11-07-2023, 12:19 PM
You are welcome. Online fora are useful only if there is wheat to sift from the chaff ...
The conclusion about which is best for 2-up must only be reached after consultation with the passenger, who will likely see things quite differently than the rider, even if that passenger is a rider themselves. In my case, my wife is not a rider and is generally disinterested in riding as a whole, although curiously enough, when in the mood and she goes on a short tour, she typically has a good time ... even on the bike. She appreciates the mental aspect and as such refuses to listen to music and sometimes (most times?) even me. I have more than one video on my YouTube channel where we are 2-up and she makes her feedback known, and she prefers the RS.
I also thought that the more seat-spacious (as opposed to head-spacious) Tracer or Tiger would be better but, on balance, even I must concur that the RS edges them both out, but that is not to say that they are bad - they are both fine.
This answer may surprise you even more than that for the 2-up question. The short answer is, among the three, the Tracer was the best, with the Tiger second, and the RS last. The RS's wheelbase and steering geometry is such that it is directionally very stable, i.e. it is slightly more resistant to turning compared to the other two. That is a good thing for long-distance touring and mile munching all day; the RS does this the best of the three.
The Tracer's CP3 engine is sublime and the way even my 2019's engine sings in response to the right wrist is better than most bikes. Compared to the RS, it has almost as much power (but significantly less torque) so depending on how you ride it, the drive out of the corners can be more entertaining and faster. Then there is the actual ease of steering via the handlebars - both Tracer and Tiger are easier to turn in than the RS. This video excerpt offers my final thoughts on the Tracer on the way home from the 2022 MOA Rally.
If I did not have the Tiger and this apparent need to occasionally go offroad, and if I had to have only one bike, the 2024 Yamaha Tracer 9GT+ would be on my short list. Any other T9GT would never grace my garage due to the split screen, but that is just me. The Tiger acquits itself very well in the twisties also handling just as easily as the Tracer despite the 21" front wheel! Where it loses out is in the engine, which due to its 270 degree firing order (good for offroad torque and "sound like V-twin") makes it less sweet than even the RS's boxer, but the chassis handles the twisties very well.
(11-07-2023, 08:18 AM)lcon2 Wrote: I truly appreciate your well thought out and detailed comparison between the three bikes. What I found most interesting was the RS,in your opinion, was the best for two up. I would have thought it would have been the Tiger or the Tracer.
The conclusion about which is best for 2-up must only be reached after consultation with the passenger, who will likely see things quite differently than the rider, even if that passenger is a rider themselves. In my case, my wife is not a rider and is generally disinterested in riding as a whole, although curiously enough, when in the mood and she goes on a short tour, she typically has a good time ... even on the bike. She appreciates the mental aspect and as such refuses to listen to music and sometimes (most times?) even me. I have more than one video on my YouTube channel where we are 2-up and she makes her feedback known, and she prefers the RS.
I also thought that the more seat-spacious (as opposed to head-spacious) Tracer or Tiger would be better but, on balance, even I must concur that the RS edges them both out, but that is not to say that they are bad - they are both fine.
(11-07-2023, 08:18 AM)lcon2 Wrote: As far as handling a curvy road, and just going out and having a good time, which bike would be most suited? How does the RS handle in comparison to the Tracer? When I took the RS out I found it did handle as well as the Tracer. It could be due to handlebars, or a number of things that I just was not use to......
This answer may surprise you even more than that for the 2-up question. The short answer is, among the three, the Tracer was the best, with the Tiger second, and the RS last. The RS's wheelbase and steering geometry is such that it is directionally very stable, i.e. it is slightly more resistant to turning compared to the other two. That is a good thing for long-distance touring and mile munching all day; the RS does this the best of the three.
The Tracer's CP3 engine is sublime and the way even my 2019's engine sings in response to the right wrist is better than most bikes. Compared to the RS, it has almost as much power (but significantly less torque) so depending on how you ride it, the drive out of the corners can be more entertaining and faster. Then there is the actual ease of steering via the handlebars - both Tracer and Tiger are easier to turn in than the RS. This video excerpt offers my final thoughts on the Tracer on the way home from the 2022 MOA Rally.
If I did not have the Tiger and this apparent need to occasionally go offroad, and if I had to have only one bike, the 2024 Yamaha Tracer 9GT+ would be on my short list. Any other T9GT would never grace my garage due to the split screen, but that is just me. The Tiger acquits itself very well in the twisties also handling just as easily as the Tracer despite the 21" front wheel! Where it loses out is in the engine, which due to its 270 degree firing order (good for offroad torque and "sound like V-twin") makes it less sweet than even the RS's boxer, but the chassis handles the twisties very well.
Regards,
Grumpy Goat
2016 BMW R1200RS
2023 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro
Grumpy Goat
2016 BMW R1200RS
2023 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro