YAMAHA has always made unusual niche bikes such as the V-Max, MT-01, Radian and, who could forget, the TDM850. Some have lasted well to become cult bikes, while some remain enigmas.
The TDM was one of these, being a sportbike trapped in an adventure bike’s body. It only took other manufacturers many, many years before they took up the TDM’s unusual mantle and made their own versions. Thus, the Ducati Multistrada, Triumph Tiger Sport, BMW S1000XR, Honda NC700X, as well as the Kawasaki Versys all have the TDM as their granddaddy. Funny thing is, Yamaha had stopped production of the TDM, the last being the 900 version in 2011.
The Tracer is basically the rebirth of the TDM850. And, Yamaha now had the distinct advantage of being able to draw upon its experience and also the trends that the TDM followers were setting.
With the best-selling MT-09 naked as their basis, the Tracer was drawn up as a sport adventure bike to equal or beat its competitors, and with a price much lower than theirs. There is much to be said for the 847cc liquid-cooled DOHC 12-valve triple with YCC-T ride-by-wire, especially the sweet sound the crossplane triple makes while producing 115hp. Other than tweaks (to the D-Mode) to suit its new home, nothing else was changed from the naked version.
Yamaha’s D-Mode comes with three power modes: STD, A and B. The modes are selectable on the move only with the throttle shut. Mode A is, for lack of a better word, the race mode. The throttle response is sharper and the bike feels raw and aggressive with more meat in the midrange, although it makes the same 115hp as the STD mode. The B mode is for low traction conditions and stifles throttle response as well as restricting the Tracer to 95hp. In the STD mode, which gets the most use, the Tracer starts producing serious torque from 3000rpm and beyond to 11000rpm. Smooth and addictive, it is.
The Tracer definitely rides firmer than the naked MT-09. As such, the Tracer keeps its composure much longer and better than its sibling. Then again, a truly aggressive or much heavier rider would find that tweaking the adjustable suspension to firmer settings would help. The 42mm upside down forks are adjustable for pre-load and rebound damping, while the rear monoshock is equally adjustable. The plush standard settings are extremely comfortable on any surface and will suit most conditions.
Braking is by Nissin, with dual 298mm discs up front and a 245mm disc on the rear with ABS as standard. Both wheels are cast alloy in sportbike sizes, a 120/180 combo. These are shod with Dunlop Sportmax tyres. They definitely get the traction control a workout in damp conditions. Get some Diablos/SuperCorsas if you are feeling frisky. The brakes are well up to a track session, if you so wish.
With a 33.3 inch seat height (the seat is adjustable to 33.9 if you long in the inseam), the Tracer is not too tall. A dry weight of 210kg is par for the course and situated well enough that you might be forgiven for thinking it weighs 190kg. The seat is comfortable and allows movement to and fro for those long highway trips.
The small(ish) windscreen is 3-position adjustable (manually) and works fairly well at legal speeds in the fully upright position. The fuel tank holds 18 litres, plenty for those cross-border forays. The Tracer comes standard with a centre stand and has built-in mounting points for saddlebags. And, the instrument panel will hold your attention for hours on end, especially if you hadn’t read the manual. Very comprehensive display, to say the least, and friendly to boot (get a test ride to find out).
Visually, the Tracer is arresting. The whole look is carried over from the MT family and works even better on the Tracer. Twin angular LED headlights, and clever use of colours and textures makes this the best looking MT yet. Blue forks? The last set was seen on a GSX-R750 in the mid-1990s, but it works so well here and is well matched by the smart alloy wheels. The three snaking header pipes lead to a well-concealed muffler under the banana swingarm. Inspired styling touches are everywhere. Call me sold on the styling.
The Tracer is sold at almost all Yamaha dealers and goes for RM59,900 (excluding road tax, insurance, etc). It comes in only this Race Blu colour. A bargain? You bet!
