Be honest about the spokes….

[sail2xxs]

On my 2012, I lost a spoke right around the 17K mile mark. This was weird, because they had all been checked by a great Yamaha tech not too long before. After that, I didn't have a single spoke issue on the bike. My 2014 has had no spoke issues, and is at 24K miles.

Best,

Chris

 

[wtwill]

My 2013 had a very loose spoke on the rear at about 1500 miles. I now have 9500 miles and I have had maybe 1 or 2 more that have needed tightening but none in the last 3000 miles. No issues at all on the front. I would not hesitate to buy another spoked bike nor do I keep any extra spokes. I suppose if I was touring the world I might carry a couple spares.


::021::

 

[Raptula]

That reminds me, I have never checked mine! I check them after every ride on the motocross bike (KTM 300). But that is easy, I only get to ride I every few months.

 

[hawk281]

6000 miles and I just torqued them, maybe four were loose. The biggest problem was finding a 1/4 drive 5mm long ::021::allen.

 

[mcbrien]

I had 1 spoke become loose but I caught it in time. Now at 36,000 miles with no more
loose ones. I've never touched them from new. I weight around 185lbs and always ride
solo, dirt / street roads.

 

[nhdiesel]

Check out my thread for details, but at around 14,750 miles right now I have one broken spoke, and several have loosened over the past 1000 miles. I've had to check them every few hundred miles and more are loose at each check, even though I tighten them down. I'm a long distance rider, and if I am going to have to check spokes every gas stop, I'll be selling what otherwise is one of the best bikes I've ever owned.

Why Yamaha puts spoked wheels on a heavy adventure bike that will be seeing mostly highway miles is beyond me. For what 99% of the riders will be doing with this bike, it should have cast aluminum wheels. Maybe offer spoked wheels as an option for those who do serious off road riding.

 

[Don T]

I believe that the main key to avoid that the spokes become a problem is to follow the instructions in the service manual.

Check the spokes at the initial service and then every 5000 km/3000 miles and make sure that the spokes are tightened to the specified 6 Nm/4.3 ft-lbf - not just tightened by hand to what you believe is the right torquing. This is not ordinary spoked wheels and maybe that is why just tapping the spokes and tightening by hand isn't always enough to avoid issues.

 

[Dogdaze]

Why Yamaha puts spoked wheels on a heavy adventure bike that will be seeing mostly highway miles is beyond me. For what 99% of the riders will be doing with this bike, it should have cast aluminum wheels. Maybe offer spoked wheels as an option for those who do serious off road riding.

::026:: I'm in this camp with you, I don't need the hassle of spoke maintenance and cleaning, cast wheels would suit me just fine. I even looked at after market options but alas there are none.

 

[Andyb43]

Up to 6000 miles I was constantly torc up my spokes using a good quality torc wrench not the tap and ping method. They were always loose but after 6000 miles and constantly checking they stopped being loose and now never need tightening

 

[hojo in sc]

What spoke torque wrench is a favorite with our members here?

 

[Don T]

What spoke torque wrench is a favorite with our members here?

For the S10 you use an ordinary torque wrench with a long 5mm Allen socket.

 

[Rasher]

For the S10 you use an ordinary torque wrench with a long 5mm Allen socket.

I have a set of 3 wrenches - even the smallest does not go low enough, also torque wrenches are least accurate at the ends of their range (low and high) which is why I have 3 of the things, I could probably get by with two, but like to always use one where I am not at the top / bottom 20% of its range.

 

[Ramseybella]

When my rear wheel came unglued when the new spokes had a drop of blue loctite on the spoke threads.
Sort of a Lazy mans way but I marked them with a sharpie and watched the lines to see if the adjuster mark moved to the left on each spoke mark, noting.
Most likely use a little black model paint when it comes off.
From what I was told these rims are made by D.I.D for Yamaha.

 

[Don T]

I have a set of 3 wrenches - even the smallest does not go low enough, also torque wrenches are least accurate at the ends of their range (low and high) which is why I have 3 of the things, I could probably get by with two, but like to always use one where I am not at the top / bottom 20% of its range.

So now you have an excuse to get a 4th wrench ::008::

 

[Don T]

When my rear wheel came unglued when the new spokes had a drop of blue loctite on the spoke threads.
Sort of a Lazy mans way but I marked them with a sharpie and watched the lines to see if the adjuster mark moved to the left on each spoke mark, noting.
Most likely use a little black model paint when it comes off.
From what I was told these rims are made by D.I.D for Yamaha.

