All Duels – Crossrunner Vs MT-09 Tracer Duel: Goliath vs. David – MNC riding the Crossrunner and Tracer

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Crossrunner Vs MT-09 Tracer Duel: Goliath vs. David

All Duels - Crossrunner Vs MT-09 Tracer Duel: Goliath vs. David - MNC riding the Crossrunner and Tracer

In 2015, the two Japanese motorcycle manufacturers Honda and Yamaha competed in the segment of ” sporty road trail with a GT trend ”. Who from the Crossrunner VFR800X or the MT-09 Tracer wins this new MNC duel ? Ready, Set…

MNC riding Crossrunner and Tracer

Of our two bikes, the Honda is the one that best accommodates the buttocks thanks to its saddle a little more padded than that of the Yamaha, especially on the sides. The thighs and knees are also better received by the Reds thanks to the thin tank and its perfectly flat sides. The covering present under the Yam ‘tank is less pleasant to tighten.

With its roadster footrests (MT-09 exactly!), The Tracer asks to move back the feet further. The pilot’s bust therefore naturally pivots forward. On the Honda, the rider is straighter in his boots, which takes him slightly away from his handlebars.

If its leg length allows it, the owner of the Tracer has every interest in installing his saddle in the high position. The operation does not require any tools, only to know the location of the zipper which releases the front part of the seat, the lock only directly opening the passenger seat. !

In doing so, the pilot gains 20 mm of height and can relax his legs. A good point when riding for a long time, including for little bikers who can lower their saddles once they reach their destination! On the Honda, the saddle is also adjustable, but you have to take out the toolbox.

A little wider than on the first Crossrunner, the handlebars of the new Honda extend their arms a little more. Although wider by 8 cm (95 cm verified by MNC, against 87 cm for the Honda), the handlebars of the Yamaha keep the hands less open than that of the Honda, the latter being devoid of end caps and protective mounts. hands.

However, taking the Yamaha gloves off is not an easy task. The presence of the "astero-axes" on the handlebars – a little nod to the not-so-young Goldorak fans – slows down movements in heavy traffic. Especially at the beginning, when the rider struggles to judge the width of his motorcycle.

If the majority of city car mirrors are dodged by the two motorcycles – they pass over -, this is not the case with family cars, SUVs or vans … On the ring road, several times on the handlebars of the Yam, and had to let the smaller road scooters, roadsters or even GTs pass !

The Honda rider is a little more comfortable in these conditions because his hands are positioned at each end of the handlebars, which makes it easier to estimate the width of the vehicle. Be careful, however, not to overestimate the mouse hole in front of you: it is at the levers that the Honda is the widest. In case of touch on the right, therefore, the front brake lever is the first exposed…

Heavy when stationary, the Honda makes you forget its extra kilograms as soon as the engine is started. The geometry of the Crossrunner may have changed (its front axle has opened slightly, see the technical sheets on the last page), it retains its surprisingly agile and easy character..

Its clutch lever is a bit hard – like that of the Yam ‘- but the pilot can modify its spacing in order to place it exactly under the right knuckles. On the Tracer, only the front brake lever is adjustable. The left handcuffs may therefore tire more quickly in traffic jams on the "MT".

Gear selection is a rougher hint on the Yamaha, but what we mostly regret is the need to lock up the last gears. If the pilot is too nonchalant, the selector sometimes remains desperately loose and refuses to shift to the next gear. This phenomenon, MNC observed especially between the 5th and the 6th gear.

But on the Tracer, upper gears are not limited to the motorway alone. As flexible as an in-line 4-cylinder, the Yamaha Triple agrees to roam around town on the last report, an exercise that the Honda V4 is incapable of. Too bumpy under 3000 rpm, the Crossrunner forces you to enter two gears when going under 60 km / h.

Between the uninterrupted lines of cars encountered on the A4, the Journal Moto du Net appreciated the mode B of the engine mapping of the Yamaha: more measured in the go-around, the injection is then on par in terms of approval. with that of the Honda. In these tricky conditions, the standard mode remains a little too sharp and the A mode downright brutal and unsuitable..

Significant advantage of the Yamaha system: even in B mode, the rider benefits from all the power of his motorcycle. By squeezing out its right grip as much as possible, the Tracer can therefore always overtake in a flash – and in 6th! – other vehicles … Crossrunner included !

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