Hello from Canada, Seeking knowledge

[Easy Flyer]

Howdy,

I live in Ontario, Canada, and I seem to be going through a motorcycle transition phase (change in wants/likes)
I have been riding for about 20 years and have owned 11 motorcycles, everything from Cruisers (Vulcan, Valkyrie) to SuperBikes (FZR1k, R1) and stuff in between (ST1300, Bandits, B-Kings, CBR-XX, TLS etc)

Here is a pic of my last bike, that I just sold a few weeks ago, and miss riding.

Some of the best times I've had on a motorcycle were track days (long ago, TLS, R1) to weekend trips around Ontario (Bandit, B-King), to the ultimate trip I took to the Rocky Mountains (BC) and back (10,000 km aboard my ST1300, best adventure to date) It was on that cross Canada trip that the 1st seeds of an "adventure" bike were sown, briefly meeting up with a rider aboard a r1200gs, he was going form Ontario to Alaska and back....

This was my '05 ST1300ABS

One of the best bikes I've owned, one I rode the most, one I miss the most....

Among others, the Super Tenere has caught my attention, and I'm looking forward to learning about it here, picking the brains of owners and the collective knowledge of the riders on this forum.
The questions about the ST I'll leave for another post as this is just a quick intro.

Glad to be here,
And Hello!


Easy Flyer

 

[2112]

::004:: from the UK ::008::

 

[low drag]

Welcome aboard!

Ask some questions here! Guys will pile on and try to help.....

You should have some great places to ride an ST in Ontario. Do you plan to try her off road or at least on some gravel?

 

[klunsford]

::004:: from Oklahoma! There are a bunch of guys who came from FJR's to the Tenere. I ride my Tenere with several FJR riders in Colorado every year. After getting my 14 ES, they all want the Tenere. I guess I'm just a good sales person... ::025::

 

[barkingllizard]

a simple hello, Easy Flyer.....

 

[Checkswrecks]

Welcome aboard. Since the bike has been sold since 2010, most of the noobie questions have been asked and answered multiple times. From the HOME button in the upper left, the search box works really well on this forum and can give you hours of reading pleasure.

 

[Easy Flyer]

Thanks for all the welcomes everyone!

Yes, I would really like to be able to take next bike on gravel and dirt roads. I have no plans for real off road, just to do some exploring on roads that I would not dare take a street bike on. I'm really hoping for a very good sport-tourer that can go on gravel.

I'm familiar with the search function on the site, and have used it quite extensively, and do have some questions of my own I'd like to post, a few topics I've not seen covered, but will do more digging before I post.

I'm glad to see so many riders on here having owned big sport tourers before moving to the S10.

I will admit that a few acronyms are a little confusing:
ST = super tenere
ST = sport tourer
ST = ST1300 (honda) which I've owned
S10 = Super Tenere or Chevrolet S10 (which I have in my driveway )

Easy Flyer

 

[limey]

Welcome Easy Flyer, where abouts in Ontario ? If your close to Bowmanville your welcome to take my 2012 out for a spin.

 

[low drag]

Thanks for all the welcomes everyone!

Yes, I would really like to be able to take next bike on gravel and dirt roads. I have no plans for real off road, just to do some exploring on roads that I would not dare take a street bike on. I'm really hoping for a very good sport-tourer that can go on gravel.

I'm familiar with the search function on the site, and have used it quite extensively, and do have some questions of my own I'd like to post, a few topics I've not seen covered, but will do more digging before I post.

I'm glad to see so many riders on here having owned big sport tourers before moving to the S10.

I will admit that a few acronyms are a little confusing:
ST = super tenere
ST = sport tourer
ST = ST1300 (honda) which I've owned
S10 = Super Tenere or Chevrolet S10 (which I have in my driveway )

Easy Flyer

Sadly many terms here are like the English language (at least the American flavor), many words require context.

For your type of riding look into a skid plate and engine guard, those will provide your base protection. That darn oil filter is right where it'll get smacked. With some slightly different tires I bet you'll find yourself off the gravel roads in no time at all.
Just think of the picnic potential you'll have with the little woman....

 

[Easy Flyer]

Thank you for the offer limey,
I would love to take you up on it, but with my schedule I can't make the trip that far up, not for some time (I'm in the Windsor area)
Many years ago I used to go up to MoSport near you and do track days, that was a lot of fun.

