Tall tales on a Tracer
Yamaha’s Tracer takes a busman’s holiday as Rich steals it from a stricken Steve
You would usually find Steve’s happy face peeking out at you for an update on the Tracer’s latest movements, but having tried to get his leg to bend at a designated point which nature deemed better served by a nice straight bone in its original design, he’s not been able to ride this month. Steve’s misfortune coincided with Ducati asserting that they really did own the Multistrada V4 Rally and wanted it back – so I’ve stolen the GT✚ with no small amount of excitement and interest. Sorry Steve.
The big climb-down
The GT✚ and Ducati’s V4 Rally aren’t trying to play the same game, but they do deliver a huge range of similar rider benefits – so while we wouldn’t ordinarily compare the two in a big test, it’s interesting to do so here, 250 miles after I nabbed the keys.
Jumping from one straight to the other, or just looking at them parked noseto-nose, the difference in scale is clear. You climb on and off the Duke, swing a leg over the GT. You sit ‘on’ the Tracer, but ‘in’ the Rally. You’re in amongst the traffic on a GT – towering over it on the Rally. In all aspects of mass and stature, the GT feels like a scale model by comparison. Is that a criticism? No, not really. It’s lighter and more manageable from the moment you hoik it off the sidestand, all the way up to fast direction changes, filtering agility, threading it down a nadgery back-road or popping it on the main stand. In every physical sense, it’s much easier to live with.
The road-centric 17in rim sizes also mean it steers and corners like a normal road bike, delivering a far more lithe and engaging skill set.
Horses for courses As the miles start to accumulate, the differences in these two propositions start to glare. First is the price, obviously. The GT is £12k less than the Rally. Does that make it ‘cheap’, or the Rally ‘expensive’? Neither. Value for money is
apparent in both bikes, and I’d score them identically (8/10) – which tells you a lot about the price/product equation. But ride the Rally, and it’s clearly a bike that was designed to be exactly what it is. Ride the GT and you’re always aware that it’s a naked MT-09 that some very clever engineers have worked hard to fabricate a sports-tourer from. But there’s no way to hide its origins – and every time you glance down and notice the top yoke nestling at knee height, you’re reminded.
In fact, in every dimension, it feels like a dressed naked. I’m 5ft 11in and riding it with the seat in the higher position (where it wobbles – yet doesn’t in the lower position), which compounds the sense of being ‘on’ the bike. The bars sit on huge risers, the screen is super-long but barely high enough (and noisy), the triangle of room between bum, hands and head still feels like an MT-09, and all else that has been bolted on to make it a tourer feels, well, bolted on. The panniers aren’t a great shape/design, there’s no 12v power socket (there is a USB, but you can’t run heated kit from that), the headlights aren’t amazing on dipped beam, while the cornering lights are laughable, too.
So it’s going well, then? Actually, yes. Despite all the niggly imperfections, I’m really enjoying the GT✚, but that’s because it feels fun and a bit fruity, while also being practical. It’s all the brilliant silliness of an MT-09 for people
who need to carry a few things, ride in bad weather, spend a whole day in the saddle, and don’t enjoy neck ache. The CP3 inline-triple is the genius slice of glorious fruitcake it’s always been; the chassis is accurate and pleasing (the shock just about copes with my 17.5st); the exhaust note is cheeky; the big, clear and classy TFT and electronics packages are great… There’s a hell of a lot to like, especially on the move.
If you want a brand-new, fast, fun, agile and attractive sports-tourer for £15k, it’s one of the strongest options. Would I trade all the weaker areas for improvements at the cost of a higher price? No. You could add complexity and cost trying to mask its origins further, but I’d take it as it is, have a blast riding it, then make my own minor mods where it matters.
LIKES
Compact, manageable, fun
DISLIKES
Poor panniers, wobbly seat
Rise, shine and inspect
With the spring-like weather we’ve had recently, thoughts have turned to biking once again. If your bike’s been hibernating in the garage for a few months, there are a few essential checks that you need to do before you hit the road. Firstly, remove the cover and have a good look around for any obvious problems, such as fluid leaks or evidence of rodent damage.
Check the voltage
It's good to have a battery conditioner connected to your bike whenever it is not being used. If you haven't had your bike on charge, you need to check the battery's voltage using a multimeter on the positive and negative terminals with the ignition off. A healthy unit should have 12.6v or upwards, anything less will require charging, or even a new battery.