One month anniversary - mileage and lessons learned

[GrahamD]

I have about 3,000 miles on it now and remain very pleased with the bike, it's a keeper.

many CO pics here

Your next challenge is to pick just 20 pics to go into an album for the grandkids to find in the attic 30 years from now, just to prove that you actually did stuff like that.

Great pics, although I have to admit I didn't look at all 1784 of them ???

I thought I was bad ::024::

 

[Combo]

Your next challenge is to pick just 20 pics to go into an album for the grandkids to find in the attic 30 years from now, just to prove that you actually did stuff like that.

Great pics, although I have to admit I didn't look at all 1784 of them ???

I thought I was bad ::024::

Your not bad, I'm bad :exclaim:

I started out looking at all of them and switched to only the ones with bikes in them................................Then my confuser crashed. ::025::

Great photos and trip, I was just overloaded with all the same places I wanted to beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...................at. ::001::

 

[20valves]

I can't take credit for the pics, only for being in a few of them. One of the guys on the ride is the official camp chef and photog. He keeps a little wx Olympus point 'n' shoot on a lanyard around his neck and snaps away the whole time. There's really no use in any of the rest of us taking pics as our buddy likely has at least 3 just like it! On damp, packed dirt roads with a light sprinkling of gravel, the brakes worked great when being surprised by a 1000 lb. bull resting in the road (free range cattle country). No drama, bike just slowed down, bull kept calm, all good. 8)

I did shoot some HD vid of the ride over engineer pass with a GoPro cam mounted on the left bag top. I'll get that figured out and post a link. On the way down, we met a bulldozer working a road washout who graciously gave us about a 4 foot space to pass by on the edge of a downhill heading to a switchback. The dropoffs are lethal (or maybe just maming, didn't investigate) so it was exciting to say the least. Bike went where it was pointed though. Seems to me the S10 performs as advertised as long as the nut holding the bars doesn't do anything too stupid. ::26::

 

[elizilla]

I'm at about 3100 miles now. I have gone no farther off road than Juanita Lane aka Fire Road #5. I am not strong or agile enough to singletrack such a large bike so you won't see any videos of me riding over helmet sized rocks or climbing over stumps. If I want to do that I'll use an XR100, thank you. But it handled the fire road with aplomb, even after the rain eroded great channels across it. In fact it has been surefooted in all the rain that the hurricane season in New England threw at it, over the last few weeks. And it does well on the roads near home, many of which are so rough they seem like offroad!

Unlike other people here I have absolutely no ergonomic complaints. The seat is the perfect shape, height, and angle. The bars are the perfect distance away and the footpegs are in the perfect spot. The worst thing I can say is that the sidestand continues difficult to deploy. I'm getting the hang of it when I'm not wearing rain gear, but one day last week I almost despaired of getting it deployed, due to my rain gear catching on the footpeg. I finally managed to get it but I suspect I will eventually tear some rain gear on the footpeg while trying to deploy the sidestand. And this is after installing a larger sidestand foot that is easier to reach with my toe. The little arm that sticks out is unreachable, I pretty much have to go for the sidestand foot.

I've put an MRA Vario Touring screen on mine, and it was just fine on the interstate drones - I didn't have to turn up the music to hear it. I rarely have any trouble with windshields, though, because I am long of leg and short of torso, even for a woman. My head just doesn't stick up as high, compared to just about everyone else who can flatfoot a Super10. I probably could have kept the stock shield and been just as happy.

I have averaged 41.5mpg so far. This includes a lot of interstates, unfortunately. I had ground to cover and time frames to meet, and the back roads were full of bridge outage detours. So I retreated to the interstate and got 'er done. Based on my individual tanks, I'm guessing it'll get around 45 when I am on the back roads and not spending so much time so deep into the throttle. On the freeway blasts, doing short hops around town, or chasing fast guys through the twisties it will be closer to 40. Since I live so far from everywhere I want to go, I do more miles just riding to and from things, than I do while there. So my overall mileage reflects my life's schedule more than anything - if I get away in time to take back roads to wherever I am going, I'll do better. If I get stuck working late and pushing hard on the interstates to get to wherever it is on time, I'll do worse. Here's hoping for good mileage numbers in the future!

I have installed a bunch of farkles but I have more to go. Next up has GOT to be the heated grips. I really missed them on my trip, but the stuff I needed didn't arrive in time for me to do it before I left. I will do it this weekend.

I am very happy with it so far. The NT and the TDM have languished in the garage at home. I am going to sell them.

