What do we now think of the bike

So now you've got one how well does it stack up?

  • It surpasses my expectations

    Votes: 779 56.2%
  • It's exactley what I thought it would be

    Votes: 513 37.0%
  • It's not quite what I thought it would be

    Votes: 88 6.3%
  • It's nothing like I thought it would be

    Votes: 6 0.4%

  • Total voters
    1,386

DamonS

Active Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2021
Messages
89
Location
Ontario, Canada
You don't know my wife. she has a memory capacity of around 800 Tbytes…. She can remember what I said, a Saturday at 4:00 PM… when we were walking on the beach… 25 years ago. So if I say something today… I have to remember it for the next 20 years.:):)
have you considered diamonds? sometimes has an immediate effect of short term memory loss regarding prior foot in mouth statements? YMMV (your mileage my vary)
 

DamonS

Active Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2021
Messages
89
Location
Ontario, Canada
in reference to the thread topic, i took the long way around in coming into possession of my SuperT (this is going to be long, but explains the gap in my expectations vs experience with it)

I'm a Honda man, through and through. I've had my hands in HRC, with factory contracts at pro level, and engineering/building go fast parts for amateur level for riders from 5 years old to 65 years old.
No other brand really has been on my radar......

Fast forward to ~2015, Honda drops an Africa Twin into my shop for a local dealer to get a few accessories fabricated and bolted in place, and make it look like one of the Dakar bikes as a promo, and I knew I had to have one.. this was now my new "dream bike" (replacing my current dream bike, the ST1300)

Timing never worked for me, traveling with race teams internationally, to breaking my femur and a handful of ribs at a GNCC race, I just couldn't justify purchasing one.... Then COVID hit..
I had plenty of free time, the new bike market dried up, and the used market heated up.. I watched the prices of the Africa Twin skyrocket 5-6-7000 over retail in the first year and no way am I going to buy a used bike above new prices.. Then my youngest son got his Motorcycle license and I was short a bike....

I was in my shop complaining about having no bike and one of my employees said to me "ever thought of maybe NOT buying a Honda"? ... well after I fired him for insubordination, then rehired him because he's my best machinist, I said "out of the question, suggest it again and i'm putting you on mold making", and off I went to look at bikes that weren't Honda, knowing full well the idea was my own, and not that insubordinate employee of mine.

googling "alternatives to Africa Twin", figuring I would get zero results, I happened upon the a few options including the SuperT, which thanks to my Honda blindness I didn't even realize existed!
The market here isn't that hot for them, my local dealer had to 'bring one in', so after then googling "Super Tenere common problems", I was off to the used market to have a look at what was out there.

I test rode a couple of bikes and honestly I actually really liked it, like a lot! but there was some real junk out there, until I happened upon a bike being sold by one of our soldiers at a local base who is shipping out and needed to fire sell his local possessions, a 2012 with about 75,000kms on it, mostly dealer maintained, so how bad can it be really! (i don't trust dealer mechanics and this bike was no exception). After driving out to the base to see it, it wasn't half bad but was to be this gentleman's project bike, and so I figured it shall be my project next.. I offered the young man $1000 over asking (hey young military man having to move himself and his family across the country and ultimately leaving them behind is not cheap, even with the military paying some expenses, and lets face it he was asking way too low to begin with just to get rid of it by the weekend).

So I brought the bike into my shop, and immediately stripped it bare, down to the frame, motor out, harness off and began my anal retentive journey to replace everything worn, broken, botched and bodged (didn't strip the motor, but realized a few things I should have changed while it was in the motor cradle), and ultimately to figure out what things I'll be machining to make this my own customization's, and damn this bike is rugged as hell.. the early sparks of love are forming, do not tell my employee, do NOT tell my employee

It took me about 6 months to reassemble the bike, with work and just taking my time, to make it road worthy and roughly 2 months ago I dropped a leg over it for the first time and all i can say is Wow.. no other bike has fit me as precisely as this bike does, all the things I didn't like about my Honda's but accepted as 'nuances' because "Honda is the best!" were absolutely not present in this machine. I rode the bike every day for weeks to find out my limits in the saddle, and I was physically (sore butt, sore back, sore legs, etc) not finding my limits with this bike..

