Yamaha Tracer 9 GT
Regardless, what you get with the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT. Is a sports tourer that has comfort, handling and engine performances. As its three main guiding principle, an and Yamaha does an excellent job of delivering on each appeal without being overtly biased.
Yamaha hasn’t forgotten about sport touring, although its Teneres occupy a piece of the ADV pie. The Tracer 9 GT is an a 100% road-focused sport touring bike. Speaking of 100%, the Tracer 9 GT is an also 100% new compared to the Tracer 900 it replaces. Although the exterior is very similar to the Tracer 900. The GT has a new frame to house its new, larger engine – and all the various electronics that go with it. The new styling and bodywork inherit the genes of the Tracer 900 and even the FJ-09 that preceded it.
Using the MT-09 as a starting point, Yamaha surveyed owner. And potential owner about their need in a middleweight sport touring bike. Comfort, handling and engine performance are the top three needs. With these guidelines in your mind that we can start taking a closer look at the Tracer 9 GT. ComfortableThere’s no doubt that the 890cc Triple in the Tracer 9 is great. And as far as survey respondents were concerned, their number one need was comfort.
Changing the position of the seat, handlebars and footpegs is relatively easy with the Tracer 9 GT. The faux-suede seats exude luxury and also well padded. That you don’t have to adjust your hips in the seats, even around corners. Riders can raise the seat to a higher 32.5-inch position without tools.
Like the MT-09 , the Tracer has two sets of threaded holes. Llow and high for foot pedals, with the low setting being the default. Choose the higher setting and the nails move 4mm back and 14mm up. It feels like no an extra knee bending is required and it’s very comfortable.
The handlebars can an also be moved 9mm towards the front of the bike. By simply removing and rotating the handlebar mount to move 4mm – a design inspired by Yamaha ‘s motocross bikes. From where I sit, the rider triangle is almost perfect. The an adjustable windshield can be moved up and down while driving and can be operated with just one hand. At the lowest setting, I found that the wind would hit me right above the helmet’s. Eyeholetaller rider in found that the lower setting directe ,oncoming air directly at their neck or chin, so moving the windshield upwards meant It’s perfect for them. But it will increase fuel consumption a little.
The rider sits in a fairly comfortable aerodynamic pouch. The pads and fairing from the lower part of the tank do a good job. Of aerodynamics around your lower body, although you can definitely feel a bit of heat around your right toe. Maybe it’s something to do with the exhaust route, it’s not serious, but it’s noticeable sometimes.
Getting the right balance on a sport touring bike is key. You want the all-day comfort that a soft suspension can provide. But when the roads get twisty, the last thing you want is a suspension that’s squishy. Yamaha believes they have found the balance with the Tracer 9 GT.
It all starts at the center of the bike, with an all-new frame that’s completely new compare to the previous. Tracer 900, but shared with the new MT-09 . This frame is lighter than the old Tracer 900 frame, with a minimum. Wall thickness of just 1.7mm, but is still 50% more lateral stiffness than the old car.
To keep things more compact, the main shaft is now 30mm lower. Than before and the an engine is mounted 5 degrees more vertically – all in an effort to keep everything tucked away. Improved, sturdy engine mounts also help the Tracer 9 handle high speeds. While engine mounts may not sound like much, Yamaha representative revealed that during new product testing. Engineers typically take a solid mount, mark a specific shape on the mount, and then cut out that shape. Afterwards, test riders report back on how they feel, often feeling a noticeable difference. His chassis does feel composed and stable. Some credit goes to the frame, but some credit also goes to the new. Lighter aluminum swingarm, now mounted between the frame rails. Rather than outside of them As on previous models for add rigidity. The swingarm is 60mm longer than the MT-09 , which also adds more stability.
Another component that affect ride quality is the suspension. With the fork and shock absorbers playing a huge role when you get back. To the balance between comfort and sportness. Trying to find a balance has long been a compromise, of course. You either tune the suspension for touring or bolt it in for sport riding. Electronic assistance revolutionized all that, and the Tracer 9 GT changes it again. KYB has stepped in with what it calls the Actimatic Damping System (KADS), which it calls semi-active suspension.
Using data input from the six-axis IMU, engine control unit and hydraulic control unit, the system. Will adjust compression and rebound according to the conditions and changing the riding attitude in real time. The fork uses a travel sensor to determine its position, while the shock uses an angular position. Eensor to detect its position. Like an all semi-active suspension systems, it is “semi- an automatic” in that the spring preload is still manually an adjusted.
