Prospective New ST Owner....what are your biggest beefs about your 2014+ ST?

[yoyo]

Dude it's the best colour, although I am biased! You can tilt the seat to flatten it a bit, it tilts slightly forward, you'll find plenty of info on here. Try using it in Touring Mode rather than Sport mode to start, the throttle is much less abrupt, enjoy!!

 

[cavenger]

How do you get the rear half of the seat off? I don't yet see a manual and I wonder if it is stored there. ...maybe?

 

[yoyo]

Sadly it's bolted down, the book won't be under there. You can download the manual from Yamaha web site

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[RonH]

I love my new 2017, even putting the manual into the bag works OK for me. Only things I would improve on would be as others said, make the traction control easier to change, and not reset to high every time the key is cycled off, and add an ABS switch. The motorcycle is brilliant in all ways to me. No need to farkle even. ;D

 

[Harry Dresden PI]

For me on my 2014 ES S10 (I agree with many of the other suggestions)

1. Better wind protection for the taller rider 6'3" rider (I have 6 + windscreens and madstad bracket)
2. Denser foam in the rider seat (Stock Seat Foam Started To Give Out ~ 10,000 miles (Rider 290 lbs)
3. Self canceling turn signals (Tank bags and GPS often can be in the line of sight of the blinker light)
4. More room to install an accessory fuse block (Solved but kind of a pain)
5. Quieter Radiator Fan (Often louder than the bikes riding with me at stop signs / lights) Sounds like air raid horn
6. Easier to access head light adjustment (A pain to adjust when I fully load the cases and top box)
7. Gas tank lid moved rearward 1 - 2 inches so Givi tank lock bags do not interfere with handle bars in turns
8. Increase the length of the handle bar attached electric wires. (With bar risers and longer hydraulic lines the wires are too tight on sharp turns)
9. A better way zerk (sp?) fittings on shifter linkage and rear brake pedal
10. Add a more adjustable rear brake pedal height (I hated to cut the brake rode threaded end to lower the brake pedal for large feet)
11. Make all the hydraulic bleed screws the same size so when vacuum bleeding the clutch rear brake front brake you have less leakage of fluid
12. Highlight the black rubber buttons used for TC changing and Gas Mileage rest (White lettering would be nice)

WOULD LOVE

1. Adaptive cruise control (Radar)
2. Lighted control buttons on handlebars (Hate dark nights when I press the wrong button)
3. A better ignition key / socket (hard to see at night and top plate rotates away from key center
4. Taller 6 gear for more relaxed 80 mph interstate cruising
5. Higher quality fasteners (Even using torque wrenches and the service manual values some of the smaller screws show head damage)
6. Easier access to fluids (Coolant and rear brake fluid)
7. Tire Air Pressure Sensors ....

OTHERWISE

Love the bike and only wish I had bought it earlier and had more youth to ride it farther.

 

[hogmolly]

My list is pretty short

Self cancelling turn signals
A simple one-touch trip gauge on the bars
Smoother transition from cruise to cruise off....the engine braking is too abrupt

 

[Gobear]

My list is pretty short

Self cancelling turn signals
A simple one-touch trip gauge on the bars
Smoother transition from cruise to cruise off....the engine braking is too abrupt

Apply a little throttle , then switch off the cruise ... no engine breaking

 

[hogmolly]

Thanks, I figured that out pretty quickly but we shouldn't have to do that. The factory cruise on my old ST1300 and Harley don't required this......just sloppy programming by Yamaha IMHO.

 

[yoyo]

Sadly a trait of really useful engine braking

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[Dirt_Dad]

Congrats on the new bike. Hopefully you've noticed now that the Tenere feels lighter than the DL1000 and DL650. My wife went from her lowered (1st gen) Wee to a lowered (1st gen) Tenere. The first time she picked it up off the kickstand she smiled and said "it's so light." It's all perception.

I do agree with using the bike in Touring mode if you feel it's a handful right now. T mode is pretty mellow.

Welcome to the Tenere. The more you ride it, the more you will realize it's a game changing bike....enjoy

 

[Gobear]

Love the growl when you down shift, worth the price of admission.. One more thing to have fun doing..

