Yamaha Tracer 900 Left: not the spangliest on offer here, but it does the job perfectly well
It’s the oldest here and has the most basic specification – but the evergreen triple ain’t no pushover
Five years back we went for a jolly around Yorkshire on the then-new Yamaha MT-09 Tracer. Or rather on three identical Tracers. Having been impressed on the bike’s launch we wanted to see how three riders of different taste, age and stature each rated the bike on the same roads, in the same conditions. After an epic 400-mile day taking in every type of tarmac, changing conditions and a Little Chef Olympic Breakfast (those were the days…) we all came back pretty much smitten.
That’s the thing with Yamaha’s triple. Everyone who rides it seems to be impressed. And the significant thing is they’re impressed by the feel, dynamic and mechanical bits, rather than bolt-on gubbins, flashing lights and buttons. This is proved by the Tracer we have here: it’s the base model rather than the enhanced GT, with little more than basic traction, ABS and a couple of modes, yet the 900 still shines bright in the presence of the fully accessorised BMW and tech-loaded Triumph. ‘That engine is brilliant,’ says Andy after a frolic across Leicestershire and Rutland. ‘It’s great in the MT-09 and just as entertaining and usable in the Tracer. How a Triple should be… unlike the Triumph.’ Doesn’t matter whether it’s gurgling and pulling cleanly from low down, bounding on the rich midrange or wailing to the redline, the 847cc motor has the flexibility and performance to rival the others. ‘Standard’ is the best of the three riding modes; ‘A’ makes the throttle too sharp and ‘B’ makes it too soft. The 900 uses a smidge more petrol than the
BMW and Ducati, though it’s not enough to matter – and is probably down to how its sound and reaction encourage the rider.
You get a sense of sitting ‘on’ the Yamaha, not ‘in’ like with the Triumph or high-fronted Ducati. It makes the Tracer feel the most like a ‘normal’ road bike, rather than a dirt refugee, and comfort is very good. The one-hand-to-adjust screen isn’t quite as slick as the Ducati or BMW but works well enough and gives decent protection. Though the GT version has a colour TFT display, this regular bike has a blocky LCD panel nicked from the Super Ténéré, controlled by switchgear swiped from the FJR1300. It’s not flash, but it is easy to read and operate; nobody gets off and says anything about the lack of pretty hues. There’s a lightness to the way the Tracer handles – it feels fun and somehow lighthearted in the sort of way the original Fazer 600 did. Only with better suspension. The chassis isn’t as nimble in town as the BMW and it doesn’t have the floaty, sumptuous, semi-active ride of the Ducati. However, the Yamaha turns more easily than the Triumph and delivers easy, fluid, composed and almost sporty handling. Better chassis balance than the donor MT-09, too. As with the engine, the chassis just seems to work well regardless of what you’re cracking on with.
Practical niceties? Hand guards, centrestand, built-in luggage mounts, proper pillion grab handles and a 12v socket come as standard. Pity that tweaks for pillion carriage require a C-spanner and scuffed digits, rather than the leisurely twirl of a remote adjuster (as on the Tracer GT) or poking of a button (like the other three here). Then again, it’s part of the reason why the Yamaha is just £9597 on the road. And that’s the icing on the cake with the Tracer. We aren’t bothered about not being able to set the highlight colours on the dash, or not having customisable riding modes that we’ll probably never set up anyway. After 30 years of riding with a clutch I don’t miss the quickshifter either (though one is available as a plug ‘n’ play accessory). The bits that should really matter on an all-round bike – engine, chassis, ride quality, comfort, weather protection, and crucially rider engagement – are all good, if not excellent. And where it does fall behind the rivals it’s close enough not to be a deal-breaker. The Tracer also has a light-hearted air and feeling of fun that the serious Ducati, sensible BMW and mildly austere Triumph don’t share. And bikes should be fun – it’s why most of us probably started riding.
Yet it’s the cheapest here by £2500 and is nearly four-grand less than the Ducati. What a remarkable all-round package.
‘The Tracer has a feeling of fun… and bikes should be fun’