Yamaha MT09/FJ09 Tracer owners honest review
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2015
- This is a honest review of my MT-09 Tracer, the good the bad and the ugly, well ok the ugly disappears when I get off but that's a whole new video.
I know not a lot of people don't read this section, but I had a heart attack last year that temporally put an end to my biking lifestyle.
The attack although severe and required heart bypass surgery went well and the issue was more down to bad luck than any form of heart disease thankfully, so a full and complete recovery is expected.
The bad news was my beloved GS had to go while I was in the down time, and now I can't justify the expense so I am not a GS hater, far from it. All my last video information and feelings still stand.
I just had to get back on 2 wheels without the great expense, and this tracer is a fantastic starting point for the money.
Thanks to all for watching and commenting, and those that purchased GS I hope your loving them.
The very small intro music is "Surfing Safari" by the Beachboys - Auta a dopravní prostředky
SImply a great review - thanks mate. Glad to hear you are back to health, see you on your travels. You have been a great help in swaying my thinking, and the Tracer is racking up some great points so will definitely be checking that out as I get back in the saddle.
Brilliant to see you back in the saddle mate and again a fantastic review. I was moaning about how crap MCN and others reviews were the other night and saying how much better most vloggers vids are. This is proof. Comprehensive with no bias and positives and negatives weighed up nicely. Great stuff and chuffed to see you out there pinning that throttle! Ride safe dude x
The Crumble Hi mate, yeah I know what your saying msn have just done a long term report on a bike in 3mins, you just know that's not going be thorough. I know I often fall into the trap of why use 3 words when 40 will do, but if people want to see a review they will stick with it (hopefully) thanks ever so much for stopping by and commenting I truly do appreciate it lover x x
"Wherever you are in the world". Hello from Russia! Thank you for video! Cool bike)
Hello Russia and Hello Михаил Рогожин from the UK, thanks for the great comment my friend.
Wow, that accelerated from 59-60 really quick!!
+Scot Wilson I know my friend it felt faster at the time ;)
F
It's so quick from 59 to 60, that it generates 4G's of force in 0.000001 seconds. It's like getting hit by a stick of dynamite.
I was really disappointed about how long it took to go from 59 mph to 60 mph. I've decided I'm not going to buy this slow toad of a bike.
No accomplishment is too small, no failure is too big! 😉
Loved the review. You've got that BvG mojo of being genuine, and genuinely entertaining. Hope the surgery recovery is going (went?) well. All the best.
Hi there again, yes thank you I'm as good as new now, i had this bike less than a year, it is great for the money but just not right for me, ride safe my friend.
Great review fella. Picked up a brand spanking new one today. It's even more awesome than I remember from the test ride. For the £8k list price I reckon these bikes are still best value for money. Thanks for posting.
+Britainicas hey man thank you, and you are right for 8k you can't fault it really, saying that I've sold mine for a more adventure orientated bike.
this is the best video ive found that showcases the bike's sound, thank you
Great video, bang on with information for people like me who just need some honesty and no bullshit. Feedback about suspension adjustment makes sense listening to a few other reports. Its definitely the favourite for me to upgrade to. Just to tell the good lady now😉.
I'm planning to change up from my Honda Hornet to a bike more suited to two-up touring and I looked at the Tracer in my local showroom yesterday.
Your video provides useful info to help me make a decision.
Cheers
Tony
+Tony G Hi Tony sorry for the delay this comment went into review for some reason, it really is a great bike especially for touring and would handle 2 up comfortably, I know someone who has just been around Europe on his with his wife. thanks for the great comment mate.
Great review. Open and honest just how they should be. As for the bike, I think I'll be ordering one this week. Looking forward to experiencing that 59 -60 acceleration myself.
+Ron Benson Hey mate thank your for the view and great comment, the acceleration is the best bit of this engine, it will have flying well past 3 figures ;) I mean 60.
Congratulations on your wonderful bike. I very much hope it here in Brazil. Unfortunately everything here is delayed and very expensive. But I know the bike and hope to retire it. God be with us :)
Nice to see and hear a good honest review and a local Yorkshire reviewer too!
Subbed, liked and commented.