So the following week I was off to AliExpress to buy some questionable Honda badges and stickers to put on the bike, to well, save face with the people I shamed and i'm going to be totally honest here and say dollar for dollar, part for part, Honda would really have to step up their game for me to consider buying an Africa Twin now, and i'm already looking forward to the day my eldest son takes this bike over for his move out to the East Coast and I go out and purchase a brand new Super Tenere to replace it.


Sorry everyone for the long read, but just know the bike has exceeded every expectation i had and even exceed expectations I didn't have :D
 

Jlq1969

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 5, 2018
Messages
1,749
Location
Argentina
have you considered diamonds? sometimes has an immediate effect of short term memory loss regarding prior foot in mouth statements? YMMV (your mileage my vary)
Some time ago, a forum user wrote that shortly after getting married, he gave his wife a motorcycle. and to this day, they share riding a motorcycle together. from that day on, I have a picture frame with the photo of Dirt_Dad, on a table, next to my bed ... to remind me every time I wake up ... that there is always someone smarter than me:):)
 

fac191

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2016
Messages
2,829
Location
London
in reference to the thread topic, i took the long way around in coming into possession of my SuperT (this is going to be long, but explains the gap in my expectations vs experience with it)

I'm a Honda man, through and through. I've had my hands in HRC, with factory contracts at pro level, and engineering/building go fast parts for amateur level for riders from 5 years old to 65 years old.
No other brand really has been on my radar......

Fast forward to ~2015, Honda drops an Africa Twin into my shop for a local dealer to get a few accessories fabricated and bolted in place, and make it look like one of the Dakar bikes as a promo, and I knew I had to have one.. this was now my new "dream bike" (replacing my current dream bike, the ST1300)

Timing never worked for me, traveling with race teams internationally, to breaking my femur and a handful of ribs at a GNCC race, I just couldn't justify purchasing one.... Then COVID hit..
I had plenty of free time, the new bike market dried up, and the used market heated up.. I watched the prices of the Africa Twin skyrocket 5-6-7000 over retail in the first year and no way am I going to buy a used bike above new prices.. Then my youngest son got his Motorcycle license and I was short a bike....

I was in my shop complaining about having no bike and one of my employees said to me "ever thought of maybe NOT buying a Honda"? ... well after I fired him for insubordination, then rehired him because he's my best machinist, I said "out of the question, suggest it again and i'm putting you on mold making", and off I went to look at bikes that weren't Honda, knowing full well the idea was my own, and not that insubordinate employee of mine.

googling "alternatives to Africa Twin", figuring I would get zero results, I happened upon the a few options including the SuperT, which thanks to my Honda blindness I didn't even realize existed!
The market here isn't that hot for them, my local dealer had to 'bring one in', so after then googling "Super Tenere common problems", I was off to the used market to have a look at what was out there.

I test rode a couple of bikes and honestly I actually really liked it, like a lot! but there was some real junk out there, until I happened upon a bike being sold by one of our soldiers at a local base who is shipping out and needed to fire sell his local possessions, a 2012 with about 75,000kms on it, mostly dealer maintained, so how bad can it be really! (i don't trust dealer mechanics and this bike was no exception). After driving out to the base to see it, it wasn't half bad but was to be this gentleman's project bike, and so I figured it shall be my project next.. I offered the young man $1000 over asking (hey young military man having to move himself and his family across the country and ultimately leaving them behind is not cheap, even with the military paying some expenses, and lets face it he was asking way too low to begin with just to get rid of it by the weekend).

So I brought the bike into my shop, and immediately stripped it bare, down to the frame, motor out, harness off and began my anal retentive journey to replace everything worn, broken, botched and bodged (didn't strip the motor, but realized a few things I should have changed while it was in the motor cradle), and ultimately to figure out what things I'll be machining to make this my own customization's, and damn this bike is rugged as hell.. the early sparks of love are forming, do not tell my employee, do NOT tell my employee

It took me about 6 months to reassemble the bike, with work and just taking my time, to make it road worthy and roughly 2 months ago I dropped a leg over it for the first time and all i can say is Wow.. no other bike has fit me as precisely as this bike does, all the things I didn't like about my Honda's but accepted as 'nuances' because "Honda is the best!" were absolutely not present in this machine. I rode the bike every day for weeks to find out my limits in the saddle, and I was physically (sore butt, sore back, sore legs, etc) not finding my limits with this bike..

