Decade after Decade - I make the same modifications

[Mark R.]

I just got off the phone with Seth Lamm, who is modifying my front seat, and it occurred to me that after 39 years of riding and wrenching on motorcycles, I make the same modifications bike after bike.

First, get the riding position correct - bar risers, rear set footpegs back in the day, or a different bar, etc. Then, the obligatory engine modifications. Nothing big, but in the case of my Tenere, a re-flash. Back in the day, it would be a jet kit, K&N, and a pipe. Then suspension - fork springs and new shock, and fork springs and new shocks back in the day. New seat by Lamm, new seat by Sargent back when. Then some bike specific farkling. In the case of the Tenere, some side wind deflectors, crash protection, and luggage and racks. Back in the day, it might have been a windshield or a rear rack for a backpack.

Funny that no matter how good new bikes are, there are still ways to customize, personalize, and improve them from stock. And often making very similar upgrades. Or else it could just be me and my personal weirdness and quirks.................

Nah.............

 

[Mark R.]

I guess I have had better luck with mods. Probably why I keep doing them.

 

[BravoBravo]

I guess I have had better luck with mods. Probably why I keep doing them.

Hi, my name is Bruce, and I am an accessory addict.... ::014::

 

[jaeger22]

Right there with you Mark. I have made almost the identical changes on each of my bikes. Those small changes to the seat, bars, windshields, and even foot pegs can add up to a HUGE improvement in comfort and motor tweaks can add fun if not over done. ::001::

 

[num]

I'm in this boat, 90 degree valve stems should be standard if the bike has spokes!
please protect the engine better out of the factory!
lighting anyone?

Suspension is hit or miss between bikes and i've never changed out a seat I always modify the stock depending on if it needs more or less foam.

For the tenere, when I get some $$$$ I'm going to look into a way to make it not do squats while it's on the kickstand. and it can use maybe an inch of ground clearance.

 

[talonboy]

I think every new vehicle has compromises, either legal ones, or size ones. Making the vehicle fit you, for size, weight, or intended purpose is always needed.

 

[Ramseybella]

In many ways we all at some point need to go to AAA (accessory addicts Anonymous ) 8)

I do have AAA Platinum.. ;D

 

[BravoBravo]

In many ways we all at some point need to go to AAA (accessory addicts Anonymous ) 8)

I do have AAA Platinum.. ;D

I'm in! ::003::

Bruce

 

[mcbrien]

I'm in also , Renthal bar arrived yesterday . ::003::

 

[Mark R.]

In many ways we all at some point need to go to AAA (accessory addicts Anonymous ) 8)

I do have AAA Platinum.. ;D

I'm not sure I want to get "better!"

 

[Boondocker]

I too am with Mark R on this subject, and many of the same changes too. My vehicles are my hobby and I enjoy personalizing and setting them to my preference. Just today, I ordered a new handlebar (and heated grips). This would be the same handlebar I put on my last two bikes. Why? Because I found one that fits me, increases my comfort, and reduces my distraction from hand and wrist fatigue from bars that are not optimal for my ergonomics. Little things matter to me, amazing the difference a few millimeters can make.

Thinking about my hobby brings me joy when I can't just ride.

 

[Rasher]

it occurred to me that after 39 years of riding and wrenching on motorcycles, I make the same modifications bike after bike.

First, get the riding position correct - bar risers, rear set footpegs back in the day, or a different bar, etc. Then, the obligatory engine modifications. Nothing big, but in the case of my Tenere, a re-flash. Back in the day, it would be a jet kit, K&N, and a pipe. Then suspension - fork springs and new shock, and fork springs and new shocks back in the day. New seat by Lamm, new seat by Sargent back when. Then some bike specific farkling. In the case of the Tenere, some side wind deflectors, crash protection, and luggage and racks. Back in the day, it might have been a windshield or a rear rack for a backpack.

