Gordon T
Registered user
Any of you lads thats had the bike a few weeks care to comment on its worth. Im pushed between the Tracer and the Super Tenere but need to hear about anything good or bad about the Tracer before delving. Gordon T.
MT-09 Tracer.....
- Thread starter Gordon T
- Start date
The engine is amazing . I mean it pulls and pulls ! And the bike is so so light , low speed and at high speed .the down side is its an £8k bike so it's a bit cheap in places as to be expected . Have you ridden one ?
I have just completed 600 miles so it will be in for the 1st service at the end of the week
My previous bike was a 2011 Super Tenere.
I really like the Tracer. The engine is very good and the bike makes rapid progress if you are that way inclined. I have fitted a top box and it takes this well, although looks ugly with it! I think it would be tight 2 up unless you are both skinny.
I miss the Super Tenere as it was a great bike, especially on bumpy roads. I loved the big twin engine. I don't miss the weight, which was my main reason for changing.
However, it is not good me recommending one bike or the other. You are a different person so go take a test ride on each. Both bikes are very good but they have different characteristics that appeal to different needs.
Tecman, see my post in the other place - you can do a lot more than 175 miles. I hit reserve at 179 and then did another 40 miles! So, the Tracer is a genuine 200 mile on a tank tourer.
My previous bike was a 2011 Super Tenere.
I really like the Tracer. The engine is very good and the bike makes rapid progress if you are that way inclined. I have fitted a top box and it takes this well, although looks ugly with it! I think it would be tight 2 up unless you are both skinny.
I miss the Super Tenere as it was a great bike, especially on bumpy roads. I loved the big twin engine. I don't miss the weight, which was my main reason for changing.
However, it is not good me recommending one bike or the other. You are a different person so go take a test ride on each. Both bikes are very good but they have different characteristics that appeal to different needs.
Tecman, see my post in the other place - you can do a lot more than 175 miles. I hit reserve at 179 and then did another 40 miles! So, the Tracer is a genuine 200 mile on a tank tourer.
I got into reserve at 165 and refuelled 10 miles later as I didn't want to strech myself too far. At 175 there was about 2L of petrol in the tank. I could have done 200 if my ride wasn't that spirited! Most of it was on country lanes of Hertfordshire and Suffolk with few fast runs on dual carriageways
Gordon T
Registered user
Hi tecman. Thanks for the input. I have ridden a friends MT-09 after his ECU flash and was very impressed with the engine. As you say, it just wants to pull and pull.
I havent ridden a Tracer yet but mean to do so. Unfortunatley with all the hype going about, I tend to find out what a particular bike is really like by talking and listening to what people have to say about it. Im no road tester by any means and as wessie says, everyone is different. Any sort of feedback by an owner running it, day in, day out is superior to a journalist spouting off to please readers of a publication. Your comments are welcomed by me and Im sure by a few others.
I believe a quick test ride isnt possibly the best way to evaluate a bike, I like to hear from people who have had one for a while. If you say there is a particular trait of the bike, be it performance, handling etc. I will be looking for it on my test ride. Glad you like it.
I havent ridden a Tracer yet but mean to do so. Unfortunatley with all the hype going about, I tend to find out what a particular bike is really like by talking and listening to what people have to say about it. Im no road tester by any means and as wessie says, everyone is different. Any sort of feedback by an owner running it, day in, day out is superior to a journalist spouting off to please readers of a publication. Your comments are welcomed by me and Im sure by a few others.
I believe a quick test ride isnt possibly the best way to evaluate a bike, I like to hear from people who have had one for a while. If you say there is a particular trait of the bike, be it performance, handling etc. I will be looking for it on my test ride. Glad you like it.
The engine on this bike is really a jewel in the crown. It sounds nice, it pulls nicely and it is rather economical. I'm using it since 2nd March on my daily commute to work ( 9 miles each way) and filtering on it is a doddle ( unlike on my GC LC). Moving bike around is easy and you don't need to sweat to park it up at solo cycle parking spaces in London. Some people say that quality of some materials looks cheap, well it is cheap bike, but for its price I found them really good anyway.