+pipnmaz Hey man thanks for the view and comment, thanks so much for the like and sub too, I'll nip over to your channel and pay you the same respect buddy
I value reviews like this way more than all the MCN etc. reviews - honest opinions from somebody who actually lives with the bike. I laughed aloud at your 59-60mph acceleration. :) nice work ! Subbed.
+Bob Farrell Hi There Bob, thanks very much for the view and Sub matey I do appreciate it. I get a little frustrated at reviews on bikes when they are on a test or demo they simply have not had time to find out the quirks. And are often to scared to say what's wrong (if anything) cause they wont get invited on any more :) Thank again mate I really do appreciate it. I have a Honda Africa Twin now I've had it a Month and I'm planning to do an initial review of that.
The best review of this bike on youtube! Thank you!
+navsvarigi thank you ever so much for the great comment I do appreciate it my friend
nice and honest review :) been looking for a new bike after a couple of years off because my son was born... this video adds another plus to the list :) thank you
Hi my friend it is definitely worth a look for the money, I hope you find something soon, ride safe my friend.
Good acceleration from 59-60mph there! I found that out when I "tested" my newly bought 2019 model, it went, quicker than I expected it to. Coming from a 650 Vulcan I was a little suprised and I was going along for the ride and I realised what the bike was truly capable of, very quickly! What a brilliant bike the Tracer is, great handling, fantastic engine, very good fuel economy and pretty comfortable too. I think the screen will be upgraded eventually but I can live with that for now. I reckon its hard to buy a bad bike these days and you could do a lot worse than the Tracer. Well happy with mine.
I could not of said it better my friend, glad you are liking it
Thank you! I beleive that when i can, I shall be buying one of these!
Hi Daniel thanks for the view and comment I really do appreciate it, you will love this bike when you get there :)
One of the best reviews , honest , good job.
+nureczek44 sorry for the delay in responding my friend, thank you ever so much for the great comment
I can imagine biking was the last thing in your mind in that situation. A chap I worked with had a MT09 and he loved it, I never had chance to have a ride though.
I'm already looking forward to the next batch of videos 👍😁
DervMan Hey my friend, thanks for the great comment, yeah it has been tough but I'm through the other side now, the MT09 is a surprisingly good bike even more so for the money, thanks again for view and comment I do appreciate it.
Glad to hear you're on the mend from your heart surgery. Thanks for the review on the Tracer. Cheers from Canada.
Hey my friend I really do appreciate that comment, Canada is on my bucket list of places to visit.
Surf Pilot definitely stay in touch. Lots of great places to see out here and great mates to ride with 👍
Pretty accurate review mate. I had to adjust the front suspension as well. I'll have to look at that auxiliary lighting. Ride safe mate.
Great review mate and great to see a bit of courtesy to the car which moved over for you.. Nice one squire.
wozza59 Hi Wozza thank you mate, and thanks for noticing, i do try and thank every car driver when they pull over or acknowledge they have seen you it makes making progress so much safer we all have to share the roads showing a bit of courtesy makes everybody's day that bit better, thanks again buddy.
Thanks for your review/opinions on the FJ-09. I started on a 2013 CBR500r. I think the FJ-09 will be my next bike.
Good to hear you are doing well after your heart bypass. I subscribed to your channel.
+Ross Jepsen Hi Ross thanks very much for the view and sub mate I really do appreciate it. The FJ09 is a great bike and sound incredible even with the standard can, the acceleration is fantastic, but it is a 900cc so not far off the litre mark. I had a look at the New CBR500r in the Honda dealer last week, they look great for a 500 cc bike. thanks again my friend and ride safe.
Great, fair and honest review. I have one of these and really like it.
Thanks for posting SP very enjoyable to watch. I currently ride an 09 GS and am looking at what I could replace it with at a lesser cost. So this bike looks really interesting. Sorry to read about the heart problem and I hope everything is ok now. One of the reasons I have given SWMBO for changing my bike is at 65 biking time is running out but I am blowed if she will agree with me. Instead she keeps on about the bath room needing an update. Strange creatures these women aren't they.
