The overlooked middleweight that gets comfort, power and value just right

Motorcyclists nowadays place more and more demands on their motorcycles. While there are still specialty motorcycles for just about everything from dirt bikes to sport bikes, versatility is what sells these days. Naturally, buyers are drawn to the one platform that really promises it all: adventure bikes. Unfortunately, there are almost always compromised machines trying to be a jack-of-all-trades.

This is all well and good for those who want a bike that can go off-road from time to time, but for the rest of us a lightweight touring bike is a much better option. There is a bike that is light and practical enough for city commuting, but also comfortable and powerful enough for long distances. It just pales in comparison to the current fascination with ADVs.

In order to provide you with the most current and accurate information, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Yamaha. While the opinions are ours.

The Yamaha Tracer 9 is the overlooked middleweight that gets comfort, power and value just right

MSRP: $12,599

In other markets, the Tracer 9 has actually been around for a while. It’s also accompanied by a higher spec GT+ model that comes with virtually every conceivable motorcycle feature known to man. Yamaha released that model a few years ago, but effectively replaced it with the base model last year. While it’s technically a base model, it still gets pretty much everything you need. At this price, it has a tremendous amount of value, but it’s facing some impressive opposition.

The Triumph Tiger Sport 800 is one of the few bikes with a completely new engine. You don’t get any luggage, but you do get an equally powerful triple wrapped in a lightweight package. BMW has the F 900 Checking an option on that extensive list will almost certainly push the price above both the Tracer and the Tiger.

Honda is now throwing the cat among the pigeons with its NT1100. Although it’s closer in size and weight to a full-size tourer, largely thanks to the ADV chassis, it’s cheaper than all three middleweights. It offers buyers an automatic option in this space, which is a big point of difference and definitely worth a look.

The Tracer 9 has a powerful three-cylinder engine

Power: 117 hp

In many ways the CP3 is a bit of a strange engine. Yamaha had no real history with three-cylinder engines before this one was developed, but you can see why this was the chosen configuration. This multiplatform engine had to have certain features; it had to make a certain amount of power, and it had to have a flat torque curve. Ultimately, it has proven to be one of the very best powertrains in its class. Yamaha has gradually introduced several bikes based on this, all of which offer exceptional value. But it is far from perfect.

It’s reliable, but far from perfect

This versatile powertrain is fun, engaging and extremely reliable. When installed in the roadster, the Naked Bike and even the R9 sports bike, it shines consistently. The only real disadvantage is the same that almost every triple suffers from. It’s nearly impossible to balance a triple, and even though Yamaha has taken steps to mitigate the negative effects, you’ll still feel vibration once you reach higher revs (or highway speeds).

On another bike this can be forgiven, but on a touring bike where comfort is quite high on the list of consumer demands, this can be a deal breaker. Certain riders won’t even feel these vibrations – if you’re coming out of a single, for example – but others will, so a long test drive will be needed to determine which camp you fall into.

The Tracer 9 offers an ideal balance between price and features

If those vibrations don’t bother you, this is a seriously comfortable motorcycle with fantastic wind protection. It may not be as feature-rich as some of the high-end tourers, but it still comes with a ride-by-wire throttle, riding modes and cruise control, which is a must for any tourer these days. It also has great safety features like cornering ABS and hill-sensing traction control. A TFT dashboard with smartphone connectivity is almost a given these days, but luggage is not. The fact that Yamaha has chosen to include the integrated luggage at this price makes the Tracer 9 a more attractive package.

Overall, this is an underrated Sport Tourer

At 483 pounds wet, this is still a relatively light motorcycle that handles well thanks to the sporty chassis and competent, adjustable suspension. The playful character of this drivetrain encourages spirited driving and makes every journey a truly enjoyable experience. While the added versatility of being able to go off-road has drawn many buyers to adventure bikes, for those who prefer fast road riding and need something that can also handle the weekday commute, this is simply a much better option. Versatility doesn’t always mean you can go off-road; it means you can do everything you need the bike for.