Who are the competitors of the Yamaha Tracer?

Rennie Scaysbrook

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| February 12,

Two sides of the same coin? Perhaps, as Yamaha and Suzuki prove, there&#;s more to sport touring than meets the eye.

Two bikes of the same category have hardly been more different (the Suzuki tested here is a model, but is the same spec as a except for the blue color).

Photography by Kit Palmer

Should we really be comparing these two bikes? The $16,499 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ and the $14,199 Suzuki GSX-SGT+ are somewhat different takes on the same sport touring conundrum, but they&#;re aimed at essentially the same customer. So, yes, we should be comparing them against each other, but it&#;s certainly not like comparing apples to apples.

The Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ is the newer of the two bikes on test today, its latest iteration coming for the model year. The Tracer 9 GT+ replaces the Tracer 9 GT, a bike that&#;s been a roaring success for the tuning fork brand. However, the GT+ doesn&#;t gain a new engine, chassis, or anything like that. The version&#;s differences lie squarely in the electronics, with new radar-adaptive cruise control and radar-linked Unified Braking System (UBS), plus the ability to run your to answer calls and texts and use maps via the Garmin Motorize app that is confusing to use at best and requires a subscription. Please, why can&#;t we just have Apple Car Play?

One is a sportbike with panniers, the other is a supermoto with a high screen.

The Yamaha is by far the most tech-laden of this test. It has a revised six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit with the latest-generation KYB Actimatic Damper System (KADS) electronically-controlled suspension running two modes&#;the stiffer A-1 for sporty riding and A-2 for a softer ride&#;and the KADS system will make changes to the damping rates on the fly as you lean the bike into corners.

On top of this, you&#;ve got four modes of Rain, Street, Sport, and Custom that are essentially mission control for Yamaha&#;s behaviors. Each mode comes with its own preset levels of traction control, slide control, wheelie control, engine power, and either A1 or A2, but the Custom mode allows you to go in and program any level you want of these systems.

Yamaha&#;s got the modes pretty spot on. The only reason you&#;d want to get into the Custom mode is if you wanted to put the wheelie control on its lowest setting so you can have a bit of one-wheeled fun.

It&#;s only when you compare the Yamaha to the Suzuki that you realize how little tech the Suzuki has or, should I say, has not. The GSX-S doesn&#;t run an IMU, so it doesn&#;t get lean-angle-sensitive traction control, cornering ABS, or even wheelie control.

Mission control for the Suzuki is basic at best, which isn&#;t a bad thing.

You get basic cruise control&#;no radar means no adaptive cruise&#;and you get Suzuki&#;s first (that&#;s right, first) color TFT dash that you can Bluetooth your to. You can change the three engine modes, five stages plus Off traction control, and switch the quickshifter on and off. God knows why you&#;d want to turn it off, as it&#;s one of the best quickshifters on the market today. The suspension is old-school KYB, no electronic suspension here, which is reflected in the $ price difference.

Suzuki&#;s first TFT dash is a good example of giving the rider everything they need and nothing they don&#;t.

As for the hardware, there are marked differences between these motorcycles. The Yamaha runs that stupendous CP3 890cc inline-triple motor that Yamaha claims produces 108 horsepower and 63 lb-ft of torque, while Suzuki has its very tried and tested K5-derived 999cc inline four-cylinder that produces a claimed 149 horsepower and 78 lb-ft of torque, so first strike definitely goes to the Suzuki on this one.

The Yamaha delivers its torque in a much punchier fashion compared to the Suzuki. Around town, the Yamaha is a more sensible proposal. The low-down torque from the three-cylinder motor means you can afford to be a little lazy with your shifts and just wind the throttle on, greeted by strong drive until about rpm. It&#;s at this point the Yamaha labors through a flat spot until drive is restored in full flight at around rpm, and then you&#;re off to the races.

Adjusting the Yamaha&#;s myriad of electronics is done via the little joystick on the left handlebar. Some love it, others not so much.

By contrast, the Suzuki&#;s significant power and torque advantage gives a calmer engine character, just without the early rpm torque the Yamaha enjoys. The K5 motor builds its power steadily and doesn&#;t suffer the flat spot issue present on the Yamaha, and although the Yamaha has a revised quickshifter, it&#;s still not as smooth as that on the Suzuki, which is knife-through-butter stuff.

