Comfort on the Tenere

[alaskabound]

Hi all, I am very new at this adventure riding and would like some advice. I am not new to riding but never longer than an hour or so. So here's my deal a few weeks ago I purchased a 2016 es from Glen Burnie Motorsports. I am 60 years old about 6ft. 180 lbs. and a 32 in. inseam. After taking it out for a ride I new very quickly I would need upgrades. I was reaching for the bars, my butt hurt, and my head was buffeting all over the place. I went to cycle gear and purchased a gel seat pad which helped a little. The next week I ordered Rox risers from Jaxson and a windshield from madstad. I installed the risers (I know how anyone installs these without extending everything even flipping the throttle over) which was real hard for me with the bike at 150 miles. Then the windshield came the next day with their mounts and I installed that. So now with all of that said it still doesn't feel right and my helmet is still bouncing my little brain around. Any suggestions for setup of these items so I can better enjoy my rides would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Sounds like we're about the same height and inseam, with me in Damascus about 50 minutes west of you. I get together for dinner with a Balmo group on the first Monday each month, so you could try out my Seat Concepts seat and high windshield. Sometimes another Tenere is there and he's a bigger guy.
http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/first-mondays-baltimore-rte.878097/


pm me if you are otherwise in the area and want to swap for a ride.

 

[tankertruck]

I'm in uxbridge ma if you want to stop by and check out what I've done (corner of RI, CT and MA). Im 6', 32" inseam 200 lbs. I did the flat seat mod (low position), and I'm OK with that for 2 hours at a tim. I'm getting the extended lines installed now at the dealer so I can install the Protaper high adventure bars. This should all be finished early next week.

For a screen, I installed the winglets and have the high tenere screen that i use daily and also I have another screen (forgot what tbh) that i put on for the wife on long rides. I ride with a large shoei qwest helmet and keep the visor up most of the time with little issue. Feel free to contact me.

 

[Motowalt]

We're about the same physical size...

The Rox risers were an improvement for me both sitting and standing. I was able to keep the stock hoses and cables on my 2012.

I find the stock Tenere seat really good for most days, but for longer days of 300 up to about 700 miles or so, I use an Airhawk cushion.
Wear bicycle shorts under your riding pants (not jeans as they bind and chafe).
Monkey butt powder is good stuff to use to prevent chafing.
If you've never ridden for more than an hour, gradually get more seat time to break in both seat interfaces...(the bike's and yours...)

The Yamaha side winglets helped a lot on my bike along with the Madstad bracket and Cal Sci shorty shield. Took a bit of time to get it adjusted just right...
I wear an Arai XD3 helmet with visor.
Here also more ride time will get the neck muscles used to a bit of buffeting. I haven't managed to get rid of it completely, but have gotten used to it, however, unlike a sport bike with your head so far away from the windscreen I think there will always bit a bit of dirty air flow to deal with.

 

[Tangedal]

I'm about the same size, put the Slipscreens 23" (58 cm) screen and winglets on mine, works like a charm with very little buffeting.


I also flattened the seat but still got "butthurt" after an hour or so. Instead of monkeying around with bar position or buying thousands of $$$ worth of seat mods, I tried changing my riding position. Sitting up close to the tank, although less comfortable for the family jewels, plus leaning a wee bit more forward, helps a lot.

 

[Nissbird]

My solution:
Givi airflow screen tilted back an extra 15° with spacers
2" Rox risers
Longer hydraulic pipes
Tilt original seat as explained on this forum
500 miles a day on non highway roads no problem

 

[alaskabound]

Thanks for all the suggestions I did do the seat flattening and that has helped. Maybe I'll quit bitchin and start riding and get this stuff worked out. Thanks for the offers to check out your setups. With some miles under my belt I'll know more what I'm looking for.
Thanks again

 

[Sierra1]

I, personally, believe that much of the comfort a person feels on his seat....depends on the individual. Some things will work from person to person, but there are going to be people out there that absolutely nothing can be done to their bike that will allow them to complete 500 mile days in comfort. The best way to experiment, is go to those guys that are volunteering the bikes for test drives. Keeps you from wasting money, and you meet genuinely nice people. (They have to be if they're loaning out their bikes)

 

[Riteris]

I highly recommend this:

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/mra-x-creen-sport-add-on-variable-windscreen-spoiler-blade-bolt-on-and-clamp-on-hardware-included

Start there and see if it helps. At least until you get your saddle to what you want. After you get the seat you want, you might consider a taller windscreen.

Also, I might be interested in trading my Seat Concepts seat for your stock one. (I am 5' 7" and the Seat Concepts seat is too tall for me.)

 

[RonH]

6'2" with 34" inseam here. I must be immune to the torture others endure. I rode 500 miles today, and to me the Tenere is more comfortable than the Goldwing. Both are stone stock. Wife only rides goldwing, so it stays.

 

[OX-34]

I, personally, believe that much of the comfort a person feels on his seat....depends on the individual. Some things will work from person to person, but there are going to be people out there that absolutely nothing can be done to their bike that will allow them to complete 500 mile days in comfort. ..........