 

[fredz43]

Katherine,

Sorry to hear that you are having trouble deploying your sidestand. I was puzzled by this as I find mine very easy to deploy without even trying hard and I have not modified it. After reading your description of your difficulty in trying to deploy it with your toe, I wondered if that is not the problem. I have never tried to deploy it with my toe, but find that if I reach back toward the toe of the stand with the heel of my boot, it hits it every time. As for the peg type thing that sticks out, I find that useless. In any case, may I suggest that you try to deploy it with your heel rather than your toe and see if that helps?

 

[jozmoto]

As for the peg type thing that sticks out, I find that useless.

I always use the "peg thing". Just use the back of my heal to pull back the foot peg which exposes the peg better and push down. BTW: I use Fastway foot pegs (wider) from my GS that fit right on the ST (go figure).

 

[elizilla]

Katherine,

Sorry to hear that you are having trouble deploying your sidestand. I was puzzled by this as I find mine very easy to deploy without even trying hard and I have not modified it. After reading your description of your difficulty in trying to deploy it with your toe, I wondered if that is not the problem. I have never tried to deploy it with my toe, but find that if I reach back toward the toe of the stand with the heel of my boot, it hits it every time. As for the peg type thing that sticks out, I find that useless. In any case, may I suggest that you try to deploy it with your heel rather than your toe and see if that helps?

I actually mis-spoke there - I am also reaching for the sidestand foot with my heel, not my toe. I think it's the combination of not having much to catch hold of on the stand, and the shape of my boots. They are the Sidi Vertigo Air, which is a sport boot, so there isn't a big square edge to the heel; they're more tapered around the heel area so I have to move my foot in closer to catch the sidestand foot. But they have big hard plastic armor around the ankles that fouls on the those metal teeth on the peg if it's too close. If it were just that it touched and slid across the peg, it would be fine, but the edge of the armor plate catches on the teeth. I have gotten the hang of it well enough that it doesn't cause me a problem anymore, until I put those rain covers on the boots, and THOSE caught. Argh!

I also have a pair of Teknic Violator waterproof boots, and the season to switch is upon us. I probably shouldn't have worn the Sidis on my New England trip, since they spent more time in rain covers than not. Maybe the Teknics will work easier with the sidestand.

All in all, though, I feel pretty silly complaining of this. If this is the worst of it, the bike is basically 100% perfect. If it doesn't go away with time and practice, then I will change the pegs for some more street-oriented pegs that don't have those metal teeth, and my boot will stop catching on them. Or I will wear some different boots that have different armor. Whatever I end up doing, the problem is temporary.

 

[eemsreno]

I just got back from a 2,000 miler through NM, CO. We almost did it all, pavement, wet pavement, gravel, wet and dry packed dirt, mud, snow on pavement. No deep water crossings though. Bike did beautifully. Mine is completely stock, ergos are excellent providing all day comfort, seat is fine (wear bicycle shorts ), windscreen seems not to be a problem, power is great. I ran it in TC2, T mode most of the time and it did well. Unless I was really making time, the bike got 45+mpg giving great range. Bike is dead on smooth running at around 4K rpm giving great touring performance. Speedo error is a non issue for me. It's about 8% off according to the GPS. Who cares? In most speed ranges, just subtract 3 to 5 mph from indicated and that's your actual. The Metz Tourance EXP tires seem pretty good off road and very good on pavement. Luggage performed well although it pays to keep the lock mechanism clean and lubed. We went over engineer pass between Lake City and Silverton, CO and the bike did very well. We did it all with fully loaded bags and about 50 lbs. of camping gear too, a couple of guys had more than that. ABS does well off road. Standing on the pegs in soft stuff, mud or gravel really allows the bike to move along with no drama. I have about 3,000 miles on it now and remain very pleased with the bike, it's a keeper.


many CO pics here

Great pictures,, How did you get 3 Teneres all on thesame trip? Look like a great trip.

 

[Salty]

Hey all, been very busy lately and just getting time back to the form. Some very interesting reads.
I can relate with the side stand deployment, as well as the effectiveness of the windsheild. I am short of leg and long in the body and have had issues with the side stand and screen. I still am working out a meathod of extending the stand as my boot does not clear the peg, I shall overcome. As for my height in the seat, I am reading input by others regarding touring screens and thier effectiveness, I only want to buy one.
Although I reach the ground, I am fully extended from the hip and now very aware of those holes we tend to step into, nearly lost the S10 on its side a couple of times. On the positive, where the weigt of the S10 is low it is very managable to catch and up right.
Just a side note regarding the S.A. Rollbend bars / plate. There has not been enought commited people so I will not pursue further but will take part in future endevors.
The S10 has been very pleasing and I am very satisfied with my selection. Currently still sticking to pavement untill I get more comfortable befor I go off road. Currently installed a yamaha lower seat , driving lights and heated grips.
Future itenineries will be Pelican's, safety bars a road trip, some off pavement and preparation for Central and South America, fall of 2013 and winter of 2014 (October to April), any interested particitapent's ?

