Spending 2021 with the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT | MCN

#Yamaha#Tracer#GT
Join Neevesy and Office Manager, Alison as they discuss a year with the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT. You can read Alison's progress so far here: www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn-mo...
Read the full Yamaha Tracer 9 GT review here: www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-r...
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[@motorcyclenewsdotcom]

Have you got any big trips planned for 2022? Would you consider a Yamaha Tracer 9 GT for it?

[@BN1960]

No, hate the instruments and since it's one of the main bits you look at all the time, it's enough to put me off buying one. Oh and the lack of connectivity too.

[@ianchamberlain1631]

Yes, I hope to tour the Coast of Wales but it'll be on my new Ducati Multistrada V2s. I did consider the Tracer but that dash!

[@roadwarrior8560]

@@ianchamberlain1631 yes I just couldn't live with that dash no matter how good the bike was.

[@johnsumser9743]

Middling trips planned (San Francisco - Seattle, that sort of thing.) This bike really interests me.

[@MrG61-u9k]

I gave one a go, looks even uglier in the flesh, the dash is hideous and the switchgear badly thought out, so no I wouldn't.

[@marcusgeorge1825]

Absolutely love these videos. Real people with solid no nonsense opinions and honest thoughts. 👍😎🇦🇺

[@user-sw2lv3zp6o]

This is MCN's best output.

[@BN1960]

"I don't like cruise control" Uses it exactly as intended

[@Marco-sb9sx]

A quick tip for the heated grips: If i you click on the logo for the heated grips and hold it for a couple of seconds, it will select it permanently. So you can just turn it and it will not move away. Greetings from Switzerland😊

[@alanhedley8622]

I've got a Tracer 9GT and am booked up for Spain/Portugal at the end of April and the Manx at the end of August. I've already covered 4800 miles on the bike and it's a great lightweight tourer. I love the dash !

[@hhyling8483]

yeah me too , dash is fine, great bike!!!

[@pistolpete6321]

Very insightful! These kinds of videos are really great for prospective buyers!

[@andydowson8248]

Really enjoying these videos, great to hear the different opinions. 👍

[@oliverleifadams2003]

Love these mini reviews revealing the quirks & qualities of each bike. MN is great.

[@movem1]

Nice chat, really like this series with the wider MCN team.

[@chr11sf]

These series of vids are great, thanks. No interest really in the tracer but am a Yammie fan....Agree with Alison about the gimmicky dash, its a wasted space, one half could've been a sat nav. I had a '16 R1 and the brake pressure gauge thingy was naff lol, barely using any brake saw it max out!!

[@michaelbergheim4731]

A dream couple for real world bike reviews, top notch. As a german fan of British english accent, a real treat. Cheers Michael

[@RRRRefuelRideRace]

Well done. Thumb up. Have to go on a test ride soon. :)

[@carlosst1887]

Have mine with almost 7k Km and all considered I can't say but good things. Great bike! Changed seat and going to change screen too (MRA). Nothing else I need to change. Congrats to MCN - great reviews, unbiased opinions, not hiding whatever preferences, but wise judgment - great channel Cheers from Portugal!

[@RyanJamesODonnell]

MRA screen is definitely worth it! I think I actually ended up getting it because I seen it through another MCN employee testing this very bike 😅

[@carlosst1887]

@@RyanJamesODonnell Many thanks for the tip Ryan - there's not so much info (reviews) as I wished. After my experience with this bike, I dare to say it's usually a bit underrated, specially considering its price level. The more I ride it ... the more I love it! A world apart from previous model.

[@RRRRefuelRideRace]

Thanks for sharing. How tall are you? Drop by when have time. :)

[@carlosst1887]

@@RRRRefuelRideRace I'm 1,79m, which is in fact enough to think about getting the MRA screen ;)

[@RRRRefuelRideRace]

@@carlosst1887 Thanks man. :)

[@ianlawrie919]

Wonderfully impartial review 👍

[@barrykrakovsky756]

I very much enjoyed the conversation between Neevesy and Alison. Interestingly, I've owned my Tracer 9 GT for about the same time and have put on about the same mileage (I am however jealous of her height). I also agree with Alison's assessment. Indeed, a better use of the right screen would be as a "sat nav" instead of duplicating most of the information already on the left screen. I reduced the noise from the stock windscreen by substituting Yamaha's touring version and also adding a clip on by Puig. I knew wind noise would be an issue given the aerodynamics of this type of bike. Lastly, I improved the stock seat, which for me grew painful after an hour or so, by sending it to Russell Cycle Products in California. I live in the US and Yamaha's comfort seat is not available. All that said, for me this bike is a keeper. Keep up the good work MCN and ride safe.

