·
2024 · Sport Tourer · Buyer's Guide
The Triple That Clicks
The Tracer 9 puts Yamaha's 890 cc triple in a chassis built for covering distance rather than for showing off. Peak power is 119 hp at 10,000 rpm with 69 lb-ft at 7,000, and on a 470 lb (213 kg) motorcycle that is real authority for loaded highway miles and long climbs. What lifts this version is how much arrives as standard equipment: cruise control, a quickshifter that works up and down, a slipper clutch, ABS, traction control, ride modes, a TFT dash, an adjustable screen and seat height, plus fork and shock you can dial in by hand.
In practice it behaves like a light, willing middleweight that happens to be set up for 300-mile days. The upright riding position and the 31.9 in (810 mm) seat suit a wide range of riders, reliability has been a strong point, and the running costs stay ordinary once you account for chain care. This is the bike for someone who wants Highway 1 or the Blue Ridge on Saturday and still enjoys a tight second-gear corner at the end of it. The honest caveat: the suspension is conventional and adjusted with tools, not buttons, and most of the touring hardware costs extra.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 119 hp (88 kW) @ 10,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) @ 7,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 890 cc |
| Engine | Inline-threeMotorcycles With Three-Cylinder Engines → |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 298 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Seat height | 31.9 in (810 mm) |
| Wet weight | 470 lb (213 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (18.9 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
This picture comes from years of listening: paddock conversations, owner chats at club nights, and the emails and messages riders send me directly. On the current Tracer 9 the pattern is clear. Owners rave about the engine and how easily the bike adapts to different kinds of riding. Their complaints center on the base suspension and the stock screen.
The engine is what riders mention most. They describe a punchy powerband with strong midrange pull and a hard rush near the top. Comfort comes close behind, and owners credit the adjustable bars and multiple seat positions for keeping long days easy. Many say the chassis feels sharper and more precise in corners than they expected from a sport-tourer. Owners also say it handles the commute, weekend back roads and cross-country trips equally well, and the broad accessory range lets them set it up for each.
The most repeated gripe is the base suspension. Several owners find it too soft once the pace picks up or the bike carries a heavy load, and some say that is where the GT+ pulls ahead. The second complaint comes up less often. The stock windscreen causes noticeable buffeting at highway speeds, and taller riders in particular talk about switching to an aftermarket screen.
Throttle Position Sensor Recall (ECU reflash & TPS replacement)
Improper ECU programming can cause excessive brush wear in the throttle position sensor, leading to unstable idling, engine stalling, and a P2135 fault code. A safety recall (NHTSA 25V-248) requires ECU reflash and TPS replacement free of charge.
Where this Yamaha Tracer 9 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Tracer 9 is actually built for.
If your ideal weekend is 300 miles of Highway 1 or the Blue Ridge with real corners in the middle, this fits. Just budget for luggage and plan to set the suspension yourself when you load it.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
For repeat runs at the Dragon or the Cherohala, the light steering and generous lean clearance let you work on lines instead of fighting the bike, and it still rides home in comfort.
Made for Tail of the Dragon · Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway
Easy in traffic during the week, genuinely fun on Skyline on Sunday, and modern enough to look right parked outside Alice's. The triple gives it a voice people notice.
Made for San Francisco Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard · Big Sur Coast Highway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Yamaha Tracer 9. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2026
Triple Soul, Sport-Tourer Grip
Competitor · 2024
Superbike Soul, Touring Body
About the same used price as this bike at 2 yr
Competitor · 2022–2025
The Accessible Sport Triple
Roughly $6,100 cheaper used than this bike at 2 yr
Competitor · 2020
Handles Like It Weighs Less
Roughly $3,000 cheaper used than this bike at 2 yr
Same Platform · 2024
The Triple With No Clutch
Roughly $3,000 cheaper used than this bike at 2 yr
Compare it with every bike that shares the same spec or equipment.