Yamaha Motor Vehicles
Yamaha MT-07
best mid range naked – Have owned a big litre Yamaha among other bikes and the MT-07 is the best for around town and a squirt through the hills, sounds good too with an… Read more
Akro. A lot of comments about handling on the earlier models, mine is the 2019 model and the handling is good. Good narrow bike for lane splitting, super torquey, economical with still got a lot to offer at highway speeds. Highly recommended and still puts a smile on my face. Surprises bigger bikes off the line with its power to weight and torque, you just have to lean forward.
Yamaha TT-R230
Great dirtbike for fun times – Chose this for my first dirt bike. I was a moderate level street rider and never had ridden on dirt, this bike made it easy and fun I loved my… Read more
CRF230. The handling as you would hope from this bike is great as is the suspension which I did aggressively and it performs very well.
Yamaha MT-09
MT09 2018 TWICE the Torque of WR 450 street legal fun – MT stands for MONSTER TORQUE from idle to BEST FUN ? Prior to this I have owned and ridden 1998/2006 R1, XJR 1300, many others all inline 4s and v4s v 2s Puts a smile on my face everytime we go for a run highway or sweet twisty country roads Show details
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King Commuter – I purchased this bike new and it was my first bike. In the year I owned it I found it was more than capable of the suburban commute. Pretty quick at… Read more
the lights and as it's a motorbike not many cars tried to race me. But on that front, if you're unfamiliar with bikes, the R15 is as fast as a Toyota Hilux Ute. 80km:hr was the bikes sweet spot.
Highway was doable, but you're pushing your luck. There's no overtaking ability to speak of. I have heard that 130km:hr was achieved on a closed track, in full tuck going down a slight decline but I can't speak to that other than to say I'd believe it.
Fuel economy is incredible. Just a tad over 2ltr:100km. The most I got from the 11 liter tank was 530km but I was sweating bullets on the ride into the Petrol Station.
Lane filtering to get to the front of the queue at the lights was easy peasy. And as stated earlier. Give it the beans at the lights and you're up to the speed limit and ahead of most cars pretty easily.
Mechanically I had ZERO problems but I bought it from new and it was serviced on time. The only "issue" I had was I seemed to be checking tyre pressure regularly. I asked on a forum how often people checked their tyre pressure I was told *maybe* once a week, I was checking / inflating it every second day.
Lack of ABS wasn't a *real* issue.
If you drop it :-( it's a light bike to put upright. Note to self. Don't apply front brake on gravel
Sitting position was fine. I tried the R7 recently and that was to aggressive for me (I'm currently on a naked).
After a year and 10k I traded it in for a MT-03. I looked at the new R15 V4 and it looks very nice and has ABS which is welcome
If don't plan on riding over 100km:hr for extended periods the R15 is definitely a viable option. You just have to plan your lane position and over taking moves. It's one heck of a fun machine that loves to corner and you can give it the beans whilst keeping your licence (or not lose it in one hit).
Definitely consider it
Photo 1 - bike with the L plate Photo 2 - odometer when it was delivered photo 3 - First commute solo proof of life for my wife photo 4 & 5 full tank with trip meter from previous fill
Rock Solid Performance – I owned Gen I ABS bike first for three years then changed to a new Gen II in 2008 mostly for the heated grips and gear change indicator. Its a… Read more
peculiarity of the FJR that although I consider myself a seasoned rider with over 50 years in the saddle I annoyingly still went looking for that non existent 6th gear. Had they added the sixth gear back then they would not have needed the gear indicator! I am a six foot and with the standard screen it is a little low. A shorter rider would find it perfect although the seat height might be a little high for shorter legs. Now completed 50,000 klms which is low for a 2008 bike (now Oct 2020). No issues other than fork seals replaced, one leaking, left one of course and a new lithium battery which has been great and very light. Would love the extra gear but simply can't justify swapping out a bike that still looks and rides like brand new. Yamaha quality has to be the best.
