2019 Yamaha Tracer 900GT
Fabulously capable all-rounder that’s fabulous value too
YOU CAN’T GET much for three-and-a-half quid these days. It’s the initial evening fee that goes onto a taxi meter before it’s gone anywhere. It’ll buy you a glass of suspicious house red, or cover the cost of one of those ‘meal deals’ with a limp sandwich and can of sugar. So here’s an idea; buy a loaf to make your own supercheap (and much healthier) butties, and spend what you save on the rather compelling Tracer 900GT instead.
The average value of a motorcycle in the UK is around £3500 (with an average age of around 14 years). Use this bike as the deposit and the Yamaha is just £106 a month. It’s not thanks to a sparkling zero-percent interest offer or some sort of cunning discount system. It’s just straight PCP with a modest interest rate (they do HP as well). The stop-and-stare deal comes from the fact Yamaha appear to have accidentally underpriced the Tracer. There’s no way a bike with this engagement, fun, equipment level and build quality should be so affordable. ‘It can really gather pace, can’t it?’ splurts a grinning, wide-eyed Dom. ‘It’s way gruntier than I expected and builds revs so quickly. I didn’t think it’d feel as comfortable and cosseting, either. After the Blade it’s like riding a comfy sofa that’s gone mental…’ Dom’s more than familiar with three-cylinder power, being the long-term owner of a Triumph T595 Daytona. At 955cc the big Brit has a capacity advantage over the 847cc Yamaha and a claimed additional 15 horses (130 to 115bhp), but his Hinckley bike has a top-endy power delivery. Its engine has a weighty slow-revving feel compared with the Tracer, which has bugger-all flywheel effect and scorches from idle to rev limiter in a blink. With snappy gearing and quickshifter, the sense of acceleration from standstill to realistic road speeds is great. The more powerful Super Duke R or Fireblade SP are way faster, but the 900GT is fruity and fun rather than pant-filling.
It’s got as many electronics as these flashier, pricier bikes. Or at least it’s got all the ones that matter. Throttle response can be altered to suit your mood, conditions or the phase of the Moon by swapping from STD mode (as in ‘standard’, not some souvenir from a night of mischief) to either A, for sharper reactions, or B, for a softer feel. There’s two-level traction control, ABS, heated grips and cruise control too, all easily managed with high-quality button-per-function switchgear. Settings and all the trip info appear on the colour TFT dash.
The Yamaha is also fully loaded with usability, and not just because of its 22-litre luggage (mounted or removed with ease), 18-litre tank, grab-and-adjust screen, two-height seat, hand guards, centrestand and 12v power socket. The 900GT feels slim, light (215kg with a full tank) and so easy to manage, responding to inputs crisply and accurately. Simple to operate, foot-up U-turns are as easy as darting down B-roads. Suspension is set up for masking bumps and ride comfort, and next to the taut KTM feels almost squidgy; however, the only time it feels too absorbent is hitting bumps at speed while holding peg-dragging lean. Forks have adjustable damping and there’s a remote preload adjuster on the rear, so adjustment is possible, but we rate the Tracer’s standard combination of ride quality and agility. In fact, after a brisk squirt down a knotted back road Dom starts nosing around the fork tops, looking for semiactive gubbins that aren’t there. ‘After finding how forgiving the suspension is you expect it to feel soft and squidgy when you grab the brakes, but it doesn’t.’ That you can get all this performance, specification and feelgood on the road for £10,995 – or £106 a month – is brilliant value. For reference, Triumph’s excellent Tiger 800XRT is another threecylinder tall-rounder, and though it has a heated seat you don’t get luggage or adjustable suspension despite it costing an extra £1300. It makes more sense than most adventure bikes for pure road riding too, as the 17in wheels and un-knobbly rubber give sweeter steering and more tyre options. Ducati’s Multistrada 950S does the same job and is an exceptional device, with effective electronic suspension – but it is another £2500 (attractive PCP deals, mind, thanks to strong residuals).
‘I’ve got three bikes – Fireblade, KTM 990, T595 – and they’re all sporty,’ muses Dom. ‘I’m now wondering if I should get something that’s different and can eat miles, rather than a pure plaything, but that’s still really good fun to ride. If I do, the Yamaha makes a bloody good case for itself.’
‘The 900GT is fruity and fun rather than pant-filling’