[@yiannishayabusaofficial]

FANTASTIC ! AWESOME VIDEO ! AMAZING ! SUPERB !

[@daveyboy0774]

What a really honest opinion she gave I enjoyed that 👍

[@Mike-hk6rw]

How you don’t have a million subs is unbelievable.Best on tube

[@nickthequick]

You never did come back to those oddly shaped panniers ...

[@natural9743]

Go Alison! great review.

[@TerryManitoba]

I have the 2017 version and thing it is a brilliantly sized bike. That triple is such a well behaved street machine. Comfortable enough for long trips. I figure it is one of the best one-up sport tourers...

[@BodybuildingSteve]

How is it for two up?

[@TerryManitoba]

@@BodybuildingSteve I would say it is fine to two up the FJ for a day trip. I'm thinking if you are going for a 10-day tour, 2-up you will likely be challenging the suspension & frame & would turn a fun 1-up touring rig into a bit of a pig. I would say a 1,200 + cc sport-touring bike would be a better 2-up ride

[@shadowred1980]

I had an xsr900 new in 2017, after 2 years much of the front metal looked like the down pipes on this. Still a fun bike though, the engine is brilliant.

[@salahjaabari8931]

Amazing video ,❤️❤️❤️

[@petea1663]

Couldn’t agree more re the screen, I had a test ride on this and the bike is amazing yet terribly flawed by the horrific buffeting

[@mickeypopa]

Wish you'd asked her about the wind protection around legs and lower area, I often ride in rain and cold weather so that aspect of the bike is really important to me. Also, would be nice to know if plastics and fairings on the bike are of good quality, if they're brittle or if they rattle excessively.

[@theskylab4623]

Just brilliant.

[@fahadalzahrani9989]

thanks alison..

[@brucekendall52]

Thanks.

[@robertlambke8260]

It's important to note that the MRA screens (both sport and touring) are slightly different for the 2021 and up Tracers than would have fit on the previous bikes. They had to cut out some of the screen or the larger handguards will hit the screen at full turn.

[@cycoklr]

Love hearing about new bike stuff but when it's time for me to ride all I want are two analog clocks that tell me engine speed and road speed.

[@UncleWally3]

How many have come off the assembly line and where are they actually available? It appears to me that, from here on, any new bike review ought to mention if and where they can be obtained . . .

[@gavriel4137]

Does the engine have any heat coming out of it from left to right side? Do the handlebars vibrate at all?

[@RyanJamesODonnell]

I seen what I assume was this exact bike, through Dan Sutherland's instagram and really liked the look of the aftermarket windscreen. Dan kindly shared the brand and model, and it's been a great upgrade, completely agree with what Alison said. Highly recommend 👌

[@scottstafford9632]

Can you provide the brand and model to that windshield? Thanks!

[@RyanJamesODonnell]

@@scottstafford9632 it's the MRA Vario Touring screen, I believe!

[@philbrown4414]

Good video but I was hoping for a comparison to your older tracer 900 and the f900xr, which was implied and the start..?

[@miniscott13]

This is what I wanted to know since I have a 2020 900 GT

[@scottstafford9632]

Can you please provide the link to the windshield she added?

[@1chi]

More Alison, please.

[@hhyling8483]

I have seriously no problems with standard screen, I am 6,1 keep it in lowest position....its just a great bike!!!

[@RRRRefuelRideRace]

Thanks for sharing this. I have o o on a test ride soon. What kind of helmet do you have? Drop by when have time.

[@DaddyBiker_Reviews]