Speaking of electronics, Suzuki&#;s lack of them is actually a nice surprise. We live in a time when more is almost always better, but perhaps we&#;re seeing a bit of a turning point where instead of having almost everything be electronically adjustable, the Suzuki seems to have whittled down the range of choice to things that truly matter for a sport touring bike.

Yamaha ditched the split screen dash layout for , and the result is a much easier-to-read and conventional design.

Yamaha has done an exceptional job making their electronics as easy to use as possible via the left-side joystick, and anyone who&#;s tried radar-adaptive cruise control will attest to how good it really is. But it&#;s up to you if you really need it. If you&#;re doing big miles where there are lots of freeways, there is no question that having radar-adaptive cruise control is a game changer. But if you&#;re more akin to backroad twisties with minimal straight roads, perhaps you won&#;t need it.

Suzuki&#;s basic quickshifter is a smoother operator than Yamaha&#;s new-for- unit.

Suzuki runs the SDMS (Suzuki Drive Mode Select), which retains A, B and C modes for full, medium, or soft throttle response. The Yamaha, by contrast, has four modes of Rain, Street, Sport and Custom, and I found over the test I would spend most of the time in Street mode.

As mentioned, the Yamaha&#;s modes change everything within the machine&#;throttle response, suspension setup, traction, slide and wheelie control&#;whereas the Suzuki&#;s SDMS only influences the throttle response. However, the Suzuki&#;s KYB fork and shock are set up nicely from the factory so the fact I couldn&#;t change the suspension modes on the fly meant very little to me.

An ace in the Yamaha&#;s adjustability is the electronic suspension compared to the conventionally adjustable units of the Suzuki.

Regarding the chassis performance, this is where the two bikes really stand apart. They are diametrically opposed, as one is effectively a sport bike and the other a supermoto with a big screen.

The Yamaha&#;s ergonomics help the rider carve through corners with exceptional ease. The steering is sharper and faster on the Yamaha over the Suzuki, which has a slower rate of turn but conversely is more stable over fast, long sweeping turns than the Yamaha, which can seem almost nervous when speeds increase.

Yamaha has revamped the seat for , and it provides excellent all-day comfort.

The Yamaha has the rider sitting much more upright than the Suzuki, putting them in a near dirt bike ride position. A straight back and absolutely no weight on the wrists means you can ride for hour after hour on the Yamaha, although they have suffered their own goal by fitting a screen that does nothing except deflect the oncoming air, instead sending it into the bottom or top of the rider&#;s helmet and buffeting them to death, depending on the setting you have chosen. There are 10 stages of adjustment with the Yamaha&#;s screen, but, as CN editor Kit Palmer said in his launch report, it&#;s really only two stages&#;up or down. Personally, I&#;d just take the screen off or put a tiny little wind deflector piece on there.

The rider leans a touch forward from center on the Suzuki, which takes some of the weight off the rider&#;s tailbone.

Moving onto the Suzuki, a lower seat height and slightly forward from vertical riding position takes a bit of weight off the rider&#;s tailbone and I conversely found it more comfortable than the Yamaha after a day on board.

The ride position puts you in a more natural sports attack stance, which allows you to put a bit more weight on the front tire and help the Suzuki initiate the turn. The conventionally adjustable KYB suspension is far from a detraction when you start to wind the wick up, and the chassis&#; greater stability in medium- to higher-speed twisties is a nice factor over the Yamaha.

The Yamaha has a much nicer feel under brakes from the front master cylinder compared to the Suzuki&#;s, which has a wooden feel that is, unfortunately, becoming a bit of a trait with Suzukis these days. A new master cylinder would fix this instantly, but I feel it shouldn&#;t be something the customer should have to do; it should be done for them.

Higher-set handlebars put the Yamaha rider in a near-perfect neutral riding position.

The same is also true of the lack of heated grips on the Suzuki. Yes, you can have them as accessories, but this is a sport-touring bike, and they should come as standard fitment, just like on the Yamaha.

It wouldn&#;t be a sport touring test without talking about luggage capacity, and again, it&#;s two answers to the same problem. The Yamaha runs two 30-liter side cases, whereas the Suzuki runs two 27.5-liter cases. However, the Yamaha&#;s cases are taller and slimmer, which ensures not all full-face helmets fit&#;if you&#;re running a lid like an Arai Corsair-X or Shoei X-Fifteen that has spoilers on them, you&#;re out of luck.

