2015–2017 · Sport Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Triple Soul, Touring Manners
Yamaha took the 847 cc CP3 triple out of the MT-09, wrapped it in a half fairing, and added a 4.8 gal tank, upright bars, and an adjustable screen. That is the whole idea behind the Tracer 900. You get 115 hp at 10,000 rpm, 65 lb-ft at 8,500 rpm, YCC-T throttle control, three ride modes, traction control and ABS, and 463 lb wet on the scales. In a class that usually trades excitement for competence, this one keeps the excitement. It tours because you asked it to, not because it was built sensible first.
On a real road it feels light for a sport tourer, turning in quickly on the 120/70-17 front and settling on a line without argument. Both ends are adjustable, so you can firm up the softness once you know what you want, and the slipper clutch keeps hurried downshifts tidy. Seat height adjusts, screen adjusts, and the 56.7 in wheelbase keeps it stable enough for real distance. This is the bike for a rider who wants 300 mile days without giving up the grin. The honest caveat: load it with panniers and a passenger and it can weave at sustained highway speed.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 115 hp (85 kW) @ 10,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 65 lb-ft (88 Nm) @ 8,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 847 cc |
| Engine | Inline-three |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 298 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 56.7 in (1440 mm) |
| Seat height | 33.3 in (845 mm) |
| Wet weight | 463 lb (210 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.8 gal (18 L) |
| Fuel economy | 42 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Drivetrain
Safety
The first thing you notice is the noise. The triple has a hard, mechanical howl above 6,000 rpm, and it carries straight through the bars into your palms. There is a fine buzz at highway revs, never numbing, just present enough to remind you what is underneath. The riding position is roomy and upright, bars wide and close to you, and at 33.3 in the seat is tall enough that shorter riders will be on their toes at lights. The screen moves through its range by hand, and at the top setting it pulls most of the blast off your chest, though the air stays busy around a full-face helmet. Every control is light. After two hours you stop thinking about the machine at all. Range works out near 200 miles at 42 mpg.
I've gathered this the slow way: talking to owners at fuel stops and club nights, listening in the paddock, and reading the messages riders send me directly. On the Tracer 900 that chatter is unusually consistent. People bring up the engine first, the versatility second, and then, without much prompting, the drivetrain manners.
The triple gets the most airtime by a distance. Riders describe torque they can't leave alone, a strong top-end rush, and a distinctive exhaust note that gives an ordinary ride some occasion. Close behind comes breadth of use: the same bike handles the commute, the Sunday road, and a loaded two-up trip without anyone feeling short-changed. Owners also keep pointing at what they paid, saying it undercut its rivals by a wide margin while giving up nothing in power, weight, or versatility.
The complaints are quieter and more specific. Some owners find the throttle abrupt at small openings and lean on the clutch in traffic to smooth it out. A notchy, clunky shift action comes up as well, though the same riders tend to add that the gearbox itself holds up fine.
High-speed weave when loaded with panniers
The original Tracer 900 can exhibit a destabilising weave at motorway speeds when fully loaded with luggage and a passenger. Yamaha acknowledged the issue by extending the swingarm on the 2018 update.
Handlebar clamp recall
Yamaha issued a safety recall for certain 2015-2017 FJ-09 (Tracer 900) motorcycles due to a potential handlebar clamp failure that could lead to loss of control.
Clutch basket cracking and plate failure
Some owners have experienced broken clutch plates and cracked outer clutch baskets, causing jerky engagement and noise. An incorrectly seated final friction plate may be a contributing factor.
Corrosion on engine fasteners and cases
Exposed fasteners and engine components are susceptible to surface corrosion if not regularly treated with an anti-rust spray.
Where this Yamaha Tracer 900 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 900 is actually built for.
This is your bike. Real 300 mile days on the Blue Ridge or Highway 1 without the bulk of a full dresser, and enough engine to keep the dull stretches from feeling dull. Pack light and it's close to perfect.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If your weekends go into learning the same Appalachian corners over and over, this fits. Light enough to work on, honest in what it tells you, and comfortable on the slab ride out from Atlanta or Knoxville.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
For Angeles Crest weekends it works better than the spec sheet suggests: quick steering, light controls, and a screen you can raise for the grind home through LA traffic.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
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 900. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