 

[WJBertrand]

Thanks, I figured that out pretty quickly but we shouldn't have to do that. The factory cruise on my old ST1300 and Harley don't required this......just sloppy programming by Yamaha IMHO.

Honda never offered factory cruise on an ST1300. There were a number of aftermarket systems available though. Every cruise control I've ever used, car or bike just closes the throttle when cancelled, I don't see the Super T as any different. Big twins tend to have a lot of engine braking but cancelling the cruise would be exactly the same as releasing the throttle.


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[hogmolly]

I guess I was thinking of my GL1800A, I know one of my Honda street bikes had factory cruise. T vs. S mode changes the speed in which the throttle reacts through programming (both on and off). The same programming could not close the throttle so quickly when coming off of cruise. I still have a CUSE5 with factory cruise and it doesn't throw you forward when you tap the brake to defeat it. Quickly closing the throttle will throw you forward (a 1800cc twin also has a lot of engine braking) so it was design choice. I still think Yamaha could be a little less abrupt.

 

[Sierra1]

From what I understand, the abrupt throttle response is due to "fly-by-wire". My '04 truck has a throttle cable. My Jeep is a throttle wire. It has a horrible stumble off idle. (manual transmission) IMO a cable gives more accurate throttle control. Electricity is either on or off. But, my only beef with my Tenere is that I didn't buy it sooner.

 

[Defekticon]

From what I understand, the abrupt throttle response is due to "fly-by-wire". My '04 truck has a throttle cable. My Jeep is a throttle wire. It has a horrible stumble off idle. (manual transmission) IMO a cable gives more accurate throttle control. Electricity is either on or off. But, my only beef with my Tenere is that I didn't buy it sooner.

Blame the EPA. The mapping is easily fixable by mailing off your ECU for a re-flash. Probably one of the best mods done to the bike. Drive-ability increased 1000%.

 

[Xclimation]

My biggest beef is the oil system. I'm sure it lubricates and cools the engine internals just fine. But checking oil level is nerve racking. The level through the sight glass varies too much and it may look like there is too much oil when the level is fine, and sometimes it looks like its on the low end...then you go riding let it sit and the level looks like there's too much again! I would LOVE a more accurate way to check this!

 

[snakebitten]

That oil site window spawned a HUGE thread 5-6 years ago.

Finally it quieted down when we chose 1 of 2 options.

1. Ignore it. (some personality types would rather die)
2. Follow a precise routine that is documented and results in a very consistent reading.

I'm a number 2 guy for only the first ride after an oil change.
Then I happily join the number 1 club

 

[WJBertrand]

Oil level is not a worry for me. I put in the known required amount, it looks perfect when checked by the recommended method* immediately after an oil change. That is the oil level is about 3/4 up the sight glass at the full line. For some reason it will usually show as overfilled when just casually checking on the centerstand after that. As long as I see some oil in the sight glass I don't worry about it.

*The recommended method for checking in the manual is to put the bike on the center stand on a level surface. Start the engine from cold and let it idle until the coolant temperature reaches a minimum of 140oF. Shut off the engine and let it sit for 10-15 minutes then check the level.

Even if it has been looking overfilled, If I repeat that method, the level shows right back to where it's supposed to be. So far I've not seen any oil consumption at 30K miles.

 

[Sierra1]

With the KLR being the exception, I don't think any of my Japanese motorcycles have ever required additional oil between changes. The Beemer used QUARTS between changes. Ended up using less at 60K miles than when brand new.

 

[WJBertrand]

With the KLR being the exception, I don't think any of my Japanese motorcycles have ever required additional oil between changes. The Beemer used QUARTS between changes. Ended up using less at 60K miles than when brand new.

I had a bit of red herring ST1100 that would use about 1/2 - 3/4 quart every 3K. I also had a '78 Yamaha XS750 that would literally drink the stuff, a quart every 600-1000 miles. Yamaha rebuilt the top end twice to no effect. My old '93 Interceptor didn't, and my current '05 ST1300 doesn't use any oil. In my experience Japanese bikes aren't immune to oil consumption. Two of the five 4-stroke Japanese bikes I've owned were burners. Can't count the two strokes (AT125 & RD350) in that though...