Low Drag,
I was wondering what the minimum protection accessories I could getaway with on the bike to be able to do gravel/dirt roads, thanks for letting me know.

Yamaha is doing some demo days in my area in the next few weeks, I'll have to see if I can catch them when they're near by.
Unfortunately they don't seem to do it on weekends much, so time will tell on how it goes, I will try to swing a leg over one.

Easy Flyer

 

[low drag]

Thank you for the offer limey,
I would love to take you up on it, but with my schedule I can't make the trip that far up, not for some time (I'm in the Windsor area)
Many years ago I used to go up to MoSport near you and do track days, that was a lot of fun.

Low Drag,
I was wondering what the minimum protection accessories I could getaway with on the bike to be able to do gravel/dirt roads, thanks for letting me know.

Yamaha is doing some demo days in my area in the next few weeks, I'll have to see if I can catch them when they're near by.
Unfortunately they don't seem to do it on weekends much, so time will tell on how it goes, I will try to swing a leg over one.

Easy Flyer

IMHO a skid plate and engine guard is the minimum. There a few aftermarket options that are good, in fact the group here thinks are better than Yamaha OEM. One inexpensive items is a shock sock to keep sand/crud from getting into the shock seal. I guess these 3 items would be the minimum. I'm talking 4 wheel drive trails here, not gravel roads. Of course engine guards will help anytime you knock the bike over, even in the driveway.

Next, luggage racks are nice to mount bags/boxes to but they also protect the bike. Soft bags off cushion if you dump the bike but hard boxes keep the bike higher off the ground protecting your ankle.

Hope that helps.

 

[greg the pole]

welcome.

I've ridden/owned several bikes that you mentioned. Spent some time on a ST13 (burgandy non abs) and quite liked it, but found it limiting when looking at gravel roads.
TL was a riot (33km on that), brief ride on a b-king loved it.

I have just over 55km on the tenere, and at this point, it still feels new.
From very demanding paved roads, to demanding off road it's a great bike.

Like the others mentioned, minimum is a skid plate (take your pick) and crash bars (I have givi's that are cheap and durable).
The fork protectors are a must. They are all of $15, and best insurance you can buy for usd forks.

If you're bored. Trips, fixes, quirks and other bikes
https://thetenerist.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/california-2015/

 

[Idahohigh]

Welcome --- I have 2 Harleys and just picked up my first ever dual sport Tenere -- I also will be riding roads that I wouldn't take by road bikes on. I have been on a few dirt roads and 1 single track and I am so very happy and excited with the Tenere.

 

[bigbob]

The fork protectors are a must. They are all of $15, and best insurance you can buy for usd forks.

Why. What do they really do for United States Dollar (usd) forks?

And while that sounded like a smart reply, I am curious why I would need them.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Why. What do they really do for United States Dollar (usd) forks?

And while that sounded like a smart reply, I am curious why I would need them.

To me, the fork sleeves are not really needed. They seem like a good idea, but then I'm at 45,000 miles and have never had a fork leak on the Tenere.


I also think it has something to do with the type of roads we each ride on. Around here we have lots of old dried out asphalt, as opposed to the sharp stuff which North Caroline puts down. When I go down to NC, I get a LOT more black spots sticking to the forks, and everything else.

 

[low drag]

Why. What do they really do for United States Dollar (usd) forks?

And while that sounded like a smart reply, I am curious why I would need them.

If you ride on trails and dusty roads grit gets on your forks. As the forks compress the grit works its way under the fork seal and start oil leaking. I got my shock socks AFTER I noticed oil coming from the seals. I also have a couple of devices to clean the rubber gasket that rides next to the seal.

All they do is wipe the grit and dust off the fork as they compress and keep it from working its way to the seal. It's a cheap 'once of prevention'.

 

[greg the pole]

If you ride on trails and dusty roads grit gets on your forks. As the forks compress the grit works its way under the fork seal and start oil leaking. I got my shock socks AFTER I noticed oil coming from the seals. I also have a couple of devices to clean the rubber gasket that rides next to the seal.

All they do is wipe the grit and dust off the fork as they compress and keep it from working its way to the seal. It's a cheap 'once of prevention'.

what low drag said.
USD means: Up Side Down Forks.
If you ride off road, they are a must. I too installed mine after my first leaky oil seal.
If you keep to the road, then you probably don't need them.