The Yamaha&#;s much taller screen (left) angles the wind right into the rider&#;s helmet, which can get very annoying after a while.

The Suzuki runs a more traditional (wider) shaped case that will accommodate a broader range of helmets, but they&#;re not as svelte and look a little bulgy. But I guess that won&#;t be a concern when you can fit your helmet in the Suzuki&#;s cases and not in the Yamaha&#;s.

Perhaps by now you&#;d be thinking the Suzuki is going to win the test, and you&#;d be right, but it&#;s not that clear cut. The Suzuki is a more polished article for the stuff I want&#;nicely set up, conventional suspension, a ride position that takes weight off my tailbone without outing it on my wrists, and an engine that&#;s a sheer joy to ride and listen to.

You&#;ll not go wrong with either bike; you just need to be honest with the kind of ride experience you&#;re after.

The Yamaha, on the other hand, is a brilliantly executed bike and has so much more than the Suzuki in terms of electronics, especially the radar-adaptive cruise control. The interesting thing to note is the Suzuki will most likely have to fit an IMU in the next few years and thus radar-adaptive cruise control, electronic suspension, cornering ABS, etc., will all become a reality. As will a steep increase in price. It&#;s inevitable.

Whether that increase in adjustability/electronics then neuters the advantage the Suzuki has in terms of ease of use remains to be seen, but for now, my vote&#;and I&#;m as surprised as anyone&#;is going to the Suzuki. CN

VIDEO | Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ vs Suzuki GSX-SGT+ Comparison

Suzuki GSX-S GT+ Specifications

MSRP: $14,199 Engine: Four-stroke, four-cylinder, Valvetrain: DOHC, 16-valve Cooling system: Liquid Power: 149 hp at 11,000 rpm Torque: 78 lb-ft at rpm Displacement: 999cc Bore x stroke: 73.4 x 59mm Compression ratio: 12.2:1 Fuel system: EFI, 4 x 40mm throttle bodies Exhaust: 4/2/ Transmission: 6-speed Chassis: Aluminum twin-spar Front suspension: KYB fork, fully adjustable Rear suspension: KYB shock, adjustable rebound damping and preload Front brake: Brembo Monobloc 4-piston, radially mounted caliper, 310mm disc, ABS Rear brake: Nissin 2-piston, fixed caliper, 240mm disc, ABS Front tire: 120/70 ZR17 in. Rear tire: 190/50 ZR17 in. Wheelbase: 57.5 in Seat height: 31.9 in. Fuel capacity: 5.0 gal. Weight (curb, claimed): 498 lbs.

 

Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ Specifications

MSRP: $16,999 Engine: Four-stroke, three-cylinder Valvetrain: DOHC, 12-valve Cooling system: Liquid Power: 108 hp at 10,000 rpm Torque: 63 lb-ft at rpm Displacement: 999cc Bore x stroke: 78 x 62.1mm Compression ratio: 11.5:1 Fuel system: EFI, YCC-T, three 41mm throttle bodies Exhaust:  3-2-1 Transmission: 6-speed Chassis: Cast aluminum Front suspension: 41 KYB electronically adjustable fork, rebound & compression, manually adj. preload Rear suspension: Single shock, electronically adj. rebound, manually adj. preload (remote) Front brake: Monobloc 4-piston, radially mounted caliper, 298mm disc, ABS Rear brake: Nissin 2-piston, fixed caliper, 267mm disc, ABS Front tire: 120/70 ZR17 in. Rear tire: 180/55 ZR17 in. Wheelbase: 59.1 in. Seat height: 32.3/32.9 in. Fuel capacity: 5.0 gal. Weight (curb, claimed): 492 lbs.

 

 

 

 

It&#;s no surprise that, with the huge popularity of full-size adventure bikes &#; the latest group of which BikeSocial tested just the other week &#; more and more mid-size, more entry-level, affordable versions would follow.

Mid-range adventure bikes, if you like.

While BMW&#;s evergreen RGS continues to be a best seller and inspire a whole range of imitators, such as the new Ducati Multistrada Enduro, KTM&#;s Super Adventure or Triumph&#;s updated Tiger Explorer ; in the middleweight class, long-lived and popular adventure-styled all-rounders such as Suzuki&#;s V-Strom 650 no longer have things all their own way.