My pros:
- engine, torque and power, no unpleasant vibrations
- good brakes
- tcs and abs
- gearbox ( clutchless shifts up are really easy, preload level and let off the throttle for split of a second and next gear is up, and it works smoothly at any gear)
- optional heated grips are configurable to your preference and can be extra hot if needed
- LED light at pitch black country lanes are amazingly good, high beam makes road in front of you as bright as daylight!
- riding position and knee angle. When swapping between Tracer and GS I immediately noticed that Tracer's pegs are noticeably lower than on GC LC, which makes Tracer better for your legs.
- price
My cons:
- mirrors, could be slightly further out, but I got used to them and see what's behind me confidently
- clutch level and front brake lever are too horizontal, which makes slightly less comfortable angle between forearms and hands. Although you could adjust levers to your comfortable angle, that would also change the angle of hand gards, which are bolted on to same mounting points on handle bars.
- I'd replace hand guards with less overstyled ones and smaller, as I'm always concern that I might clip with them cars that I'm filtering.
- engine braking - there is very little engine braking on MT09. I feel sometimes like this bike had "SAIL" mode similar to the one on BMW C-Evolution. It is not massive issue for me, but it forces me to drag rear brake to control speed.
- suspension - It's rather harsh. You hop a lot on uneven surfaces. I haven't played with any settings on my Tracer, so it could be down to my weight and this particular bike.
- seat - standard one is firm, but I think I can live with that. On my daily commuting trips is not an issue. On 200-300 miles touring - it could be. I'll find out in June. Picos and Pyrenees are awaiting.
- windscreen - I'm 5'11" and at low seat position I can no longer ride at slightly opened visor as I used to on GS. I can if I tilt my head slightly downwards, then the wind blast is not hitting the gap. I will try wind deflector or get higher aftermarket screen as I don't like the look of Yamaha touring one.
My pros:
- engine, torque and power, no unpleasant vibrations
- good brakes
- tcs and abs
- gearbox ( clutchless shifts up are really easy, preload level and let off the throttle for split of a second and next gear is up, and it works smoothly at any gear)
- optional heated grips are configurable to your preference and can be extra hot if needed
- LED light at pitch black country lanes are amazingly good, high beam makes road in front of you as bright as daylight!
- riding position and knee angle. When swapping between Tracer and GS I immediately noticed that Tracer's pegs are noticeably lower than on GC LC, which makes Tracer better for your legs.
- price
My cons:
- mirrors, could be slightly further out, but I got used to them and see what's behind me confidently
- clutch level and front brake lever are too horizontal, which makes slightly less comfortable angle between forearms and hands. Although you could adjust levers to your comfortable angle, that would also change the angle of hand gards, which are bolted on to same mounting points on handle bars.
- I'd replace hand guards with less overstyled ones and smaller, as I'm always concern that I might clip with them cars that I'm filtering.
- engine braking - there is very little engine braking on MT09. I feel sometimes like this bike had "SAIL" mode similar to the one on BMW C-Evolution. It is not massive issue for me, but it forces me to drag rear brake to control speed.
- suspension - It's rather harsh. You hop a lot on uneven surfaces. I haven't played with any settings on my Tracer, so it could be down to my weight and this particular bike.
- seat - standard one is firm, but I think I can live with that. On my daily commuting trips is not an issue. On 200-300 miles touring - it could be. I'll find out in June. Picos and Pyrenees are awaiting.
- windscreen - I'm 5'11" and at low seat position I can no longer ride at slightly opened visor as I used to on GS. I can if I tilt my head slightly downwards, then the wind blast is not hitting the gap. I will try wind deflector or get higher aftermarket screen as I don't like the look of Yamaha touring one.
Anyone else getting the bars shaking at 110mph plus on full throttle ? I know it's extreme riding ( sort of ) but it's slightly annoying . Of course I think it's far from a full on tank slapper and always controllable by letting off the throttle .
milton has asked a similar question at http://fj-09.org/thread/774/mt09-fj-tracer-steering-wobbling
I'll repeat my answer, if you want a bike that performs well at 110mph don't buy a bargain basement, parts bin special, go buy an R6!