Funny that no matter how good new bikes are, there are still ways to customize, personalize, and improve them from stock. And often making very similar upgrades. Or else it could just be me and my personal weirdness and quirks.................

Nah.............

Almost exactly the same for me, the only thing that has stopped me doing the same to every bike has been funds :exclaim:

Suspension - Always makes a huge improvement

Seat - Rarely comfy for long distances without mods

Luggage - Since touring replaced being a twat on Sunny Sunday afternoons

Screen - I am sure the aftermarket screen manufacturers pay the bike manufacturers to fit utter shite to all bikes

Engine - Not so much except when needed - seems to have become more essential in recent years as modern bikes seem to be severely restricted by emissions regs, and normally at the expense of low down power and mid-range response, my ZZR1400 was totally gutless below 6k (worse than the Carb'd ZX9R it replaced) and the 1st - 3rd restrictions on the Tenere were awful for my preference of two-up riding on back lanes and mountain passes.

I only do these mods because they make the bike far better, £2k sounds a lot, but when it makes a £10k bike twice as good it seems like good value, £400 for a Flash is a bargain when you compare to fitting pipes / dynojet kits back in the day.

 

[rednax]

It´s fun to farkle. First of all: Windscreen ! quoting Rasher:"Screen - I am sure the aftermarket screen manufacturers pay the bike manufacturers to fit utter shite to all bikes", and ST;s got the worst so far...I´m trying the fourth soon. Been thinking of cutting down the original small one. The winddeflectors are on, but I don´t think they make so much differens... or maybe I just forgot.. ???
So far : changed the ECU, no restrictions now. Full Arrow system. Benched and Powercommander. Much torqueier now. It´s really a great differens.
Bashplate, craschbars, Yamaha orig. Heated grips also orig. Bar risers. Handprotectors orig. Luggage off coarse, touratech Zega and the Altrider luggage rack , tankbag with quicklock.
Putting on Highwaypegs. No need for other seat yet, but I use an Airhawk now and then when going far. Don´t really like the idea of rising the seat up at front. Like a riding position up close to the tank and really don´t want to squeeze some things in that region... Extralights will be mounted for sure, mostly for safetyreasons. Damp ing has been good to me so far but who knows what the future holds...(Öhlins are really good) Been riding 40000 km (around 31000miles) since I got the bike last year and really love the way it handles ::001::
Hmm, got a little carried away there. Allmost forgot what this thread really started out as. I think this Extra equipment thing is really getting worse and worse over the years.(or more and more filled with pure lust ::025: Not that I´ve had so many bikes, but can´t remember any being so full of possibillities as this one...and yeah, AAA is probably what it´s all about ;D

 

[Downtown]

I am just glad that you all have the addiction and post your results-good and bad. With that information I can make the correct decisions about what will benefit me and my wants for the bike without getting an inventory of unused parts that didn't work quite right! So far, just a seat mod and a better bash plate. Oh, and luggage on the sides and top rack. Oh yeah and a tank bag, tank protection and a cable to lock my new helmet. Well then there was the Alt Rider bars and the front wheel chock, but, those are a necessity. Boots, jacket, pants and two more helmets, but, those aren't bike specific. A new camera for taking pictures/videos on the road. So I haven't really done anything crazy like some of you, but, I am thinking about the re-flash, oh and that cool Baja light bar for the space below the lights. And maybe a nice storage cover for Winter.

But, I don't have a problem....
::013::
DT

 

[motostevie]

I'm hopeless too. I've also been making similar changes to different bikes for 30 years. I ride on the road only, so most of the additions to the S10 are to make that better and safer. I mean, I don't need the skid plate for instance, but damn it looks much cooler than the stock plastic junk. The Tenere actually has seen the most mods and accessories out of any bike I've owned so far. That may be due also to the fact that I can afford them nowadays, but still I think most have provided some level of improvement for me.