First, Kawasaki has continued to update and evolve its VStrom rival, the Versys 650, with a face-lifted and more refined version of the versatile parallel twin coming out last year.

At the same time, adventure bike pioneers BMW have constantly updated and expanded its family of F700 and 800 parallel twins.

But two new bikes have suddenly made the class more interesting and competitive than ever.

Honda&#;s deliberately novice-friendly NC750X might not be everyone&#;s cup of tea, thanks to its rather soft, unexciting demeanour, but there&#;s no denying its success: the low-revving twin, with novel &#;in tank&#; luggage space and &#;DCT&#; semi-automatic gearbox option, was Honda&#;s best-selling 125cc+ bike in Europe last year bar none thanks to its unintimidating behaviour allied to scoter-style practicality &#; and that was before they made it sharper looking and more dynamic for .

And if that doesn&#;t whet your whistle, there&#;s another newcomer from the other end of the spectrum that promises excitement in spades.

Yamaha&#;s new Tracer 900, a semi-adventure-styled version of its already popular MT09, instantly became one of the UK&#;s best sellers when launched last year, enough to guarantee a similar conversion of its twin cylinder MT07 little brother.

The result; the brand new Tracer 700, with all the lively, sprightly fun of the MT, an almost-as-cheap price (at £) plus the added versatility and comfort its adventure style ergonomics and weather protection bring, promised to whisk the new Yamaha straight to the top of this increasingly competitive and compelling class.

But does it? To find out, BikeSocial decided to pit all five machines head-to-head on a medium-sized adventure of our own designed to reveal exactly what you get for your money with each. To get to the very heart of the matter, if you like. And how better to take in some serious A-roads, motorway miles, twisties and more, and all with an absolutely spectacular backdrop, than by undertaking a two-day, 400-mile mini-adventure from Peterborough to TV&#;s Heartbeat country &#; the North York Moors?

HERE'S THE VIDEO REVIEW:

Go North young man! Yamaha Tracer 700

With five bikes and riders (co-testers Michael Mann, Jon Urry, Bruce Dunn and Jamie Rule), some serious scratching miles ahead of us and just the one planned overnight stop (in the garrison town of Catterick on the edge of the North York Moors) we decided to travel light with rucksacks and do away the need for cumbersome, complicating luggage.

I decided to travel light with my first ride, too. I was already fairly familiar with most of the bikes here. I rode the benchmark old-stager, the VStrom, on its original press launch way back in and it&#;s proved a steady, if now a little old school, performer ever since. I&#;d also sampled the BMW (albeit in Adventure not this Rallye trim), on a tour of Wales, recently rode the new Versys up to Edinburgh and back and tested the updated Honda in Spain earlier in the year at the press launch.

I was new, however, to the much-anticipated Yamaha. And having ridden both its bigger brother, the Tracer 900, and the sprightly and willing naked MT07 upon which it&#;s based, was expecting great things.

There&#;s something both lean and mean and aggressively modern about the Tracer. All angular and asymmetric there&#;s no waste, no flab &#; in fact it looks so minimalist it&#;s almost as if some body panels have fallen off. It&#;s also undeniably modern and light, from its slimline LCD display to its stubby, underslung pipe &#; and it is. Waif-waisted and svelte, on board you feel like there&#;s virtually nothing between your knees. And with sharp, sporty steering and that punchy, instantly responsive twin at its heart, the Tracer is a traffic jam buster par excellence &#; perfect, in fact, for slicing through the outskirts of Peterborough.

Heading north on the sweeping A15 through Bourne and beyond reveals Yamaha to have achieved that rare blend of being both easy and instinctive to get on with (no novice should be in awe of the Tracer) and yet retain enough punch and dynamism to satisfy more experienced riders, too. That strummy, punchy twin is a gem: instant, willing and as lively as a puppy it&#;s also more credible than most as a sportster thanks to its fat tyres (clad impressively with Michelin&#;s new Pilot 3s) and half-decent suspension and brakes.

All that was true of the basic MT07, of course. Instead, what sets the Tracer apart is its more substantial proportions and long-distance appeal. The bigger tank (from 14 to 17 litres), new fairing and associated bodywork, make the Tracer &#;an MT07 with more&#; without sacrificing any of that lithe ability. I rode the naked version to Norwich and back the other year and, though fun, felt exposed, weather-beaten and somehow diminutive throughout. On the Tracer it&#;d be a breeze.