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Hugely underrated – I have owned and ridden probably 30+ bikes over the years, from sports bikes to tourers to adventure bikes. As a bike to own, this one is my… Read more
surprise favourite.
If you read any magazine review it watch the videos, the S10 always gets an average review. However do some research on owner reviews and you may find that most owners rate them highly.
I was expecting an average, generic Japanese ride, yet for some unknown reason I just 'clicked' with this bike. It's as if Yamaha came and measured me and built it just for me.
I'm a fan of the BMW GS and KTM Adv bikes but honestly, I now prefer my S10. The engine character is similar to the GS boxers, riding position like the KTM 990. Suspension works well and the handing is more than good enough for the road. I don't experience any of the 'top heavy' feeling the journos keep going on about.
Engine performance is more than enough for road use, plenty of grunt when needed. It's no superbike but still plenty to get you before the court if desired.
They are also reported to be very reliable.
Fuel consumption is only average and there is no big tank option from the factory, probably the only things limiting it as being the perfect road bike for Australia.
I'll be keeping this bike for a long time.
Great Bike, but still very heavy – I sold my KTM300 after six years and went over to a Four Stroke. The WR and Yamaha for that fact need no introduction and have a reputation for… Read more
amazing build quality and reliability. A trademark of Japanese companies. The 300 is a powerfull bike and very fast but its lightweight handling and low tip weight it never felt like it was a handfull in the Bush. The WR trumps the 300 for power and for a big bore four stroke revs to the moon. This thing has serious mumbo and puts it down to the ground as well, making it deceptively fast. The WR is at home on more open tracks as it has a tendency to flame out(Stall) at low speeds and you need to over the clutch to avoid this hapening when tackling technical terrain. I love the WR the build quality, the power. the looks, the brakes but it is a handfull and very heavy when compared to the 300. On paper it is only about 17kgs heavier than the 300 but it feels like 30kgs. Overall a wicked bike but Yamaha still needs to shave some weight of this beast. If i was to go again i would go the WR250 as TBH the 450 is way too much bike for all but the Experts among us.
Yamaha MT-03
Needs to be reved – Small bikes are fun. But I always want a bit more power. The Duke 390 was the most powerful bike out of the two, (MT03). I sold the Duke because the… Read more
suspension was set up for the road only. Could not do dirt roads. So I got an MT 07. The suspension on the MT03 is terrible like the MT07, but they both can go on dirt roads. I have seen others take the Duke on dirt online. Perhaps I was too precious with it. I bought the Duke new. I bought the MT03 second hand. The plastics are cheap on the MT03. Thin, and screw tabs break easily.
Yamaha XT250
Brilliant – Owner of over 30 motorcycles! Should have bought one of these years ago . It will take you anywhere you point, it will do legal highway speeds all… Read more
day , super light agile deceptively quick of the mark very frugal on fuel, cheap to maintain , anyone can ride the xt 250 from learners to world champions and have fun all day simple and low demanding of either skill or fitness! Only fault is could be a slightly larger capacity by no means a deal breaker
Best Supersports Bike – I've owned my Yamaha R1 for just over a year now. 2016 anniversary. The bike sounds amazing with its cross plane engine. More than enough power at… Read more
200hp. If you're looking for fuel efficiency, look elsewhere, this monster drinks petrol like a car if you're driving in an urban setting. Not for the faint hearted as it can be jerky at slow speeds and does get hot in start stop driving lock traffic.
Pillion passengers will be very uncomfortable on the small seat. But overall the bike is top tier and reliable.
Perfect – The handling and cornering of this bike is better than any bike I have ever had over many years. Very predictable and smooth. I wish I could afford the 300 for highway riding with pillion The 155 is perfect for commute and town and local roads Show details
One sweet and liesurely ride – When I decided to get back on two wheel I was searching for a very specific motorcycle, and the XVZ1300 CT fit every requirement then some. I wanted… Read more
a big bore cruiser with shaft drive, and needed lockable storage for all my camera gear.
