New owner, Ottawa Ontario, Canada

[Satsteve]

Hi I'm Steve.

Bit of a long intro here.  I've been browsing for a while & posted a few.  So here goes...

I bought the bike new in January, 2019 GT grey with the white lower fairings.  Not bad looking, but I chose the Tracer for the motor.  It's my first triple & I love how it delivers that power!  This was also my first time buying new.  These days I don't have much time to tinker, so I decided to go for something new & reliable.  I also decided to try & get a good deal by purchasing at the end of January.  I did some research & decided on the Tracer 900 GT.

I do most of my riding commuting to work, my round trip is a little over 100 kilometres.  My office moved in January, changing my commute route onto side roads instead of highway parking lot.  So this triggered my decision to get back to  motorbike commuting.  I equipped the bike  with Yamaha touring windshield, fog-lights, top-box+carrier & got the lower seat.  I also opted for Soupy's lowering links with adjustable side-stand as I'm 5'6".  Almost forgot, also put on handlebar risers from Motopumps.

I also decided to revamp my gear & went the high-vis route.  I've been riding for most of my life & never was a fan of the high-vis look, but the last several years of highway commuting in a car changed my mind on that.  Everybody is texting, texting, texting!  Fender benders & crack-ups are a daily occurrence on my route.  I figured better alive than looking cool.  Anyway, maybe high-vis is the new cool.

Then COVID-19 hit & I've been working from home, so no commuting.  I picked up the bike in March & have been pleasure riding when I can steal the time.  I'm now up to 3,500 km.

A few of my thoughts on the bike:

Niggles:

• Why the heck did Yamaha build the seat so tall?  It's not like the ground clearance is amazing.  The center-stand sometimes swings down & bashes the road over a bad bump; wondering if there's a fix for that.
• The stock windshield is not very good, lots of buffeting no matter the height setting.  The touring windshield is just about perfect for me at the high setting.
• The Yamaha slim+low seat helped me in my first few weeks, but now I'm on the stock seat.  Comfort on either seat is not exceptional,  so I'll look into the gel inserts.
• The Soupy's adjustable side-stand looks good, but it's already dropped an adjuster screw & got loose.  The dealer put in better screws & lock-tight for me.  I mount on  the  left peg, so I'm a little concerned with the durability of the aluminum stand arm. 
• Fog-lights are amazing at night.
• Headlights are not that straightforward to adjust.  Seems like I turn & turn the knobs for little effect.
• 6th gear whining was a surprise.  The forums here set me straight.  My chain tension is fine, so it's just a thing with this bike.  Might look at gearing change when it's chain replacement time.
• The pegs are pretty small.  I'm replacing with the adventure pegs & ordered passenger pegs from Amazon.
• The bar buzzes a lot when highway droning.  My right hand & brake cover fingers get numb.  Never had this with any other bikes.  Ordered Grip Puppies & figuring out bar weights or BBs solution.

Pluses:

• The triple!!!! Plenty of power everywhere.  Smooth delivery.
• Throttle modes are a great idea.  Wheelie mode, I mean 'A' works great, especially after I figured out I can turn off traction control.  Rain 'B' mode is also great for 2-up, don't scare the pants off her riding.
• Handling is very light, it goes where & when I want.  Has a very good center of gravity, inspires confident low speed handling.
• Heated grips!  OMG spring riding was a pleasure with these!
• Anti-lock brakes & traction control are a first for me.  Amazing tech!  This stuff works.

I'l cut it for now.  I can talk bike all day 🙂

Steve

[betoney]

@Satsteve - Welcome.  Glad to hear that you are enjoying the bike.  Agreed that the bike isn't absolutely perfect (none of them are) but it is extremely versatile and can be modified to suit your needs relatively easily.  

Are you saying the center stand swings down or the suspension compresses for the center stand to touch the ground?  Depending on how heavy you are, including top box and cargo, you might look into the correct springs for your weight. 

Enjoy the new ride.

[Satsteve]

8 hours ago, betoney said:

Are you saying the center stand swings down or the suspension compresses for the center stand to touch the ground?  Depending on how heavy you are, including top box and cargo, you might look into the correct springs for your weight. 

I've had the center-stand swing down & hit the road on hard bumps.  Does it for sure if I'm going a little fast over an unexpected bump.

I'm 150 lbs & my side cases + top box are usually empty, so I doubt I'm taxing the suspension.  The culprit here is probably the lowering links.  I noticed when I first got the bike it was particularly difficult for me to get it up on the center-stand.  When it is up on a level surface, the back tire is uncommonly high  off the ground; way more  than other bikes I've had.  In fact I had to use the left foot technique to get the bike up, never had to do that before on other bikes.

Never the less, having the center-stand swing down at all is a new thing for me.  Don't think I recall another bike doing that, certainly not consistently.  So I'm wondering if the spring is strong enough to do it's job; there probably shouldn't be any swing-down at all. 

[kmev]

If the center stand is swinging down and hitting the road on bumps, the spring is either bad or its installed incorrectly.  The spring shouldn't be bad on a bike this new. 

[betoney]

5 minutes ago, Satsteve said:

I've had the center-stand swing down & hit the road on hard bumps.  Does it for sure if I'm going a little fast over an unexpected bump.

