Yamaha Tracer 900 GT, one and three [ROAD TEST]

A commuter for getting around the city, which is easy to drive, docile and balanced in manoeuvres. Then a sports car, to have fun in the escapes, leads into an exciting up and down through curves and hairpin bends. And we would also need a motorcycle that is comfortable for traveling as a couple, with good aerodynamic protection and bags. How many times have we thought about it? Ah, if I could, I would get at least three motorbikes. Then there is reality, which forces you to choose, and generally you have to accept some compromise; in this case a Yamaha Tracer 900 GT doesn't make you miss anything. Before we get on board, a quick note about this GT version.

It derives from the base, but is in a full optional version, with: le side bags rigid, the dashboard TFT in color, the adjustable suspension, electronic gearbox, cruise control and heated grips. The advantage is the price: with an addition of 1.800 euros — lower than the cost of purchasing individual accessories — you have a motorcycle that is not only ready to travel but also fully equipped. The price list is in fact 12.390 €, compared to 10.590 for the “smooth” Tracer 900.

In the city

The relaxed riding position, designed for spending many hours in the saddle, is also excellent for controlling the Yamaha Tracer in the city: you can navigate easily and without worries between cars, potholes, alleys, parking lots. This is thanks to the first quality you recognize in her, balance. Just move a few meters and you already feel safe, the steering is light, the response to the commands is very precise, the wheels go exactly where you want, never a foot on the ground because you lose your balance; the small turning diameter allows you to tackle any gymkhana with your eyes closed, the narrower handlebars (2018 version) promotes control.

Then there is the engine, very good and electric at the bottom, it responds precisely, without a hint of on-off, and up to 3-4000 rpm the thrust is not enough to put tension, although very brilliant. Finally, the third quality, the soft suspensions. Indispensable on surfaces that are uncomfortable, such as pavé, ruined asphalt, and when you come across manholes, potholes and tram tracks, where you would like to ride an enduro. Which the Tracer comes close to, in addition to the aforementioned riding position and the wide handlebars, the suspensions with large travel are able to absorb not only small bumps but also more pronounced ones. The result: the Tracer is perfect for the city, and in particular the GT also has side bags for storing everyday objects and the Quick Shift System (QSS) electronic gearbox, very comfortable even in the quietest driving although it is excluded from medium-low revs (acts only above 4.000 rpm).

On the road
In the city the three cylinders — 847 cc, 115 HP — hides its verve, even if the odd architecture always lets out some quiver, reminding you that underneath you have a thoroughbred horse that wants to gallop. The delivery is very linear, we cannot speak of a perceptible entry into torque, however let's take 5.000 rpm as a reference: the tone of the voice changes, the color of the tachometer bar changes, the magic of the new TFT dashboard, and it changes, in particular, the punch of the three-cylinder. From here onwards the sporting verve comes out, which is expressed with an excellent acceleration up to the 11.000 rpm indicated on the dashboard, which can be reached in a flash and without the slightest drop in thrust. If in the city the quick shift was convenient, here today it is indispensable, the perfect complement to sporty driving.

There are three maps available, two very similar full power, A and the Standard; well softer instead the B. Since the traction control still guarantees safety, we have always used the Standard, it only requires some care in managing the accelerator when driving on critical surfaces, leaving the B for really precarious conditions (it has a very soft attack). On mixed terrain the Tracer shows off its athletic qualities, you forget that you are riding a useful city bike, and also a touring one, something we will see later. Excellent when braking, the fork sinks considerably making braking more effective and facilitating corner entry; agile in changes of direction and always stable in more decisive maneuvers; impeccable on bumpy roads. The changes made to the chassis, the longer swingarm and the new suspension therefore guarantee stability without detracting from handling.

The suspensions obviously remain soft, but after the first sinking phase they support the stresses due to sporty driving well, so much so that you don't feel the need to act on the adjustments, since no swaying is triggered, even if you don't drive particularly carefully. . So between performance and riding quality on mixed terrain, fun is guaranteed. And together there is also safety, thanks to the traction control, effective but not invasive, and the ABS, which operates precisely but not too "apprehensively" on the rear brake, where it generally intervenes at the slightest slip, making it almost useless; in this case, however, the anti-blocking action is felt but still leaves a good dose of bite.

On the road

The Tracer has undergone some useful changes to improve its ability to travel: work has been done on aerodynamic protection and passenger comfort. The windscreen, mechanically adjustable (now all you need is one hand), is wider and the footrests and passenger handle have changed. Other touches have been made, but these are purely aesthetic, to the front area of ​​the fairing, the tank sides and the air ducts.

The new plexiglass does not seem very large, among other things at a glance you can see that it leaves an uncovered area at the bottom, right above the double headlight. But it is precisely the flow of air that arrives from this cut that avoids the formation of annoying turbulence, and furthermore the aerodynamic shape of the upper part, an arrow, generates a protective shield large enough for comfortable travel. Other comfort is due to the already praised suspensions, and the standard cruise control, which can be set in 4th, 5th, 6th by operating the switch in the left-hand block (each touch of the dedicated buttons varies the speed by 2 km/h ).

The system deactivates as soon as the brake, clutch or accelerator is operated and memorizes the last speed set. A very convenient gadget of the GT are the heated grips, while the aforementioned quick-release hard bags, with a 22 liter capacity and color coordinated with the livery, are absolutely indispensable, in our case an elegant ink blue. Here everything is standard. When travelling, therefore, nothing is missing, furthermore the engine works well away from hot speeds, does not transmit vibrations, and is always ready to guarantee safe overtaking.

The new saddle is now much more padded than the previous one, and is adjustable in height (850-865 mm), so as to adapt to personal tastes; a soft tank pad improves comfort. Speaking of personal tastes: we would have preferred a more supported support, since the very soft padding and the forward inclination of the seat surface - which forces you to assume a forward position, close to the tank - limit comfort on long journeys. This is an opinion of the writer, the advice we can give is to personally evaluate the shape and softness of the saddle.

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
Driving versatility, engine
We do not like it:
Electronic gearbox only above 4 thousand rpm

Yamaha Tracer 900 GT: the Motorionline Report Card

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Tester clothing:
Jacket: Dainese D-Explorer Gore-Tex Jacket
Pants: Dainese D-Explorer Gore-Tex Pants
Gloves: Dainese Ergotour Gore-tex X-trafit Gloves
Boots: Dainese Latemar Gore-Tex Boots
Helmet: LS2 FF397 Vector Evo FT2