Tag Archives: yamaha

Review: Yamaha Tracer 9

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Fans of triples who were looking for a mid-class sports tourer in recent years, didn’t have much choice. In 2007, the Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport was launched, and that was really your only option until two new models hit the scene in 2015: the Yamaha MT-09 Tracer (renamed Tracer 900 in 2017) and the MV Agusta Turismo Veloce. That list of three was short-lived, because production of the Tiger Sport stopped in 2016.

In 2020 Yamaha unveiled the successor to the Tracer 900. In addition to a welcome facelift and two zeros less on its identity card, the new Yamaha Tracer 9 was also thoroughly overhauled underneath its fairings. Just in time, because in 2021 a third mid-class triple sports tourer suddenly showed up: the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport.

We haven’t ridden either competitor, and to be honest another model is a lot higher on our wishlist: after a very convincing week with the Triumph Trident 660, we are very curious about its sports tourer brother, the Tiger Sport 660.

But back to the order of the day: the Yamaha Tracer 9. After our test with its predecessor, I was completely convinced with what the Japanese had presented me – except for some detail criticism. Also the looks were actually already passé two years after its introduction.

Fortunately, the new looks of the Tracer 9 improved a lot. Fresh, sharp and sporty, perfectly translating the character of the bike. The Tracer 900’s bombastic handguards have been traded for less over the top ones, and the slim LED turn signals add refinement. As far as I’m concerned, only the Continue reading →

Mine! Yamaha Ténéré 700 Rally Edition

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When I first rode the T7 in 2020 I asked myself if it would become the successor to my 800 GS. After writing that review, I couldn’t get the bike out of my head. And if you follow Jean Le Motard on Instagram, you know what happened eventually.

Last October I visited my local Yamaha dealer who needed a bit of luck to find one of the last 2021 Rally Editions for me. Two weeks later I said goodbye to my 800 GS. 110,000 km on the counter, 12 years old. Thanks for the good times!

In the meantime I have equipped the T7 with a few extras: a centerstand and a shorter Yamaha license plate holder, a Donner-Tech GPS holder and connections for a trickle charger and my heated jacket. I also hopped by at Allroadmoto for Bumot Defender panniers, Barkbusters handguards, Double Take mirrors and Outback Motortek crash bars. Coming soon: an Altrider clutch arm.

Still on my wishlist: heated grips and a small (but hard to find) rear luggage rack.

Meanwhile I’ve put some decent milage on the bike, riding 2000 km’s through the south of Spain. Really happy with the switch from the 800 GS to the T7!

Review: Yamaha Tracer 7

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Do you smell that? The scent of incense? Yes, your nose already guessed it: you’re reading a review in which Yamaha’s universally praised CP2 twin plays a role. This time it’s spooned in between the legs of a sports touring model: the Tracer 7. But that incense of praise, does it apply to just the engine or the whole bike? Let’s find out.

Never change a winning team, they say. That is, until someone commands you to “Apply Euro5 standards, now!” which forced Yamaha to work on their two-cilinder engine (year of birth: 2014). The air intake, injection system and exhaust got reworked among other things. Yamaha claims a more linear power curve, but at the same time they also lost some power: the Tracer 7 has 73.5 hp, while its predecessor (that went by the name of Tracer 700) had 74.8 horses shining on its passport. Newton meters stayed the same at 68 units.

Yamaha didn’t just do an engine update: it’s impossible to miss the new face of the Tracer 7. It looks a lot more modern, sportier, yes, even more aggressive than the previous generation that all of a sudden seems to be boring and dated. The position of the two headlights, the frowning light strips, the tight lines of the bodywork: great design.

The rather plump indicators of the previous model were replaced by slimmer ones, but apart from that the design department Continue reading →

Review: Yamaha Ténéré 700

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It was the year 2016 and as the first pictures of the Yamaha T7 Concept came in, I couldn’t stop drooling over them. It was a long wait until the Ténéré 700 finally arrived in 2019 and an even longer wait until I could finally swing my leg over it mid-2020. Enough with the drooling, shall we go for a ride?

Before I turn over the key, let’s have a look at what I’m dealing with. A middleweight adventure bike. That’s a very crowded segment with all the usual suspects and mavericks. It’s not hard to find some ten competitors once you start listing them up. BMW F 850 GS, Triumph Tiger 900, KTM 790 Adventure, Suzuki V-Strom 650, Moto Guzzi V85 TT, Ducati Multistrada 950, Kawasaki Versys 650, Benelli TRK 502, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda CB500X … almost all brands have got one in their model range. What added value can Yamaha offer?

