Long-term test: Yamaha Tracer 9 GT
Sports-touring balancing act
Justin weighs up the Tracer 9 GT’s pros and cons with a final 500-mile fling
THE FACTS:
£13,954
117bhp
227kg (kerb)
SINCE LAST UPDATE: 1757 miles (6046 miles in total)
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 56.93 MPG
COSTS THIS MONTH:
£682.90
£248.63 fuel, 140.44 litres @ £1.77/litre
£116.99 Puig touring screen
£317.28 Michelin Road 6 GT tyres
JUSTIN HAYZELDEN’S 500-MILE LOOP:
To get the best out of life, you must embrace compromise – balance the rough with the smooth, the highs with the lows. After 6000 miles, the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT has proved ideal for practising it. That’s because it, like many tall-rounders, could be considered a compromise by design. Is that a bad thing? Time for a 12-hour spin to look back on six months of custodianship and highlight where that philosophy works, or doesn’t.
Bumpy fen roads and featureless dual carriageways start of our journey, and the Tracer isn’t at its best here. The semi-active suspension struggles to cope with uneven rural tarmac, occasionally bottoming out with a grimace-inducing grind from the underslung exhaust, and on the multi-lane ‘slab’ the short-ish wheelbase lacks the longitudinal stability that gives a full-bore tourer effortless long-distance comfort. But the lofty riding position is untaxing, and I’ve fitted Puig’s tallest touring screen to create a turbulence‑free cocoon.
Despite that, there’s little scope for relaxing as the CP3 engine maintains a constant sense of urgency, even with cruise control engaged. While that may be mildly frustrating for motorway-type miles, it becomes a joy when on twisty stuff. West of Birmingham the Tracer eats up overtaking opportunities to make smooth, steady progress across Shropshire. We’re in my favourite custom riding mode – suspension set firmly, throttle response wound down one notch, electronic aids on minimal intervention – which gives the chassis the freedom to flex with the natural flow of the road.
A lunch stop at Shrewsbury Services marks the halfway point, and with the exuberance of the previous stretch fresh in my mind we wend back east at a more
leisurely pace, full belly taking precedent over Tracer keenness. Sometimes you have to force the balance…
We trundle through the Peak District and onto the A6, basking in the eventual appearance of sunshine to barrel through its glorious bends. The quickshifter works flawlessly, the autoblipper especially welcome and causing addictive barks and howls in equal measures.
By the time we reach the Lincolnshire Wolds, the sun is setting. But we’re still ‘on it’, the Tracer acting like an energy drink though a slow IV drip to keep me alert. Soon enough we’re marking time through unavoidable average speed cameras along the A17, before cutting a swathe of artificial daylight through Norfolk to arrive back home some 13 hours and 500 miles later.
As Yamaha’s flagship tourer, the Tracer cannot match the effortless smoothness of the late FJR. The chassis is too short for easy-going distance, the riding position too lofty for sporty aspirations. And while the TFT is great and connectivity seamless, navigation via the Garmin app becomes laggy to the point of being useless.
So, where’s the balance? Ultimately the GT delivers, because I finish every ride feeling engaged and fulfilled. It may not have the wow factor when I open the garage door, but I know we’re going to have a good day – and its load-lugging ability expands that to a multi-day tour and more. I am going to miss it.
HIGH BUT MIGHTY
The adjustable seat sits comfortably level in its uppermost position, though it can feel tall at standstill. Padding is firm, but forgiving, which is ideal for a long day in the saddle.
FRUGAL
An average of 56.93mpg on E5 fuel gives the Tracer a theoretical tank range of 237 miles. Reserve warnings start flashing with a good 50 miles in hand, keeping top-up anxiety at bay.
EXCELLENT HEADLIGHTS
Adaptive LED headlamps use an onboard camera to adjust brightness according to street lights and oncoming vehicles at night. It’s not something you notice, but low-light visibility is never in question.
IT REALLY IS ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS
Justin’s findings on what really works for a big tour with the Tracer 9 GT – and what doesn’t…
It feels its best on Michelins: Michelin Road 6 GT proved the best fit, with limpet-like grip from cold, rock-steady stability through the turns, and bundles of confidence in wet weather. No room for compromises here.
The boxes are really good: Even with 105 litres of load space, the GT feels compact. Keyless luggage detaches easily and is suitably sturdy for transporting back and forth to your digs. Top case can swallow two flip-front lids.
Connectivity could be better: Hooking up a smartphone and intercom is no problem (iPhone 14 and Sena 60S in this case), but the Garmin Motorize app struggles to keep up. Our Beeline Moto II saved the day.