I have owned a Tracer 9 GT since August. I am 5'11" tall with a 31" inside leg. I honestly have no issue with the standard screen at all. I read so many horror stories that I ordered an Ermax touring screen for it before I even got the bike. I have fitted it during the winter, when I cleaned the bike prior to wrapping it up, and will see what it is like when the weather improves. I also have the standard seat, and find it perfectly acceptable. I would be interested to try the comfort seat, but manage far more miles than I ever did on my (truly superb) previous bike - the GSX-S750 - without so much as a numb bum. I generally use power mode 2, and find that the best for every day riding as well as more spirited fun. Power band 1 is "hooligan" mode, and a noticeable difference, but I like my licence so back to 2!! I like the double screens... I can see what I need to see, and a whole lot I don't... but it's quirky and different. Connectivity would be nice... but it's not wholly necessary, particularly on a mode of transport where you need to have your focus on everything around you, and less so on a fancy display. BUT... When it comes to reliability, I have not had such a good run. Maybe mine was the Friday afternoon one, but I have had a bit of a nightmare with it to be honest. I have owned 5 Hondas and a Suzuki, and with the exception of a rear wheel bearing collapsing for no reason on a CBR 650F in 2014, I have never had bike problems. However, the issues with the Tracer began in September, and I eventually managed to get Yamaha to sort it in November... I had several occasions when I completely lost the throttle. The engine was still running, but the throttle did nothing. This happened on one occasion going down a steep hill in Nidderdale, then on the flat a couple of times, but the worst was mid overtake - all I can say is that it was a good job I was not doing the speed limit and had the momentum to carry me past and safely to a place where I could stop. The throttle bodies and injector bank were replaced and a throttle sensor, and touch wood, it has not repeated... but I am still a little wary of it. Then, when I came to put a radiator guard on, one of the nuts holding the radiator in proved a bit of a bugger to remove, and in so-doing, the seal around the machine-pressed flange on the radiator itself split, costing me £396.06 to replace the radiator. A friend of mine changed the radiators over, and found a washer and a rubber bung missing - presumably from factory... not good enough Yamaha... this is a £12.5k bike! All of the above considered, if I knew now what I have experienced in a few short months, I would never have bought it, but I still love it. It does everything I want it to do, and it handles like a dream. Do I regret buying it? Honestly? No.

[@DaddyBiker_Reviews]

Interestingly... I did a review of the old 900 GT in 2019 and I did have an issue with the screen - finding that it was alternately buffeting me on the shoulders, but with my 9GT, I really have no concerns.

[@RRRRefuelRideRace]

@@DaddyBiker_Reviews Aha, OK. So, you are using the standard one? Is it the same on the non-GT model, I mean just Tracer 9? Thanks man.

[@DaddyBiker_Reviews]

@@RRRRefuelRideRace Yes, same screen. Same bike minus the electronic suspension and panniers

[@RRRRefuelRideRace]

@@DaddyBiker_Reviews Will try it. If the front is not too light and if the bike is stable, there are a lot of chances for me to buy it. :)

[@DaddyBiker_Reviews]

@@RRRRefuelRideRace You won't find a more stable, comfortable bike for that money.

[@KyriakosSoul]

What about this windscreen? I am 6" tall... I am between this, puig touring and wrs touring... I don't know which to choose... 😭

[@JPWest020]

I love the GT9. The way it looks, sounds, all great - but I would probably get a Versys 1000 SE because of the (extra) comfort.

[@lovelessissimo]

The Versys is a big ol girl. More like a tourer rather than a sport tourer.

[@JPWest020]

@@lovelessissimo That’s why it would suit me better;-)

[@mickeypopa]

@@lovelessissimo You talk about big ol girls who are comfortable to ride and I'm thinking of other things entirely. 😂

[@lovelessissimo]

@@mickeypopa the concepts aren't that dissimilar.

[@CCitis]

Awesome concept, but I can’t get past that front end. Side profile looks great, but man that’s a face only a mom can love imo

[@daveelliott1000]

So……apart from the screen, the seat , the controls , the heated grips, the weight, the display and the cruise control you like it?!?

[@JonSmith-qk6wg]

Hi Alison, cannyou let me know how long the seat took to break in? I’ve got one but its crippling me at the minute, done 600 miles so far!

[@mickeypopa]

She's done 7000 (at that point in time), so I assume at least 2-3 thousands until the foam was nice & supple. 600 is honestly not enough for anything. 😅

[@gosoku2771]

What kind of oil have you been running in this bike? Thanks

[@marksimpson5218]

If it’s Yamaha dealer serviced they use yamalube their own brand.

[@yakekaj]

The screen issue is bizzar, every online review goes on about it, I wonder if Yamaha pay any attention to feedback as it is such a simple fix?? Think I'd be getting a front fender extender for that tiny front mudguard to help keep crud off the front of the bike... This and the GSXS1000GT are top of my next bike list...

[@heibaimao]

Wat about ninja 1000sx

[@alithejumbo]

In 2021 I was torn between this and BMW F 750 GS. Eventually I went BMW, but sometimes I don't stop thinking maybe I should have gone otherwise.

