Between its compelling CP3 triple and its comfortable riding position, the Tracer has long been a staple of the sport touring segment, but the 2025 GT+ update moved the goalposts for the industry as a whole.
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That’s because it became the first production motorcycle to make use of an adaptive LED Matrix headlight. While the technology has been increasingly prevalent in the automotive world for some time, it has yet to see application among two-wheelers — in that respect, Yamaha is leading the charge.
In practice, the technology works by combining a matrix of multiple low and high beam LEDs linked to a camera integrated into the upper part of the headlight assembly. By detecting surrounding traffic, natural light sources and weather conditions, it can thereby distribute the light in such a way that it fills in dark spots while not dazzling other road users.
What’s more, as found on the Tracer 9 GT+, the Matrix LED headlight array works with the onboard six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to dynamically adjust the beam when cornering — especially in cases when the bike’s lean angle exceeds seven degrees.