+john smith Hi there again John thanks for the views and taking the time to comment, I have replied on the GS video, you make me laugh buddy, I had to do the bathroom too, I think she wanted a new suite, I just gave it a fresh coat of emulsion :), I've sold this to get the Africa Twin now too so need to do more painting.
Hey, great video. Thanks for all the good info. I hope to have one of these here in the states sometime in the future. Looks like a super fun ride.
Hi my friend thanks for the view and comment, it is a really good bike more so for the price, you can be a bit of hooligan on it :) and then just cruise too.
Glad to hear you are feeling better and back on a bike. Be safe my friend!
Shawn Kuse Hi Shawn my friend, thank you ever so much for the thoughtful comment really means a lot buddy.
Yep every bike has to be adjusted to the Rider. Glad your on the mend!
navythomas8 the electronic suspension on the newer LC GS was perfect straight from the showroom a press of the switch and everything working fine, but I agree my friend bikes needed to be fitted to the riders weight, thanks for the comment Thomas I really appreciate it.
Brilliant honest review "yorkie" this bike is on my shortlist. Subbed u mate 👍
+ChuckNinja Kawasaki Cheers my friend, it is a good bike for the money, just not a great bike, but again for that amount of money you can't go wrong or get better, That said I have ordered an Africa Twin as it's replacement for the 1st March :)
Welcome back mate. Great review
chonky mon Hey mate thank you very much, really appreciate it.
Great review especially when I'm actually considering getting this bike within the next couple of months.
+Shaun Foo i genuinely think you will be impressed, thanks for the view and comment my friend
Nice way of introducing the bike to me, and many others who haven't as yet rode one, it def has more than enough power to keep a person smiling all the time, i also prefer the gauge cluster over the MT09's rather small & to the side unit. Thank you for not trying to be silly as well, that is a welcome change. Read below that you had a heart issue, glad to hear you are doing much better, do hope things continue to improve for you. Thanks for the info & sharing your thoughts concerning this bike. yl
***** Hey my friend, thank you ever so much for the great and thoughtful comment i really do appreciate it sincerely i do. it's Comments like this that make me feel like i achieved something, thank you.
You are the one who deserves the thanks, after all the time and energy used to make a video, also while recovering from a serious heart issue, you my friend have a good heart, pun intended. The way I see it it's easy to take for granted what others do, and their motives for so doing. I also know what it is like to go through issues in life that are not so fun, riding has helped me a lot, it helped strengthen me in a unique way, only riding could have done, making me more able to do many things, and it's a great stress reliever as well. So thank God & for people who care enough to help. yl
Great video. I'm just about to trade my 700 Transalp in for a Tracer, and your video has pretty much convinced me that I've made the right choice. I don't need a all out adventure bike, so the Tracer looks the right fit.
It is a great bike especially for the money, it pretty quick too as you can see, I've sold mine now though for the new Africa twin :)
Thanks for the excellent review, thinking of buying one of these
Thanks for stopping by and the great comment, I appreciate my friend, they are a good bike for the money, although I have sold mine now and got an Africa Twin
top review SP! funny, informative and knocking around near Squires. Subscribed.
+robchester hey my friend thanks for the view and brilliant comment I do appreciate it. Are you local?
+Surf Pilot not too far, North Yorkshire but often stomp around there!
good review,,glad ur back on bikes after ur heart attack..well done
just moved to selby like the look of the tracer what a coincidence!!good review
+john radfelder Hi John thanks for the view and great comment my friend, I ride that way out quite often some nice roads out there.
Everyone always says it's an adventure bike, Yamaha on there website call it a supersport touring! I appreciate your video and point of view, thank you.
+GripSanity your absolutely right it may have hints of adventure styling but its certainly not an adventure bike, well i know you can adventure pretty much anything, but it is definitely supersport touring the power delivery is just too bonkers for real off road antics. Thanks for the comment mate.
Hi mate you must be from Yorkshire because you do such a great, funny,factual, inspirational video. I enjoyed it from start to finish.
Sorry to read about your health issues but hopefully you'll be alright from now on.
I'm in the market for a bike like this - I've tried a Tiger XRX (liked it a lot!) and will be riding an 800GS very soon but it sounds like I need to try this Tracer as well.
Thanks mate fora great vid.