So the following week I was off to AliExpress to buy some questionable Honda badges and stickers to put on the bike, to well, save face with the people I shamed and i'm going to be totally honest here and say dollar for dollar, part for part, Honda would really have to step up their game for me to consider buying an Africa Twin now, and i'm already looking forward to the day my eldest son takes this bike over for his move out to the East Coast and I go out and purchase a brand new Super Tenere to replace it.


Sorry everyone for the long read, but just know the bike has exceeded every expectation i had and even exceed expectations I didn't have :D
I test rode one and just felt at home immediately. I find it does nothing that annoys me that's why it's still my home.
 

MattR

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2019
Messages
1,175
Location
North Hampshire UK
I’m just coming up to 2 years of ownership on my 2017 S10 and about 10k miles so I thought I’d review what I think of her now. I bought her as a winter commuter and that’s mainly what she’s done but I’ve done a couple of camping trips with her too. My summer / good weather bike is a Zx14r but due to the weather in the uk she hasn’t seen much use so far this year.

The S10 is a great commuter bike and handles the wet weather fine. Plenty of protection from the rain and very stable in high winds. On my local muddy roads she remains predictable and confidence inspiring. So on my first reason for buying her, she definitely delivers. And I prefer riding her in those conditions to the Zx14r.

For camping, she is great for strapping tents to and there is huge load carrying capacity. More so than the Zx14r even though I have a full set of panniers and top box on the Zx14r. You can’t fit my tent into a pannier. So for camping trips she is certainly close to the Zx14r.

Last weekend having ridden the S10 all week, I took my Zx14r for a trip down to Bournemouth with high command on the back. So I had a direct comparison between the two. I’ve tweaked her for more comfort over the years and she is more comfortable than the S10 (mainly in the seat area although I still haven’t had the suspension tuned yet)

So for blasting across Europe the Zx14r is still my go to machine. It’s all about power (she’s got more than twice the hp of the S10 which makes overtakes so much easier and progress faster. High command also maintains that the Zx14r is more comfortable even though her legs are bent much further back than on the S10. Again, it’s the seat that she doesn’t like.

I haven’t tried it yet but I suspect the S10s wide bars will help on the hairpin bends in the Pyrenees and the Picos mountains but it will be much slower on the sections between bends.

So for me, both bikes are keepers, I’ll get the S10 seat modified and the suspension tuned and that’s about as far as you can go with the S10 comfort wise. But she will never be able to replace the Zx14r, it’s just a completely different animal and it makes me laugh every time I ride it. For covering huge distances very quickly it’s about as good as it gets.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

VRODE

Easy Does It
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
940
Location
Northern Vermont
I keep having this problem with my ST. Let me explain….
I’ll be 66 next week and am coming off a knee replacement (Aug.2). My left knee/leg has been steadily getting weaker, and I’m not a younger man anymore, so I’ve contemplated (for the 4th or 5th time) getting a less tall and lighter bike. Yamaha doesn’t sell the Tracer 700 here or I’d be all over it. The Tracer 9 is ok but I’m not sure. Then I’ve read of Triumph’s Trident Sport 660 and was smitten. If it’s available in the spring, I’ll be in luck.
Then today I took the cover off and got on withmy new knee and wentfor a ride (62 and sunny). Usually the arthritis in the knee would flair up and I’dbe aching. Not today. My leg isn’t real strong yet, but it’s better than it was, and pain free. And I’ll be damned, but this bike is awesome and I still love riding it. The fact that it’s incredibly comfortable and I’ve got it outfitted just how I want is the topper.
How the hell can I ever go to another bike?
milk have to ponder this awhile more I guess.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,817
Location
Joshua TX
If I read this correctly, the issue was fixed with the surgery? If that's the case, you've answered your own question. Ride, and enjoy!
 

