Had the first one. The wind protection was terrible. Motorways were awful. Passing a lorry gave a disturbing wobble. I did one trip on a brand new one and sold it straight after. I didn’t like it. The new one seems to have addresses a lot of issues but now I have a 1290 Duke which does everything I need at this point. It has the best feeling front end of any bike I’ve ridden. Keep up the great reviews and fair play, can’t be easy after MD moved to the flowy road in the sky 👍
Just bought the exact same Tracer 3 months ago, 4000 miles already and LOVE IT !! Did get the seat altered with a gel pad. Here in the Uk you get panniers as standard
I sold my 9GT+ after 2 months. The build quality was shit! Suspension wasn't great for our UK roads. Horrendous vibrations developed after 7k. It never felt planted, very light and darty, not something I wanted in a 'touring' bike. Only positive was the 🍑 of an engine. I moved to a 2023 Ninja 1000sx. I paid £14.5k for the 9GT+ My ninja was a 23 plate and was 8.5k.. I used the remaining funds and bought an Xsr900 to go alongside it as I missed the engine.
That is exactly how the original 2015 FJ-09 felt when I test rode one. Cheap. Great engine surrounded by cheap seat suspension and chassis. I got a 14 1190 adventure instead and owned it 6 years now. Does everything and more than the Yamaha. In fact, even my old Yamaha 2004 fz6 felt cheap quality everything with an outstanding 14000rpm screaming fun engine. Had terrible buffeting screen, acceptable suspension, and clunky shifter.
Overall a great bike, but still... for the money you get more if you go for the base model. The GT and GT+ are not that cheap. Have the base model and I am happy with it.
Nice to see Yamaha has really sorted the Tracer, l owned a first edition and while l loved the laugh like a looney engine, the handling was terrifying if you hit some mid corner bumps. The bastard actively tried to hurl you into the scenery.
@@Neiljitsu I think that the reliability thing is one of those things that are important a If the bike is your only transport b If costs are important to you. In neither case are they particularly important. And in any case, the reliability aspect is not even guaranteed to be important. I know of plenty of SDs which have had zero problems and several of them are older than many newly-licenced bikers, and used on a daily basis. Many people would have you believe that the japanese don't know how to make an unreliable bike, that is just BS. I've beenn riding since the 70s and there have beenm some truly dreadfully unreliable Japanese bikes. Similarly, there are people who'll try to persuade you that all Euro-bikes (bar Beemers - natch) are ticking time bombs. The truth is somewher in the middle, and you pays yer money and yer takes yer choice. And 50 odd BHP difference would need me to be absolutely convinced that reliability was going to be an issue. Fact is that both bikes have, to a greater or lesser extent, for yonks, and I doubt that reliability is going to be that much of an issue in either case.
Which naked are you referring to? The MT09 or Xsr900... If you're referring to the MT09 then yes. It's not as wheelie happy as the MT09 has a shorter wheelbase whereas the XSR90 and Tracer 9 share the same wheelbase.. No bike will ever be as 'fun' as an out n out naked as you're carrying more weight, but they are still fun.
Good honest review. Overall a good bike, without really being brilliant at anything specific. The seat is indeed horrible preventing the bike from being a good touring platform. Even the comfort seat is sh*t. Build quality is not that great (scratchy plastics, check engine light coming and going, corrosion on fasteners and bolts). Let's not forget the snatchy throttle. Good commuter bike, bit sh*t on longer distances. Like it, don't love it.
I've just traded in my 22 plate Tracer 9GT after 9500 miles. These bikes are definitely not all they're cracked up to be. Poor build quality and appalling finish, snatchy throttle and poor clutch. Doesn't feel planted on the road - poor suspension. Rubbish windscreen and seat. The engine is great and sounds great but that's about it. Many in the UK are having issues with them over the throttle position sensor and throttle bodies. Overpriced, definitely not worth the money.
Totally agree. I sold my 9gt+ after 2 months! Moved to the ninja 1000 sx at a fraction of the cost. I paid 14.5k for my 9gt+ yet my ninja sx was 8.5k on a 23 plate.
@inked-96 I rode the Ninja 1000sx, a far better bike than the Tracer. However, I preferred the BMW R1250RS even more so I bought one. Just my opinion of course though you definitely can't go wrong with the Ninja and it's far cheaper than the BMW!
Had the first one. The wind protection was terrible. Motorways were awful. Passing a lorry gave a disturbing wobble. I did one trip on a brand new one and sold it straight after. I didn’t like it. The new one seems to have addresses a lot of issues but now I have a 1290 Duke which does everything I need at this point. It has the best feeling front end of any bike I’ve ridden. Keep up the great reviews and fair play, can’t be easy after MD moved to the flowy road in the sky 👍
Just bought the exact same Tracer 3 months ago, 4000 miles already and LOVE IT !! Did get the seat altered with a gel pad. Here in the Uk you get panniers as standard
I have the base model. You can check my Tracer 9 playlist, just drop by. Already covered more than 20.000 km.