[@myousic4564]

I really like the look and feel of F750 GS but 77 HP is just not enough for me and that's why after long test ride I'm buying tracer :)

[@tim_pearson]

My own experience is that (a) the dash is fine, yes missed opportunity for turn by turn satnav, but it's fine otherwise. (b) the stock screen is so awful i can't ride with it at all, the buffeting gives me a headache within 10 miles. I have tried 4 screens (including the MRA one she has on hers), the best I'd say is the short ERMAXsport which is still not perfect but live-able with (obviously less weather protection) I am 5'7" wearing a shark spartan.

[@meneerstryckers]

Hi Tim, I had a Shark Spartan too (the carbon version). It gave me awful buffeting on my V-strom, even with aftermarket screens. I then changed to a Schuberth C4 pro , it's a very big improvement. I would suggest to you to try another helmet, because I know now how much more quiet a helmet can be. This new helmet made more difference than all the screens i tried.

[@tim_pearson]

@@meneerstryckers Thanks for the advice - i was considering it, but now i think you are right i'll have to try a new helmet

[@meneerstryckers]

@@tim_pearson I was amazed how much it helped me. Good luck!

[@paulyflyer8154]

This was on my shortlist until I saw the display. I really don't think I could live with that so it was a deal breaker for me. Pity, because it ticked all the other boxes as far as I was concerned.

[@tim_pearson]

Honestly the display is fine, I was a bit unsure at first but it doesn't annoy me at all now i almost quite like it. The screen however is rubbish and you have to change it

[@RyanJamesODonnell]

@@tim_pearson hit it on the head. I was concerned about the display too, but you quickly get over it.

[@robertcesario8964]

When you review bikes that are intended to be two up please try to include that aspect of the bikes capability.

[@RRRRefuelRideRace]

This is a good tip. :)

[@daniilrusanau5849]

Waited till the very end of the video until Alison would conclude whether it’s F900XR or this Tracer. Couldn’t read between the lines either… May be you could ask her or she’s reading this maybe could reply. Thanks anyways, great series!

[@myousic4564]

F900XR is totally no match to Tracer. S1000XR is a bit better but it's much more expensive.

[@c00ldfeet84]

Brilliant bike done 3000mil in 5 months, I get 270 miles to the tank i can sit on seat for 3 hours no problem, you have to train your bum screen no worse than any other bike and I am 5ft 11 yes i do agree they could have used the right screen for satnav. Heated grips if you press the scroll button so its grey you can scroll up and down with no problems 😊

[@armandomateus5103]

And did you notice any high speed instability? Many say yes... some no... regards.

[@c00ldfeet84]

@@armandomateus5103 yes I did find it would weave until I changed the tyres to avons. Also found the brakes where rubbish in emergency whe i hit a car at 40 mph first accident in 43 years, and to this day I still think they didn't work properly.

[@5tevieb954]

@7.51 what on earth did you do in Scotland?!?😂

[@bigg2768]

Can’t do the ‘diver’s mask’ display. It’s a deal breaker, for me anyway. Once you see it, can’t unsee it.

[@claretbuck1882]

👍🏻

[@nigelgreen7657]

I would love to buy one of these but that dash is definitely a deal breaker, Suzuki gt here I come.

[@allant9432]

Good looking bike apart from that dash

[@CptSlow89]

Still some old problems arent solved...

[@robsonenduro3316]

Yamaha dash boards, menus etc always have bee silly and unintuitive, same on their electronic instruments. Will they learn some day?

[@jeffruebens8355]

Some say BMW and Ducati make some that are better, for a lot more money.

[@brianglendenning1632]

S1000r headers are not a thing of beauty…compared to the Honda headers the BMW is quite agricultural.

[@MianCowell]

I've a 2015 model I'm looking to replace shortly. This was top of my list until I saw that awful gopping abortion of a dash.

[@johnschotz1614]

One in a t shirt and the other one with his winter cap……

[@dardobartoli]

The dash alone is enough reason to not buy it. But keeping that jog wheel from old model is unacceptable.

[@dark-angel1784]

funny .... she used to ride BMW then complains about the screen on a way cheaper bike...

[@Richard1976]

Seeing a little woman with that bike I kinda doubt now if it's a good choice for tall blokes.

[@hoangphung1012]

Get a tracer 900 GT instead of this.

[@cruze86]

She’s not 5”10’ 😾maybe with boots