It&#;s not perfect, though. That minimalist, budget appeal also results in the Yamaha feeling a little basic if not cheap in some areas. The new style switchgear is flimsy, the Meccano-like bar-brace plain odd, and its forks, though OK for most riders, are nowhere near as sophisticated or refined as, say, the Kawasaki&#;s &#; a factor speed tester Bruce and co-tester Jon were particularly critical of. Even so, at £, there&#;s no doubt the Yamaha is still a helluva lot of bike for the money&#;

To the Humber by Honda 

After a bend-swinging photo-session amid the oak-speckled meadows just north of Osbournby, we swapped bikes for the first time, I switching to the updated Honda which had already impressed Jamie. &#;That DCT gearbox ain&#;t half clever,&#; he said, revelling in the calm, easy magic carpet ride the semi-auto NC delivers. It is.

But this updated version is better yet. In silver and sweet wrapper red it might remind of a Quality Street but the sharpened up looks are a big improvement over the slightly beige and bland old version. Performance is improved, too, with sportier, sharper auto settings, new suspension, can and more. But there&#;s no denying it&#;s a bike that divides opinions.

Being the adventure-styled version of Honda&#;s optionally DCT-equipped NC family (along with the NC750S roadster and Integra), plus having 750 twin power and c.£7K price tag qualifies the NC for this comparo. But it remains the most leftfield bike here and one that some struggle to attune to.

On the A15 north towards Sleaford then Lincoln the Honda&#;s so effortless it&#;s like riding a maxi-scooter: thumb the starter, then with the same thumb prod into D for Drive, twist the throttle and away you go, easy as. The lumpy, low revving twin dialling in the gears more keenly if you then prod successively into Sport 1, Sport 2 or 3. But it&#;s a &#;maxi-scooter&#; that looks and has the ergonomics of a proper motorbike.

As a motorbike, it&#;s decent enough, too. The semi-adventure bike riding position is very much in keeping with its rivals here; the clocks and build quality are typical and reassuringly Honda and though, with just 54bhp and softer cycle parts than most, the NC&#;s never as sharp or dynamic as the others the Honda still has enough to please, especially in isolation &#; and never gets left behind either. And for a bike that&#;s so phenomenally easy and unintimidating to ride, so novice friendly and so damn practical (due to its novel luggage compartment and massive economy), that&#;s what makes it so appealing and explains its success.

But the NC won&#;t be for everyone.  A fuel stop just before the monumental Humber Bridge, when we initially struggle to find the filler (it&#;s under the seat, duh!), remind of its scooter roots. Repeatedly when setting off I find myself flailing for the non-existent clutch lever (perhaps that&#;s a testament to how convincing as a bike it is). And later, Jon in particular, is damning of the Honda&#;s weaker performance, softer brakes and suspension and, particularly, to his taste at least, the character of the auto &#;box.

For me, though and, I suspect for most, that&#;s like criticising an apple for not being an orange. No, the NC can&#;t match the edgy excitement and performance of the others here, but it has enough to please many, emphatically achieves what it sets out to and simply, cleverly, thanks to its unique features, delivers an unintimidating, easy &#;welcome to motorcycling&#; experience like no other.

Suzuki VStrom: More into the Moors

All of which make the post-lunch switch to the Suzuki VStrom something of a culture shock.

Everyone knows the VStrom by now, surely. Introduced as a spin-off to the already massively successful SV650 in , as a budget but brilliant, hugely versatile, all-round &#;first big bike&#;, the impressive V-twin, for years, had no equal. That success, of course, ensured the Suzuki wouldn&#;t have things its own way forever. Kawasaki&#;s first Versys parallel twin became the VStrom&#;s first credible rival in years. Others, like Triumph&#;s Tiger 800 and BM&#;s F650/700/800, claimed their own slices of the pie, albeit in a more expensive way, soon after.

All of which, along with ever-tightening Euro regs, prompted Suzuki&#;s introduction of this uprated (with the cleaner, Gladius version of the 647cc V-twin) and facelifted version in &#; and it had it all: Stylish, curvier looks and decent equipment that belied its budget tag; &#;3/4 adventure bike&#; proportions that pretty much fitted everyone; &#;bike for all reasons&#; versatility and, topping it all off, that thrummy, flexible and yet brisk and involving V-twin. In short, it was a brilliant, benchmark bike.

