179 replies to this topic

[Geordie Guy]

No one on here will like it - because it's not a TDM 

 

How True ! 

[leehenty]

The trouble is most of our TDM's still have 50 to 80,000 miles of life left in them. Yamaha made a bike that lasted. Not too good for new sales I suppose but there it is.

The problem is you sit on a new bike and ask what will this give me my TDM doesn't ? 

You find it difficult to find something that really stands out as miles better, that's going to be worth the 1000's of beer tokens they want you to stump up, without giving up all the advantages of the TDM. It's a dilemma to be sure.

[Deauman]

The Tracer is getting some good reviews but the journalists like its high revving, quick steering sporty nature. Now I know the TDM can do sporty but this new bike is clearly going to have a very different character.

[dmmsta]

Sounds like it suffers the low-rev jerkiness that the TDM has too, based on some reports!

[EeeTea]

The trouble is most of our TDM's still have 50 to 80,000 miles of life left in them. Yamaha made a bike that lasted. Not too good for new sales I suppose but there it is.
The problem is you sit on a new bike and ask what will this give me my TDM doesn't ? 
You find it difficult to find something that really stands out as miles better, that's going to be worth the 1000's of beer tokens they want you to stump up, without giving up all the advantages of the TDM. It's a dilemma to be sure.

Yeah. I absolutely agree. When I sold my TDM, I really wish I hadn't. The only thing I found with the TDM was the riding position wasn't the most comfortable...that said, I did Switzerland to home in a day...

[sidestand]

It's the same in the Airheads section of UKGSer - they reckon they all smell of piss & pine for the old days too 

 

Mind you, I've got 2 TDM 850's, an Airhead GS, a couple of 1981 Yamaha XT 250's & a '76 Suzuki two stroke ........So I'd best get myself a sneaky leaker soon 

[harvey krumpet]

The trouble is most of our TDM's still have 50 to 80,000 miles of life left in them. Yamaha made a bike that lasted. Not too good for new sales I suppose but there it is.

The problem is you sit on a new bike and ask what will this give me my TDM doesn't ? 

You find it difficult to find something that really stands out as miles better, that's going to be worth the 1000's of beer tokens they want you to stump up, without giving up all the advantages of the TDM. It's a dilemma to be sure.

Very well put. I've thought about a few replacements but the TDM is still in the shed & the money still in the bank. Changes in my riding habits will have more impact on whats next than a new bike design.

[muddy]

Been thinking about the tank range, I've got so used to filling up around the 200 mark and still having a good few litres in the tank, I couldn't put up with a bike that couldn't match that.

Edited by muddy, 13 January 2015 - 10:28 pm.

[muddy]

This bloke enjoyed it  

[Robodene]

I think I would enjoy it too, and to me it's a real looker. He enjoyed it so much he forgot to tell us how effective the screen was. And don't get me started on that seat. Oh to be a few years younger...

[dablik]

He's quite infectious haha, but what about the fookin stupid loon at the end of the video 

[muddy]

He's quite infectious haha, but what about the fookin stupid loon at the end of the video 

Yeah,  the lady driver gave him a fully deserved el loco sign. They must've crapped themselves with the way he swooped down on them. Looks a fun bike though, maybe a bit too much fun for me. Come on Yamaha bring us the MT07 Tracette

[dablik]

The more i read and see of this bike the more i like it, shame i dont have £8k sitting about.

[dandywarhol]

What a "freakin" erse the first guy is. Bike looks like fun though. I liked the MT09 I tested apart from the crap rear damper - this looks a bit more practical - bigger tank and better seat (why make shitty seats?) would be a great all rounder methinks

[harvey krumpet]

LOL. Cager on two wheels..... Portuguese me thinks. Recently watched his Yamaha Tricity review, Spent most of the vid doing stoppies. I'm hooked but think he might be off his.

[muddy]

I managed to test ride the Tracer for an hour or so today, courtesy of Moores Motorcycles, Hemel Hempstead.

 

First impression is that it's tall and I couldn't flat foot it. The seat is wide, flat and hardish, and the foot pegs are set further back than the TDM. So the riding position felt like being seated on a stall at the bar, as opposed to the TDM, which feels more like a comfy chair in comparison. It felt like I was perched, rather than seated, as if waiting for something to happen. The overall feeling is that you're sitting on something sporty rather than a tourer, but more of that later.

 

Setting off the fuelling in standard mode was a tad jerky, disappointingly. No more so than the TDM (after the airbox mod) but still there. Everything about the bike though is more precise and that took a bit of time to get used to. Once out and about though, I stopped and changed into B mode which dialled out the jerkiness enough to make it a lot easier to ride. Hurrah. So for town riding, B mode is fine, much better than my 9er. 

 

Handling wise, this bike is a cracker. At first I was all over the shop, because every little input seemed magnified compared to the TDM. Once I relaxed a bit, the handling was superb, way better than the 9er. I didn't push it, because the tyres didn't look scrubbed, but with warm, scrubbed tyres, this thing will tear around windy roads. The only downside was the hard suspension that made every bump in the road a bit jarring. Maybe that could be sorted through changing setting, but it was a bit off putting. 

