Ride Review: 2019 Yamaha Tracer 900 GT & Niken GT Demo Ride

Yamaha Tracer 900 GT & Niken GT Demo Ride Reviews:

Because both bikes utilize the same 847 cc cross plane triple (113 hp, 64 ft lbs motor, the Niken GT has 18% more flywheel mass) I will combine the Tracer 900 GT, a mid-sized tourer (474 lbs wet sans bags, w/18L fuel) & the new Niken GT, a tourer featuring a new design four fork, dual tired front end with a unique linkage system linking the tires/steering together, allowing individual suspension function with a maximum of 45* lean angle capability (589 lb wet sans bags, w/18L fuel). Imho each of these bikes should have had larger fuel capacity being targeted at touring, particularly the Niken which weighs slightly more than a Super Tenere w/23 L of fuel.

 

I was able to demo ride the Tracer 900 GT 1st , then the Niken GT.

 

Both bikes offer similar accoutrements like quick shifter, cruise control, multiple ride/traction control modes, TFT electronic dashes, adjustable suspension, etc but differ in execution & feel.

Yamaha lengthened the Tracer 900 GT swing arm 2.4” vs the MT-09 naked bike & the Niken GT another 0.4” yet again, but the obvious difference is the Niken GT’s front end that adds approx 100 lb with a much steeper steering angle than traditional forks setups.

 

After coming off the Super Tenere & its narrow beltline & tank shape that extends farther forward before flaring out than most other mid/large sized bikes you immediately notice the extra width of the triple down low with the staggered protrusions on the right (very close to my shin) & left of the engine casings along with the shorter seat to peg distance.

There is some S10 DNA sprinkled on each bike in the controls...mirrors on the Tracer, switch gear on the Niken...the tracer utilizes a small scroll wheel on the right cluster, but the colour display is small with tiny lettering, lacking the contrast of competitors colour screens, making it difficult to read, particularly in direct sunlight..the S10s plain b & w screen is better implemented.

You may need glasses to utilize the Niken’s mirrors which are low mounted (requires refocusing your eyes away from the road) & positioned so far forward they are in-line with the front wheels axle (I wonder how much of their view will be blocked by the bags?).

Kudos for a 1 handed manually adjustable windscreen, unfortunately it’s another example of oem screens that provide more noise than worthwhile coverage regardless of which position adjusted to & WHY is the Niken’s screen non-adjustable!. Both bikes provide good wind coverage from upper shin to upper chest.

Both bikes feel stable, comfortable & solid with relatively low seat heights that permit easy flat footed stops for my 6’ 1” frame.

The 3 pot motor dominates the rider experience with a very linear delivery of torque & power right up to the 11,500 rpm redline…throttle response feels like a rheostat accompanied by an omni-present, mid frequency coarseness that never gets unpleasant...it’s been several years since I rode the Triumph 800 triple, but my recollection was that it felt smoother, but with the Triumph trade mark high frequency gear wine.

Interestingly, the Niken GT produced noticeable gear wine in 3rd,4th & 5th gear from approx 3k to 5.5k rpm which was absent in the Tracer 900 GT….so am uncertain if it stems from the Niken GT’s heavier flywheel, different bodywork packaging amplifying noise or an issue with this particular demo bike…but it was so pronounced/annoying that it may influence some owners to look elsewhere if normal to the Niken GT.

Fueling & tractability on both bikes was good, even off idle & in stop & go traffic…so kudos to Yamaha for fixing the jerky fueling of the original MT-09. Rider modes seem well differentiated with the most aggressive settings never feeling too twitchy…most manufacturers seem to have upped their game in this regard over the past few years.

Something that I found disconcerting with the Niken GT is that it automatically raises the idle from approx 1100 rpm to 1700 rpm when letting the clutch out in 1st gear, making it difficult to modulate the clutch or identify the clutch engagement spot...I do not know if this can be turned off.

The Tracer 900 GT climbs the tach quicker with more urgency & stronger push than the heavier Niken GT with its heavier flywheel….reminiscent of a jet accelerating during take off .

Despite chain drive you could induce noticeable driveline snatch when opening & closing the throttle…but I had to deliberately induce it…during normal riding all was smooth with normal throttle input.

The triple begs for an aftermarket pipe to take over as the predominant sensory feedback vs the feeling of the motor via the bars…which may be pronounced enough for those with hands prone to vibration induced numbness to opt for extended test rides to determine if an issue….although, bar angle & height may come into play as much or more…but it was something that I wondered about given the different feel vs the much smoother & lower frequency S10 bar pulsations.

Ok, let’s get to the handling which is the 1st thing everyone asks about the Niken.

It has a more substantial & planted feel that is more resistant to the influences of road conditions than a conventional suspended bike that encourages you to throw it into corners.

Looks & packaging aside, it works very well at its designed mission & because you cannot see the forks or tires while riding because of the massive expanse of plastic/bodywork stretching almost to the front of the tire, you tend to forget that it has a non-tradition front end!

Each tire can respond independent of the other to road irregularities with a plush well damped feel. 

But traversing multiple close proximity whoops (think slightly spread out washboards) taxed out the high speed damping…so a little tweaking is still needed…the rear had trouble keeping up with the refinement of the front end & would bottom out on hard edged high g-outs.

I was able to induce a little for/aft rocking of the linkage while at a stop with the front brake engaged, but it never seemed to translate to an issue while riding.

The unique 15” front tire size will add to replacement costs (but perhaps may last longer) & limit tire choice options. Also, what happens if 1 front tire needs replaced before the other…must they be replaced as a set to ensure consistent handling, braking & performance?

Yamaha could have used a more aesthetically pleasing design for the upper bodywork that hides the front end assembly…the 2 large irregularly shaped black plastic monoliths look cheap & detract from the riders outlook...but others may consider them mounting points for a myriad of add-on accoutrements.

It will be interesting to see if the Niken GT sell in numbers necessary to sustain production, beyond the honeymoon stage….other than the unique benefits of the front end, the Tracer GT will make more sense for most…particularly at $14,600 vs $21k for the Niken GT in Canada.

Additional thoughts: After riding the triple, imho I think that Yamaha was smart not to use this motor in an ADV bike….the width, packaging, weight, cost & power band are not as optimal as the parallel twin motors….enlargement of the 689 cc CP2 twin makes more sense if more power is needed.