StefanOnHisS10

Converting fuel into heat, noise and a bit motion
Staff member
Global Moderator
Joined
Apr 8, 2020
Messages
2,158
Location
The Netherlands, Friesland.
I’m just coming up to 2 years of ownership on my 2017 S10 and about 10k miles so I thought I’d review what I think of her now. I bought her as a winter commuter and that’s mainly what she’s done but I’ve done a couple of camping trips with her too. My summer / good weather bike is a Zx14r but due to the weather in the uk she hasn’t seen much use so far this year.

The S10 is a great commuter bike and handles the wet weather fine. Plenty of protection from the rain and very stable in high winds. On my local muddy roads she remains predictable and confidence inspiring. So on my first reason for buying her, she definitely delivers. And I prefer riding her in those conditions to the Zx14r.

For camping, she is great for strapping tents to and there is huge load carrying capacity. More so than the Zx14r even though I have a full set of panniers and top box on the Zx14r. You can’t fit my tent into a pannier. So for camping trips she is certainly close to the Zx14r.

Last weekend having ridden the S10 all week, I took my Zx14r for a trip down to Bournemouth with high command on the back. So I had a direct comparison between the two. I’ve tweaked her for more comfort over the years and she is more comfortable than the S10 (mainly in the seat area although I still haven’t had the suspension tuned yet)

So for blasting across Europe the Zx14r is still my go to machine. It’s all about power (she’s got more than twice the hp of the S10 which makes overtakes so much easier and progress faster. High command also maintains that the Zx14r is more comfortable even though her legs are bent much further back than on the S10. Again, it’s the seat that she doesn’t like.

I haven’t tried it yet but I suspect the S10s wide bars will help on the hairpin bends in the Pyrenees and the Picos mountains but it will be much slower on the sections between bends.

So for me, both bikes are keepers, I’ll get the S10 seat modified and the suspension tuned and that’s about as far as you can go with the S10 comfort wise. But she will never be able to replace the Zx14r, it’s just a completely different animal and it makes me laugh every time I ride it. For covering huge distances very quickly it’s about as good as it gets.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sooooo….. the short version: you absolutely love the S10 and it is the go-to bike but the ZX is there for the rare sunny days?
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,817
Location
Joshua TX
Sooooo….. the short version: you absolutely love the S10 and it is the go-to bike but the ZX is there for the rare sunny days?
Sounds like the Zx needs to be ridden in Texas? :rolleyes: As it happens . . . . there is plenty of room to let the monster loose over here. :cool:
 

Stantdm

Active Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2020
Messages
174
Location
Belle Fourche South Dakota
I have had both knees replaced and that was before I went from a cruiser to the Tenere. I took a short run of about 600 miles on the bike earlier this week. At speed the Tenere is superb. It is comfortable, fast enough, and responds to wind buffeting well. It is too high for an old guy like me even with the seat on the low setting and it is likely something I have to live with. One has to pay attention to where they put their feet down and where they park. I cannot find the rear brake for some reason as I step too far forward and maybe a little bit out. The shifter doesn't fit me the way it should and this is a problem that I thought would go away with time on the bike but it hasn't. Other than those trivial issues I love the bike. There may not be another bike that is as versatile on pavement, gravel, dirt, and trails.
 

Travex

Lost is my destination.
Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
832
Location
Western New York State
I keep having this problem with my ST. Let me explain….
I’ll be 66 next week and am coming off a knee replacement (Aug.2). My left knee/leg has been steadily getting weaker, and I’m not a younger man anymore, so I’ve contemplated (for the 4th or 5th time) getting a less tall and lighter bike. Yamaha doesn’t sell the Tracer 700 here or I’d be all over it. The Tracer 9 is ok but I’m not sure. Then I’ve read of Triumph’s Trident Sport 660 and was smitten. If it’s available in the spring, I’ll be in luck.
Then today I took the cover off and got on withmy new knee and wentfor a ride (62 and sunny). Usually the arthritis in the knee would flair up and I’dbe aching. Not today. My leg isn’t real strong yet, but it’s better than it was, and pain free. And I’ll be damned, but this bike is awesome and I still love riding it. The fact that it’s incredibly comfortable and I’ve got it outfitted just how I want is the topper.
How the hell can I ever go to another bike?
milk have to ponder this awhile more I guess.
FWIW, I'm at the point and of the mind that there is no other bike. My favorite will be my last and I'm on my 3rd one.
 