It looks like you have to be registered to see the thread. I'm interested because I tested the MT-09 when it came out and liked it but realised it wasn't really a bike on which I could go places. The Tracer is of interest because it has the potential to be a lightweight and much cheaper replacement for the LC. However, I remember the rear shock on the MT-09 was pretty soft and I believe that, on the Tracer, one fork legal has a spring while the other has a damper. Neither of these things is a recipe for particularly good handling or directional stability.
The bike is selling very well because it is light, functional and sold at a very good price. To achieve this Yamaha will have to economise somewhere.
It's more akin to a Suzuki Bandit than a GSXR600. Anyone that thinks otherwise is deluding themselves.
Above, rasher suggests throwing some money at it to improve the suspension but to me that goes against the UJM tradition, of which the Tracer is one of the better examples.
It's more akin to a Suzuki Bandit than a GSXR600. Anyone that thinks otherwise is deluding themselves.
Above, rasher suggests throwing some money at it to improve the suspension but to me that goes against the UJM tradition, of which the Tracer is one of the better examples.
I got shake at max revs on 2nd or 3rd gear at heavy acceleration. it could have been around speed you mentioned (obviously on closed circuit).
Is that why the ones in the US are restricted to 115mph?
I want one - well I think it is essential the Mrs gets one as her next bike ;-)
There are two things I find lacking on most bikes these days:
1. Fueling
With the latest Euro-Laws it is impossible to perfect fueling, the optimal A/F ratio won't cut it for the latest laws, some bikes are better than others with how good they feel with in stock trim, but a good remap will certainly make a noticeable difference. When I was having my S10 re-mapped last weekend I was told Twins are really difficult to get through emissions compared to fours, I would guess a triple sits in between.
2. Suspension
I used to think manufacturers spent millions on getting this right, but having modified a dozen or so bikes over the years (and seen the OE kit being stripped and modified) I know this is not the case, although more expensive bikes do have better suspension (my S10 is way ahead of my V-Strom and the Mrs TDM in stock form) they still tend to leave a bit to be desired.
Yamaha's tend to have a very basic damping setup that "sort of" works according to MCT, and the Mrs TDM was transformed for about £500 (Service & Re-Valve of shock / Service & stiffer springs on forks) My S10 was improved significantly with a re-work of the forks (switch to linear springs and a service / setup)
At £8k the Tracer looks great value, with a re-map and suspension overhaul it would be awesome for £9k - and probably feel as good as high end exotica costing 50% more.
As for the wobbles, that may well go away with suspension work (even just adjusting the OE stuff a bit) and my mates Explorer goes into a death wobble at just over a ton so do not think it is a case of £8k bikes wobble and £12k ones do not.
As my S10 is still a great bike I will keep it for a long time (probably just keep it forever and add to the stable) if it was written off tomorrow I would have to seriously consider the Tracer, I could get one of those, have it fettled a bit and still have enough change for a half decent green lane bike compared to the "premium" bikes such as a GS / KTM / Super Tenere.
There are two things I find lacking on most bikes these days:
1. Fueling
With the latest Euro-Laws it is impossible to perfect fueling, the optimal A/F ratio won't cut it for the latest laws, some bikes are better than others with how good they feel with in stock trim, but a good remap will certainly make a noticeable difference. When I was having my S10 re-mapped last weekend I was told Twins are really difficult to get through emissions compared to fours, I would guess a triple sits in between.
2. Suspension
I used to think manufacturers spent millions on getting this right, but having modified a dozen or so bikes over the years (and seen the OE kit being stripped and modified) I know this is not the case, although more expensive bikes do have better suspension (my S10 is way ahead of my V-Strom and the Mrs TDM in stock form) they still tend to leave a bit to be desired.
Yamaha's tend to have a very basic damping setup that "sort of" works according to MCT, and the Mrs TDM was transformed for about £500 (Service & Re-Valve of shock / Service & stiffer springs on forks) My S10 was improved significantly with a re-work of the forks (switch to linear springs and a service / setup)
At £8k the Tracer looks great value, with a re-map and suspension overhaul it would be awesome for £9k - and probably feel as good as high end exotica costing 50% more.
