2021 GT Updates

[Shizzle]

Harley Davidson is the King of adding little tidbits every year to entice you to trade. Been there done it. One of the reasons I left the brand. They went from a 96" to 103" to 107" motor on their touring bikes within just a few short years. I will say their 103" motor I had in my 2011 Road King Classic was the best. Never rode the 107" bikes. Seems Yamaha is taking on the HD point of view. Give them what they want this year then add a little more each year to sell bikes. It's a vicious cycle if you let yourself get caught up in it. Nothing about the new Tracer makes me want to trade my 2020 GT. The color schemes alone are enough to make me keep my bike. Blue wheels? What idiot thought that was a good idea? 

[rustyshackles]

I saw 30+ photos someone posted on a Tracer Facebook group and I gotta say the look of the bike is growing on me.  Concerning though is one photo of the fuel gauge, which similar to current models had the 1/2 to full portion as a single segment.   Hopefully the current method of suddenly plunging from showing full to 1/2 won't continue.  

 

[rlambke19]

35 minutes ago, Shizzle said:

 The color schemes alone are enough to make me keep my bike. Blue wheels? What idiot thought that was a good idea? 

The "blurple" wheels have been around for awhile. I think the 2017 or 2018 FJ-09 had a similar colour scheme - silver with blue wheels (at least here in Canada).

And agreed - as much as I like the silver 2021 - not sure I can get with the blue wheels.

Rob

[rlambke19]

26 minutes ago, rustyshackles said:

I saw 30+ photos someone posted on a Tracer Facebook group and I gotta say the look of the bike is growing on me.  Concerning though is one photo of the fuel gauge, which similar to current models had the 1/2 to full portion as a single segment.   Hopefully the current method of suddenly plunging from showing full to 1/2 won't continue.  

 

Yeah - that was Miguel or Critical Rider (I borrowed his picture of the key position up above). He lives in Holland and that's where Yamaha Europe has their HQ so one of the dealers there ha a couple "pre-prod" bikes on display.

For those of you that are on FB - lookup Critical Rider and you'll see his post/snaps. He took some good, close up ones.

Rob

[betoney]

35 minutes ago, rustyshackles said:

Concerning though is one photo of the fuel gauge, which similar to current models had the 1/2 to full portion as a single segment.   Hopefully the current method of suddenly plunging from showing full to 1/2 won't continue. 

Regardless of how I ride, spirited or frugal, that full to half tank transition happens somewhere around 90-110 miles every time, by the second tank I was used to it.  The Trip 1 gauge is my indicator for fuel - 180 miles.

[HGP61]

41 minutes ago, rustyshackles said:

I gotta say the look of the bike is growing on me

Me too I noticed the pictures on facebook and like the new look 

 

44 minutes ago, rustyshackles said:

Concerning though is one photo of the fuel gauge, which similar to current models had the 1/2 to full portion as a single segment

I've never had an issue with this, it don't particularly annoy me. I know its going to drop to half full in about 120 miles and start to flash at me in another 80 miles or so and still have 20 to 30 miles before I'm going for a walk. And the few times I've met up with my pals at a fuel station with  full showing on the gauge if I am not sure how much fuel I have used and don't want to be the one that disrupts the ride out by needing tow stop I just top up. Did once top up with a touch less than 3 litres.

[knyte]

@HGP61 I completely agree with you, and echo your sentiments entirely - I got used to it.

Still - there is some deeply rooted ADHD/ADD part of me that is dying without a 3/4 indicator!!

[Michiel900GT]

My thoughts on progressive change as far as the new Tracer is concerned:

• ABS is mandatory in the EU. So not a selling point.
• Cornering ABS is something that could be a selling point, but Yamaha is late to the game. Other brands have had this in their possible Tracer competition line-up since 2019/2020
• Electronic suspension. This might be a good selling point if you often switch between solo and pillion and/or riding with luggage. If you only ride solo and perhaps only once in a while with luggage than is isn't really worth the extra money. But also a bit late to the game by Yamaha. It does look that the Tracer offers only 2 electronic modes however. Let's hope that it is not a choice between too soft or too hard.
• Cornering lights. Yes, a good point. But also about time.
• All brands advertise with all these riding modes or adjustable settings. But how many do you rally need and use? My Triumph has 6 modes and I mainly use the (standard) ROAD mode. RAIN mode is a bit of a gimmick as one is better of adjusting the riding style when it really rains. Ok, besides the ROAD mode the only really useful setting would might be OFF-ROAD PRO, when going completely off-road. Everything else is, for every brand, a gimmick. Maybe, the three gas response settings on the Tracer would have been sufficient.
• What Honda has on the Africa Twin makes a bit more sense: you can adjust the amount of engine breaking and torque. For me, that would be a selling point as far as ride modes/settings are concerned.
• There are a lot of driver assists which might actually add to safety. That is good. But also makes me wonder at what point all these systems take away some of the fun of riding. This goes for all brands of course.
• I would have liked hill-hold. Missing on my Triumph, but also on the new Tracer. The 2020 Suzuki V-strom has it and that might actually be useful in mountains.
• Full LED. Yes please! And also about time. 
• Up & down quick shift. Finally. Also late to the game. 