I got the Ohlins shock because I had pair on my Kawasaki ZRX 1200 and it made a huge difference in comfort and control. I don't notice a great improvement on the road with the Tenere though, so the stock one worked well enough for me I guess. I think if I could start over again, I'd skip the Ohlins shock, at least until the stock one wore out. I bought it at the Americade Rally in Lake George NY.....was looking to spend some money, and they made it easy, and gave me a great deal, so no regrets really.

Givi taller windshield
Yamaha side wind deflectors
Rox up and back risers
Oxford Adventure Heated grips
Grip puppies
Throttle Boss
Chinese made adjustable levers, from ebay
Yamaha Crash bars
Mondo LED lights
Corbin drivers seat
Alaska Leather Sheepskin butt pad
Tec Spec tank protectors
SW Motech bash plate
SW Motech adjustable foot pegs
Altrider luggage Rack
Givi 46L top case
Givi trekker side cases
Yamaha Tank Bag
Nelson Rigg Magnetic tank bag
Tool tube
Sonic straight rate fork springs
Ohlins shock
ECunleashed Gen 2 flash
Ram mounts
Gerbings Panel Port plug
Overly expensive german made (I think), fold up highway pegs from Twisted Throttle, (attached to Yamaha Crash guards).
Gold replacement Tenere stickers up front, and additional reflective blue YAMAHA stickers down the sides of the fairings, Ebay, from England.
Drift HD Video Camera with all the accessories. (only used on the bike so far, so it's a motorcycle accessory I guess).


Then there's the gear: Gerbings Heated jacket liner, gloves, and insoles, Three helmets, all kinds of various jackets, gloves, boots, pants, socks, underwear, and many many other doodads, doohickeys, and accoutriments that go along with everything else......

I can't think of better stuff I'd like to spend my hard earned $$ on....... I have truly become an elite Motorcycle Consumer, and I don't really care.

If I could only do three changes to this bike, I think they would be...... the ECU flash, the heated grips, and the taller windshield.

I'd manage with no changes if I had to, but change is good, and a lot of fun also.

 

[snakebitten]

40th year of buying bikes, riding daily, and generally involving them in everything I can that they can appropriately be part of.

I guess, for the most part, I have been a "handling" first, engine performance second, comfort last, person all along. As far back as a kid racing a TM100, (yes, pre-RM) I scraped together the $'s for Koni shocks before I worried about carb jetting.

The Super Tenere is just the most modern and recent replay of the same movie.

For me, if I had it to do all over again, the farkling would be almost exactly what I have done. With just a bit of rearranging the order I took.

1st. Forks and shock. I could TRY to talk myself out of it. But it would be a waste of time. The way I use this bike, there is so much reward for having high quality suspension pieces.
2nd. While I stated that comfort comes last, I can often justify some ergo improvements as handling upgrades. Therefore the bar and peg farkles are next.
3rd. The ECU flash

So, those 3 are what I would call required surgery.
The rest is elective.

Problem is, although crash protection is technically "elective", it would be STUPID for me to risk skipping it. So I wouldn't.
But regardless, I would not trade crash protection for 1-3.

 

[creggur]

40th year of buying bikes, riding daily, and generally involving them in everything I can that they can appropriately be part of.

I guess, for the most part, I have been a "handling" first, engine performance second, comfort last, person all along. As far back as a kid racing a TM100, (yes, pre-RM) I scraped together the $'s for Koni shocks before I worried about carb jetting.

The Super Tenere is just the most modern and recent replay of the same movie.

For me, if I had it to do all over again, the farkling would be almost exactly what I have done. With just a bit of rearranging the order I took.

1st. Forks and shock. I could TRY to talk myself out of it. But it would be a waste of time. The way I use this bike, there is so much reward for having high quality suspension pieces.
2nd. While I stated that comfort comes last, I can often justify some ergo improvements as handling upgrades. Therefore the bar and peg farkles are next.
3rd. The ECU flash

So, those 3 are what I would call required surgery.
The rest is elective.

