Yamaha Tracer 900GT
Proper looker. Festooned with extras, really good value and bloody quick…
FAST the Ducati Llanberis AND and FOCUSED, quicker-turning Pass. It’s the more Tracer through composed is the tight quickest at speed stuff bike than than here the the up MV. And the engine’s furious midrange and snap-on thrust wake you up like no other bike here. Yes, the Multistrada is a charger and the Turismo Veloce grunts pleasingly low in revs, but neither has the digital alertness of the 900GT. ‘Lovely engine,’ coos Hugo. ‘It’s creamy and easy to use on a relaxed ride. But you can change down two gears and ride it like a total twat. Great quickshifter, but the gearbox is nice enough anyway.’ He’s right about it all. Yamaha’s 847cc triple lords brutal torque over the other two engines here, especially in the first three gears. The fluffy Multi might thump out 6 lb.ft extra on paper, but the Yamaha’s instantaneous throttle response makes the Japanese pounds easier to access. And the cream? Stick the engine in B-mode and the instantaneous thrust is softened at the edges. ‘Love the riding position,’ notes Hugo. ‘I like the choice of seat heights. At 850mm now and it’s running the risk of cramping my knees when my toes are on the ’pegs. At the taller 865mm setting its fine.’ That makes this the three feels front front headlights tallest like fairing wheel, machines. the (and and instead arrows lowest mirrors the Strange, firmest) bike down of cocooning are to as towards pushed ride. saddle the Tracer The you of the back, all viz. giving Ducati a better and MV. view Screen, ahead. lights don’t The only dazzle issue dawdling on congested car drivers dual-carriageways out of the way. is the low Handlebars are also the lowest and narrowest here. Twin that with a quick-turning 17-inch front wheel and the Tracer feels like a low-weight naked below 50mph. Forget the wide arcing control you get on the Ducati, the Tracer encourages short, sharp inputs, angular corner attacks and sporadic throttle gunning. Just how Hugo likes it: ‘It’s flippin’ fast! If you’re vaguely interested in keeping your licence, the Tracer’s as fast a bike as you’d ever need.’ Firm, well-balanced suspension too. Riding a GT means pumping a 41mm KYB USD fork that’s fully-adjustable. It’s a solid upgrade over the kit on the standard 900 and feels firmer than either the MV’S or Ducati’s set-up on the road. And that’s despite the legs travel Yam’s on can’t the stanchions Multistrada compete with having clock the the in Yamaha at slimmest a sturdy in smooth, diameter. 48mm, fast but The turns. the chubby long ‘What’s with these controls,’ asks Hugo, after an hour at the ‘bars. ‘I miss the minimalist clickers on the MT range. This is the big stuff from the Super Ténéré, with added chunk from the cruise control unit [left switchgear]. Easy to use in the day, but it’s not backlit for night-time use. The dashboard selection wheel is simple to use, but its teeth dig into my thumb when I press to select.’ Use the wheel to click through options on the TFT dash. It’s the smallest screen here, but also manages to be the clearest. There’s space around speed, gear position, revs and fuel level information. Heated grips, traction control level and riding mode are shown along the bottom. The bright colours beat the Multi’s monochrome interface, and high-resolution TFT tech makes the LCD dash on the MV feel like a prop from the set of Wargames. Standard Tracers don’t carry this competitor-beating technology. There’s also up-only 44-litre lose no panniers quickshifter, the TFT, cruise no and heated control, the firm matt-blue grips suspension, centrestand, and you paintwork. GT’S worth gadgets, the £1400 Once you price you’ve can’t difference. go experienced back. It’s easily the doesn’t improve on. The screen But on there’s both one Tracers area is that pants. the Long-haul GT trips sportsbike, turn into it becomes drip torture-esque a huge weakness experiences. on a tourer. Frustrating Hugo agrees. on a ‘It works best for me on its lowest of the ten settings – furthest away from my head. A poor job compared with the Multistrada’s.’ But right now I’m pointing the Tracer down the A498 immersed in its bloody-minded power, tight gearing and fast-as-you-like handling. As we spit out the corners, I find myself daydreaming of the MV’S sultry rear light or the Ducati’s easy handling. I’m all-eyes on the road on the Tracer, but on those bikes I’d be appreciating the view. The Tracer’s best when you thrash it, but I’m worried it hasn’t the character to be as involving at any other pace. Last word to Hugo: ‘This is a really good bike. I’d buy one for what it can do and the value it represents. But I’m not sure I could love it.’
‘I’d buy one for what it can do… not because I loved it’