The Royal Star Tour Deluxe was at the right price, and as far as I was concerned was an absolute bargain given it was perfect in every way.
A mere 59000km on a 2006 model when I purchased it in late 2018, and I've managed to add another 30000 in the almost three years of ownership.
If you're looking for a 2nd hand cruiser with a practically bulletproof engine (a detuned V-Max mill so it hardly has to do any hard work) and lazy but predictable handling look no further.
This weighty machine out-corners all my mates on HD's every time, albeit scraping the sacrificial steel plates underneath the running boards - which put on quite the show after dark✨ In the wet I occasionally get the rear to drift when taking off at the lights, but the long wheelbase just soaks up the slide and once the rear tyre heats up glides back into line if the power is kept on
Bucket loads of torque from the V4 allows effortless acceleration in practically any gear, but if you really give it some poke then hold on!
It's such an easy ride, that never gives any surprises in corners, even when things get bumpy. It simply floats across any undulating surfaces and stays planted.
If it's sound you're after, the bike I purchased had straight four-into-two pipes which sound suitably angry when under load. I have had comments that it sounds surprisingly like a V8 note
Excellent after some tuning – I pulled the lucky card and got the IronMax model, the one that’s way better and aggressive styling than the new techy stuff. Advantages of the… Read more
limited edition included Akrapovitch exhaust which was super low-sounding. I had to sell Akra as if was not to my taste. Got sc-project instead which sound right as i like it. It also improved roll-on, surprisingly after Akra... Other upgardes included full-metal footplates, as it was a shame to see rubbers down below; only the forward plates were metal in the Ironmax. They should have come full metal off the factory for the limited edition. I love the color scheme, liquid darkness. This is the only bile I copped many compliments from passers-by in the months before lockdowns. Also had to move the mirrors onto the steering bar as i hated the ant whisker look of the stock ones. Shall also mention i did some simple upgrades in the variator and the thing flies properly now. I tried the chip tuning but it has got a proprietary connector and the local specialist could not do it. This is the last bastion that i must somehow resolve, the dyno tuning. Overall very impressed, will never sell. Highly recommended, if you can source one and not shy of some extra spend on reasonable tuning.
Great bike for shorter and not as strong ladies! – Great bike, easy to throw around - and reach the ground! Love the electric start. Would be good to have a kick start for a backup (new ones do),… Read more
although after 3 years have never had a problem with electrics. Was ready to give up riding until I bought this bike. Price is great! Low seat height and controllable power, but can still (almost!) keep up with the boys.... Suspension is not crash not, but for the price shouldn't complain. Does get put over some pretty rough stuff though.
amazing bike, but tough on your back – This is an amazing bike build amazing handling. Acceleration and speed would blow your mind. But this bike is not ideal for long rides as the sitting… Read more
position and would make your back very sore . Riding in the city might be a little bit challenging because of the riding position as it compromises handling on low speeds.
Cool Scooter – A great little scooter. Mine is a 2017 model so had it for a while now. Gets up and goes off the mark, easily keeping up /leading the traffic. It can… Read more
get to 100 no worries but I rarely ride it on the highway or freeway, most journeys are around the suburbs. I really like the space under the seat, helmet fits easily in there. About 300km per fill, usually around 6 litres.
If you want a reliable scoot, this one is beaut!
Yamaha XMAX
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$1,300+ to service the bike – I paid $9,500 for my brand new 2023 model (in 2024) and I like the bike but Yamaha City (in Lorimer St) are charging me over $1,300 for a V-belt… Read more
service which is to be done every 20,000km. That's roughly every second month for me, working as a motorcycle courier, with the interim service costing over $700. So over $1,000 a month to keep the bike running is simply not viable for me so I'll go back to using a Honda again and I'll never buy Yamaha again.
