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LAMS COMPARISON YAMAHA TRACER 700 VS CFMOTO 650MT CLASS WAR Yamaha and CFMoto make LAMS tourers at opposite ends of the price spectrum. But is it a fait accompli? hat do we want? “Adventure tourers for learners.” When do we want Wit? “Now!” Okay, you can stop demonstrating. The industry has heard you loud and clear and two more tourer options have recently been added to the extraordinarily diverse list of bikes now available in learner-approved form. It’s easy to understand manufacturer interest in this category: Eight out of the 10 best- selling road bikes for the past two years have been LAMS models. Where the CFMoto 650MT and the Yamaha Tracer 700 make a fascinating comparison is in price: You can ride away on the 650MT for just $6990 while the Tracer operates at the other end of the spectrum at $12,299 before on-road costs are added. This begs the question: The Tracer is almost twice the price, but is it twice as good? Conversely, what do you actually lose if you save yourself six grand and buy the 650MT? 52 LAMS COMPARISON Good YAMAHA TRACER 700 VS CFMOTO 650MT Handling Torque Light weight It’s a keeper Not so good No cruise control Top end pricing “The Tracer leans to the touring side of the ledger Good while the 650MT flirts more with adventure” Performance Value-for-money Versatility Not so good High Weighty LEFT: The Tracer pulls away in top gear roll-ons, but the 650MT accelerates harder and has a slightly higher top speed. HORSES FOR COURSES 650MT. What this means extra 17kg. The 650MT the 650MT is on the scene. 140mm of travel and the We might as well get this around town is hyper- produces 136kW per tonne In touring situations, the cantilever monoshock has out of the way first. The responsiveness. It feels and the Tracer is very close, Tracer rider will perhaps a whopping 145mm. To put CFMoto 650MT accelerates and goes like a full-power at 134kW. The limit for have more time to think this in context, it’s more faster than the Yamaha bike and packs sprightly LAMS bikes is 150kW per about whether he really got travel than is offered by Tracer and has a higher top enthusiasm into every ride. tonne so both bikes have a six grand’s extra value as the plush BMW R 1200 RS/ speed. The 650MT’s engine Roll-ons in top gear little extra development to he steals occasional glances RT models. While there’s produces an extra 3kW and at low-engine speeds play with. at his mate comfortably no easy way to adjust almost an extra 5Nm. Game demonstrate the difference. The weight difference cruising at the same speed. spring preload on the front, over? Far from it, but it’s The Yamaha moves also impacts handling damping is adjustable. impressive nonetheless. In convincingly away from with the Tracer feeling MOTO CLASSICA Both spring and damping is a straight-out drag, the MT its brawnier companion easier to throw around This is actually CFMoto’s adjustable on the shock. is strong enough to get a although, with time and and inspiring confidence third go at a tourer but Taking the touring task little front wheel lift as it (great) distance, the 650MT in corners. With its low- its first go at a proper seriously, the tank capacity pulls away from the Tracer will eventually catch up. engine-speed grunt, lower adventure tourer. It uses is now 18 litres and two and its advantage improves It’s not that the 650MT centre of gravity, lower the one 650cc engine the seat heights are available: as speeds rise. lacks responsiveness – it’s seat height, more sports- company has that it shares 840mm is standard and a In the real world, the just that the Tracer has oriented suspension and with the road bike version, lower 820mm is available Tracer’s 665cc eight-valve bucket-loads of it. handling finesse, the but there are significant for $165 extra. parallel twin is the more What helps the Tracer will arrive at the differences in the chassis Touring comforts flexible and refined of the performance comparison destination first after a and running gear. include a big, adjustable two engines and produces is the Tracer’s weight tight and twisty section Of most importance is windscreen, a USB charging its maximum torque at just advantage. It weighs in of road, but its rider will the introduction of long- port and, as an optional 4000rpm as opposed to the wet at 196kg whereas the barely have had time to travel suspension. The but necessary accessory, a 7000rpm required from the fuelled-up MT carries an take his helmet off before upside-down fork has SHAD pannier kit. This has 54 trademotorcycles.com.au 