It still is. The trouble is, as we veered into the moors, began slicing and dicing between the sheep and dry stone walls and climbed up hill and down dale, there&#;s two slightly irksome problems with that. First and most conspicuously, time has moved on since and the Suzuki hasn&#;t. In this company the VStrom, irrespective of its still strong abilities, is undeniably now ageing and looking a little old. Apart from the BM, it&#;s the only one with a 19in front wheel; it&#;s posture is somehow &#;baggier&#; and more laid back and, while reasonably equipped, it&#;s also somehow more &#;analogue&#; compared to latest Yamaha, Kawa and BM.

Don&#;t get me wrong &#; the VStrom&#;s not a bad bike. Far from it. It&#;s still good enough to be considered the benchmark, the class standard, the machine all others have to beat. But though a great all-rounder &#; it always still impresses on that first re-introduction &#; and available in a variety of useful &#;packages&#; and specifications (for example the more rugged VStrom XT at £) it doesn&#;t quite shine as brightly as it once did. It&#;s never the best at any one thing.

Maybe that wouldn&#;t matter if the Suzuki was still the bargain it once was &#; but it&#;s no longer that, either. At £ for the base version (and our test bike came with a few accessories such as crash bars that suggested it was even more than that) it&#;s a full £700 more than the newly-introduced Yamaha and £100 more than the fresher, better specced Kawasaki, too. And while I&#;m happy to admit the VStrom is still a great, useful bike, and one that&#;ll disappoint no-one, I can&#;t quite stomach that. Don&#;t forget, you could probably get a two-year-old -miler that&#;s just as competent, for under £5K.

Kawasaki &#; Flying from Fylingdales

And the very fact that the Suzuki hasn&#;t been updated at all since is thrown into stark relief with any comparison to the Kawasaki Versys I switched to for our final blast of the day.

After a couple of hours on the very top of the Moors doing much of the photography you see here, with the secret radar installation of RAF Fylingdales on the horizon (no longer the famous &#;golf balls&#;, now a single, wedge-shaped installation), it was finally time for a dash to the hotel. It was already 8pm with the dusk sun racing towards the horizon; the sat nav said our destination was still an hour away and we suspected we&#;d be cutting it fine to have time to shower and eat. Time to motor.

And the Versys was arguably the best bike on which to do just that. Already a great machine before its makeover, the addition then of extra power, uprated, multi-adjustable suspension and new bodywork including a bigger 21-litre tank and more protective, adjustable screen took the Kawasaki to the very top of this class. In fact, it&#;s so good and so versatile, I wondered a year ago when taking the new version to Edinburgh and back, why anyone would want a litre-class adventure machine when this 650 was so good for a fraction of the price.

Simply put: the Versys just does it. Like the Suzuki, the Kawasaki is a slightly more &#;full-sized&#; machine than the others but unless you&#;re extremely inexperienced or short, that&#;s a bonus not a burden. Also, like the Suzuki, it&#;s full-size comfortable (for two) and thoroughly equipped (although some criticised the fact the Versys was the only bike here without a gear indicator or hand guards). Thereafter, though, the Kawasaki edges ahead. Although the VStrom and Versys put out an identical 68bhp, the Kawasaki&#;s just that little bit newer and sharper. Its suspension and brakes are that little bit more refined; its weather protection (thanks to an adjustable screen) that touch better and, with a 17incher up front instead of the VStrom&#;s 19, combined with a firmer, more precise ride, the Kawasaki, as we blitzed the B-roads towards Darlington heading West, is just that little bit more assured, engaging and, well, fun. 

And when you combine that Yamaha and BM-rivalling sporting ability with the Kawasaki&#;s comfort, specification and value (the Versys is the second cheapest bike here, £150 less than the Suzuki) you end with an overall package that&#;s hard to beat. As we blasted through the twilight towards, we thought, Catterick, then got lost and eventually droned the last 30minutes through the black, I wouldn&#;t have been on anything else.

BMW F700GS Rallye &#; homeward bound

Next morning, we headed back whence we&#;d cam, back onto the Moors towards the home of TV&#;s Heartbeat, Goathland, before the final blast south and it was time for BMW&#;s offering to display its mettle.