WR250F 2006 Model – I had a WR250F for about two years, it was used for trail bike riding, I found it very reliable, power was adequate for a 250. The four stroke motor… Read more
never missed a beat. Electric start was a great feature. Servicing was easy , Yamaha quality was great. Seemed to be very economical. I cannot really fault this bike. It performed just as I expected. It did not feel large and heavy. I could easily pick it up when I fell off. I only sold it as I am now 67 years old and falling off it, hurt too much, basically I always went too fast in the wrong places, thinking I was 25 again. Always make sure you have a nice new sharp front tyre for off road stuff. Just saying....:)
Yamaha AG200
Wiring sucks – While the bike had a wide seat, sits lower for short people. Wiring is crap. It is a replica of the AG125... too much wiring crunched into a small area. Causes wire breakages ...lights and electric start....why!!!! Show details
Fantastic neo-retro machine – This is my fourth bike and I absolutely love it. The power, the brakes, the suspension, the sound it makes even with the stock exhaust. Nice comfy… Read more
seat, good set of handlebars. This is a fantastic bike out of the box. Really liking the instrument cluster as well for look and functionality. Decent fuel economy as well.
The negatives - terrible stock mirrors (can hardly see anything) and small-ish tank, resulting in a comfortable maximum of around 200 km between fill ups. Coming from a CBR500, where I could do 400 km between fill ups, this feels quite limiting.
All in all - one of the best bikes in that category at the moment. Fantastic price for what you get!
Awesome little bike for kids – This little bike is awesome fun for kids especially those who are just learning how to ride! The electric start no clutch making it super easy for… Read more
kids to learn to how to change gears, perfect for those who are getting ready to transition to the next size up bike
Great Bike, Loads of Power and Fun! – I have a 2004 yz250F and I have been extremely happy with it. It has top quality performance with a reliable engine, it is super light and easy to… Read more
maneuver with enough power that you can flick it around with no troubles. I have ridden many other bikes such as 450s 350s and 300s and this bike is by far my favorite because you are fully in control instead of the bigger bikes having so much power the bike rides you. It is easy to pick up when dropped and the fuel consumption is low meaning hours of fun on a single tank. I have found parts are cheap when something minor goes on it due to wear and tear as it is an old bike, and I am yet to experiance any major engine issue 17 years on which is according to my friend who was the original owner. It is also a very versatile bike with power for hill climbs in high country trips or hills, sand riding on dunes on the beach or desert, it is a race spec bike too making it designed for the track and is easy to ride more enduro style single tracks.
Explosive power – It is my first big bike cannot believe the amount of power it produces. Spent the first few rides getting used to the throttle as it is very… Read more
aggressive and needs to be respected it is a bit on the weighty side but can be forgiving in the wrong gear due to the tremendous torque it will pull you up anything. the bikes been set up for trail and it's great the gear ratios are short but it's enough for most situations. Awesome bike so far maintanance is not too bad.
Excellent – I decided to step up from my other bike. I spent a lot of time researching 250cc bikes that were not full enduro bikes. End of the day the 250r was… Read more
the best. Got it, put bark busters on, bash plate, dropped a tooth on the front, put offroad tyres on and put a FMF powercore on it.
Use it at our farm, and to date it has been flawless. I was pleasantly surprised recently when it out climbed a KX250 on a hill climb to the point where the guy on the KX gave up, turned around and went back. Although only 20cc more than the TTR230 we have (also a good bike) the power is vastly higher. It will whip up to 100km quite easily and catches the 230 without trying.
The reviews are correct, its not a beginner bike, especially as it it bogs down at low revs and likes to be revved, thus the few times i have come off are normally when im trying to be careful at low revs and stalls when i go for power. Simple answer is to drop a gear and keep them up.
If you don't have the money for a 250r, id personally look at the current KLX250.
Lots of fun! – My husband purchased the Yamaha Raptor as a birthday present for myself and I loved it! They are so much fun, they look great too. At first we… Read more
couldn't work out why it would go very fast but soon discovered that they have speed limiter in underneath the seat, so we took the speed limiter out and off I went! the speed limiter is for safety reasons kids ect.