Problem is, although crash protection is technically "elective", it would be STUPID for me to risk skipping it. So I wouldn't.
But regardless, I would not trade crash protection for 1-3.

My 4 required surgeries....lots of electives still to find and spend $$ on, I'm sure...

1) Comfort: First thing I did was adjust the bars a bit, perform the seat-flattening mod, and replace the stock screen (the buffeting was the worst I've ever experienced in 28 years of riding on the street). No big $$ there so it was quick and easy.

2) Aesthetics: Yeah, I'm shallow I s'pose - but the Akra pipe and playing with painting parts to make the bike look the way I wanted was next.

3) Performance: Got the ECU flashed, and couldn't be happier with the mod - this was the day I knew I'd never really miss my VFR again (not too much, anyway).

4) Handling: Up next, and the first time I've ever dabbled with aftermarket suspension. I've always just "ridden around" any handling issues my bikes have had. Actually, this is the first time in 28 years of riding on the road (street license at 14) that I've liked a bike enough, that I knew I was going to keep it long enough, to make it worth dropping the coin on premium suspension gadgets.

Since I don't really ride off road I'm working on making the Tenere my ultimate touring/sport-touring ride. Even though it's not really Yamaha's intended purpose (nor most members here) for the bike, it's proving to be a perfect platform for just that.

 

[Mark R.]

I am just glad that you all have the addiction and post your results-good and bad. With that information I can make the correct decisions about what will benefit me and my wants for the bike without getting an inventory of unused parts that didn't work quite right! So far, just a seat mod and a better bash plate. Oh, and luggage on the sides and top rack. Oh yeah and a tank bag, tank protection and a cable to lock my new helmet. Well then there was the Alt Rider bars and the front wheel chock, but, those are a necessity. Boots, jacket, pants and two more helmets, but, those aren't bike specific. A new camera for taking pictures/videos on the road. So I haven't really done anything crazy like some of you, but, I am thinking about the re-flash, oh and that cool Baja light bar for the space below the lights. And maybe a nice storage cover for Winter.

But, I don't have a problem....
::013::
DT

Now that's funny.

I just realized I need those Touratech handguards to keep the top of my hands out of the wind. You know, it looks like a long hard winter ahead. And I will be posting up about the Laam seat I just got back on Friday.......

 

[motostevie]

Since I don't really ride off road I'm working on making the Tenere my ultimate touring/sport-touring ride. Even though it's not really Yamaha's intended purpose (nor most members here) for the bike, it's proving to be a perfect platform for just that.

::008:: I agree, this is exctly what I intended from day one. I like the comfort you get from a high seat, and the big distance from peg to seat. This is the main reason I want to tour on an "adventure" bike. Sport tourers are too cramped, and Cruisers are mostly too slow, don't handle, and are bad on my back. "Adventure" bikes are the best for old men like me....(turned the big [size=10pt]50[/size] this summer :'( it's all down hill from here!) )

 

[snakebitten]

::008:: I agree, this is exctly what I intended from day one. I like the comfort you get from a high seat, and the big distance from peg to seat. This is the main reason I want to tour on an "adventure" bike. Sport tourers are too cramped, and Cruisers are mostly too slow, don't handle, and are bad on my back. "Adventure" bikes are the best for old men like me....(turned the big [size=10pt]50[/size] this summer :'( it's all down hill from here!) )

Nothing wrong with your or Creggur's intended purpose for the Tenere. I would probably still be very happy with this Beast even if I weren't a dirt addict.
However, if that were actually true, I would probably be satisfied with less expensive suspension upgrades. Which is a good thing.

But take the dirt-bike riding out of my agenda and suddenly some of the poser ADV bikes aren't really posers. (Like the Big Triumph and new V-strom)
Even the Guzzi would leap up on contention for me.

But ALL of them would still get the same farkling by me. I'm hopeless.