It does look to me that the pillion seat has become a bit less comfy. And it's position to the rider part of the seat might add to the loss of comfort. MIGHT as one can only be sure after a real world test of course.

I wonder how strong the new 1.7mm thin rims will turn out to be.

All in all, a lot of technical extra's that brings the Tracer up to par with the competition. But tbh, nothing that would make me trade in a 2020 GT (if I would still have one) for a 2021 GT. And I do like the looks of the 2020 better. But that's personal.

[PhotoAl]

No, it wasn’t a hot day but a very easy and comfortable bike.  Would be a lot of fun on day trips, light on its feet, good power turned in really well, went where I wanted it to.  Very impressive to me. It had the Akropovich exhaust, not the most comfy seat but was only on it for 20 or 30 minuites.

Had to full to half gas gauge on my BMW F800GT.  They said it was because the tank was irregularly shaped.  Got used to using the gas mileage indicator and the trip odometer.  Average gas mileage would give me an idea of better or worse then “normal”.  This would be verified by when the guide went to half tank.  Did this a lot on long trips, many times had a distance needed to make before next gas station.  Always have a backup plan in case station is closed.  Have done the same thing with my 2020 Tracer GT and it has worked well.  Tracer is close to the same gas mileage but with 4.8 instead of 4 gallons in the tank has a bit more range.  Only have a couple thousand trip miles with the Tracer but it seems to be pretty consistent on gas mileage.  I’ve found mileage is dependent on altitude, gas quality, speed for sure and road condition.  My BMW would get 142 miles before the gas light went on when running interstate speeds but have seen as high as 224 when I spent the day in the Tetons where the speeds were 45 or less.

Edited November 21, 2020 by PhotoAl

[micah2074]

Looks better in this video.

[Ride365]

Fit and finish looks very good, agree it looks even better in the vid than any pics I've seen.

[2and3cylinders]

18 hours ago, betoney said:

Regardless of how I ride, spirited or frugal, that full to half tank transition happens somewhere around 90-110 miles every time, by the second tank I was used to it.  The Trip 1 gauge is my indicator for fuel - 180 miles.

It was 40° but a nice day so I rode and did so very conservatively averaging on the readout 43 miles per gallon which I have to do catatonically and when I filled up I put in 4.135 g of E0 at 165 miles = 40.14 mpg when the readout was 44.7.

I remember before the Flash getting better miles per gallon but I'm also running 15 44 sprockets and invariably I can achieve 100 miles before the gauge drops to half. Just the way it is.  now I'm no lightweight but my shield isn't that big and I have a top case but maybe it's just the fastest red 15 I got because I never have achieved the mileage many people have stated they get.

[HGP61]

2 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

I never have achieved the mileage many people have stated they get.

Remember that some of us use proper gallons not your puny smaller US gallons I'm typically getting the low to mid 50s' per imperial gallon. Although one glorious day last summer my sleek smooth almost as fast tech black did 64mpg (admittedly on a good bit of slow single track road) Might do more with the more economical Tracer 9

Edited November 22, 2020 by HGP61
Additional text

[PhotoAl]

2 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

It was 40° but a nice day so I rode and did so very conservatively averaging on the readout 43 miles per gallon which I have to do catatonically and when I filled up I put in 4.135 g of E0 at 165 miles = 40.14 mpg when the readout was 44.7.

I remember before the Flash getting better miles per gallon but I'm also running 15 44 sprockets and invariably I can achieve 100 miles before the gauge drops to half. Just the way it is.  now I'm no lightweight but my shield isn't that big and I have a top case but maybe it's just the fastest red 15 I got because I never have achieved the mileage many people have stated they get.

Looks like you have all the "economy upgrades" :-) so not surprised at the mileage.  The ONLY thing I liked about my BMWs engine (F800GT) was it ability to be frugal.  It was very sensitive to speed and could get very good mileage at low speeds.  From what I've seen on the Tracer GT it doesn't get as big an increase in mileage with drops in speed - I'm talking like 45mph vs 80MPH but at 70 to 80 is about the same or 1 to 2 mpg less but with an additional 0.8 gallons in the tank so range is improved.  I rode my BMW 1,400 miles and traded then rode Tracer GT 1,400 miles back on mostly the same roads so got a very good comparison between the two.  

Still super happy with my 2020 Tracer GT - puts a smile on my face every time I ride it.  Like the 2021 Tracer and may trade at some point.  I cant see the future and although bought at the end of the Tracer 900 GT run made a good decision at that point in time.  

[rlambke19]

4 hours ago, micah2074 said:

Looks better in this video.

Thanks for posting!

Miguel had said he took video, but was asked by the Yamaha rep not to release before Sunday (today)...no idea why.

Rob