Be aware that the spokes don't necessarily retains the same tightness even though the marks you have made still align - but the marks will warn you if the spokes are getting so loose that the nipples are coming off.
Yamaha have opted for spokes of relatively soft stainless steel on the S10. The softer steel makes the spokes less prone to braking but the down side is that they will stretch a bit when new and take longer to "settle in". Besides that they corrode easier than higher grade stainless steel - several S10 owners have complained about just that.

You are right about the manufacturer of the rims - they have D.I.D JAPAN stamped on the side.

 

[Ramseybella]

Be aware that the spokes don't necessarily retains the same tightness even though the marks you have made still align - but the marks will warn you if the spokes are getting so loose that the nipples are coming off.
Yamaha have opted for spokes of relatively soft stainless steel on the S10. The softer steel makes the spokes less prone to braking but the down side is that they will stretch a bit when new and take longer to "settle in". Besides that they corrode easier than higher grade stainless steel - several S10 owners have complained about just that.

You are right about the manufacturer of the rims - they have D.I.D JAPAN stamped on the side.

This was just to get me back from Moab to Los Alamos, NM.
Riding in the early am in the middle of the boonies in pitch black from Durango to Española, NM it was an easy observation pull over center stand and a flash light turn wheel look for movement.
These are the Woody's Wheels Works stainless spokes a bit different.
If you look back in my past history it's been a lot to do with my rear Woody's rim.
It should be back this week and hope I will not have to deal with Woody other than praise and happiness.
We have been talking on how to get these suckers from going loose as many times as they do, could be a redesigned milled hub with set screws rolling around Woody's little gray cells.
I read on the forum that some of you have been lucky handful one or two adjustments and your good, others have re laced the hub once or twice.
From just talking to a few mechanics two in Moab including Chris and Woody in Denver it happens more than just us unfortunate gent's on the forum.
If I didn't have so many cracking issues with the Excel rims in the past I would have certainly kept them, solid rim just not built for the Tenere's weird configuration.

 

[Rasher]

So now you have an excuse to get a 4th wrench ::008::

Good theory, but been unable to find one that goes that low.

 

[Judd]

Good theory, but been unable to find one that goes that low.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-inch-drive-click-type-torque-wrench-2696.html

Yes, I know,,,,,, cheap junk. Doesn't matter, I checked it against our calibrated torque tester at work and it's better than our own +/-3% across the range.

 

[Judd]

I had a rear spoke lose it's nipple. Thankfully, it fell out as I was moving it on my front sidewalk so I heard it and thankfully found the nipple. I say "thankfully" because I know it woulda ruined the swingarm,,,, and I hear that you have to buy complete sets from Ma Yamaha. If memory serves, I had around 8K miles on it at the time, maybe less. Can't remember for sure though. When I addressed the issue, I found quite a few on the rear wheel loose, some very loose. The front had a few loose, but not near as many are the rear and the one's that were loose, were not "as loose". Once tightened up with the click wrench I zipped tied them all just in case.

At around 10K miles I changed out the rear tire for the first time and took the opportunity to recheck. Found a few on the rear that has loosened up a smidge but not as bad and not near as many. Front stayed roughly the same. I just changed out the rear again {13.5K miles} and damned if there wasn't another couple loose again. The front had a couple loosen up too. I was hoping this issue would go away once they "settled in". Next time I swap tires, front or back I will be placing loc tite on the ends hoping it wicks in enough to lock them in place,,, or at least keep the nipple from coming completely off in the even they do loosen up a lot.

 

[Marty]

I have a set of 3 wrenches - even the smallest does not go low enough, also torque wrenches are least accurate at the ends of their range (low and high) which is why I have 3 of the things, I could probably get by with two, but like to always use one where I am not at the top / bottom 20% of its range.

I have this one.

http://cdn.opentip.com/Tools-Home-Improvement/Kd-Tools-Beam-Torque-Wr-p-3608482.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjw5MGxBRDiuZm2icXX2-sBEiQA619bqwoOCnPGD3ROA9BFJaxgZxahtIabTXpn93TO6cLx-ZoaApBG8P8HAQ