Agree.

I've done dozens of 1000mile days and a couple of 1500mile days on mine in total comfort. Risers, Airhawk on a stock seat and a cut down windshield. I just ride the thing. ::001::

 

[RonH]

It takes some time to build up to long days. If you've never ridden more than an hour at a sitting, more seat time will be needed. Changing everything from A to Z will be a waste of money and effort most likely. I always laugh at guys that complain the first 100 miles they ride and need to change 25 things.

 

[Cycledude]

What kind of helmet are you using ? I wear an Arai XD4 and have no buffeting issues. About 600 miles in a day is the most I've ever done on the Tenere and about 90% of that was in the rain, the stock seat mostly works fine for me but if it was a little more plush it would probably be better for me.
I tried one of those screen spoilers and wow it worked great ! but because my bike has the tall windshield I felt it cause the windshield to flex to much and would eventually crack it so I took it off and sold it to someone with a stock windshield.

 

[fac191]

I got a seat concepts 2nd hand off here and it's a huge improvement over stock. The stock foam is way too soft. First ride was 300 miles straight, could not do that before. It rocks.

 

[EricV]

<snip> unlike a sport bike with your head so far away from the windscreen I think there will always bit a bit of dirty air flow to deal with.

I see a lot of truth in that comment. I was happy with side wings and a CalSci Med on my'12, but the '15 came with a MaddStadd bracket and massive 24" screen and I couldn't find any sweet spot that didn't give me buffeting issues. I'm 5' 11 with a 29" inseam and 240 lbs, so tall torso. What I did notice is when I moved my head 4" forward, everything improved. But I wasn't going to be riding like that and added Rox risers as well as the Russell Day Long from the '12, so for me, I realized that the only real improvement was to move the whole screen back. I removed the adjustable bracket and installed the CalSci Med screen from my '12 along with the side wings from the '12 and I'm happy again. I did order the trim piece under the front of the screen from the Gen I model to replace the one on the Gen II. It allows the Gen I screen to fit with a trim piece in place. Required minor dremel on a back edge to fit against the gauge cluster.

I never had the oem adjustable bracket or screen, so have no idea how that might have been. (bought the bike used from a dealer, no contact with the original owner. I sent a letter to the address of the previous owner, but no response.)

 

[epyles]

The key to no buffeting with a Madstad is to ride with it as low as possible and tilted more forward than stock. I have the 20" screen and ride with it about a half inch from the bottom most position. For me the top of the screen is right about my mouth. I ride with a Shoei Neotec and can keep my shield up with no problems. I'm 6' tall with a 34" inseam.

 

[Donk]

I have noticed that what I thought was buffeting was my visor flexing when I ride with it open. Had this happen with my AGV helmet on a couple of different bikes. Close the visor and no buffeting. Switched back to my Shoei and have no issue with that open or closed.

 

[alaskabound]

Update, I took a ride two days ago about 150 miles back roads mostly and about 30 miles highway. The ride took about four hours with a couple stops for fuel windshield adjustment and small snack. I removed the gel pad and found the seat not as comfortable but that pad had been pushing me forward messing with my junk so overall more comfortable. I also moved the handle bars back toward me and it put me in a more comfortable riding position. I wore my Bell full face helmet rather than my Bilt adventure helmet with the visor. With the head buffeting was better until speeds over 55. I think that the optics through the face shield in the Bilt are not as good so when I have buffeting it makes my vision blurry. So you guys have been helpful, ride more make changes and repeat. I have ordered wind deflectors from the dealer and will try those. Someone mentioned all riders are different, my son bought an Africa Twin this spring broke it in and took a 3000 mile ride last day was 750 miles no issues, of course he is 29. Thanks again.

 

[fcorona76]

The Yamaha side winglets helped a lot on my bike along with the Madstad bracket and Cal Sci shorty shield. Took a bit of time to get it adjusted just right...
I wear an Arai XD3 helmet with visor.
Here also more ride time will get the neck muscles used to a bit of buffeting. I haven't managed to get rid of it completely, but have gotten used to it, however, unlike a sport bike with your head so far away from the windscreen I think there will always bit a bit of dirty air flow to deal with.

5'11" 215 pounds and freshly 41 years old.

I just took my Tenere to Colorado from Wisconsin. Day 1 was 700 miles. Day 2 was 400 miles. Same on the return trip 2 weeks later with another 1000 miles sprinkled in between the hikes and climbs. Very comfortable the whole way. Corbin seat that had a few hundred miles of break in. Tall OEM screen. Seat in the low position. Heli-Bar touring riser installed with stock bar. Suspension adjusted for proper sag.

The biggest level of comfort for me though was a back rest. With all my gear loaded on for the trip I was able to sit upright and not slouch or reach to steer. Total comfort on the road. I'm definitely going to invest in a stand alone back rest for the bike when just commuting and riding for fun.

But, as per the quote above, those winglets made a tremendous difference for me and really reduced the wind over my arms and body.

 

[Sierra1]

Yeah....age does help. My 25 year old son is adamant that his R6 is comfortable for long distance. ???