In love with a Tracer
Discussion
Yet to test ride one, but the Tracer ticks every box me. Coming from my latest steed (xt660x) I'm sure it'll be sharp/quick/comfortable enough. Now I just need to work out how to afford one! Hoping (but not to hopeful) that at some point over winter they knock them out on 0% finance. When do they usually anounce next years colour schemes?
Been riding the xt for the last year so I don't think that I'll notice the budget suspension. Its not a patch on my 950sm before it but I've enjoyed it in a completely different manner. I just find it a bit limiting, great for short runs but I can't do long journeys on it.
Fully intend to demo one first, but surprisingly theres not a Yamaha dealer on the doorstep. Got to go down into Yorkshire to test one.
Fully intend to demo one first, but surprisingly theres not a Yamaha dealer on the doorstep. Got to go down into Yorkshire to test one.
jcelee said:
Besides the Tracer, what do people rate as a reasonably lightweight, upright, moderately powered sports tourer with at least ABS in terms of modernity?
I'm comparing it with a Tiger 800 and a KTM 1050 ADV. Cheaper would probably be a 990SMT, V Strom, Versys or one of Honda's midweight bikes.
Well I need to change the thread title.
Up early doors as it took me 90 minutes to get to the dealers. Initial thoughts were how low and narrow the seat was. Could easily get a foot flat on the floor as I've only got short legs being 5' 8. Engine was so smooth and the power was great. Had it in standard mode to begin with. Loads of power easily beyond the NSL, and the bike felt very smooth and settled on the dual carriageway. Instruments nice and clear although I didn't find the indicator switch too easy to find without glancing at it. In sport mode, throttle seems shorter and more responsive.
Between closed throttle and small openings, felt it was a bit on off, and I found it a little jerky without feathering the clutch.
Then took it off onto some tight and twisty s
tty stuff. I then found it a bit stiff, and I didn't feel too confident about pushing it. I know its a demo and I'd been on it for less than 20 minutes but I didn't feel all that comfortable about it.
I didn't feel that there was a massive amount of wind protection, couldn't quite find a setting on the screen which didn't create turbulence around my helmet.
The engine was a peach but on the way back in, I just didn't get that 'want to buy it!' feeling.
So on the way home, thought it would be the best time to try the KTM 1050 ADV.
Stuck it in STD mode, and immediately felt more at home. Loved the power delivery which there was more than enough of, definitely more weather protection than the Tracer. On the dual carriageway, seat was wider and softer. Wind was still buffeting my head on this, so again a different screen would be required (this was a mid height screen from KTM).
Then I hit the rough stuff, worse roads than what I'd ridden on the Tracer, but felt much more at home on it, to the point where I needed to tell myself to slow down and be more careful as I didn't fancy paying the excess!
Suspension is night and day better and the brakes are very progressive. Clutch is so light that you could use it with one finger. Slipper clutch means any hamfistedness is ironed out and you just get a smoother ride.
I accept the KTM is more, but it definitely feels more expensive. I think it's still expensive but its marketed wrongly. Its more than quick enough for most of us mortals but its aimed at beginners! The power curve is the same as the 1190 up to about 6k revs, but I don't want to buy a twin and rev the nuts off it!
Now I need to wait and see how far these drop in price by. They've already had a grand knocked off,and they're giving free cases with them too. Alternatively, stick with KTM and buy one of the 990s, either the SM or the SMT.
Up early doors as it took me 90 minutes to get to the dealers. Initial thoughts were how low and narrow the seat was. Could easily get a foot flat on the floor as I've only got short legs being 5' 8. Engine was so smooth and the power was great. Had it in standard mode to begin with. Loads of power easily beyond the NSL, and the bike felt very smooth and settled on the dual carriageway. Instruments nice and clear although I didn't find the indicator switch too easy to find without glancing at it. In sport mode, throttle seems shorter and more responsive.
Between closed throttle and small openings, felt it was a bit on off, and I found it a little jerky without feathering the clutch.
Then took it off onto some tight and twisty s
tty stuff. I then found it a bit stiff, and I didn't feel too confident about pushing it. I know its a demo and I'd been on it for less than 20 minutes but I didn't feel all that comfortable about it. I didn't feel that there was a massive amount of wind protection, couldn't quite find a setting on the screen which didn't create turbulence around my helmet.
The engine was a peach but on the way back in, I just didn't get that 'want to buy it!' feeling.
So on the way home, thought it would be the best time to try the KTM 1050 ADV.
Stuck it in STD mode, and immediately felt more at home. Loved the power delivery which there was more than enough of, definitely more weather protection than the Tracer. On the dual carriageway, seat was wider and softer. Wind was still buffeting my head on this, so again a different screen would be required (this was a mid height screen from KTM).
Then I hit the rough stuff, worse roads than what I'd ridden on the Tracer, but felt much more at home on it, to the point where I needed to tell myself to slow down and be more careful as I didn't fancy paying the excess!
Suspension is night and day better and the brakes are very progressive. Clutch is so light that you could use it with one finger. Slipper clutch means any hamfistedness is ironed out and you just get a smoother ride.
I accept the KTM is more, but it definitely feels more expensive. I think it's still expensive but its marketed wrongly. Its more than quick enough for most of us mortals but its aimed at beginners! The power curve is the same as the 1190 up to about 6k revs, but I don't want to buy a twin and rev the nuts off it!
Now I need to wait and see how far these drop in price by. They've already had a grand knocked off,and they're giving free cases with them too. Alternatively, stick with KTM and buy one of the 990s, either the SM or the SMT.
moto_traxport said:
If you like the 1050 then go with it. The 990's are more old school KTM with their abrupt throttle response.
I get the idea the 1050 is detuned slightly from it's potential so it can be detuned even more to make it A2 compliant so the engine isn't particularly stressed and could probably be tweaked by an ex-VW employee if it feels flat after a few years!
In other news, I've been ragging a mate's BMW RnineT today and still have the grin! Twin cylinder bikes are great fun on the roads.
Arent they just! I think the slipper clutch is what makes this bike so easy and compliant to ride. I argue that a 100hp bike is not something that is necessarily learner friendly but with the light slipper clutch, it makes an lc8 tame. If they're going to argue that this one is beginner friendly then they all are up to 1290 as its the use of the rev range which gives them their extra poke. I get the idea the 1050 is detuned slightly from it's potential so it can be detuned even more to make it A2 compliant so the engine isn't particularly stressed and could probably be tweaked by an ex-VW employee if it feels flat after a few years!
In other news, I've been ragging a mate's BMW RnineT today and still have the grin! Twin cylinder bikes are great fun on the roads.
I'm still thinking how to justify one rather than afford it. £10k is far too much for someone who does less than 4k a year currently
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