RIDE REVIEW I 2022 YAMAHA TRACER 9 GT
P80
2015, with the 2019 edition being
more of a stop-gap version.
The 847cc motor gets boosted
to 890cc for 2022, wrapped in
an all-new chassis, bodywork and
electronics package to bring the
GT into line with a few of the more
expensive offerings from Europe
and indeed Japan.
And best of all, you can get it
for under $15,000.
I've always had a soft spot for
the FJ/Tracer model. It's a very
capable motorcycle, if a little
bland, but it'll provide plenty of
thrills for the money. Tech has
never been one of its strong
points but that's changed for this
year. We'll start with the engine.
This is more than just a capac-
ity increase with a new intake,
cylinder head, valves, intake and
exhaust cams, new injectors and
throttle bodies. At the bottom sits
a 3mm longer stroke crank, new
forged pistons, 1.5mm shorter
fracture-split conrods, a rede-
signed exhaust and a gearbox
housing taller first and second
gears and a new slip-and-assist
clutch.
Yamaha's reworked the intake
system to give more noise, al-
though I feel the old 2020 version
had a bit more bark in that depart-
ment. That's always been a Tracer
trait—that deep, burbly induction
roar, which is something retained
T H E G O O D S