Through the KADS system an on the T9, it can be further an adjusted to two different settings: A-1 and A-2. The former is suitable for sport riding on flat roads, as it increases stiffness as you ride more aggressively. A-2 is the comfort setting, with a much softer damping process.
On the road, start riding in A-2 mode. A little hop through town and on the highway, it’s pleasant and well-damped. There aren’t any weird bumps in the hands, legs, or spine.
Even when we hit the road for quite some time. I forgot I was still in the A-2—the ride was still pleasantly. Comfortable while still providing enough support for running hills. But if the A-1 is suppose to be tailor-made for hill running. Then changing the settings is just a tap of a button away.
What is commendable is that as the speed increases, the solidity of the front and rear suspension also increases. An after trying both, it turns out the “Comfort” setting is an actually preferred.
Engine Performance Yamaha Tracer 9 GT
If you’re familiar with the latest version of the MT-09 , then you’ll understand our love for Yamaha’s latest CP3 engine. However, an if you have a previous Tracer 900 GT or an even a previous FJ-09, you will be pleasantly surprised.
From the outside, this appears to be the same engine, but now bigger. Gone is the 847cc Triple, as it’s now enhance to 890cc via a new crankshaft. With a 3mm longer stroke and “15% more inertia”. In other words, the crankshaft is heavier. The new piston is a forging and the connecting rod is 1.5mm shorter than before. There’s a new gearbox with a 3% higher ratio in the first two years. A redesigned shift fork, update assist and slipper clutches, and new clutch plate material. The up/down quick shifter is an arranged.
He can select different drive modes to alter power delivery. In the case of Tracer 9, there are four different modes available. The first three all offer full power, but each successive mode suppresses. Initial throttle input more and more (Mode 1 is the most aggressive). An in Mode 4, not an only do you get the atleast an aggressive power delivery, but overall power is gradually reduced.
On the road, the 890cc Triple is a sports tourer. The power is exciting without being overwhelming, and the distinctive three-cylinder exhaust note is a treat for anyone. After all, being a Tuning Fork brand, Yamaha engineers actually tuned the intake and exhaust sounds for maximum pleasure. Part of that is an achieved through the uneven lengths of the three intake pipes to achieve specific resonance. And part of that is an accomplished through the shape of the an exhaust, which is 3.1 lbs. Lighter than the Tracer 900 and sounds great too. Yamaha made (and still makes) music long before it made motorcycles. The aural pleasure continues every time you shift gears with the smooth autoblipper.
Of course, the CP3 engine isn’t perfect. Coming off the MT-09 , with its direct, lively and engaging throttle response. The Tracer shows noticeable on/off throttle lag even in Drive Mode 1, the most aggressive setting. No matter how slowly I open the throttle, there’s a slight delay before power kicks in. The feeling is similar to turbo lag, but mild.
Yamaha Tracer 9 GT science and technology
When the 2015 R1 came out, Yamaha equippe a six-axis IMU to intelligently operate traction. Control, slip control, lift control and other functions, and other manufacturers had to really step up to keep pace. Aprilia added an IMU to Yamaha’s RSV 4 years ago Did it in R1).
Six years later, the Tracer 9 GT now features a six-axis IMU that is 50%. Smaller and lighter than the IMU in the R1. Its role in determine motorcycle position has not change, and the Tracer 9 GT now features traction control. Slip control, lift control and brake control (also known as tilt-sensitive ABS)
But with the Tracer 9 GT, you can choose between two TC presets. That also come with pre-select- slide and lift control settings. Alternatively, you can select TC-M manual mode to select the exact level of the three settings you want. With the exception of ABS, the remaining rider aids can be switched off.
The full width of the side bags is just under 38 inches on the car. This allows the car to remain passable.
One neat trick Yamaha has used is to install a damper on the lower part of the bag. To absorb the various bumps the bike chassis. Encounters while riding, but also to absorb some of the mass transfer during cornering. Giving these bags little to no annoying rocking or Rattle.
Another interesting side note is the spin-forged wheels developed by Yamaha . First seen on the MT-09 , rotary forging essentially takes a cast wheel and places it on a rotating jig. Burners on one side introduce heat into the wheel, while rollers on the other side shape the wheel. The combination of simultaneous heating and pressure ultimately results in a wheel with minimal wall thickness. While still being as strong as before the wheels on the Tracer. Are 1.54 pounds lighter per set and has a minimum. Wall thickness of 2 mm compare to the previous 3.5 mm. The unsprung weight is reduced and the control feeling is improved.
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