MattR

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2019
Messages
1,175
Location
North Hampshire UK
Sooooo….. the short version: you absolutely love the S10 and it is the go-to bike but the ZX is there for the rare sunny days?
Almost. For camping in the mountains and commuting I’d choose the S10. For blasting across Europe to hotels I’d choose the ZX. But the S10 also seems to handle the winter better so she will remain my all round commuter. I ride all year round.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Drif10

Active Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
136
Location
Quebec
My other bike is a BMW RT, which hasn't seen much attention since i bought my 14ES in August last year.

Just clicked over 52 kms with it since then, and I'm calling it:

Great fucking bike.

I liked my GSA, did a ton of miles on it.

The Africa Twin was a disappointment, dogshit materials designed by the junior engineering team. Loved the DCT though, it was brilliant.

640 Adv wasn't a great bike, maintenance whore.

The sooperten is a keeper.
 

AZMike

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
338
Location
Tucson, AZ
I am in the eye of the supply chain storm and it ain't fun right now. Stressed and losing sleep after 32 years doing this I thought I would coast to the finish line. What saved me? I got new shoes for the S10 and could not wait to put them on. Mounted and balanced the rear yesterday and the front this morning. Took her out this afternoon to make sure I balanced them correctly and what a hoot. Owned alot of bikes in my life and I really love the Super Tenere. I am a big guy and most bikes have a clown car feel to them for me. I have had three Goldwings and I think the S10 gets kinda the same rap. People who laugh at Goldwings never spent 1000 miles in the saddle of one to truly appreciate what a thing of beauty they are. I passed many a rider on so called sport bikes because the fat bottom girl had to go. That being said, I ride by myself so I don't need the Wing amenities. The S10 just checks all the boxes for me and I am once again anxious to ride. The positives so out weigh the negatives that it really is not worth discussing. I would have liked a Gen 2 like my first one, but this girl only had 3K on her and I ain't gonna wear her out. My passion for riding has been rekindled. Past injuries will eventually pull me out of the saddle but until I will ride till I can't no more!

My wife of 37 years understands that she is my Mistress.
 
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Reno

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2021
Messages
206
Location
Colorado
Probably the best bike I have ever owned, for over 40 years I was riding that American brand of bike. In my younger years I raced motoX until I went to college and figured out there was not enough time to do it all. So the racing was the one to go, but I still needed 2 wheels under me.

Back then thousand American bikes were dirt cheep and I was the only one in college ridding one of them. They were loud obnoxious attracted girls and needed constant maintenance. (some things never change)

Fast forward 30 years and I was ridding with one of my brothers to Sturgis and he brought one of his bikes a 2012 S10. During the trip he asked me if I wanted to try it. To be honest I really did not but we exchanged bikes for a few hundred miles, and it brought my younger years comming back to me. I did not get a chance to take it off road but I have to say I did not want to give it back to him.

Last summer he called me and asked if I wanted to take a trip with him. Not knowing what he had in mind, I said sure before I even asked him where we were going. He proceeded to tell me he was ridding to Dead Horse AK. He also told me to not bring that American bike.

I started the search for an adventure bike. I looked and road a number of the Japanese brands and even looked at a German bike. After weighing my options and my experience with chain final drives is came down to two bikes. Then I weighed in my experience with German and Japanese autos, the choice was easy.

Three months ago I picked a well outfitted 2012 S10 with 15k miles on it. Not even broken as far as I’m concerned. Been ridding the heck out of and really enjoying the handling, and how nimble the bike is.

Cut to the chase not a lot of saddle time on the S10 yet, but it might be the best purchase in a bike I have ever made. The more I ride it the more I like it. This bike will go almost anywhere with eas and comfort . Still dialing in the ergonomic to fit me but what a pleasure to ride.

Wish I would have found you S10ers earlyer.
 

whisperquiet

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
728
Location
Southern Illinois
What do we now think of the bike?