Dave
David Jebson hey up big lad, yeah I'm from yorkshire mate, i love the looks of the tiger, and having had many bmw's i cant fault the quality, but for the money what you get and how light this tracer is not too mention the speed its a good contender. That said i do miss the adventure capable style of those others.Thanks ever so much for taking the time to view and the great comment, you'll have to let me know how you get on, ride safe my friend.
BMW build quality is a mythe
Great Review... Definitely on my short list when I buy my next bike!
+Fabian Bridger for the money it really can't be faulted, to have it on a short list is a great starting point its then all about you feel on it, thanks for the comment my friend
Nice review sir! I'll be purchasing mine in about 10 days and looking fw to ride this beast :)
Hi there thanks for the nice comment I do appreciate it, I hope your getting on with yours :)
Nice review mate, I really like the look and feel of the MT09 Tracer and I may well be swapping my R1200 GSA for one of those little beauties later in the year ...Also good to see a review on the local roads, I recognised that Layby you started in straight away ... old A1 out of Fairburn ... I'm from Ponte-Carlo .... hehehe ..Keep up the good work, not much surf today ...
+Eric Backhouse (Going Touring) Hi my friend top man! and local too, yeah the Tracer is a great bike and for the money too. I have had a couple of GS's ( not GSA) love those, and being honest I liked the GS better all money being equal, but I do much prefer the adventure style bike. I missed the adventure style so much I have just bought the Honda Africa Twin, a review to come soon but o give you an heads up, it ticks every box, I would say it's the best bike I have ever owned including the GS's I'm going round the Alps on it this year ( it's worth a look and test ride my friend)
One of my mates is about to pick one of these up for a spot of touring (an alternative to his R1) - enjoyed the video! Great stuff!
Hi there thanks so much for the view and taking the time to comment, I appreciate it, your mate will love it, it really is a good fun bike, and that triple engine is a peach.
Surf Pilot yeah! I think he's going for it...I ride the R1200GSA and keen to have a go myself! Ride safe
great review looks like a fun bike and one that can't be best price per dollar.
+Batscat mate your spot on thanks for the view and comment
Fantastic review Sir:) this is now on my list!
Hi my friend thank you very much, it is a fantastic bike especially for the money ( albeit I've since sold mine now)
Hi surf pilot, Paul from Thornaby here.
About the wind noise problem with your screen, I had a similar issue on a bike I had and the way I solved it was to get half a dozen 5mil thick rubber washers.
Where the bottom bolts go through the screen, put a washer each on these bolts, at the top put two washers each. What this effectively does is alter the angel of the screen more upright deflecting more wind over your head.
Thanks for all the info on the Tracer, thinking of getting one myself so keep them coming.
+Paul Loughran Hi Paul thanks for the great comment and advice, it sound like a sensible fix. Unfortunately I've just traded it in for the new CRF100L Africa Twin :) another video coming soon.
Omg what the fxxx lol you sound like me swapping bikes. Hope you find what your looking for. Keep the vlogs coming we need honest reviews like yours. Just an idea why don't you road test some bikes and give us your opinions.
Great review. I test rode it also .. very enjoyable bike.
+dbest1a Vlogs hey man thank you
8:00 - Love it! You Brits are so courteous. :-) Wish people were that polite in my artificially-bounded nation-state.
Dr. Fronkensteen Hi Mate thanks for the view and comment, sometimes our politeness can get abused, but I always try and thank car drivers for being courteous, it nice for them to actually look out for bikers. We good at standing in queues too :)
Glad you are well now, keep on riding.
thats one awesome bike mate! and the mods you did are awesome!
+Konstantinos Iliadis Hey man thank you ever so much for the great comment a view.
Cheers!
