I can chime in as I feel qualified based on my recent experience. Here are my recent Yamahas in chronological order, and my thoughts:
1) 2015 FJ-09, purchased May of 2015. (I put 9500 miles on this one)
- I had nearly bought a '14 FJR, but when I felt the torque of that triple, I had to have it.
- I tried a S10 at a demo day shortly after and was severely underwhelmed (note: you can't really "open it up" on those rides.)
- I rode the FJ-09 for 9500 miles and got sick of buffeting, crappy seat, vibration, a bunch of other little things that bothered me.
- I thought of putting a bunch of $$$ in it to upgrade everything, but decided to buy a used FJR to try it out for a while, as maybe an FJR would have those problems
rectified from stock.
2) 2008 FJR (I put about 3000 miles on this one)
- I bought this while I still had the FJ-09. I borrowed for the FJ-09, so, even though I loved the FJR, I decided it didn't make sense to keep it. I sold it and missed it instantly.
3) 2015 FJR (I've put 19,000 miles on this one so far)
- One year to the day after buying the FJ-09, coincidentally, I traded in the FJ-09 on the FJR. I have since had zero regrets.
- The FJR is oh so sweet, and handles like a speed boat on calm water through the twisties.
- Yes, the FJ-09 is a "fun" bike. But not set up for a lot of commuting, touring, etc. It's a fun weekender bike for short journeys. And maybe that's what you want it for. It's marginally faster exiting corners than the FJR, but that didn't make up for its weaknesses, IMO.
- I miss the triple at times, but I don't miss anything else. The 1300 is a far more capable engine all around, even if the triple insists on trying to lift the wheel in the first 2 or 3 gears.
4) 2012 Tenere (I put about 3000 miles on this one)
- Similar to what I did with the 2008 FJR, I decided to buy a used S10 to see if it was more to my tastes. I bought the '12 and, while the engine isn't weak, the engine isn't as spunky as the triple or 1300. That said, it also feels right at home at non-felonious levels of speed. Whereas the FJR really, really invites one to do speeds that could be detrimental to one's liberty.
- To be honest, I don't even feel like I really maximized this bike's potential, but I still miss it. I never properly dialed in the suspension. And the older and somewhat worn Mitas 007 tires, while good on rough terrain, did not inspire the utmost confidence in the twisties.
- Ultimately, I sold the S10, and felt the same sense of loss that I did when I sold the 2008 FJR. Ever since the bike left I've regretted selling it, and I've seriously considered trading in the FJR on a new Tenere, I just refuse to lose so much on yet another new bike (which would require significant farkling to get to where my last bike was). I've been scoping for the right used one pretty much since my 2012 left. And the good news is I think I've found it.
5) 2012 Tenere (Miles TBD)
- Well, I recently found another attractive used S10 here on the forum. I'm flying to get it here shortly. The S10 really is suitable for my purposes. I have an interest in dirt roads, and I feel like I can load down the S10 a bit more comfortably than the FJR.
- I also really like the ergos on the S10. The FJR is decent, but the S10 is, I think, more comfortable after several hours. The Tracer is also a more upright riding position, but I still think it lacks in many ways I am not interest in tolerating or compensating for.
- I considered flashing my last one, and might flash this one. Time will tell. I also look forward to trying the S10 with more street-oriented tires than the Mitas 007 at some point, to see how it handles on twisties.
- While I might again have to sell one or the other, I'm planning to keep both for as long as possible. However, I'm inclined to think I might part with the FJR next time, and keep the S10. I literally had both bikes posted last time and decided to sell whichever got a bite first. While I know I'd miss the refined smooth power of the FJR, I think the Tenere is a more versatile bike.
Upshot:
- The Tracer, like the FJ-09, likely is a fine machine and might be suited to what you want. But the Tenere (and the FJR for that matter) is a whole different caliber of bike.
- I've sometimes thought about buying another FJ-09 to rip around on. But, really, the enjoyment would begin and end with the first few twists of the throttle when that grunty triple lights up.
- That said, the FJR and the S10 both have power to spare, and can carry the weight and provide much desired comfort in the event you do decide to take off (on or off road) for several days. In any case, I'd still lean towards the S10 over the Tracer, notwithstanding pavement-only intentions.
- Last time I had to choose between the FJR and the S10 I couldn't; I know I would have missed either bike, but to do it over I think I might like to spend a little more time with the Tenere for now. The FJ-09 or the Tracer are not on the list, at least for me. I was well ready to get rid of mine when I did.
- To sum it up, for me, I like my FJR and might just stick with it alone if my ambitions involved only pavement. I want the S10 for it's versatility, and for pavement-only riding it's either a tie for first or a very close second. After a year on the FJ-09, I've put twice as many miles and twice as much time on the FJR, and I have zero regrets about switching. A set of heli risers probably would improve the ergos of the FJR, but I like the 2-bike solution better due to the added versatility of the S10. Of course, this preference is my own; I want more out of the FJ-09 (or Tracer) than it is designed to deliver. But it might be just the ticket for you.
