Why The Yamaha Tracer Touring Bike Is Way Cooler Than Its Price Suggests

Traveling on a motorcycle has never really gone out of fashion, but it is fair to say it has never been quite as popular as it currently is right now. Adventure bikes are grabbing most of the headlines as folks seek to explore far-flung locations that involve traversing a wide variety of terrain. Or in most cases, the local coffee shop. For those looking to spend more time on the road, and are less interested in taking dirt road shortcuts, a dedicated touring bike makes more sense.

Touring bikes have always been the more sensible way to cover large distances, but in recent times, manufacturers have been throwing more and more features at bikes, making them less and less accessible. Mercifully, the middleweight class has risen to the occasion, and we now have some seriously good affordable options that are all more value-oriented. While value usually means balancing features and price, this bike offers more features than its price suggests it might.

To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Yamaha. Whereas, the opinions are our own.

The Yamaha Tracer 9 Is Way Cooler Than Its Price Suggests

MSRP: $12,599

Last year the higher-spec GT+ (which we are pretty sure you can still find at some dealers) came and went rather quickly. While Yamaha can justify the price, it just seems like a little too much for a middleweight, but that is where the base model comes in. While this might be a base model in other markets, it still has a lot to offer, with an impressive features list. It is, however, not alone in this space.

Triumph recently launched the Tiger Sport 800, and it seems to have its sights firmly set on the Tracer 9. It matches the Yamaha in most respects but leaves its hard cases on the options list, so if you were to add that, it would certainly cost more. BMW also has the rather sporty-looking F 900 XR, and while the base price is lower, once again you will need to add luggage there, too.

Honda just launched what will be the Tracer’s biggest rival in the form of the NT1100. Just like the Europeans, it leaves the luggage on the options list, but unlike the Europeans and the Yamaha, it has a DCT transmission. More to the point, it only has a DCT transmission, so it is very much the automatic touring alternative. It is also cheap enough for you to add luggage and still be cheaper than the Tracer 9.

Rivals

• Triumph Tiger Sport 800
• BMW F 900 XR
• Honda NT1100

The Tracer 9 Comes Equipped With The Iconic CP3

Power: 117 Horsepower

Yamaha’s triple has been around for a little while now, and it has become something of a legend within the industry. It is one thing to develop a torque-rich engine that can make grown men giggle, but it is another thing to make that engine reliable. The CP3 has a pretty incredible reliability record, only beaten by the CP2. Originally developed for the MT-09 (previously sold as the FZ-09 in the US), it just so happened to be one of the most versatile powertrains ever conceived.

The recently released YZF-R9 is arguably the most extreme example, with the tune not radically different in any one of the four different bikes it calls home. It is also not without fault. This fault becomes most apparent in the touring bike as any triple will have some vibrations higher up in the rev range. Some will feel it right away and hate it, others won’t even notice it, or at least, not care about it. You will need to test the bike at highway speed to find out where you stand.

Specifications

The Tracer 9 Has The Right Features

Right Features, Right Price

The Tracer 9 might not be the most feature-rich motorcycle on the market – an honor that may still belong to the 2024 model – but it has the right kind of features for this price point. An underrated physical feature is the hard cases, which do come as standard equipment, unlike its three main competitors. It also has good and adjustable wind protection. While features like the semi-active suspension and radar have been given the boot, we still get a ride-by-wire throttle and a six-axis IMU. This allows for features like customizable ride modes, cornering ABS, lean-sensitive traction control and cruise control. Like most modern bikes, it also gets a bigger TFT dash with smartphone connectivity.

On the face of it, it might seem like a step in the wrong direction, but in reality, nice-to-have features remain just that… nice-to-have, but are not always worth paying more for. For the vast majority of riders, radar-linked braking and adaptive cruise control just aren’t necessary. A quickshifter has become essential to some, but is not essential on a touring bike. Semi-active suspension is also great, but the adjustable suspension you get here will cater to most riders’ needs.

Safety features like lean-sensitive traction control are important, and so are physical features like hard cases, especially on a bike designed for touring! It certainly isn’t short of nice-to-have features, but what we love about it is that, by leaving off all the expensive luxuries, we get a modern touring bike at a bargain price. For those who are after all the bells and whistles, the 2024 model can still be found, but it will still cost a good deal more.

Features

• Ride modes
• Lean sensitive traction control
• Cornering ABS
• Cruise control
• Cornering lights
• Variable speed limiter
• TFT dash
• Adjustable windscreen
• Hard cases

Chassis, Suspension, And Weight Specifications