Hi mate. What a brilliant honest review!!! I bought my Tracer back in June but have only managed to put 500 miles on it since then due to work and family issues. We just moved from Catterick in North Yorkshire up to Edinburgh. Very glad to see that you're on the mend, and long may it continue. I had a Triumph Tiger Explorer prior to the Tracer and rated it as a better bike (to me) than the GS, purely down to the engine. I like the Tracer every bit as much as the explorer, and think it's a better bike in many respects, it's definitely a lot lighter! I've subscribed to your channel and will look through some of your other videos. Thanks :)
+pipersg1 Hi there my friend thank you ever so much for the view and sub but equally for a great reply. I love the looks of the tiger but have never had a chance to ride one, the GS engine does take some liking. I too have not done too many miles on my tracer due to work and life, Wow Scotland some fantastic roads up there, go up there every year for a tour and love the place. I hope you get settled and take advantage of those roads and scenery, thanks again my friend i really do appreciate it.
Tested the 2016 tiger couldn't change sodding gear, lever is to short and kept jamming my foot. I'm only size 9 you'd think they'd make one to suite all. Spoiled the test ride
I like the look of the Tiger, but I'm just not in love with it, test rode one too but just did not feel right for me.
Great review, am considering a Tracer to replace my ageing VFR800. Love the acceleration test to 60mph! ;-)
+Steve Lutwyche Hi Steve thanks for the great comment I do appreciate it, Ii really is an amazing engine and to be fair a great bike for the money, i do like my Honda's though
good down to earth review mate, pick mine up next week 😀
Cheers Griff, I' know you will enjoy it mate.
Great news on the heart issue, horrible you had to go through it but you're still here and sounds like you're good as new...or at least will be. Great review on this bike, I have watched all the reviews on you tube...literally all of them, because I wanted to buy one after I test rode it, and since the price is so amazing for this machine and I'm a huge believer in "you get what you pay for". I thought I was missing something and would find some horrible reviews. Other than a recall for a transmission piece, I have found nothing that proves this bike to be unworthy and in fact it's as amazing as it seems to be. I did purchase one and will be picking it up in a couple of days and then posting my own review. Cheers and best of luck with your health and safe riding.
SonicRising Hey Sonic love the name mate, thanks for stopping by and such a great comment. It is a great bike for the money, well it's a great bike period. yeah it has a few niggles but I reckon I could find small issues with every bike, I much prefer to find them on a bike that was this cheap (in comparison) the engine is such peach turn that traction control off and the front comes up under hard acceleration.I've just checked out your channel mate and subbed you, you have a great vlogging voice, that said I do like the American accent :) ( no man I'm just kidding Canadian accent) I have some Canadian friends here in the UK and they take this piss out of my English accent so it's kind of a standard joke about me saying their American accent is cool, clearly the Canadian accent is much cooler. looking forwarding to seeing your review when it's up, and thanks again for stopping by. Ride safe my friend.
Lol, well thanks so much for the sub. My accent is actually a little different from most Canadians because I come from the island of Newfoundland, all our descendants were Irish, Scottish, French and English, so as the generations past they all intermingled and children ended up with hybrid accents and it just snowballed from there. I try my best to tone it down on my videos because nobody would understand a word I said..lol. I haven't had an opportunity this summer to get a vlog done on my channel because I've been so busy and a recent neck injury has prevented me from riding my sport bike, that's why I had to switch to something more neck friendly and give up the Ninja :( Anyway, Thanks for the reply and enjoy the vids.
Yes, now have a Triumph Explorer, love it.
That Yamaha CP3 engine is a lively beast. It LOVES giving you a kick in the butt...
+Riggro your not wrong there it is a brilliant engine, thanks for the view and comment
Really like the hand guard turn signals.
I rode one for two days and let me tell you... it was fantastic, the power it had, the handling, the passenger space and confort, it is an awesome motorcycle. I just don't like the full digital dash... and the pass signal button is not on the same place as it should.
+Fábio Pereira (Serzedo) Hey there thanks for the view and great comment I do appreciate it, I do agree with you also
Great presentation. Thanks !
Great review mate... Much better than the usual.. I shall be looking at this bike when this covid19 nonsense is over.. Or maybe the GS..🤔
Thanks Graham I appreciate that my friend. The Tracer is a great bike, and the triple is smooth, my preference having owned both would be the GS, but that is very much a personal thing. however I have the Africa Twin now and would not swap it for either.
Just found your channel and saw the CBR600F in your intro. I also had a cbr600f and now I'm looking at getting a Tracer 900.
