Have you dropped your Super Tenere? Damage?

Gato10

New Member
Joined
May 10, 2020
Messages
29
Location
Pennsylvania
Hello there,
So far I have not dropped my bike. However I am starting to take it on gravel roads and sooner than later I will drop this big girl. My real question is whether to expect cosmetic/structural damage by dropping the bike at very low speeds (5miles h or less). In addition I have seen comments of people‘s legs being stuck under the weight of the bike. How common can this be? I am coming from a much lighter bike (DRZ400) and I dropped that bike dozens of times at low speed without damage to the bike or rider. What can I expect with the ST?
Comments appreciated.
 

SHUMBA

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Joined
Dec 29, 2018
Messages
1,242
Location
ONTARIO, CANADA
Hello there,
So far I have not dropped my bike. However I am starting to take it on gravel roads and sooner than later I will drop this big girl. My real question is whether to expect cosmetic/structural damage by dropping the bike at very low speeds (5miles h or less). In addition I have seen comments of people‘s legs being stuck under the weight of the bike. How common can this be? I am coming from a much lighter bike (DRZ400) and I dropped that bike dozens of times at low speed without damage to the bike or rider. What can I expect with the ST?
Comments appreciated.
Glad you asked, because I speak with experience on this topic/question.
I'm about 5 foot 8 inches short and can barely flat foot. I don't off road, but I love to ride on gravel.
I began riding after very long absence from riding, and restarted on a Honda 250 CRF dual sport bike. Great bike to re engage on to the sport once again.
Drops, absolutely you will drop your bike. All, repeat, all of my drops have been from a stationary or a zero speed.
Left foot in a pothole, slow turn misjudging an incline, riding with a buddy who forgets the sidestand and falls onto you...shit happens.
Solution, please please please get some crash bars and you will grateful that you did. Hmmm...can U pick it up on your own??
Be safe and ALWAYS wear your gear.
SHUMBA



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SHUMBA

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Joined
Dec 29, 2018
Messages
1,242
Location
ONTARIO, CANADA
Glad you asked, because I speak with experience on this topic/question.
I'm about 5 foot 8 inches short and can barely flat foot. I don't off road, but I love to ride on gravel.
I began riding after very long absence from riding, and restarted on a Honda 250 CRF dual sport bike. Great bike to re engage on to the sport once again.
Drops, absolutely you will drop your bike. All, repeat, all of my drops have been from a stationary or a zero speed.
Left foot in a pothole, slow turn misjudging an incline, riding with a buddy who forgets the sidestand and falls onto you...shit happens.
Solution, please please please get some crash bars and you will grateful that you did. Hmmm...can U pick it up on your own??
Be safe and ALWAYS wear your gear.
SHUMBA



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Hey Gato (?se hable espanol?)
SHUMBA


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Gato10

New Member
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May 10, 2020
Messages
29
Location
Pennsylvania
Hi Shumba, Bigbob; I do have crash bars. I hope they can limit the damage. THe bike is so massive that I think the bike itself will crash the crash bars! I am glad to know that a can of paint will solve most issues. Thanks for your answers. I am also 5 feet 8 inches so your experience is very useful.
 

Sierra1

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Nov 7, 2016
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14,819
Location
Joshua TX
Unfortunately, she going to hit the ground. When it happens, make sure you don't get hurt trying to prevent it. Step off, and let her go. She'll be fine. When I went through my classes on the KZ, it would happen all of a sudden. That bike was a tank, almost indestructible. The ST was designed the best. Crash bars, and pieces designed to prevent damage. The pieces were cheap, and easy to replace. Kept the shiny parts off of the ground.
 

RCinNC

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Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
I've dropped mine twice, once on asphalt and once on gravel, and both times from a complete stop. The Altrider bars might have got a couple scratches in them, but nothing to get overwrought about. Nothing else on the bike was damaged. I have cases on mine, and between those and the crash bars (and crash bar bags), I'm not sure I could get my leg caught under the bike; there's a lot of clearance under there when the bike's on its side.
 

SHUMBA

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Dec 29, 2018
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1,242
Location
ONTARIO, CANADA
Like he said get crash bars and a can of paint to match them. When you put it down at less than 5 mph or so the paint will fix all of the damage!
Claro que si bigbob!
Greetings from Canada
SHUMBA

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WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
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4,516
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Ventura, CA
Dropped mine twice. First time was really a 20 MPH crash on a slightly muddy two-track. Bent the left Givi bar back a little and popped out the little plastic rivets that hold the inner panel in place in the radiator scoop. No damage otherwise. Dropped it again the next day, (tough weekend) this time on the right side, trying to maneuver around a pile of wood on a dirt slope. Landed right on the pile of wood with the top of the bike pointed downhill. Glad I had help to pick that up! This time no damage at all.