The looks and equipment clearly state which side the Ténéré 700 is choosing. Offroad? Yes, please! It turns its back on more road-focused adventure bikes, thereby shortening the list of competitors.

The high, slim figure, the rally-inspired face, the long suspension travel (8.3 inch front and 7.9 inch rear), block pattern Pirelli’s, aluminum engine guard: it all looks pretty tough. The seat matches the adventurous appearance: Continue reading →

Review: Yamaha Tracer 700 GT

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The “sport tourer” moniker probably brings big muscular bikes to mind, like the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT or the BMW S 1000 XR, or rather bulky long-distance runners such as the FJR1300 or the GSX1250FA.

Going fast is easy with those bikes but if you look for light-footedness in a sport tourer, you need to look somewhere else. Enter the Yamaha Tracer 700 GT.

For a few years now, the Yamaha MT-07 has been a popular model from which Yamaha smartly derives other models. The XSR700 already stole my heart in 2016 and now the (already reasonably touring-oriented) Tracer 700 gets an (even more) touring-oriented relative: the Tracer 700 GT.

The Japanese kept it simple and drafted an easy upgrade: take a stock Tracer 700, exchange the windshield for a bigger one, replace the seat with a comfort seat and mount color-matched 20-liter side cases. There you go: the Yamaha Tracer 700 GT. Price for that suffix: £600, bringing the total to £7,999. That’s an attractive price tag. But isn’t the GT label too promising?

Hop on the comfort seat and you’ll immediately notice that the Tracer 700 GT doesn’t make an overwhelming first impression like the big sport tourers mentioned in the intro do. The Tracer feels compact and very manageable. At 835 mm the seat isn’t Continue reading →

Review: Yamaha FJR1300AS

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FJR. What do these three letters stand for? Fast Joy Ride? Furiously Jumping Rhino? For Jackass Racers? Nope. The correct (and official) answer is Fast Journey & Ride.

Since many years the Yamaha FJR1300 has a permanent spot in the sports tourer segment. Yamaha introduced this model in 2001. Today it exists in three versions: the FJR1300A (the basic version), the FJR1300AE (with electronically adjustable suspension) and the FJR1300AS (everything from the AE plus a semi-automatic transmission). I had a date with the latter.

The AS, the most complete FJR model, costs £17,099. In return for that pile of pounds you receive a bulky package: generous fairing, electrically adjustable windscreen, two mappings, ABS, switchable traction control, height-adjustable seat, sidecases, electronically adjustable suspension, semi-automatic transmission, cruise control, heated grips, LED lights with front cornering lights, 12v socket, shaft drive. In other words, everything you need and more.

The FJR is perfect for long journeys. The sitting position on the wide seat is comfortable yet slightly bowed towards the handlebars. Yamaha sells the FJR1300 as a sports tourer and not as a pure touring machine, so that forward bend seems legit.

With the windscreen down, only your head’s in the wind. If you raise the screen, there’s minor turbulence around the helmet, depending notably on the traffic in front of you: behind a truck, your head will shudder more than when you’re flying down an empty highway. Also a minor (but subtle) Continue reading →

Quick test: Yamaha Niken

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A few weeks ago, Maxxmoto sent me a message. “Jean, Niken test. What do you say?” The Yamaha Niken? That three-wheeled creature that got labelled “the Multipla of motorcycles” online? What do I say? Yes, of course! Because I really doubted Yamaha would release such a controversial machine if they didn’t believe in it for 200%. On top of that, the reactions, photos and videos after the first press introduction were very promising. So off I went, together with a dozen of other curious helmet heads, for a speed date with the Niken.

Whichever way you look at it, the Niken has an odd appearance. It’s not easy to get used to those three wheels. So it makes (sort of) sense that people dislike it, based on looks alone. And if you have a motorcycle license, why would you want two front wheels!? Plenty of prejudices, so it’s time to ride!

The first few meters leaving the parking lot feel weird. There’s no doubt that you’re manipulating two front wheels that are guided by a bulky construction including two forks per wheel (which makes four in total!). It’s not just getting used to, you really have to steer that thing in the direction you want.

But as soon as the speed slightly increases, everything changes. And a new Continue reading →