I&#;m no stranger, either, to the German&#;s firm&#;s F-series middleweight twins of which, it has to be said, there&#;s now a huge and somewhat confusing variety.

The F700GS is intended as the slightly softer, more novice-friendly and more affordable option from the F700/800 duo &#; although it&#;s actually 798cc, the same as the 800, and merely detuned to produce 10bhp less.

Even so, in this new-for- &#;Rallye&#; spec, there&#;s not really that much that&#;s soft or novice-friendly about the 700. I guess the special red frame should have been the giveaway that this is some semi-hardcore, testosterone-filled variant. Complete with hand guards, electronic damping adjustment (which allows you to change the damping setting of the rear shock on the move with a flick of a switch) and centre stand, the BM is not just more luxuriously equipped than most others here, it&#;s got more of a sporting bias, too. In fact, that punchy 75bhp allied to sharpish steering and cut-down screen made it, not just in my book, but in that of others, too, the sportiest bike of this bunch. In fact, as we fired through the Moors, there was definitely a sense that the BM was the most aggressive, the one that was almost more supermoto than adventure bike, the one intended for more experienced riders.

Which is fine if you&#;re after a sort of &#;middleweight HP2&#;, are a BM fan and revel in all the plush dealer experience and proven residuals that come with it, but there&#;s a couple of downsides to all that, too. First, as you might expect, there&#;s a price to pay for that premium feel: the BM is far and away the priciest of this bunch and a full two grand more than Yamaha&#;s newcomer. That&#;s not to be taken lightly. Second, the BM&#;s not much of an all-rounder, either. Although punchy and sharp, it&#;s also got the least weather protection and fairly marginal long distance comfort. When miles of dual carriageway loomed, the BM&#;s keys were the ones which were grabbed last.

Verdict

Which was why, when we finally finished lunch at Ferrybridge services and refuelled, it was Yamaha&#;s newcomer, the Tracer, which I chose for the final leg. That wasn&#;t because the Yamaha is the best &#; but because I wanted one final go to help make up my mind.

Instead, the reality is that all of these bikes are exceptional but in very different ways. Honda&#;s oddball, DCT equipped NC750X polarises opinion more than most, but there&#;s no denying it delivers what it set out to achieve and does so brilliantly. It&#;s as easy as a scooter but with much of the appeal of a bike and yet is also economical, affordable and well built. It might not be for motorcycling connoisseurs, but for novices or returnees, I can&#;t think of anything better.

The VStrom is as good as it&#;s ever been &#; surprisingly so. But it&#;s also now more than a little long in the tooth and it&#;s starting to show. If it was cheaper I&#;d mind less&#;

While the BM is surprisingly punchy, impressively equipped, effective and to all of our surprise the most &#;bad-ass&#; bike of this bunch.

Which leaves the new Yamaha and the Versys. The Tracer is every bit as much fun, versatile and temptingly affordable as we thought it would be. At £ it&#;s the biggest bargain here. But that cheapness also shows in a few places, like the switchgear and suspension. Buy one and you won&#;t be disappointed, but it&#;s not the best all-round bike here.

That accolade goes to the Versys. In one sentence: the Kawasaki does it all: comfortable enough for two over distance; better equipped than most; among the best scratchers and with one of the best engines as well. Admittedly it might not be head and shoulders the best at any one thing, but it&#;s there or there about at everything and, at that price, it all makes the Kawasaki irresistible.

You&#;ve heard what we think. If you&#;re in the market, get yourself a test ride and let us know your own thoughts.

MPG for all bikes on test after the 400+ mile route:

Honda NC750X - 68mpg

Kawasaki Versys 650 - 57mpg

BMW F700GS Rallye - 55mpg 

Yamaha Tracer 700 - 54mpg

Suzuki V-Strom 650 - 50mpg

Pics: Chippy Wood. Video: Beach Media. Thanks to Wheels Motorcycles of Peterborough.