Yamaha ag 200 – I have bought my first Yamaha badged motorcycle. the ag 200 is rubbish compared to my previous Hondas. it rattles and has no horsepower. The… Read more
carburettor has already been replaced within the first 6 months of me owning it. I would not recommend this bike to anyone but two good reliable stock bike I have liked lots is the Honda crf230f and the Suzuki drz400e.
Awesome – We brought the grizzly 350 had that for a few months took it everywhere then we loved it so much we went and brought the 450 we had great service… Read more
from Jeremy and Michelle I would recommend going to Yamaha in Bunbury. Very helpful and awesome help. Best store in 6230
Yamaha AG125
want a good farm bike buy a Yahama – 2024 bike purchased at savage m/c, in Midland WA. excellent farm bike, simple to use and maintain, carby kick and electric start 5 gears neutral at… Read more
bottom. best is complete protection of chain and sprockets from dirt and dust. 1 st gear nice and low other 4 are well spaced out great seating, lights are brilliant . best farm bike ever (leaves honda,s for dead) and also the best price of all the brands available, this bike will be my last bike i need,it will last for many many years THANKS YAHAMA
Yamaha AG100
Great – This bike is just great! I have one that has been handed down to me from my grandfather and it still runs great. (I'm pretty sure the front tire is… Read more
original lol) It has done over 60 thousand km and still going strong. Would recommend to anybody wanting to buy one. Just about everything.
Tracer 900GT - Comfortable, Excellent Handling Bike – Sold my 2018 BMW R1200GS Rallye as I was not satisfied with some of its qualities, so I purchased a 2020 Yamaha Tracer 900GT. Here are my initial… Read more
impressions.
I made the trip home from the dealership on the Tracer 900 GT and extended the ride to about an hour. I rode some higher speed city roads, the 401 Express Highway (busy, wide, excellent tarmac), ramp entrances and exits, followed by some single lane (each way) secondary highway with some short radius curves. From this initial jaunt, I can fairly conclude several things about the ride experience. I want to clarify that, from my point of view, the ride experience on a motorcycle is so much more important than the motorcycle's features, where the features aren't really worth much if they do not enhance the riding experience. I am mentioning this because adding electronic gadgets to motorcycles tends to confuse what's important about motorcycling, and I dare to say that adding features, without considering the bike as a whole, does not translate into a better purchase or a better ride for the owner. I also think the riding/driving experience is much more important on a motorcycle than in a car, because the motorcycle rider generally has to concentrate more when moving down the road - using the eyes, arms, legs, and brain, of course, adjusting to the road frequently, forecasting what's coming up, and generally paying more attention to safety. The gadgetry is just less of a priority, including electronic gadgetry. So, from my first ride, I can conclude the following:
Any remorse I had about selling the BMW R1200GS Rallye is gone completely.
First, the Tracer doesn't feel heavy in the front like the BMW. The Tracer moves easily from side to side in my hands while stopped, just like a sport bike would. This immediately translated to confidence as I headed off on the bike. As expected, there was no heavy feeling in the front as I made my turns, consistent with that light feeling while stopped. Good going Yamaha. I now am much much less concerned about the bike leaning too far in an emergency braking situation - the Tracer just feels so much lighter that I am confident that I can keep the bike supported even if it is leaned over further under an avoidance maneuver. Better yet, there is no trace (pun!) of any imbalance in the Tracer, toward the left or the right, when coming to a stop, unlike the BMW. The BMW left me feeling somewhat less at ease when stopping, as the bike tended to start to lean either left or right when slowing to a stop. I tried modulating the braking differently on the BMW, so that I was applying more rear brake force than front to see if that would rectify the issue. It did to a small extent, but that was it. Perhaps the easy tipping is from the profile of the Michelin Anakees, especially the front tire, as it has a very high midline profile, likely to help induce turn-in on cornering. Whether it was the tire, or whether it is the design of the BMW, I cannot say for sure, but I practically forgot to assess this issue when riding the Tracer, because the problem simply wasn't happening at all. Another win for the Tracer. With less weight on the front end and less tippiness, I felt way more confident on the Tracer than I ever did on the BMW. On the BMW, I felt like I needed to "learn how to ride it." On the Tracer, I pretty much rode it away from the dealership like I stole it.
The Telelever front end on the BMW would contribute significantly to the heavier, and more tipsy feeling on the BMW. With modern suspension being so advanced, so adjustable, and just so darn good, I really wonder why BMW persists with it. The Tracer's suspension was excellent, with good feedback, where I felt very connected to a light and responsive front end.
The engine on the Tracer feels so much better to ride than the rattly Boxxer. It's quick, it's smooth, and first and second gear are tall for easy city navigation. This is just so much of a better feeling than the BMW, where the Boxxer grunts just way too much for the level of performance that it makes. It's not a fast engine, and every gear feels like you're reaching the upper end of the rev limiter, even at normal riding speeds and throttle inputs. I don't like the grunt of the twins, whether they be Boxxer twins or parallel twins, and the Boxxer engine in particular does not accelerate quickly, nor does it have a top end speed that feels comfortable at the higher end of freeway speeds. The Boxxer, at 80mph in sixth gear, feels okay, but it seems like it is running out of additional oomph, and it's not fun riding a bike that feels like it's topping out at highway speeds. The Tracer, on the other hand, is cruising nicely in fifth gear at 80mph, and there's still one gear left to go! To me, this is a more reassuring feeling while riding at freeway speeds - there's more reserve power in case you need to pass someone quickly.
High speed sweepers and secondary highway curves (with what I would call a slightly tighter radius)are handled really well by the Tracer. This is not an area of complaint I had with the BMW, as I felt that it performed well. I was a little more aware of the BMW's 18" wheel size when cornering - it makes the bike feel big, but you can move it. The Tracer feels smaller than what it is, possibly due to the 17" wheels, so the intimidation factor was down a bit from the BMW, but, overall, there is nothing to complain about. As far as trail braking into a corner, I felt the Tracer was very good, where there was just enough fork compression to plant the front tire well and turn the bike. This appears well engineered by Yamaha, where the fork settings match what needs to happen upon application of the front brake for turning. The rear stayed completely composed. The suspension was providing just the right composure for the bike. Well engineered.
I think another reason why the Tracer handled well in the curves was due to the increased room in the cockpit and a very slightly forward-leaning seating position compared to a sport bike or standard, where I had a lot of room for body positioning when cornering. The fact is, though, the chassis responded extremely well to those body inputs, and the bike felt very stable.
The clutch lever pull on the Tracer is short and light...shorter and lighter than on the BMW, and I think that this is something that helps me differentiate the bikes in a general way. The short and light clutch on the Tracer is just another part of the overall light, nimble package that the Tracer offers. The heavier, longer clutch pull on the GS goes along with its heavier chassis, and I cannot see where this would ever be a benefit when riding. I guess, if you were going to ride 600 kilometers per day in a long stretch, the clutch pull would mean a lot less than if you were in stop and start traffic. But even then, I just do not appreciate the long, harder pull, and the higher initial throttle required to move the GS.
The quickshifter action on the Tracer is extremely smooth, and really really fun to engage. However, the rider can only quickshift up (from first to sixth) on the Tracer, not down. But I loved it. On the contrary, the BMW quickshifter allows for upshifts and partial downshifts (throttle in the off position when downshifting), but it was extremely notchy, creating lurching movements in the bike. It was bad enough that I went back to the dealer to confirm that the bike actually had a quickshifter. Perhaps it has been improved on the 1250GS, but I do not know that.
