2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ Overview [12 Sport-Touring Fast Facts]

Right here, there, in every single place. That’s the underlying motto of Sport Touring. In recent times, Yamaha has leaned on its middleweight Tracer household of bikes for exactly that, repurposing the vigorous triple-cylinder CP3 engine and body of its spirited MT-09 lineup for touring obligation, decked out with long-distance fixings—baggage, creature comforts, and useful rider aids. It’s a story of guarantees stored with the 2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+, the place among the finest values within the phase sweetens the pot with high-tech options and refinements with out breaking the financial institution.

A brief record of goodies involves the flagship Tracer 9 GT+ (therefore the brand new “+”), however the Iwata manufacturing facility took care too to not upset its core strengths of dealing with or efficiency; the engine, body, and semi-active KYB suspension are untouched. 2024 is about slathering the Tracer in tech that was as soon as unique to premium-priced touring machines, beginning with a brand new radar unit that facilitates adaptive cruise management (ACC) and a primary for the bike business—Radar-Linked Unified Braking. The up/down quckshifter’s programming is massaged and adjusted by way of a shiny TFT show, and some different tweaks come into the fold.

We headed to Boise to pattern the brand new Tracer 9 GT+ on winding Rocky Mountain roads, by means of a little bit of daily-grind visitors, and took in just a few freeway slogs—you recognize, the kind of stuff that any sport-tourer would do in a single day’s journey. Now, we’ll hit you with the Quick Information.

1. The 2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ is loaded to the gills with touring-friendly options. There’s quite a lot of crossover between the niceties that commuters and cross-country riders search for of their machines. Proper off the showroom flooring, the GT+ plus is provided with 30-liter onerous circumstances (my medium full-face helmet matches in simply positive), a centerstand that makes upkeep simpler, toasty heated grips for chilly climate, and LED lighting with cornering headlights. Then we now have points resembling wind safety by way of the ample fairings and adjustable windscreen, which is buffeting-free whereas within the lowest setting—spot-on for my 5-foot-10 body.

2. All-day ergonomics might be fine-tuned. Each touchpoint on the Tracer 9 GT+ is adjustable in some capability, and we want producers would embrace that route. Beginning on the entrance, the windscreen is definitely adjusted with one hand, whereas the handlebar might be mounted in both of two positions. The seat follows swimsuit with an ordinary peak of 32.3 inches, however taller people can increase it to 32.9 inches for elevated legroom. On that word, the saddle can be redesigned with further cushioning, although my bottom nonetheless thinks there’s room for elevated plushness. In the meantime, the rearsets supply two positions, and the brake pedal is reshaped, offering extra floor space and really feel. Taken collectively, the Tracer 9 GT+ has a comfortable cockpit with a impartial, upright using place that begs for giant miles, and it doesn’t really feel cumbersome while you’ve obtained your elbows out within the canyons.

3. The enjoyable is available in threes—the 890cc CP3, to be precise. Armed with a dose of the punk-rock perspective born of the MT-09 machines, the 2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ is something however vanilla, tapping into that sporty spit-and-vinegar by way of its shared engine. The underside finish is, admittedly, a tad comfortable, an attribute we seen in its bare cousins. Because the Tracer is wearing touring garb (nonetheless the lightest at school, thoughts you), that attribute is a bit more prevalent, so get these pistons pumping. A triple-cylinder shriek encourages cracking the well-sorted ride-by-wire whip. The mill is pleased to oblige, spinning up with enthusiasm and digging into welcoming midrange torque. It transitions easily to a top-end end, underscoring this machine’s spunky DNA. What’s extra, you’ll have a hoot whereas getting nicely above 40 mpg.

4. Algorithmic massaging involves the third era up/down quickshifter. It’s the identical as ever for the six-speed, slipper-clutch-equipped gearbox. Shifting is athletic, although it may be notchy sometimes. In the meantime, the revised quickshifter performs nicely throughout your complete rev vary and affords new performance. This 12 months, riders can shift up or down whereas on or off the fuel—anytime or in any route. For instance, a rider can maintain the throttle regular or roll on, drop a gear, and speed up out of a difficult state of affairs. Previously, the throttle needed to be opened to upshift and fully closed to downshift. Whereas nifty, this replace components into adaptive cruise management and permits riders to shift even when cruise management is activated.

5. A seven-inch TFT show joins the combination. The prior-generation Tracer 9 was outfitted with a unusual split-screen sprint eerily harking back to Groucho Marx. A large step ahead is taken with the GT+, marrying the elegant feature-rich show with new joystick-equipped switchgear. Job performed, there. Furthermore, Yamaha gives cellular integration by way of its MyRide Hyperlink app, offering entry to textual content, emails, calls, music, and extra. Those that need GPS (which appears significantly slick) will want Garmin’s Motorize app (iOS and Android), which requires a subscription. In fact, a USB charger is obtainable to maintain your gadget topped off whereas touring. European manufacturers ought to pay attention to this instance and run with it.

6. New naming conventions come to the journey modes and canopy your digital bases. Presently, we’re working with Sport, Avenue, Rain, and Customized that corral all of your digital settings (throttle map, semi-active suspension modes, cornering ABS modes, lean-sensitive traction management, slide management, and wheelie management). Sport is true to its identify and fairly athletic, with a twinge of abruptness throughout preliminary throttle openings. Avenue is the pleased medium, whereas Rain cuts peak output by 18 %.