Well, I just purchased my 5th Super Tenere (a new 2021 ES) on Nov 3, 2021. I wanted one to see me through my early 70s and it appears the bike may not be available for 2022. I was able to switch over all of my accessories from my 2015 and also wanted an ES model. I previously bought a new PDP 2012 blue S10, new 2013 white S10, a new blowing them out of the warehouse matte gray 2013 S10, a used red 2015 S10 standard, and now the new murdered out black 2021 S10. I am a great fan of the S10……fits me perfect with a few mods, is a great long distance trip bike, and dead reliable.
 
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Scrambler007

Active Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2022
Messages
114
Location
Canada
I just went on my first ride on my new 2021 ST. Here are my initial impressions (I've owned over 20 bikes and have tried over 150 bikes, my last bike being a 2019 Africa Twin):

WARNING: I'm brutally honest, no filter, just telling it like it is after my first ride on the bike.

- Sounds decent, but will sound much better once I get my MIVV exhaust :)

- Cruise control is such an underrated feature, works great.

- 12V socket included from the factory...more than we can say about many premium bikes out there.

- Heated grips work great (though I wish there was a button for it instead of having to go in the menu).

- Turning radius is amazing for a bike this size. You can almost turnaround in one lane. It's a big bike but it turns superbly and you don't feel the weight.

- Handles much better than it should have the right to for its size and weight.

- There's quite a bit of play in the throttle grip (really doesn't feel premium like on other brands) and the throttle response is pretty on/off which is exaggerated by the driving shaft. Touring mode is kind of boring and still a bit snatchy, Sport mode more enjoyable in terms of power, but snatchiness is worse). I've owned many bikes, many of which people in the forums complained about the on/off throttle (like the FZ-09) and for me it really wasn't a problem, but the ST feels super snatchy compared to the FZ09. My Africa Twin though peppier, had a much smoother throttle response.

- I tried multiple suspension settings (ES version) and though its by no means a harsh ride, I was still expecting a bit more comfort. Maybe the cold weather (10C) and the fact that its brand new isn't helping, will see how it feels after more mileage in warmer weather.

- I'm 6'1" and the ergos are surprisingly good out of the box. I usually have to customize everything, and so far, I don't think I'll change much.

- I was expecting the windscreen to be horrendous after watching all the reviews, but its not worse than the stock Africa Twin windscreen, actually, it's much better (at least under 100km/h). Set at the highest level + ear plugs, I should be quite comfortable.

- The windscreen mechanism is the worse one I've ever seen, I mean ever (only thing worse would be non-adjustable), hard to comprehend how Yamaha engineers would put that on a production bike after over a decade of production.

- The mechanism on the side luggage are just bad, no other way to put it, and I'll probably be buying a rack to use my OS32 Kriega bags instead. If Yamaha didn't want to improve them after years of customers complaining about it, they could have just stopped including them and drop the price of the bike accordingly.

- The reflections in the dash can be quite bad at times, and dash looks quite dated.

- I love how Yamaha designed the side panels to be removed by just turning the hallen bolt half a turn or so, super quick to remove and re-install and you never lose a bolt (much better designed than the plastics on the Africa Twin.

- I'm expected Yamaha reliability, which is second to none.

- Probably one of the cheapest bikes to insure.

- Low maintenance, valve check interval is almost twice as long as on the Africa Twin.

- I won't miss cleaning and greasing a chain.

- Not having the option to turn off the rear ABS is a bad idea on an adventure bike meant to see some dirt.

- Again for an adventure bike, requiring premium gas isn't the best of ideas. They advertise the bike as the best choice to travel around the globe, but not only is premium gas not available everywhere, there's no reason to design the engine to run on premium gas when you putting out less than 100HP to the rear wheel out of a 1200cc engine. My Africa Twin was optimized to run on regular gas, so was my FZ-8 and many other bikes.

So there you go my brutally honest first impression. I'll see once I put more mileage on the bike how I feel about it, but for now I'd say I'm not disappointed, nor am I over the moon with it, somewhere in the middle. I'm sure reflashing the ECU would greatly improve the bike, but I'll wait to see if I want to put more money on it before I do.
 
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