I'm 150 lbs & my side cases + top box are usually empty, so I doubt I'm taxing the suspension.  The culprit here is probably the lowering links.  I noticed when I first got the bike it was particularly difficult for me to get it up on the center-stand.  When it is up on a level surface, the back tire is uncommonly high  off the ground; way more  than other bikes I've had.  In fact I had to use the left foot technique to get the bike up, never had to do that before on other bikes.

Never the less, having the center-stand swing down at all is a new thing for me.  Don't think I recall another bike doing that, certainly not consistently.  So I'm wondering if the spring is strong enough to do it's job; there probably shouldn't be any swing-down at all. 

If you have a lowering link the center stand will understandably be harder to deploy properly.  Try parking your bike on top of a 6' 2x6 board, that should make it much easier to get the center stand down.

I have never encountered the center stand swinging down when hitting a bump, the spring is actually quite strong.  Actually there are 2 springs (at least on the earlier models) a spring within a spring, with a fair amount of tension.

[ontheroad]

Hey Steve

I purchased my 2015 used so it had a few mods done to it already including Grip Puppies,I was actually thinking of  removing them because my thumb and two brake cover fingers are getting numb.My thinking was that the Grip Puppies might be to big for my hand.I didnt install them so I wonder if they are easy to remove.I did install the Adventure pegs and all the vibration on my feet is gone,I did adjust the brake lever up a bit as the Adventure pegs are a bit thicker.Hope you get time to enjoy your new bike,the engine is amazing.

[piotrek]

6 minutes ago, ontheroad said:

Grip Puppies might be to big fore my hand.I didnt install them so I wonder if they are easy to remove.

They are super easy to slip on and off with aid of compressed air if that is an option for you.

[ontheroad]

Just now, piotrek said:

They are super easy to slip on and off with aid of compressed air if that is an option for you.

Yeah no problem I will try that thanks.

[Bill H]

On 7/30/2020 at 6:15 PM, betoney said:

If you have a lowering link the center stand will understandably be harder to deploy properly.  Try parking your bike on top of a 6' 2x6 board, that should make it much easier to get the center stand down.

I have never encountered the center stand swinging down when hitting a bump, the spring is actually quite strong.  Actually there are 2 springs (at least on the earlier models) a spring within a spring, with a fair amount of tension.

ok let me understand this and forgive me if im wrong ,,not trying to disprove anyone . so i am assuming lowering link refers to lowing the bike?  ,,and my hats off to this guy at 5;6",,Im 5'10" and i get nervous at times ,,especially tight u-turns,, anyway if the bike has been lowered would not a 2x under stand make it worse ,,either you are lowering bike to ground or visa versa  with a 2x

[betoney]

36 minutes ago, Bill H said:

if the bike has been lowered would not a 2x under stand make it worse ,,either you are lowering bike to ground or visa versa  with a 2x

No, not under the stand, under the wheels, as in parking on top of a 2x6 the length of the bike.  So the wheels are now 2" higher off the ground making the center stand easier to deploy. 👍

[betoney]

40 minutes ago, Bill H said:

Im 5'10" and i get nervous at times ,,especially tight u-turns,

Try this in an empty parking lot some time, start maneuvering a U-turn and put your weight on the outside of the turn, counterweight.  Shift your weight a little off the seat and you can even weight (press down on) the outside peg.  You can do it with both feet on the pegs with a bit of practice, at that point the bike height is irrelevant.  Sometimes standing on the pegs makes counter balancing U-turns even easier.

[rlambke19]

Welcome (albeit a bit late) from Cambridge, ON!

A good friend and riding buddy moved from here to near Hawkesbury on the Ottawa River. He has been torturing me with pics of the roads on the Quebec side of the river.

Glad you are enjoying the bike!

Cheers

Rob

[WKE002]

Welcome to the forum and I must admired you.... 5'6" riding a Tracer... am just 5'8" and already thinking if should have gotten the BMW 750/800 over Tracer due to the height.  my ride buddy is 5'6" and he wanted Tracer, after few test ride, he bought Suzuki GSX (yes, not adventure bike). 

I could reach flat foot if i move my ass on one side but during emergency, now that is my worry.  next couple of weeks, going to visit custom made shoes to see if they could increase my height without looking like wearing clogs !

[Bill H]

5 hours ago, betoney said:

No, not under the stand, under the wheels, as in parking on top of a 2x6 the length of the bike.  So the wheels are now 2" higher off the ground making the center stand easier to deploy. 👍

My Bad,,,i must of read it wrong,,unless you edit it ,,hahah,,kidding,,, measure once cut twice

[Bill H]

5 hours ago, betoney said:

Try this in an empty parking lot some time, start maneuvering a U-turn and put your weight on the outside of the turn, counterweight.  Shift your weight a little off the seat and you can even weight (press down on) the outside peg.  You can do it with both feet on the pegs with a bit of practice, at that point the bike height is irrelevant.  Sometimes standing on the pegs makes counter balancing U-turns even easier.

Yes Thanks ,,thats exactly what i did my second day after i got home with new bike .lots a practice ,need to keep doing it ,i still get a bit nervous on narrow road ,,or tight spots and people are around ,,im coming off an fz07 and that was like a tricycle compared to Tracer