I sold my 9GT+ after 2 months. The build quality was shit! Suspension wasn't great for our UK roads. Horrendous vibrations developed after 7k. It never felt planted, very light and darty, not something I wanted in a 'touring' bike.
Only positive was the 🍑 of an engine.
I moved to a 2023 Ninja 1000sx.
I paid £14.5k for the 9GT+
My ninja was a 23 plate and was 8.5k.. I used the remaining funds and bought an Xsr900 to go alongside it as I missed the engine.
That is exactly how the original 2015 FJ-09 felt when I test rode one. Cheap. Great engine surrounded by cheap seat suspension and chassis.
I got a 14 1190 adventure instead and owned it 6 years now. Does everything and more than the Yamaha.
In fact, even my old Yamaha 2004 fz6 felt cheap quality everything with an outstanding 14000rpm screaming fun engine. Had terrible buffeting screen, acceptable suspension, and clunky shifter.
Overall a great bike, but still... for the money you get more if you go for the base model. The GT and GT+ are not that cheap. Have the base model and I am happy with it.
Nice to see Yamaha has really sorted the Tracer, l owned a first edition and while l loved the laugh like a looney engine, the handling was terrifying if you hit some mid corner bumps. The bastard actively tried to hurl you into the scenery.
I had one as well. Got the handling sorted on mine, just needed new tires, Ohlins shock, andreani fork cartridges, ...and a steering damper 😆
🆒😎🤘
I've just been offered an SD1290GT for about €800 more than an MT09, I'm finding it hard to think of a reason not to take the offer.
Reliability.
@@Neiljitsu I think that the reliability thing is one of those things that are important
a If the bike is your only transport
b If costs are important to you.
In neither case are they particularly important. And in any case, the reliability aspect is not even guaranteed to be important. I know of plenty of SDs which have had zero problems and several of them are older than many newly-licenced bikers, and used on a daily basis.
Many people would have you believe that the japanese don't know how to make an unreliable bike, that is just BS.
I've beenn riding since the 70s and there have beenm some truly dreadfully unreliable Japanese bikes.
Similarly, there are people who'll try to persuade you that all Euro-bikes (bar Beemers - natch) are ticking time bombs.
The truth is somewher in the middle, and you pays yer money and yer takes yer choice.
And 50 odd BHP difference would need me to be absolutely convinced that reliability was going to be an issue.
Fact is that both bikes have, to a greater or lesser extent, for yonks, and I doubt that reliability is going to be that much of an issue in either case.
She finally got a decent display. It's probably less fun to ride than the naked due to the added weight and longer wheelbase
Which naked are you referring to?
The MT09 or Xsr900...
If you're referring to the MT09 then yes. It's not as wheelie happy as the MT09 has a shorter wheelbase whereas the XSR90 and Tracer 9 share the same wheelbase..
No bike will ever be as 'fun' as an out n out naked as you're carrying more weight, but they are still fun.
All triples are fun. I have the base model and I am very happy with it. Can check my content. Cheers.
Nice. I couldn't hear the sound of the engine as it was drowned out by the crappy canned music!
Just FYI, the front brake calipers are made by Advics, they're not "no-name" Yamaha brand.
Good honest review. Overall a good bike, without really being brilliant at anything specific. The seat is indeed horrible preventing the bike from being a good touring platform. Even the comfort seat is sh*t. Build quality is not that great (scratchy plastics, check engine light coming and going, corrosion on fasteners and bolts). Let's not forget the snatchy throttle. Good commuter bike, bit sh*t on longer distances. Like it, don't love it.
And BMW R1250RS?
@@flexywing I've just bought one after getting rid of the Tracer. The BMW is streets ahead of the Yamaha
R330,000 is too much. Why are new bikes more expensive in SA?
Such an ugly bike. Call me shallow but I just couldn't live with that front end look.
I've just traded in my 22 plate Tracer 9GT after 9500 miles. These bikes are definitely not all they're cracked up to be. Poor build quality and appalling finish, snatchy throttle and poor clutch. Doesn't feel planted on the road - poor suspension. Rubbish windscreen and seat. The engine is great and sounds great but that's about it. Many in the UK are having issues with them over the throttle position sensor and throttle bodies. Overpriced, definitely not worth the money.
Totally agree.
I sold my 9gt+ after 2 months!
Moved to the ninja 1000 sx at a fraction of the cost.
I paid 14.5k for my 9gt+ yet my ninja sx was 8.5k on a 23 plate.
@inked-96 I rode the Ninja 1000sx, a far better bike than the Tracer. However, I preferred the BMW R1250RS even more so I bought one. Just my opinion of course though you definitely can't go wrong with the Ninja and it's far cheaper than the BMW!
@MGman100 The RS is a cracking bike for sure. I'm personally not a fan of the agricultural boxer engine ... the low down grunt was lovely though.
your microphone is truly awful. please upgrade it
Its not a mt09 triple, its a cp3,,