The main thing to check if it falls on the left side , and the faring takes a hit, is to make sure the fan support brackets aren’t bent inward allowing the fan to contact the radiator. If it goes unnoticed the fan motor will fry if it can’t rotate.


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B

ballisticexchris

Guest
I have dropped mine once in the driveway and once on a nasty jeep trail. Both times was expensive and labor intensive damage. The first time it bent my my footpeg mount and required me to cut, bend and weld. 2nd time I had to cut the footpeg off. I put the stock shifter and pegs back on.

These big bikes are very easy to bend and break when they are dropped. I recommend upper crash bars as well. My second drop was on an off camber rocky rut. The bike landed right on a large rock, slamming the upper crash bar protecting the radiator. Nothing more than chipped paint. The crash bars are worth every penny. I have also had to beat out my skid plate a few times.

Nice fancy adjustable shifter destroyed:
E36F6964-28F9-40BB-8DE5-76F0324E4EFA.jpeg
 

SHUMBA

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Joined
Dec 29, 2018
Messages
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Location
ONTARIO, CANADA
Dropped mine twice. First time was really a 20 MPH crash on a slightly muddy two-track. Bent the left Givi bar back a little and popped out the little plastic rivets that hold the inner panel in place in the radiator scoop. No damage otherwise. Dropped it again the next day, (tough weekend) this time on the right side, trying to maneuver around a pile of wood on a dirt slope. Landed right on the pile of wood with the top of the bike pointed downhill. Glad I had help to pick that up! This time no damage at all.

The main thing to check if it falls on the left side , and the faring takes a hit, is to make sure the fan support brackets aren’t bent inward allowing the fan to contact the radiator. If it goes unnoticed the fan motor will fry if it can’t rotate.


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That is very important to know thanks
SHUMBA

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jeckyll

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May 11, 2016
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651
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Lotusland
I managed to get my riding pants caught on the left side shield at a the gas station in Chicken Alaska. Went over at 0 mph.

Stock "hand guards" aren't worth much


But Givi crash bars worked great, no damage to the left side (i.e. the radiator side :) ).

Which reminds me, I need to buy real hand guards this year :D
 

moto.monk

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Aug 19, 2019
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1,090
Location
los angeles
drop mine in the drive way with alt rider lowers and it still bent my shift lever because the ground was uneven. So much for that I have also crashed at 25 mph off road and it broke my turn signal and windscreen bracket even with the alt rider lowers because again it was on uneven ground my st hit a slight embankment. Other then that maybe three 5 mph tipovers which caused scratches to the alt rider lowers and handguards. Well im done with off road crash protection since I do 99% road and then dirt road roads with some small rocks.
 

Don in Lodi

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Be careful going down on the left. The plastics can press in on the fan motor and cause a burnout (the fuse doesn't pop) and the fan trying to turn can ruin the radiator. Some tipovers can hit hard enough to crack the plastic front subframe, especially if you've got a taller windshield.
 

Stranger

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2017
Messages
33
Location
Arkansas
I got over confident in some mud and the front washed out on me. My bike is pretty well armored so all that ended up happening was a broke mirror. I found a replacement on Ebay for $40.


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MIKE R

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Feb 5, 2012
Messages
722
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Lancashire, UK
An 84 year old myopic car driver pulled out on me back in 2014. I manages to scrub off most of my speed but the right hand side of my bike glanced down the side of the car at about 5 mph. The bike bounced off the car and then fell over onto it's right hand side. So the right side got a double hit!

The Givi crash bar was sacrificial but saved most of the possible damage. I've attached a photograph showing the points of contact (this picture was taken before the accident. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture after the event). Most were minor scratches and I was able to ride the bike home. The panniers were not fitted but the top box was. Fortunately, I only received very minor injuries.

1 Right Hand Guard slight scratching
2 White Upper Fairing. Very slight superficial scratching
3 Givi Spot Light. Bent upwards and wires pulled out. No other damage
4 Carbon Fibre Side Panel. Minor scratches
5 Givi Crash Bars. Bent and sacrificed
6 Slightly bent rear brake lever
7 Black Exhaust Shield (World Crosser extra) slightly damaged by brake lever

Mike
 

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