7. The 2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ shows true chassis parity with its semi-active suspension. Over the last main MT-09 replace, we witnessed a considerably stiffer chassis hit the scene, and the GT+ enjoys these advantages, too, wielding KYB semi-active with two preset damping modes. A-1 mode is sportier, firming up when transferring deeper into the stroke, maintaining the chassis extra impartial to the apex and past. As compared, A-2 is the consolation setting and softer general, permitting for barely extra typical dynamics. Collectively, they each do a strong job of hiding the tough stuff and maintaining the Tracer monitoring steadily. It’s a canyon quickstepper in both setting, delivering the feeling of a lighter, extra petite bike when railing by means of corners with pure confidence. Say goodbye to the peg feelers, people, as a result of very like the engine, the Tracer 9 GT+ chassis begs to be ridden onerous.

8. The addition of radar permits full integration of rider aids. Adaptive cruise management is a comparatively new addition to the two-wheeled world, although commonplace within the automotive house. When activated, ACC permits system-wide communication between the IMU, radar, semi-active suspension, and linked braking/ABS. Set your following distance, and ACC will regulate accordingly, utilizing engine compression after which brakes. Importantly, it by no means smashes the binders and blows by means of the fork damping as a result of, keep in mind, all of the electronics are beeping and booping collectively, together with the semi-active suspension. Certain, it could get a bit of confused when using in shut formation, however so do most techniques available in the market. By and huge, it really works as supposed.

9. Yamaha is evident—its ACC system shouldn’t be thought of an emergency braking system. Emergency braking could be very a lot a factor in automotive circles, however bikes haven’t gotten there but. Nonetheless, the Tracer 9 GT+’s system doesn’t—repeat doesn’t—act as a collision avoidance system, finally counting on rider enter. If radar determines the next distance is simply too shut, or an object is approaching too quickly, the pc will flash an enormous warning on the sprint indicating that the rider wants to use brakes and keep away from an incident. What the radar-informed linked-braking system will do, as soon as the brakes are utilized, is use radar to measure distance and supply braking help. If the system determines that it could apply extra braking strain past what the rider has enter, it can accomplish that to decelerate in time.

10. It’s all or nothing concerning rider aids on the 2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+. So, right here’s the factor. All of the techniques have completely different ranges, however when you flip off slide management (SC), you disable all of the nannies—traction, wheelie, and slide controls—in a single fell swoop. Likewise, switching between the extra superior ABS mode 2 (BC2) and fundamental ABS mode 1 (BC1) removes cornering help, ACC, and linked braking. All the aids are interdependent. In a sport-touring context, not being to disable particular options individually isn’t essential, because it’s powerful to argue in opposition to disabling any of them, until you’re feeling like horking wheelies. So, we’ll go together with a powerful “meh” on this bit, but it surely’s price noting.

11. Braking tweaks be a part of the celebration. So far as onerous elements go, it’s the identical four-piston Advics calipers clamping onto 298mm rotors, whereas a large 267mm rotor and single-piston caliper maintain issues within the again. Really feel on the lever is muted, although strain energy is nothing to be scoffed at, particularly with the linked-braking system in play. Trailing deep into corners is finished with poise whereas lean angle and strain are evaluated. And as we all know, including a sniff of the rear brake can usually settle the bike, which is without doubt one of the many causes the Tracer 9 GT+ is so sure-footed by means of the twisty bits. That and the Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T32 tires completely match this steed.

12. The 2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ hits the Sport-Touring candy spot. This 12 months’s Tracer instructions a $1600 premium over final 12 months’s mannequin. For that coin, we will see developments resembling ACC and a boatload of different digital enhancements on what was already a superb worth. Sometimes, these options are solely seen on bikes comfortably residing within the $20k+ realm or past. There may be an argument that liter-class machines are extra appropriate for two-up long-hauls, however the 890cc triple has puff-a-plenty for these of the solo persuasion, and it’s one hell of a dance associate within the canyons. It’s obtained spunk, because the youths say. Because it stands, the minor quibbles seen within the Sport map, gearbox, and seat don’t dissuade this take: Yamaha’s Tracer 9 GT+ stored what we liked in regards to the GT and added extra, making it an excellent worth and prime performer within the class.

Images by Joseph Augustin

RIDING STYLE

• Helmet: Shoei RF-1400
• Jacket: Alpinestars Montiera
• Gloves: Alpinestars Morph Avenue
• Pants: Alpinestars Raider V2 Drystar
• Boots: Alpinestars Radon Drystar

2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ Specs

ENGINE

• Kind: Inline-3
• Displacement: 890cc
• Bore x stroke: 78.0 x 62.1mm
• Compression ratio: 11.5:1
• Valvetrain: DOHC, 4vpc
• Transmission: 6-speed
• Clutch: Moist multiplate w/ help and slipper capabilities
• Last drive: Chain

CHASSIS

• Body: Managed-fill die-cast aluminum w/ subframe
• Entrance suspension; journey: Absolutely adjustable, semi-active KYB 41mm inverted fork; 5.1 inches
• Rear suspension; journey: Semi-active rebound-damping and spring-preload horizontal KYB shock; 5.4 inches
  Tires: Dunlop Sportmax GPR-100
• Entrance tire: 120/70 x 17
• Rear tire: 180/55 x 17
• Entrance brakes: 298mm discs w/ 4-piston Nissin calipers
• Rear brake: 267mm disc w/ single-piston Nissin caliper
• ABS: Cornering conscious w/ linked braking

DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES

• Wheelbase: 59.1 inches
• Rake: 25.0 levels
• Path: 4.3 inches
• Seat peak: 32.3 or 32.9 inches
• Gasoline capability: 5.0 gallons
• Estimated gasoline consumption: 49 mpg
• Curb weight: 492 kilos (sans aspect circumstances)
• Colour: Storm Grey

2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ Worth: $16,499 MSRP

2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ Overview Picture Gallery