 

Once I joined the A41, the engine just said, 'go on, you know you want to', so I did   It just hit silly speed so quickly and that's in standard mode, God knows what it's like in A mode. On the TDM it would feel like an event to be going that fast, but on the Tracer the same speed just felt par for the machine. So yeah, it's quick. And I should add that it's also very tractable, more so than the TDM in my opinion. I was surprised to find myself in 5 or 6 at times at low speeds, as there wasn't so much as a judder. Master of Torque, for sure.  

 

Under acceleration you get a lovely throaty growl, which surprised me for a stock exhaust and the triple engine can be felt working much more strongly than the TDM. It's doesn't feel like a vibration as such, but it can be felt. It's like the whole bike is stiffer than the 9er. Maybe it's because it's new and needs a couple of thousand miles to loosen up. The triple engine sound is so intoxicating though, it really is. 

 

Wind protection is OK and the hand guards cut the air around the arms. I had the screen on the middle setting and it dealt with most of the wind blast at cruising speeds. Sitting at 75 mph it felt fine and the bike felt sure footed and vibe free. It would munch up the miles no problem I think. 

 

Would I buy one? I've got to say no. For long distance touring, which is a lot of my riding, it's not as relaxed as the TDM and that may take a toll sat in the saddle all day. Even though it's classed as an adventure bike, it's got a sports bike feel to it, both in riding position and engine characteristics. That's quite clever from Yamaha, as it will have all round appeal, but I'm unlikely to use the level of performance this bike has on offer that often and that's the problem, because it begs to be ridden hard. And then of course there's the fuel economy and tank range, which will nowhere near match the TDM. So all in all it's too tall, too busy and too eager for me, but a brilliant and exciting bike to ride, nevertheless. I know, I'm an old fart 

[harvey krumpet]

Roadcraft Nottingham review.

http://youtu.be/39J9GkE2FEA

 

Whats with riding on the wrong side of the road?

[Muppdog]

Muddy

I did not mind your review in my thread. Seem to belong together.

Strange thing is that my MT was smoother in STD mode than in B mode. The  opposite to yours. You should have tried A mode!! I don't think it fits the bike but sometimes its nice to give it a real blast if your on your own and its safe to do so. TC will keep you straight.

By the way, you can change modes on the move. Just close the throttle and switch. Careful though particularly when changing from B into A mode as the  throttle response suddenly changes from lovely into rocket ship. A real scream and scare!

I personally don't mind a higher seating position. Most of my previous bikes have been taller than the MT. I never thought the TDM to be tall. 

I will miss the fuel economy of the TDM on long trips. But lets wait and see what the real life figures will be like. On the Autobahn my TDM was quite thirsty, too.

Agree on the adventure bike thingy. Its not. Just like most of the other manufacturers Yamaha high jacked the term for what is just a tall, fast, sure footed, well handling bike. It will not go anywhere!

Thanks for still reading

 

Rob

[muddy]

Muddy

I did not mind your review in my thread. Seem to belong together.

Strange thing is that my MT was smoother in STD mode than in B mode. The  opposite to yours. You should have tried A mode!! I don't think it fits the bike but sometimes its nice to give it a real blast if your on your own and its safe to do so. TC will keep you straight.

By the way, you can change modes on the move. Just close the throttle and switch. Careful though particularly when changing from B into A mode as the  throttle response suddenly changes from lovely into rocket ship. A real scream and scare!

I personally don't mind a higher seating position. Most of my previous bikes have been taller than the MT. I never thought the TDM to be tall. 

I will miss the fuel economy of the TDM on long trips. But lets wait and see what the real life figures will be like. On the Autobahn my TDM was quite thirsty, too.

Agree on the adventure bike thingy. Its not. Just like most of the other manufacturers Yamaha high jacked the term for what is just a tall, fast, sure footed, well handling bike. It will not go anywhere!

Thanks for still reading

 

Rob

I didn't use A mode, because I was asked to keep it under 6k for running in, which I did my best to do, so didn't want to get too much adrenaline going. Even at those revs, it went like stink, so I had my fun   I'm not a speed demon though and was researching the bike because I wanted to be sure that it wasn't suitable as a replacement for the TDM. It isn't for the reasons I give, but I'd recommend anyone try it, because it's a peach. I spoke with Colin, the owner, about the possibility of the MT-07 getting the adventure makeover and he reckoned it's highly likely, but hadn't heard anything. My thoughts are when Yamaha see these things flying out of the showrooms, it's inevitable that MT-07 will get the same treatment and that will likely be more up my street. It'd be good if they could make the foot peg position adjustable though, the seat height too.

[Quartermaster]

Muddy/Muppdog,

 

Thanks for your insightful reports. I have pretty much made up my mind to buy one, but will test ride before parting with my hard-earned dosh. I totally agree with the point that for long distance touring the TDM900 is easily the best for the reasons stated but realistically I have to admit that looking at my motorcycling these days, my trips are generally confined to 50 to 100 mile blasts and the Tracer is probably the more exciting selection of the two.