Yamaha Tracer 7
Chirpier than the dawn chorus, as practical as wellies and an umbrella, and no more expensive than sliced potatoes. No wonder it sells so well
Yamaha got the cheap-but-not-rubbish thing spot on back in 1998. Yes, the FZS600 Fazer had a silly name – originally spelt Phazer and first used in 1985 on the Japanese-market FZ250 ‘super quarter’ – but it was a perfect balance of performance, image, practicality and quality. Best of all, the Fazer also had a fabulous light-hearted air. Its suspension flapped around a bit, the detuned Thundercat four didn’t blaze any trails, but bikes didn’t get much more cheerful. At £4950 it looked like a bargain because it was. (Mind you, it was also the time of parallel-import crazy deals – I nearly bought a new one in jazzy gold for just £3999.) Leapfrog time to here in 2022 and the Tracer 7 is the modern day Fazer. And not just because it too has a curious Star Trek name. The DNA is obvious: from the easy ergonomics and ride-everyday usability, to the all-road-happy suspension, simple handling and perky response of the engine. The Tracer’s as keenly priced as its ancestor, too. Apply inflation to the Fazer’s official 1998 price and in today’s money it’d be around £700 less than the Tracer’s £8450 asking. However, the modern day bike more than justifies the extra thanks to its higher spec which includes an adjustable screen, tweakable forks and shock, ABS, hand guards and various other bits of trimming. It’s also far less likely to dissolve after one winter.
All of which explains why the Tracer 7 (and previous Tracer 700) is the datum for middleweight all-rounders. And why last year it outsold the Kawasaki Versys 650 by more than two-to-one.
The Yamaha’s puppy-like cheerfulness is clearly apparent as soon as you sample its 689cc, parallel-twin, 72bhp engine. This motor is
much fitter than the similar unit stuffed inside the Kawasaki, from idle all the way to the stutter of the rev limiter. Gearing and torque curve are the sort of match Tinder could never achieve. With its glitch-free fuelling, the Tracer strides away from traffic lights, bounds eagerly down country roads and even whirrs unobtrusively on long, straight, mind-numbing dual carriageways with the same ease and effectiveness. It doesn’t have the long-legged feel or top-end power of the 660cc, 80bhp, three-cylinder Triumph, but it makes up for it with a greater sense of low-rev drive. And in terms of actual overall performance there’s not a fat lot between them, as road tester and racer Bruce Dunn demonstrates by hoisting a huge second-gear wheelie before rapidly becoming little more than a speck in the Northamptonshire greenery. There’s more than enough handling for any road. The lightest here, the Yam gives a fine mix of ride comfort and handling control, sitting midway between the softer, less accurate Kwak and the firmer, sportier, more serious Triumph. There’s something friendly and reassuring about how the Tracer turns and deals with bumps. When the sun’s on your back and you get a tad carried away the limits of the suspension start to be felt, but it never feels unsafe and doesn’t detract from the experience – it’s quite enjoyable to feel like you’re using all the bike has to offer. Occasional Bike tester Andy Gurski thinks the Tiger Sport 660 rides better, but I prefer the
‘The Tracer is the modern day Fazer 600 and the datum for middleweights’
cuddlier dynamic of the Yamaha. Clearly there’s little to split ’em. For a bike likely to encounter two bums it’s a shame adjusting the rear preload involves waving a C-spanner and skinning knuckles, rather than just twirling a knob. But the Tracer makes up for it by offering preload and rebound damping adjustment at both ends, unlike the fixed-fork Triumph. These aren’t bikes to induce precise set-up exploration, but it’s nice to have the option. One-hand screen adjustment is easy to use and though the dash hasn’t got colours and connectivity like the Versys it’s refreshingly easy to read. This test bike also has the Comfort seat (£162) which adds extra luxury to the great ergonomics. That rear carrier is also an accessory (£177). Headlamps look beady but definitely catch your eye if they’re in your mirror or heading the other way. ‘I love the thin daytime running lights too – they’re very R1,’ says Andy. ‘There are other nice styling touches as well, like the neat side panels and wing-style hand guards. The Tracer’s not a pretty bike, but its looks definitely grow on you.’ Actually, pretty much everything about the Yamaha grows on you. The more you ride it, the more you appreciate its completeness (and the more you question the extra expense and irrelevant performance of go-to larger bikes). Which is good but also a problem, as the looks, specification and presence of the upstart Triumph are likely to edge the Tracer 7 out in a showroom head-to-head.