I really did find that a good move for me, the CBR was great, but I did enjoy the tracer a lot more so was happy with the change. Ps you have a great channel
@@SurfPilot Ya, the cbr was an awesome bike to learn on (for a "big" bike), but the street triple was really MY bike. I do miss, and think I will miss a lot of things about it going forward, but given my change of location, I think the tracer will better suit my needs.
And thanks!
Great video, MT09 tracer is an excellent excellent bike. I highly recommend getting the Yamaha heated handgrips instead of oxford ones.
Just the honest warts and all review I'd been looking for. Particularly liked the green lane adventure, if it was me, going off tarmac without putting some duelsport tyres on, I'd have wanted a strong mate riding shotgun off camera to help me pick the 'stard up!
Currently own a derestricted DT125R, a Kawasaki KH250 with a 350cc top end conversion and a GSX-R750 K2. The Tracer actually looks like the perfect mash up of all three.
I'm getting arthritis so my GSX-R antics and offroading on the DT may be numbered, but this looks like the perfect hooning machine, and you need to see what Simon at S-Tec Performance Newbury is doing to the standard (heavily restricted) ECU maps.
Watching your vid was 20 well spent minutes of my life!
Hey John thanks very much my friend, I appreciate the great comment. Yeah going off-road was not the wisest idea I have had especially on my jack jones :) I genuinely don't think you will be disappointed it's pretty much a comfortable hooligan machine, the riding position and engine just encourage rewarding riding, a new MAP and this bike would bonkers, in a good way, as its good already. Thanks again mate for the great comment it's nice to get feedback when someone gets something positive from a video.
"Yamerr-aah"! Great detailed review mate.
Hi my friend thank you for taking the time to watch it, and more so for the great comment.
Anytime mate - refreshingly candid, informative and entertaining review. I just bought one - pick it up on Saturday!
Good job enjoyed it. Wheelies will end in tears so no use to 99% of us.
Hi John, and thank you, yeah wheelies are not my strong point and your right will no doubt end the wrong side up :)
I've got 2020 that I love. 900 cc of pure torque. Saddlebag system is top notch. Gas mileage is great
Great video and review!
***** Hey Sac96 thank you ever so much for the view and brilliant comment I do appreciate it my man.
Your right mirror, being almost vertical, gives you a good view of the road behind and the sky.
Good review. Looks like a really nice bike.
+Ro Murphy Hey man thank you ever so much, I appreciate it
"I kind of shit a brick." Hahahaha.
Good point about adjusting the levers mate, that's the first thing I do too.
Haha. 59 to 60!? Haha.
Cracking review mate.
+Rob Ash hey Rob thank you my friend, the levers are a bit of a pain, i always get worried about the internet police with the speed, more than i should probably
Thx for no music. Great review.
Paul from Thornaby again, PS forgot to say put washer on the inside of the screen. Old age getting to me.
Thanks again
Fantastic review! Loved it! Two questions: what about the consumption, and how does it behave in the city? Keep up the good work. Greetings from portugal.
Great Review dude would have to agree with your niggles lol as I said in my super quick review I probably should have taken it out for longer and enjoyed it for what it is and you right its great value for money it is on the list list of bike i would like to have at some point lol
Glad to see you on two wheels again and wish you health to ride :)
XT
The XT Donkey Hi mate yeah for just over 8k in the UK it's a great price and bundle of fun when it's pinned :) until the wheels starts to come up. a few things not perfect for me but nothing too bad., You'll have to blag an extended test ride and do the monkey meet on one :) Thanks for stopping by and the great comment I do appreciate my friend
Recently, I had to sell my GS1200ADV too, and am considering this bike as well, as it’s way less than half the cost of a new BMW in the states.
Like your videos mate!
Hey Gary, Thank you very much, I do appreciate you saying that my friend.
I got myself a red one and loaded it and I absolutely love it and I only pay £ 154 a month for it
+Andy Bryant hi my friend that's a great deal, for the money and what you get for it, i can't see a better bike on the market for 8k. enjoy my friend and ride safe
Driving on the left side of the road just kills me. It messes with me so bad. Nice video btw. I plan on getting a 2019 or 2020 Yamaha FJR 1300es. I have been riding and am still riding my very first motorcycle of 9 years, a Suzuki GSX 650F. It is their first attempt at sport touring I believe. She is made out of tubular steel and the Gixxer engine is geared for touring instead of racing. I am so done with chain maintenance, and want cruise control, electronic suspension, heated grips and so on. I would like a BMW, but I hate boxer engines and the HIGH prices.
