just fine.   Keep moving, and keep a light touch on the bars to let it hunt around a bit & find its own way.   In deep sand or thick mud, all bets are off... as @betoney mentions, you have to shut the TCS off completely if you need any wheel spin to paddle through a soft spot, because it will literally pull the plug and shut the motor off otherwise.  

You’ll never mistake it for a dirt bike, but for the light-duty use you describe, I think you should be ok.   If you don’t have one already, a radiator guard would be a smart investment.   

Good luck & enjoy your riding adventures! 

[Mojmir]

8 hours ago, texscottyd said:

With realistic expectations, and a healthy bit of caution, you should be fine.  I’ve run Michelin Pilot Roads (4s & 5s) on my FJ, and frequently run across dirt & gravel roads when I’m out exploring.   As long as it’s fairly hard-packed and not large/loose gravel, it motors through just fine.   Keep moving, and keep a light touch on the bars to let it hunt around a bit & find its own way.   In deep sand or thick mud, all bets are off... as @betoney mentions, you have to shut the TCS off completely if you need any wheel spin to paddle through a soft spot, because it will literally pull the plug and shut the motor off otherwise.  

You’ll never mistake it for a dirt bike, but for the light-duty use you describe, I think you should be ok.   If you don’t have one already, a radiator guard would be a smart investment.   

Good luck & enjoy your riding adventures! 

I think so, that for roads which I am planning it will be ok. Thanks a lot for sharing of your experience

[betoney]

17 hours ago, Mojmir said:

I do not plan a lot of miles on gravel, but some last parts (mlies) of the roads to passes in the Alps (Italy) e.g. Lago Nero are gravel  I guess it would be ok

Just erring on the side of caution - "If It Were Me" - I would do a trial run on gravel roads and even wet surface/mud to see how the bike fares with street tires, prior to heading up into the Alps. 

As someone who lives in a mountainous region (North Cascade Range) and takes road trips on mountain roads, the weather can change quickly and dramatically.  I have gone from Summer weather 80's-90's to torrential downpours and hail or light snow many times going over mountain passes, and it was sketchy on asphalt.  If you are venturing up a gravel road and start getting water run-off turning the road into a stream, you could get yourself into trouble in no time.

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by betoney

[limpy88]

I live on gravel roads. 40mph to 45mph on straits in 3rd or 4th gear, "b" mode. 1st and 10mph on corners.  Still runing stock tires. My roads sucks, I'm on a county line with the county seats on opssite ends of where I'm from. So my roads dont get much attention. The county im in uses large white rock and it isnt as nice as the county im just out of. 

What he says.

On 1/3/2020 at 5:08 PM, texscottyd said:

With realistic expectations, and a healthy bit of caution, you should be fine.  I’ve run Michelin Pilot Roads (4s & 5s) on my FJ, and frequently run across dirt & gravel roads when I’m out exploring.   As long as it’s fairly hard-packed and not large/loose gravel, it motors through just fine.   Keep moving, and keep a light touch on the bars to let it hunt around a bit & find its own way.   In deep sand or thick mud, all bets are off... as @betoney mentions, you have to shut the TCS off completely if you need any wheel spin to paddle through a soft spot, because it will literally pull the plug and shut the motor off otherwise.  

The pic is my road the day I brought her home. You can see the new white rock in the back ground on the road and the washboard in the older. The wooden fence is the edge of my property. I have a few miles of gravel every time I get on the FJ

[R.C.]

On 1/3/2020 at 3:06 PM, Mojmir said:

Hello, does anyone have an experience with Tracer on gravel road or very light offload?  Thanks

Yes.  I live on a private lake with access via gravel roads.  I also grew up on a farm and, of course, gravel roads.  My Tracer 900 GT still has OEM tires and it handles fine.  You just need to realize that on gravel roads the bike's front tire will move around a bit.  Let it; don't try to muscle it.  Relax.  The bike wants to stay upright.  

[enx]

A little more caution, and there's no problem.

Me on road 5, and my friend with GT in front of me, on power rs plus.

https://youtu.be/wNWV5zOZXi8

[chitown]

Many miles of dirt, mud, gravel all on a Power front and Road rear. Just have to remember it's a sport bike with the same amount of clearance as an FJR and similar and requires similar caution off the pavement. 

[koth442]

I've done some gravel roads.. Even through a gravely ditch. The only objection I have is the rear ABS won't let me lock up the back tire to swing it around. Otherwise, it does just fine.

[Willie17FJ-09]

I was surprised how well the stock tires did on a gravel/dirt/mud road, hit 40 mph a few times. even had enough traction for a wheelie. I will be putting some mild offroad tires on soon though along with a higdonian skid plate and crash bars. 

[vincep]

Ask this guy - those are some serious knobbies on those Tracer wheels - $AU620 (USD425) is a smoking deal for a spare set of rims with discs.  Pity they are a long way away ....

Yamaha MT09 / Tracer 2016 Wheels with Continental Dual Sport Tyres | Motorcycle & Scooter Parts | Gumtree Australia Gosford Area - Copacabana | 1234110318

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Yamaha MT09 Tracer Wheels with Continental TKC80 Adventure Dual...