Motorcycle. Tracer 9 GT+: A model that improves with age?

All of these technologies aren't new; they're found on other motorcycles, whether they're from the brand or not, with the exception of matrix lights, which only exist in the automotive world. What's new is having all of this grouped together on a single machine, ready for a weekend or a vacation with its standard luggage.

For the occasion, we covered more than 350 km of Alpine roads in a short day to put this equipment to the test, its comfort and of course its sportiness because that's also why we buy an MT-09.

Technology, comfort and safety, all at once

Aside from the matrix headlights, which are impossible to test during daytime driving, everything else is worth paying attention to. On the left switch is the joystick that allows you to navigate through the countless menus. In the absence of a dedicated button, this is where you can adjust the height of the highly protective windshield in the high position, the intensity of the heated grips, or even access to applications (telephony, music, etc.).

For navigation, a long press on the " home " button switches to map mode with a nice display surface for perfect readability like the rest of the information. To follow a route, you have to plug your smartphone into the dedicated storage compartment which unfortunately doesn't accommodate much else.

A lack of visibility?

In the absence of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you still need two free apps on your smartphone (Yamaha MyRide and Garmin Motorize) to take advantage of it; we've known simpler options.

Radars come into play for safety. Up front, it allows you to benefit from a responsive adaptive cruise control that doesn't stray too far from the vehicle in front of you. It also alerts you with a huge display on the dashboard of a collision alert, which isn't so bad when you're looking at your GPS, for example.

It tends to trigger from time to time in spirited driving when approaching a hairpin, but overall it works adequately. What also works well is the blind spot warning with the rear radar, which illuminates a small pictogram in the rearview mirror on the side concerned.

The only criticism we can make is that the signal lacks visibility in broad daylight since it is meant to alert us to danger, but that's all.

3 cylinders and automatic transmission for traveling

What doesn't change is the 3-cylinder engine, which is upgraded to Euro5+ but displays exactly the same performance on paper. It lacks vitality below 4,000 rpm, which is surprising for this unit that we know from the MT-09, but on the Tracer 9 it is used above that, so you have to find the right gear, especially in the mountains.

This is where the Y-AMT automatic transmission comes in. The GT+ is not available as a standard transmission. This transmission, which worked so well on the MT-09, does not give the same satisfaction, firstly because there are quite a few jolts, and secondly because, whatever the mode selected, it seriously lacks sportiness with this heavier motorcycle. For example, it never wants to drop a gear, which penalizes acceleration.

So we use it in Sport manual mode because that's where it responds with the triggers. It's perfect, but the advantage of the automatic transmission isn't there. Still, the automatic mode prevents stalling when starting on a hill with a heavy load or simply constantly playing with the clutch in town, so it's a certain comfort. The rest of the time, we switch to manual mode.

The most expensive Tracer 9

What worked very well on these mountain roads were the electronically adjustable suspensions. It's a shame that only the hydraulics are adjustable, the preload is manually adjusted at the front and rear, but they adjust perfectly to the ride, ensuring both good handling and a certain comfort.

Overall, the Tracer 9 GT+ remains a formidable touring machine, even if the engine must remain above 4,000 rpm and the gearbox would benefit from other parameters to be adapted to this motorcycle rather than to the MT-09. The equipment is complete, the protection effective and the electronic aids seemed relevant, enough to line up the kilometers without restraint.

The Tracer 9 GT+ Y-AMT is the most expensive Tracer 9 at €18,999, but it is also the best equipped.