As for the wobbles, that may well go away with suspension work (even just adjusting the OE stuff a bit) and my mates Explorer goes into a death wobble at just over a ton so do not think it is a case of £8k bikes wobble and £12k ones do not.
As my S10 is still a great bike I will keep it for a long time (probably just keep it forever and add to the stable) if it was written off tomorrow I would have to seriously consider the Tracer, I could get one of those, have it fettled a bit and still have enough change for a half decent green lane bike compared to the "premium" bikes such as a GS / KTM / Super Tenere.
lots of common sense there Rasher, I asked the question about oem suspension at a specialist when trying to get my Kwak SX sorted and they said the manufacturers just tell the suspension supplier to knock out a unit that will do the job for X quid, in fact they said the Yam FZ8 mk1 rear shock was so borderline on damping it would probably fail its first MOT, the shock on the SX / VFR12 and a few others were similar being very low budget.
I have ridden bikes with quality suspension and been very impressed the V4 factory Mille being one of the best but personally I have not had much luck, had Wilbers front springs fitted to a xt660 Tenere last year and it didn't feel any different, put a new Nitron shock on my FJR13 too and again for the money was disappointed so I am loath to shell out hundreds of £ to be disappointed , in fact I would make them take it off if I ever did it again and could not tell the difference.
I have ridden bikes with quality suspension and been very impressed the V4 factory Mille being one of the best but personally I have not had much luck, had Wilbers front springs fitted to a xt660 Tenere last year and it didn't feel any different, put a new Nitron shock on my FJR13 too and again for the money was disappointed so I am loath to shell out hundreds of £ to be disappointed , in fact I would make them take it off if I ever did it again and could not tell the difference.
I have had loads of bikes sorted, many years ago by Maxton, the last 6-7 years all done by MCT. Every recommendation they made worked out really well, they tend to say Ohlins if you have the cash for it, but Wilburs are plenty good enough.
Just changing a spring rarely works out brilliantly as springing and damping must be matched - change one on its own and the other will be off.
On the Mrs TDM they stopped me buying a new shock as they insisted they OE shock was very good once re-worked and they were right, she noticed the difference within a mile of their workshop and did not stop going on about how much better it was on the 3 hour journey home.
I would suggest anyone not knowing exactly what they are doing go through a reputable specialist firm to avoid disappointment / wasting money.
Just changing a spring rarely works out brilliantly as springing and damping must be matched - change one on its own and the other will be off.
On the Mrs TDM they stopped me buying a new shock as they insisted they OE shock was very good once re-worked and they were right, she noticed the difference within a mile of their workshop and did not stop going on about how much better it was on the 3 hour journey home.
I would suggest anyone not knowing exactly what they are doing go through a reputable specialist firm to avoid disappointment / wasting money.
Gordon T
Registered user
Im still unsure. Might need a little something to tempt me and there doesnt seem to be any deals on at the moment. Had another good look at one and as wessie stated, Ive come to see corners cut on quality. How long do people think they would fare in the long term regarding corrosion. The Vstrom is looking better at this price http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-V-...2383051?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item1c4f78864b
you don't think the Vstrom is built to a price, too?
My experience of Yamaha, with a TDM and then a Super Ten is that the quality is pretty good. When I said the Tracer is built to a price, it's things like the sophistication of the suspension and the fact that many of the components are from the parts bin that I referred to. I'm not worried about the long term durability of the bike. If you look at the electronics, they are virtually identical to those fitted to the FJR & current S10. The brakes are the same as most other Yamaha, sharing the same pads as the S10, R1. Modular plastic with not very many painted surfaces keeps the cost down. I've had the bike for nearly 3 weeks now and done 600 miles and I can't say that I've noticed any poor finish and nothing of concern seems to be reported on the busy forum.
The Vstrom is a great bike and the 650 is possibly better than the 1000. What ruled it out for me is that it weighs 30kg more than the Tracer/
680 quote for Tracer goes up to 1050 quid if I disclose my non fault accident! This is damn robbery in daylight! I only checked gocompare. I'm still 2 months away from renewal... not so good....
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