By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Sport Tourer
Yamaha Tracer 9 (MY2025) vs Kawasaki Versys 1000 (LZT00B)
Yamaha Tracer 9 vs Kawasaki Versys 1000: which one you'd rather spend the big miles on.
Deep into a tight bend at pace, the Yamaha Tracer 9's front end hooks up and tells you exactly what it's gripping. The Kawasaki Versys 1000 points where you aim it, then shoots.
So which one do you buy?
The Tracer 9 has the edge if…
Daily commuting & city riding
Narrow edge: Tracer 9
Your daily ride leans slightly toward the Tracer 9. It's down to a smaller footprint and lighter steering. Fit and price can easily outweigh that.
Keeping running costs low
Inches ahead: Tracer 9
The Tracer 9 comes out a little ahead on upkeep. Only a little.
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Edges it: Tracer 9
On a twisty road, the Tracer 9 edges ahead. Most of that is more feel through the bars and better suspension. Not by enough to settle it alone.
Comfortable long-distance riding
Slight edge: Tracer 9
The Tracer 9 should leave you a bit fresher after a long day. The reason: more stability at speed and better wind protection. Should, not will: the margin is small.
What makes each one tick
Tracer 9
Low in the revs, the Tracer 9's triple already shoves with real muscle. Corner entry doesn't ask much: the chassis drops into the line eagerly and stays composed with bags strapped on. The triple's still pulling at redline.
Versys 1000
Season start to season end, the Versys 1000 piles on miles as a daily workhorse that doesn't fuss. Run down the practical checklist and it scores heavily. Behind the tall screen, the padded seat carries you and a passenger through all-day stints. Every throttle opening gets a plain answer from the inline-four, and you'll trust it enough to push hard.
Nils rode the Versys 1000 in Austria in 2015 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Tracer 9 has the lower wet weight: 487 lb (221 kg) vs 551 lb (250 kg).
- The Versys 1000 makes more peak torque: 75 lb-ft (102 Nm) vs 69 lb-ft (93 Nm).
- The Versys 1000 has the larger engine: 1043 cc vs 890 cc.
Which one for the way you ride
A confidence-building first motorcycle
Not their thing
If this is your first motorcycle, keep looking. Neither one makes learning easy.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Tracer 9
What owners say
Strengths
- Agile yet stable chassis
- Seductive CP3 engine character
Versys 1000
From Nils' own saddle time
Strengths
- Swallows A Full Touring Load
- Built To Run Long
- 120 hp, Plenty In Reserve
- Controls You Stop Noticing
- Willing From Low Revs
Trade-offs
- No Cruise Control Fitted
- Fork Seals Can Weep
- Steering Head Bearings Wear
- Neutral Light Plays Tricks
What they share
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
- Rear tire
- 180/55-17
Where the spec sheets split
| Tracer 9 | Versys 1000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 33.3 in (845 mm) | 33.1 in (840 mm) |
| Wet weight | 487 lb (221 kg) | 551 lb (250 kg) |
| Tracer 9 | Versys 1000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 890 cc | 1043 cc |
| Engine | Inline-three | Inline-four |
| Power | 119 hp (88 kW) | 120 hp (88 kW) |
| Peak power at | 10,000 rpm | 9,000 rpm |
| Torque | 69 lb-ft (93 Nm) | 75 lb-ft (102 Nm) |
| Peak torque at | 7,000 rpm | 7,500 rpm |
| Tracer 9 | Versys 1000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 US gal (19 L) | 5.5 US gal (21 L) |
| Tracer 9 | Versys 1000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Front brake | 298 mm | 310 mm |
| Wheelbase | 59.1 in (1500 mm) | 59.8 in (1520 mm) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Tracer 9 | Versys 1000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise Control | Standard | Not offered |
| Quickshifter | Option | Not offered |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