Dave

 

[20valves]

Great pictures,, How did you get 3 Teneres all on thesame trip? Look like a great trip.

Simple really, we Okies have exceptional taste in bikes. I mean, they're all black too.

 

[eemsreno]

I seen they were all black and the pictures were slow to load when a black one was in there.

 

[k woo]

Just in from a leisurely 4 day/1000 trip to the Blue Ridge, NC, Va and W Va. Got some miles in on rock trails, hilly loose gravel and cow pasture. No problems with the ABS going down hill. Aside from the seat, the bike performed flawlessly. Visited a friend who didn't think "that bike" would make it up the mountain to his cabin. Got some strange looks from his lower elevation neighbors as the Tenere followed his Rhino to the top.

6000 miles from new, this is the bike for me. 8)

 

[Koinz]

20valves, Obviously you managed the snow on page 9 of your pics, but I bet you had to change your shorts after that. Well Done ::012::

 

[20valves]

20valves, Obviously you managed the snow on page 9 of your pics, but I bet you had to change your shorts after that. Well Done ::012::

Well, it was either turn back toward higher altitude or plow through to lower elevation and see if it got better. Fortunately, as we got lower, it improved pretty quickly, whew! That was just south of Chama, NM.

 

[LyleD]

Received mine July 28. Perfect timing as I had 2 trips planned in August. So far probably only 100 miles of gravel riding, locally & in the Black Hills. Prefer TCS2 on the gravel. Haven't felt the need to turn off the ABS but have run it up in second gear on the centerstand just to try it with it disabled. Some soft sand roads. Found out it's better to turn off TCS before getting in the sand as once it starts to sink in, it slows down to the point it will hardly run. The stock windshield made the visor (not the shield) on my AGV AX-8 Dual flutter until it broke on both sides (I'm 5'7"). The taller Yamaha (National Cycle) accessory windshield cured about 80% of it. Not perfect but acceptable. Looking forward to changing tires to something more off road oriented, but the stockers work well on pavement and are lasting well. Also need heated grips but can't believe how much Yamaha wants. Looking for the best aftermarket option. Satisfied with all the Yamaha luggage but the locks feel cheap. It's nice that they work with the ignition key. AltRider bars seem OK. AltRider Skid plate is nice but sounds like I have a garbage can lid bolted to the bottom of the bike. The bottom plate needs a stiffening rib or channel in it. Have a similar issue getting at the kickstand with my Sidi boots. Now I just lift the footpeg with the side of my boot and then push the stand down. In the first 5 weeks I put 12,500 kilometers on it with no issues (It now has 13,200). Every bike I've had before has an rpm range where the bike feels happy and I usually end up cruising at that speed. This thing is happy everywhere. I'm impressed with how smooth it is. With a 30" inseam, I may lower it a bit but it's still way better the than my YZ450F. Wish I could get the speedo to switch to MPH as many of my miles so far have been in the US. Throttle cables are going to get rerouted. Lots of little issues to address after it starts snowing but nothing that prevents me from riding. After a Black Hills trip with a side excursion through Wyoming & Colorado and a trip to the MotoGP race in Indianapolis I'm pleased with the bike & happy with my decision to buy it. With all the electronics on the bike it should be simple to put an electronic cruise control on it but Yamaha doesn't seem to have the ability or desire to produce that or a sound system for any of their bikes. (They could take a lesson from Victory here).

 

[eemsreno]

LvleD
Nice write up. Hope to see more of you on here.

 

[Twitch]

Ditto on the write up and welcome LyleD.

 

[jozmoto]

Wish I could get the speedo to switch to MPH as many of my miles so far have been in the US.

You push and hold one of the buttons (odometer I think) on the speedo unit and it will toggle Kph/Mph. I found it buy accident (sitting still, key on) looking for the sequence to change the clock.

 

[elizilla]

Wow, LyleD, that's a lot of ground to cover in five weeks! I'm glad I'm not the only one with the Sidis-and-sidestand trouble. I was starting to feel extra clumsy, talking about this. This week it's cold and wet here so I dug out my waterproof boots, the Teknics, and I haven't had the problem at all with the Sidis out of the picture.

 

[dcstrom]

Haven't felt the need to turn off the ABS but have run it up in second gear on the centerstand just to try it with it disabled.

Did that work? It doesn't on the US bikes...

Trevor