I really am trying hard to like this Super Tenere….but….HELP !!

[troypusateri]

So just got my first ST 1200…It is a 2017, found it with less than 8,000 miles on it. Flew down to Miami Fl and picked it up from a nice fella, and rode it 900 miles home to the mountains of N. Georgia. It was fantastic, and the bike performed flawlessly.

Now I have had it for a few weeks, and have started taking it off onto the gravel/fire roads up here in the mountains. In the last week, I have punctured the oil pan twice now. The first was with the stock OEM crappy skid plate. Hit a rock, and it did some real damage. Was able to weld it fixed (see pics below), and was running this weekend about 200 miles into the Smoky Mountain 500….doing a river crossing, and with a new skid plate (Ziegler) on-board, hit another rock (going about 5 mph), the bolt holding the skid plate to the bracket went right through the oil pan.

The good news, I have 2 new OEM oil pans headed my way. I also ordered a ACD skid plate that does not attach at all to the oil pan.
The bad news, I am not certain of what else to address to fix this issue. I run the bike how it should be run, not riding it crazy by any means of the imagination.

For reference, I weigh 230 lbs, and have hard bags on the bike with about 25 lbs. of gear all in.

QUESTIONS:
1. Do I need to get a stiffer suspension? If so, recommendations?
2. Can the heigh/ground clearance be increased? If so, how will it affect the bike’s performance on and off road?

Thanks in advance for helping the newbie out. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

 

[03A3KRH]

235 lbs here with bags and camping gear. Never felt like I needed any suspension upgrade. T-Rex skid plate.

 

[Sierra1]

She's a 600+lb dreadnaught. She's an adventure bike, not a dirt bike. Her weight plus your weight, is getting close to 1,000 pounds. There are limits to how far off road she can go. If she's an ES, select two helmets and luggage. If it's a non-ES, dial up all your pre-load.

 

[TenereGUY]

I'm 6' 3" 270# I put a T-Rex bash plate on it. The stock one is worthless. I like those Georgia mountains and the rough fire roads. I have aftermarket front suspension and an upgraded rear spring as I couldn't get a whole shock before I left for Alaska. Go to Traxxion Dynamics suspension in Marrieta, Georgia. One of the best suspension places around. Made a huge difference on how it gobbles up rough stuff. It handled Georgia stuff before but it's a different level now.
I also learned that an inexpensive set of Shock SOX's will save your fork seals if you're in the dirt and mud.
I like MotoZ Tractionator Adventure and GPS tires on this bike.
Welcome to the forum. I may be in Georgia prior to May.

 

[troypusateri]

I'm 6' 3" 270# I put a T-Rex bash plate on it. The stock one is worthless. I like those Georgia mountains and the rough fire roads. I have aftermarket front suspension and an upgraded rear spring as I couldn't get a whole shock before I left for Alaska. Go to Traxxion Dynamics suspension in Murrieta, Georgia. One of the best suspension places around. Made a huge difference on how it gobbles up rough stuff. It handled Georgia stuff before but it's a different level now.
I also learned that an inexpensive set of Shock SOX's will save your fork seals if you're in the dirt and mud.
I like MotoZ Tractionator Adventure and GPS tires on this bike.
Welcome to the forum. I may be in Georgia prior to May.
View attachment 106761
View attachment 106762

Here is my new whip…looks familiar?? Lol

 

[2aroundtheworld]

We did Baja with 3 bikes and punctured the oil pan on the one with the Touratech pan. The one with the Alt Rider oil pan seem to be the sturdier.

 

[Cycledude]

Changing dog bones can change ground clearance, relatively cheap and easy.

 

[RCinNC]

Yes, you can beef up the suspension on these bikes to better suit the style of riding you're doing. I had my stock rear non ES shock rebuilt by Norwest Suspension precisely because I'm a big guy who does a lot of two up loaded touring, and the stock rear wasn't up to the challenge.

Most skidplates you find for these bikes aren't skidplates, they're debris shields. They mount to the engine case itself, and not any sort of frame component of the bike the way a true load bearing skidplate should. They're great for deflecting rocks from hitting the oil filter and other minor impacts; they're also great for transferring heavy, hard impacts right to the engine case. The one I have bolts directly the the side covers of the engine, and to the rear underside of the engine. All the attachment points are aluminum, and I'm pretty sure they weren't designed to withstand a 1000 pound bike/rider smacking into babyheads on a trail. I'm not up to speed on what sort of actual skidplates are still being made for this bike; Rumbux used to make a very well regarded one, but they're long gone.

I've seen dogbones that were made to lower a rear suspension to make it easier for shorter riders to ride a tall bike, but I've never seen any that were made to raise the bike higher. Even if they were available, I'm not sure how you'd go about raising the front suspension.

 

[TenereGUY]

Changing dog bones can change ground clearance, relatively cheap and easy.

Soupy's adjustable set is my go to.

 

[~TABASCO~]

It depends how YOU want to ride YOUR bike….. I ride mine like a dirt bike all the time on BDR’s…..

I have full Ohlins that is set up for someone probably 250Lbs….. but I’m a skinny dude, it’s because I ride it hard off road. And unless I’m accidentally jumping several feet in the air, I don’t bottom out.

So, to me it sounds like for sure you need some stiffer springs minimum. The stock is pretty wimpy and built under production “value” numbers. For someone your size, with gear and equipment off road,…….. it’s to soft. You will keep tearing up products until you get that Suspention dialed in for YOU!

Don’t let others talk you out of what you need for your purpose, and how you want / where you want to ride…….

If you want all types of Suspesion suggestions, just ask me or the group…………

 

[Ss1]

Unfortunately, you won't do anything, this is his weak point. He layers any defense. As they say here, Suter breaks himself.

 

[stutrump]

That's a nice repair to your oil pan. Wish I could weld like that

 

[bimota]

you,ve just run 2 top shit skid plates and thats why its happened once you fit the ACD you ,ve fixed it to be honest

 

[MonkeyBut]

Welcome to the party, Troy



You found the best color

 

[flatgrind]

I have a Gen 1 and I had my suspension front and back re-sprung and revalved, based on my weight and riding style by a local racetech shop. Probably the best thing I’ve done to the bike. I have the altrider skid plate, which I have had to remove and hammer back into shape after some rocky rides, but no damage to bike. All I can say is get the best skid plate you can find and you’ll probably find that sometimes you need to pick your lines based on ground clearance or if you’re a Chris Birch type, clear the obstacle with your front wheel in the air.

 

[gapmtn1]

The good news, I have 2 new OEM oil pans headed my way. I also ordered a ACD skid plate that does not attach at all to the oil pan.
The bad news, I am not certain of what else to address to fix this issue.

You have fixed the issue.
ACD is top notch protection.
Yes, you will hit it on occasion. This is to be expected.
Ride and enjoy.

 

[Fordf350]

I also run the ACD. Be sure to change out upper bolts for studs, it makes maintenance much easier. There is a tendency to cross thread upper bolts when trying to put things back together. I took this advice from someone and my buddy who also has a S10 did not. He has regrets. This picture is after first install. Skid plate is now bedlinered black and some what beat up.

 

[~TABASCO~]

This rider had our plate and veered off into the desert at about 75 mph, I was told.... He later called and told me his bike performed a cartwheel but there was no damage to the motor............ One-N-done

Photo: tow truck driver

 

[Sierra1]

Should've used zip ties.

 

[Fordf350]

Ouch!