If you've been watching Yamaha as long as we have, you know that when the Tracer 9 family gets an update, it usually hits Europe first.
And, I mean, it makes total sense. If you're an OEM, and you're updating your flagship sport touring range, then of course you're going to launch it on the continent where the most riders prefer an ace sport touring machine. The math, it is absolutely mathing here.
And just as surely as you know it's going to hit Europe first, you can also have a reasonable expectation that we'll see at least one of these variations (maybe more) on the US side of the pond at some point, several months down the line. After all, it's what happened when the Tracer 9 range got its most recent major update, which was released as a 2023 model in Europe and a 2024 model in the US.
It was laden with tech with that update, so what did Yamaha change for the 2025 version? Quite a bit, as it turns out.
For one, Yamaha tried to address the eternal problem of ideal illumination, as well as its frequent BFF, visibility of your bike to other road users. That's why, on the 2025 Tracer 9 GT+ and Tracer 9 GT+ with Y-AMT, you'll now find Matrix LED headlights. They're linked to a camera in the fairing that takes surrounding traffic conditions into account, says Yamaha. It then, and I quote, "Controls individual LEDs within the matrix to deliver an optimally shaped beam of light to maintain illumination."
Cool new tech, or something else to worry about breaking? That remains to be seen, but I know very few riders who wouldn't like to be more visible to other road traffic. If this system can do that without blinding them (which Yamaha claims it can), then it's hopefully a good, helpful advancement.
In Europe, the 2025 Tracer 9 range comes in three flavors: Tracer 9, Tracer 9 GT+, and Tracer 9 GT+ with Y-AMT. All three of the 2025 Tracer 9 family members now get a 7-inch TFT dash. On the regular Tracer 9, it comes with USB-C and integrated storage.
On the GT+ and GT+ with Y-AMT, it also comes with fully-integrated navigation by Garmin and a little joystick for operation, located on the left-hand switchgear.
There's also a dedicated little storage box for your phone, complete with a USB-A outlet so you can charge it on the go. Why not USB-C in 2025? Maybe it's a nod toward folks with older phone models; we're not sure.
Gallery: 2025 Yamaha Tracer 9 Range (Europe)
While we're on the subject of the 2025 Tracer 9 GT+ with Y-AMT, this variation of the bike gets a few other features to automatically sweeten the pot. You say you like backlit switchgear? Only the Y-AMT version gets that tasty little light. What about a unified brake system and vehicle hold control for hilly terrain? That's only on the Y-AMT-equipped version, as well.
Choose a manual transmission version of the Tracer 9 or Tracer 9 GT+, and you'll get Yamaha's third-gen quickshifter. The GT+ (all versions) gets an adjustable KYB Actimatic Damper System (or KADS, because OEMs love their acronyms), Yamaha Smart Key system with central locking luggage, and an electronically adjustable windscreen.
All members of the 2025 Tracer 9 family get cruise control and speed limiter functionality, as well as a new, 50mm-longer (that's 1.9 inches, US fam) subframe to give rider and pillion more space for those big lunches. The saddle has also been reshaped to be a bit slimmer at the standover point, for ease of accessibility.
What do you think of the tweaks on the 2025 Yamaha Tracer 9 range? If you're in Europe, are you looking forward to getting your hands on one as soon as they're available? If you're in the US or elsewhere, are you counting the days until they're available in your region? Let us know in the comments.