Hope you're getting better!
Hey my man, thank you ever so much. I'm doing brilliant and now riding an Africa Twin. Thanks again for the personal question, you're a good person.
I have one payment left on my 2016 FJ09!! I got a road runner on a tank cuz this bike is freakin 😁😁 Fast!!
You must be local to me (Garforth) as I recognise that route. My brother has just bought the Tracer 900 GT and loves it !
Really like your vids - always good natured and informative. Just what people about to buy a bike need so thanks.
Out of interest what made you go for the Africa Twin? And are you going for the DCT version or the manual? Which colour? Sorry, loads of questions - just it's on my list so I am interested in what others are doing. I saw it at the NEC and loved it - so did the other half so it's pretty much at the top of the list - I was going for a GS...
+Rick P Hey Rick thank you mate, the reason I do these and I know they are not too pro is because when I'm shopping for bikes the reviews are often not real world or actual owners, so appreciate your comment thank you.I miss the adventure riding style and feel of the GS so very much, I don't do too much of off-roading but when I'm out if I do see a green lane it's brilliant to go exploring, I did this on the GS over the pennine way (seriously) I was scared to death doing it, but even to the day I loved every turn of the wheel.The Africa twin is just a beautiful looking bike it actually looks like a true adventure bike, I know that sounds stupid because it is one :) but it will really take me anywhere, it won't be too fast compared to triples and inline 4's, but I'm bored with speed and all my great memories of biking are the tours and adventures, all the fast riding although a blast at the time just makes think I have to slow down :-/ The CRF1000L is fast enough to get you into trouble, but will be nice enough to go anywhere and get me back into enjoying the ride, and the truth is I just love the looks and the hype and it is far cheaper than the GS12.I've gone for the standard box in Tri colour white, the DCT gets raved about for it's off-road capabilities but not too much for on-road, I won't be exploiting the off-road so much, and I do love changing gear and choosing gears manually, I'm not a DCT hater, I just like manual riding, the price difference isn't too much so I guess it's down to what people prefer. Sorry for the long reply, and thanks again for the view and great comment, Ride safe my friend
+Surf Pilot Long reply is great - thanks. Agree with you entirely - been there and done it with sports bikes and sports tourers. Now I'm older I want more comfort and to be able to look around more and enjoy where I am rather than try to go past it all as quickly as possible. Good luck with it - enjoy!
Great review thanks...
Hey my friend you're welcome thanks for stopping by and the great comment.
Great video, good honest review ! good sound +picture quality! do like like the MT09 t, i enjoyed watching it!....
+d4mcm hi there thank you ever so much for the great comment I really do appreciate it.
Great and useful review, I really enjoyed it! If you wouldn't mind a question: I'm planning to buy a bike, after a 20-year hiatus without one (but when I did, riding almost every day when there wasn't snow for 10 years), and want something I can ride comfortably for a week or more, touring. No interest in wheelies, big interest in comfort, smoothness and predictability. The MT-09 (FJ 09 here in the US) is one I'm considering. The front end lifting you describe is a bit unnerving and makes me hesitate about getting one. Could you describe what you did to the suspension and how much it helped? Thanks again for a spot-on review.
David Jenkins Hi David the font end lifting only happens when the traction control is switched off, under very very hard (silly) acceleration with the TC on the bike wont wheelie as the engine ECU settles everything down nicely.This bike is predictable and smooth an ideal touring bike. I found the suspension firm on the front and it felt hard over poor asphalt so I took 2 full turns out of each of the front legs to soften the suspension and it really made the bike feel better, i think it is set up too hard for a more sportier ride initially. I think the seat is firm but I'm ok with it as it is. other owners say it uncomfortable. I know of people who have gone round Europe 2 up with a back box installed in ease and loved every mile. Thank you for the great positive comment i do appreciate it my friend. if i can help further give me a shout.
i' ve just got one 2 days ago. I can not believe how noob friendly tha motorcycle is at B mode.