The TFT screen on the Tracer is the perfect size and has been placed perfectly on the bike to minimize interference with the rider's focus on the road. This was one area that I wasn't expecting to assess, but I realized quickly while riding that the Yamaha's TFT display was positioned on the bike from the point of view of what the rider should actually be experiencing on the bike. The Yamaha engineers positioned the TFT display lower behind the screen, below where a rider would be looking when focusing on the road. If the rider is looking down the road toward the horizon, the TFT screen is placed below his/her field of view, keeping the TFT unobtrusive to the riding experience. On top of being lower, the TFT screen is tilted upward, so that the rider looks down slightly to see it, rather than having it in their face all of the time. That was one of my main gripes with the R1200GS - the TFT screen was facing directly at the rider, sitting high in the cockpit, which meant I was always staring at the screen when going down the road. This creates a split screen for me, meaning my faculties (my brain functions) are divided between looking at the road and trying not to be distracted by the screen (and the navigation unit, which sits above it, making even more interference with the riding field of view). If accidents can be avoided within fractions of a second, I dare to say that BMW's choice of positioning the TFT unit creates a distraction for me, diverting my attention away from the road, and thereby creates a less safe, and potentially dangerous driving experience. I do not want to battle electronic equipment while riding, and I don't want it competing for my attention on the road. I really have to hand it to Yamaha for putting the screen in the right spot - lower down, and tilted up, keeping it out of the rider's direct field of view when scanning the road. And yes, thank you Yamaha for putting a normal fuel gauge on the main screen. The BMW required going through the menu to see the fuel indicator, which was one of those "how many km's until empty" types of gauges. No thanks. A fuel gauge is primary information and I do not know why it isn't preset on the main screen, in the traditional fashion of a fuel gauge.
A good segue from the TFT screen is to discuss the switchgear, and once again I have to say kudos to Yamaha. There is no cheap feeling in the switchgear whatsoever. It feels as good and as durable as the BMW, at least at this point, and likely into the future. For one, the on/off switch on the Tracer is now integrated with the kill switch, into one rocker switch, which makes sense and frees up space for other functions. Because it's all one unit, there's no more scanning for buttons for the start switch or the kill switch - it's all packaged very nicely as one red rocker switch. Secondly, any of the adjustments having to do with the ride are located on one panel (the left one), and close to each other. This means that the ride modes and the traction control switches are both on the left switch box, and near the top. I love this. This means I can make a change from B to A or to Standard ride mode, then compare the traction controls at each level, all using my left index finger. It's easy. Because there are three positions on each, there is no need to monitor the screen for the changes I am making. Rather, the switches motivate me to make changes based on how the bike responds to a change in the switch - it encourages me to experiment and find settings suitable to me. The BMW, on the other hand, is not so conducive to making connections between riding settings. My 1200GS had a ride mode switch on the left, and a suspension setting switch on the right (no traction control settings but the idea of having two switches for ride control is very valid and important to the riding experience). Confusing things more, some of the riding modes were named the same as the suspension settings, and I never really could remember, or never really knew, what the names were supposed to reflect. For example, there was a dynamic riding mode, and also a dynamic pro riding mode that were supposedly different. On the suspension side, those were two of the choices as well, dynamic, and dynamic pro, and it just wasn't so intuitive as to how the modes would work with one another. And having the switches on two different hands seemed to remove an element of intuitive coordination of the overall riding experience for me. The Yamaha is better, configuring the choices as essentially levels. The ride modes are essentially power levels that can be controlled, and the traction control is also set up as levels of traction control interference with braking. It is much more intuitive to consider levels (like volume buttons), than try to correlate names of modes with what they are supposed to be accomplishing.