55 LAMS COMPARISON YAMAHA TRACER 700 VS CFMOTO 650MT “The weight difference also impacts handling with the Tracer feeling easier to throw around” a clever attachment design, has Bosch fuel injection is durable and is certainly and Continental ABS worth the extra $500. as standard. Unlike the Two models of the 650MT Tracer, it also offers two are offered, one with the mapping modes: sport and panniers and one without. touring. Around town, it The CFMoto 650 parallel was difficult to pick any twin is a direct copy of difference between the possibly the world’s most modes but on the highways, underrated powerplant: the touring mode felt Kawasaki’s DOHC parallel smoother. The bike the twin. Introduced in 2006, 650MT replaces actually the engine has featured had three modes – one in Kawasaki’s own ER-6 specifically for rain. It’s and Versys models but has curious that it didn’t make been the engine of choice the cut for the new model. for lightweight road racers ever since for its strength TRACER RACER and reliability. In the early days of LAMS, Kawasakis with this some manufacturers engine filled positions simply put throttle stops Yamaha calls ‘knuckle but it’s disadvantaged two to 10 at this year’s IoM on existing models to guards’, which double as slightly by fork dive under Lightweight TT that was satisfy compliance and the wind deflectors for your brakes before cornering. won by Michael Rutter on result felt like the original hands. Combined with the When the brakes are an exotic Italian Paton. bike had been shot with a screen, rider comfort is released and throttle is Oh, wait a minute – Paton tranquiliser dart. Yamaha’s considerably enhanced. applied, the change in uses stock Kawasaki 650 655cc version of its twin Typical of Yamaha, there the bike’s attitude can be twin engines as well. has had deep engineering is an extensive array of disconcerting. Racing at the IoM is input and is a great stand- factory accessories for The other side of this probably the cruelest thing alone engine. owners to personalise their coin is the 650MT has you can do to a bike, but It has a 270-degree ABOVE: Semi-soft panniers mounts. Were the bike ours, a very comfortable ride if you aren’t using this crank with an uneven are standard on the Tracer, we’d fit heated grips ($306), over rough terrain and engine, you won’t finish in firing interval giving it but the 650MT’s are bigger probably the heated seat unsealed roads, which is the top order. It’s fast and a distinctive sound but and more rebust. ($675) and definitely the just what you’d expect from as tough as nails. also assisting in ramping taller screen ($255). a good adventure tourer. Just to prove the CFMoto up torque from very low Adjustable spring and version is cut from the revs. The basic engine is to two-up, high-speed the Tracer’s touring ROAD RAGERS damper settings on the rear same cloth, CFMoto has shared with the MT-07 and touring stability. credentials. On the road, some shock and damping on the had factory-backed racers XSR700, but the bike has Suspension travel at While we’re fast differences between the forks will allow owners to at the IoM for the past four ‘Tracer’ family features the front is 130mm and accepting ABS as standard bikes became immediately set the bike up just for their years with a creditable P14 including a 50mm longer Yamaha claims rear on bikes now, along apparent. The CFMoto weight and circumstances. in this year’s Lightweight swingarm, giving it a suspension travel of with that the Tracer has 650MT is set up for The Tracer only has race and a highest race wheelbase of 1450mm and 142mm. Fuel capacity is some thoughtful touring adventure touring with long spring preload adjustment position of 11. increasing rear suspension 17 litres (up from 14 on the features like standard travel front suspension. It for the shock, but Yamaha The 650MT’s engine travel, which contributes MT-07), which underlines panniers and what can be ridden very quickly, has been making bikes 56 trademotorcycles.com.au 57 SECOND OPS LAMS COMPARISON CHARRIS: “It’s not that the 650MT lacks responsiveness – YAMAHA TRACER 700 VS CFMOTO 650MT The CFMoto is pretty good to ride, but it’s just that the Tracer has bucket-loads of it” the Yamaha is on another level. No cruise control option on either, however. KAZ: That price gap is impossible to ignore! CAM: Where are the compromises, Groff? The 650MT seems so cheap it makes me nervous. ROOTH: Jeez, I sure hope you get more than an extra headlight for that $6000.

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