YAMAHA TRACER 700

HONDA NC750X

SUZUKI V-STROM 650

KAWASAKI VERSYS 650

BMW F700GS Rallye

Engine

689cc, Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-stroke, 4-valves, 2-cylinder

745cc, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, 8-valve, SOHC, parallel 2-cylinder

645cc, 90º V-twin, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC

649cc, Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke Parallel Twin, 8 Valves, DOHC

Contact us to discuss your requirements of tracer scooter. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

798cc, Water-cooled 4-stroke in-line two-cylinder engine, two overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, dry sump lubrication

Max power

73.8 bhp / 55 kW @ rpm

54 bhp @ rpm

68 bhp @ 8,800rpm

68 bhp / 51 kW @ rpm

75 bhp / 55 kW @ rpm

Max torque

50.15 ft-lbs / 68 Nm @ rpm

50.15 ft-lbs / 68 Nm @ rpm

44 ft-lbs / 60 Nm @ 6,400rpm

47.2 ft-lbs / 64 Nm @ rpm

57 ft-lbs / 77 Nm @ rpm

Frame

Diamond

Diamond; steel pipe

Alloy beam type

Diamond, high-tensile steel

Tubular steel space frame

Suspension

Front: Telescopic forks

Front: 41mm telescopic fork, 153.5mm stroke

Front:Telescopic, coil spring, oil damped

Front: 41 mm inverted telescopic fork with adjustable rebound damping (right-side) and adjustable preload (left-side)

Front: Telescopic fork, Ø 41 mm, 170mm travel

Rear: Swingarm, (link suspension)

Rear: Monoshock damper, prolink swingarm. 150mm travel

Rear: Link type, coil spring, oil damped

Rear: Offset laydown single-shock with remote spring preload adjustability

Rear: Cast aluminium dual swing arm, central spring strut, spring pre-load hydraulically adjustable (continuously variable) at handwheel, rebound damping adjustable. 170mm travel

Brakes

Front: Hydraulic dual disc, Ø 282 mm

Front: 320mm single wavy hydraulic disc with 2-piston caliper and sintered metal pads

Front: Hydraulic dual disc, 310mm,&#;310mm, ABS

Front: Dual semi-floating ø300 mm petal discs; Caliper: Dual 2-piston

Front: Dual disc brake, diameter 300 mm, double-piston floating caliper, ABS

Rear: Hydraulic single disc, Ø 245 mm

Rear: 240mm single wavy hydraulic disc with 2-piston caliper and resin mold pads

Rear: Hydraulic single disc,&#;260mm, ABS

Rear: Single ø250 mm petal disc; Caliper: Single-piston

Rear: Single disc brake, diameter 265 mm, single-piston floating caliper, ABS

Wheels/tyres

Front: 120/70 R17 M/C 58W

Front: Multi-Spoke Aluminium Cast, 120/70ZR-17M/C

Front: 110/80R19M/C (59H), tubeless

Front: 120/70ZR17M/C

Front: Cast aluminium, 110/80-19

Rear: 180/55 R17 M/C 73W

Rear: Multi-Spoke Aluminium Cast, 160/60ZR-17M/C

Rear: 150/70R17M/C (69H), tubeless

Rear: 160/60ZR17M/C

Rear: Cast aluminium, 140/80-17

Dimensions

Length: mm

Length: mm

Length: mm

Length: mm

Length: mm

Width: 806mm

Width: 845mm

Width: 835mm

Width: 840mm

Width: 880mm

Height: mm

Height: mm

Height: mm

Height: / mm (high position)

Height: mm

Wheelbase

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

Ground clearance

140mm

165mm

175mm

170mm

Seat height

835mm

830mm

835mm

840mm

820mm (765-835mm optional)

Weight (wet)

196kg

220kg (Manual), 230kg (DCT)

214kg

216kg

209kg

Fuel tank

17 litres

14.1 litres

20 litres

21 litres

16 litres

PRICE as tested

£6,299

DCT: £ (Manual: £)

£6,999

£6,849

£ (available from £)

Colour options

Radical Red, Tech Black, Yamaha Blue

Matt Gunpowder Black Metallic, Candy Arcadian Red, Glint Blue Wave Metallic.

Metallic Triton Blue, Candy Daring Red, Metallic Mat Fibroin Grey, Pearl Bracing White

White, Grey, Orange

Lightwhite Uni, Sakhir Orange Metallic, Mineral Grey Metallic

NB: Rallye spec - heated grips, onboard computer, Racing Red frame, pannier fastenings, centre stand, hand guards. Only available in white.

Want more information on electric winger? Feel free to contact us.