But I need to add another layer to the riding modes, and switchgear issue. With the BMW, the ride modes and the suspension modes pop up on the TFT display and become menu-operated for selecting among the choices. In other words, you can see what you are switching to on the screen and toggle to them. This is very much operated like a computer interface that you would have on your personal computer to find something in a menu, and it seems like BMW is trying to create an interface that would replicate what you do when you are in front of a computer. My issue is that it is, once again, a really big distraction that is happening, and for what? You don't need to be scrolling through choices on menus when you're riding, and you certainly don't want to be wasting a lot of time stopping to do it on the side of the road. The Yamaha is better - you switch a riding mode or level, and it just appears on the screen as that change, and you don't need to look and you don't need to scroll to view choices - three levels on each switch (ride mode and traction control) means that you can make a change, and change again soon if you don't like it. This is a much better system, because the motorcycle is not encouraging you to look at computer screens, which distracts you from the road. Rather, it keeps you focused on the road. It seems to me that the Yamaha engineers must have adopted a safety point of view with their incorporation of riding modes, traction control, and the TFT, and once again, focused on the riding experience. I agree with their philosophy and their implementation entirely. I do not agree with BMW's at all. The addition of extra functions through the electronics could and should not ever compromise the riding experience and safety.
I need to assess the windscreen on the Tracer GT again. Yes, I experienced some wind noise and turbulence on the 401 above 75mph, but it was particularly windy this Saturday, so I would like to test the windscreen again on a less windy day. All in all, I think ear plugs solve the noise issue, but it was not unlike riding other motorcycles anway. I must say that the BMW was extremely good at managing the wind, from both a turbulence and a noise standpoint, and I think that it has something to do with the thickness of the screen itself. The BMW screen was thicker, with a solid, over-rounded border all the way around it that likely contributed to its stationarity. This meant that the windshield itself was sturdy in the wind; if the windshield is sturdy, then it promotes more consistent airflow behind it. I will consider some changes to the screen after I test it a few more times, and I do not like the fact that it is likely a relatively simple thing to engineer correctly from the start. The wind protection on my legs and lower torso, being behind the tank, however, was excellent.
I love the riding position on the Tracer. I am upright, but slightly forward, just the way I like it. This position means that all of my body weight is not directly above my lower back (I have lower back issues). My knees have less bend than any other bike I've ridden, and my hips are also much much less bent. My toes tip slightly forward, and, overall, I feel comfortable, yet in a very solid, alert, riding attack position.
I did not have an opportunity to take the Tracer on broken pavement, recycled asphalt, or a gravel road. I firmly believe that every motorcycle has a narrow range of surfaces it can travel, and that range is primarily dictated by the tires that are on the bike. Since I am not going off road, and will not have off road tires on the Tracer, I see little need to test its composure on those surfaces with the road going tires that it has. This brings up that quandary that we all have about adventure bikes in general - about whether they are really too big to be taken off road or not. I think it suffices to say that, without off road tires specific to the type of off road riding that will take place, adventure bikes are made for the road. There's nothing to consider until you've equipped the bike to go where you want it to.
The GS, like other adventure touring bikes, is definitely made for crossing the Andes, going to Africa or Alaska, and so forth...the engineers have set out upon honest paths to achieve this. But it means the bikes are engineered to cover a variety of terrain, and perhaps they've had to compromise in one area to create that multiplicitive use within them. After riding the Tracer, however, I'm wondering if the GS is really the best continent crosser. With the right suspension setup, tires, and windscreen, I'm thinking I would be more apt to take a Tracer anywhere over the GS.
For my road use, however, I am extremely confident that the Tracer is the better choice. It's also a better handler than the VFR1200F I had, with its heavy shaft drive (the VFR was a pretty good bike in all respects, though. Really good wind protection behind a fixed screen, for example). The engine also feels close but slightly better than the 2013 Speed Triple that I had, with the 1050cc triple. Despite the slightly higher horsepower of the Speed Triple, the taller gearing, and deep pulling of each gear on the Tracer leads to a better engine and acceleration feel on the Yamaha (shorter shifting on the Speed Triple - perhaps more race oriented, sacrificing some real world practicality). Overall, very happy with my switch to the Tracer from the R1200GS.