Yamaha released the 2022 Tracer 9 GT to unanimous critical acclaim in September, 2021. Touting KYB electronically controlled suspension, a revised 890cc CP3 inline-triple, and 30 liters of luggage capacity, Iwata’s flagship tourer offered any and everything a long-distance traveler could ask for—well, practically everything.
A few days ago, German media outlet Motorrad presented spy shots capturing the potential 2023 Tracer 9 GT in action. The astute Bavarians noticed that Yamaha cleverly wedged a new device under the Tracer’s front fairing, right below the LED headlamps and between the model’s two cornering lights. However, diving deeper into those images gives us a sneak peek at other developments.
While the pictures practically verify adaptive cruise control (ACC) on the upcoming Tracer 9, the firm would be late to the ACC party. Ducati, BMW, KTM, and Kawasaki have already adopted the technology in past years, with the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S and Kawasaki 2022 Ninja H2 SX SE also implementing rear-facing radar units to power blind-spot detection systems.
It doesn’t look like Yamaha will follow in their footsteps, though, with no radar unit installed at the tail and standard rearview mirror sporting no blind-spot detection signals (the notch at the top right corner is a reflection of the rider’s visor). Spy shots snapped at the rear of the test mule also reveal a single, large TFT display.
Gallery: 2023 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT Spy Shots
The 2022 Tracer 9 GT sports twin 3.5-inch TFT screens. For some reviewers, the functionality, layout, and clarity of the dual-display actually detracted from the tourer’s usability. The spy images show that Yamaha could return to the conventional setup with the 2023 model. We may never know whether that’s a response to criticism or the potential ACC system, but it seems like a step in the right direction, regardless.
As always, we’ll have to wait for the bLU cRU to officially acknowledge these updates, but we’ll be eagerly awaiting the Tracer 9 GT’s 2023 unveiling in the coming months.