That is my first ever bike.
+disastron30 hi my friend thanks for the great comment yeah B mode is so user friendly i am in that most of the time. Glad you got one and are enjoying it.
+Surf Pilot Thank you for responding. Don't forget to mention any tips for us noob riders. Keep up the good work. Greetings from Greece
Enjoyed your review very much, wonderfully thorough! Coming to you from the U.S., I’m wondering why I hear you using the term “miles per hour” when I thought the standard unit of measurement on your side of the pond is KPH. Can you fill me in on this one? Thanks!
Hi my friend, in the UK we go MPH, most of the rest of Europe uses KMH, but we still do it the correct way here :) thanks for the view and great comment
Diego Palma iA
BTW, saw the Beach Boys live last week and it was a great show.
Robert MacCready I've only ever seen them on TV :( I know they're old school now but I love their music.
Glad to see you back. Nice review as usual. What's the fuel consumption like for everyday use and tank range? Seriously considering the Tracer and Tiger 800XRx. Ride safe.
Sky Rider Hi mate thanks ever so much for the view and comment, I have had 171 out of a tank without running out but reserve light flashing, and on average I'm in the mid to high 40's mpg, that said I'm riding like a loon a lot of the time on this bike :) I have seen mid to high 50's on the display so I'm certain if you rode carefully you would see 180+ per tank.
+Surf Pilot I did 64mpg UK on mine and 207mls before refuelling, 2 liters left in tank. It was on last day of our Spanish tour and it was raining all day to the ferry so I was constantly on B mode. on my daily commute to work I do 54mpgs easy.
Hi there my friend, that's great to know, B mode is a great mode when the weather and roads are poor. thanks for the view and taking the time to comment.
Straight up stuff with a minimum of faff.Subb'ed.
+Hedge hog hey man thank you ever so much for the great comment and the sub, i genuinely appreciate it
Beautiful bike
Good review, try the genuine tall touring screen, so much better and nil wind turbulence for me at 6ft4 👍
Enjoyed your video. Can you tell me exactly what wind screen you have? I just purchased an FJ-09 and have a few questions.
Thanks so much.
Robert MacCready Hi my friend thank you. the screen is an Ermax 50cm in dark smoke. I believe it's European company.
That cracked me up, when you did the acceleration test and said it was 59-60 mph lol
That was well done, thanks! Can you tell me what kind of range you're getting from a tank?
Hi mate sorry for the delay, I was achieving mid 40mpg and around 150 miles per tank. it did get worse than that but I rode this bike like an idiot :)
great review :-) the indicators on your hand guards where you get them from?
Hi mate thanks for stopping by, I got them off e'bay from a seller, company called Dzell, they did them in amber and white led lights, pretty cheap really and fast delivery I don't know if they are still on there though.
Great review bro :) I'm in between this and the new Suzuki Dl650 XT with spoked wheels. There is not much a of a price difference between the two. What would you suggest?
+Işık Çakırlar Hi there thank you for the view and great comment, I have never ridden a DL650 so I would not be able to offer any helpful comparison. I would think the Suzuki is more of an adventure bike and tracer is definitely more of a road bike, so it would depend highly on what you use it for. I miss having the real off road capabilities and I'm thinking of selling this Tracer.
Great video. What make model was the windscreen did you say Puig Airmax?
+Mister Frank Hi Frank thanks for the view and great comment, its the Ermax 50cm screen.
Frank Gallagher 🙈 amazing review! 👍
Thank you for stopping by, and the great comment my friend.
Great review sir! I’m considering letting go of my Versys 650 and picking up an FJ-09/Tracer. I see this video is from a few years ago, do you still have it, if so what are your thoughts after few years of ownership?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Jeremy thanks for stopping by, unfortunately I have moved on to an Africa twin now, that type of bike suits me better, the FJ09 though was a fantastic bike, a lot quicker and sportier than you would first think. the triple engine in this is a real winner, the suspension at first felt a little vague for me, but i stiffened it all up with a few right clicks on the adjusters and it was a lot better after that. I dont think you will be disappointed.