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2020 Yamaha Tracer GT

K

KC 61

Mini Bike
So i thought I would start a separate thread about my recent purchase since a few of you have asked how I like the new bike. A 2020 Yamaha Tracer GT. I kinda stumbled onto this bike by accident and then started reading. I honestly couldn't find a bad thing said about this bike that would stop me from buying it so yep, I bought it Saturday. I was looking for a replacement for my 2011 Concours and needed a way to trade out of my CanAm Ryker. The dealer I bought the Ryker from had the Tracer. We made the trade deal and I brought it home Saturday. I'm totally satisfied with this machine. At almost 200 lbs lighter than the Connie and 115 HP the power to weight ratio is on par with the Concours, in my opinion anyway. It has tons of torque and power. Factory cruise and heated grips. The TFT Display is fantastic. Seat height is adjustable to 2 different positions. ABS and Traction control. And best of all it has a KEY, no freaking KiPass crap. And all this for $13k MSRP. I paid $12,600. So if you are looking, I would say this is a great machine for any Sport Tour Rider. I'm obviously still in the break in period but so far there is nothing I don't like about this bike. Oh, by the way. The Factory Quickshifter is amazing. Never had a bike with this.
 
Very nice and congrats!  Along those lines, does Yamaha or any other manufacturer have a shaft version of a Tracer? I like all the aspects of the Tracer, just want to find something similar but shaft driven.

Congrats again!

Robert
 
If you could accept a belt driven bike, I can steer you in the right direction.  :D

My belt lasted me 53000 miles before beginning to fail.  I'd say it has done great.

470 lbs wet.  Goes all day at 80 mph or more.  Traction control and ABS.  Heated grips.  Great wind management with adjustable windshield.  37 liters of storage in each side case.

Chris
 
friend of mine is in Colorado right now with one he rented on vacation and is ranting and raving about how good they are (he owns an xsr900 here at home).

fantastic bike, congrats.
 
I have the same motor in a 2014 FZ09 . . I rented the Tracer900 GT last November in Az. I  found it to be  more comfortable &  could replace both bikes. It is the choice I'd make if without a bike today.

 
I'm form over function but I admit to being profoundly shallow at times. My FZ09 has a presence. The Concours14 delivers on it's looks. The Tracer 900 GT is somewhat uninspiring for a bike I got a 114mph ticket on. It looks so different from a FZ09. The distance from the radiator to the back of the engine bay seems exaggerated by a straight line above it.     
      And the side cases don't fit a full face helmet. Other than that the perfect Moto.                   
 
Looking at photos now I have to say it has some nice details. The seat is very very comfortable with nice grab rails and a brushed aluminum plate between the seats. Easy to use the entire seat.
 
I was a little apprehensive about buying a bike with a chain but you don't really notice anything different between it and a shaft while riding. I understand a little more maintenance but in the end it's not a big deal.
 
Very nice bike and yard!! Your bike is one of the bikes I really like! Rode the Tracer in the Alps and loved it!  What they have done now with the GT is great!

:motonoises:  :motonoises:  :great:
 
Rusty said:
Very nice bike and yard!! Your bike is one of the bikes I really like! Rode the Tracer in the Alps and loved it!  What they have done now with the GT is great!

:motonoises:  :motonoises:  :great:
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That is 10 acres in Eastern Kansas, about 45 minutes from K.C. And yes, my driveway will be replaced in the next couple of weeks.
 
Shizzle said:
I was a little apprehensive about buying a bike with a chain but you don't really notice anything different between it and a shaft while riding. I understand a little more maintenance but in the end it's not a big deal.
Click to expand...

Good info, thanks! Tracer is top of my list when I replace my C14. Love the features like CC and TFT display. Hoping the windscreen and upper position can still shield from enough wind and rain on long rides or commutes.

 
wayne-o said:
Looking at photos now I have to say it has some nice details. The seat is very very comfortable with nice grab rails and a brushed aluminum plate between the seats. Easy to use the entire seat.
Click to expand...

I looks interesting, but I loved my FJs when I first got them and fell out of love with them when the fling was over

Speaking from dated, but Yamaha experience none the less........ and this only my opinion, I consider them soft - too soft for the long haul. I know on the FJ's I have owned the transmissions were VERY soft and I had to fix each of them in their first  5 years of existence. The 1100 when it was just past a year old and out of warranty! That was not the only thing that bugged me. Covers and fairing parts would come loose no matter what you did in the 2nd or 3rd year of ownership due to faulty designs. It is a fact that plastic clip will not hold 3 or 4 flexing plastic parts for very long without loosing up - it just won't.  :eek:  And their performance seemed to always be mid pack with their peers. There were stars in their line up for sure, but most models remained middle of the road "also rans" for the most part.

I have a buddy that offered me a FREE low miles FJ 1200 that needs the carbs cleaned or replaced because it sat after he bought his FJR in 2007. After a decade I am sure it needs more attention, but I have still not gone and picked up that bike. After owning two, I am just not that excited by the prospect. The same guy just gave up on riding his FJR 1300 a couple years ago and offered it to me in June, he never mentioned a price, just said it isn't worth much (2006 model with 9k miles). Maybe I will go see him this winter when I have time to do some wrenching, but for right now I am enjoying my Connie and there isn't any excitement offered by either to do so.

I'm not saying these are bad bikes, far from it. There just is not enough there to hold my attention for very long and I would be afraid it would be more of the same if I invested 13K in another bike from this somewhat conservative brand is all.  :??:
 
ride one of the 900 triples, they are pretty snotty on fzo9 and xsr form.  far cry from the fj platform
 
Very few bikes hold my attention very long. I have had a lot of bikes since I started riding in 1977.  But the Tracer GT makes a lot of sense for me. Who knows, next year it may be something else. But for now the Tracer checks all the boxes. Hard to get this much bike anywhere else for $13k
 
m in sc said:
ride one of the 900 triples, they are pretty snotty on fzo9 and xsr form.  far cry from the fj platform
Click to expand...

I completely agree. The FJ platform is not something you would take to a track and expect to be competitive by any stretch of the imagination.

My issues with Yamaha bikes has more to do with uninspiring engine and drive-train performance as well as poor overall build quality and reliability. I have found them to be good middle of the pack bikes but not top performers that hold up over time. Success on the track does not always translate to success in the dealer showroom, or in the owner's garage. For example, you don't see many Yamaha police bikes, I wonder why that is.... :eek:

But things can definitely change and this bike reflects that. I would love to see some decade old examples.
 
25 years old+ examples:
FZR1000?
85-90 FZ750?
FZ400R
TZR250 3xv?
RZ350? (up to 94)

I own, currently, bikes from all 4 Japanese makers, i'm not brand specific in loyalty at all (full disclosure)

These all have held up over decades as solid performers.
I agree, quality among the japanese makers has historically kind of been: Honda, top. then suzuki/yamaha then kawi. But they are all so close in overall quality, especially these days, its miniscule. 

The irony is how well Triumph has stacked up in quality over the past 20 years. Who saw that coming when they came back? I sure didn't.  :beerchug:

My .02



 
I have never had an issue with either a Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki or Honda. Never had any issues with my 3 new Harley's I bought either. So I wouldn't compare build quality and reliability from the past because for me they have all been fantastic machines. Also I had always felt that Yamaha was at or close to the top of performance over the other Japanese bikes. Just my experience though. I really don't see how you can find a better deal on a Sport Tourer right now than the Tracer GT. Anything else close is going to be $3k to $4k more. One thing I did find in my search and shopping experience is that inventories are very low. I was lucky to find this bike and to buy it under MSRP was a bonus.
 
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