shmitty
Member
I use a step stool to get on my bike. Once I'm settled in, she gets up and climbs on the back.
What's the safest and least embarrassing way to mount and dismount your Tenere?
- Thread starter IslandTractor
- Start date
Don in Lodi
Well-Known Member
Founding Member
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Luggage on; Cowboy style on and off from the left peg, bars turned right, gripping both grips. No luggage; I can lead with my right knee getting on, and kick my right foot back and over getting off. Cowboy is the cleanest smoothest method.
RIVA
Well-Known Member
A great argument for filtering (lane splitting) ::019::UpToNoGood said:
IslandTractor
Member
Sounds like a great arrangement although it means you have to listen to her the whole trip. ::009:: ::009::shmitty said:
I'm 70 and have a 30" inseam. I mount and dismount from the left side with the bike on the side stand. And not using the foot peg. Yes if I have a stuff bag on the back seat I do grab my right boot behind me and swing it over the seat that way. This allows me to get my leg over without kicking the stuff bag. Getting off with the stuff bag requires a little dance as I drag my right leg across the seat. Seat is in the low position. has worked for me for 68,800 miles on my 2012 Tenere and now for over 30,000 miles on my 2014ES Tenere.Pterodactyl said:
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satdishes
Member
Left foot peg even on side stand
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I think the "cool" factor of having a bunch of stuff on the bike looking like you're ready to traverse the world outweighs the "indignity" of sliding your right leg over the saddle during the dismount. I mean, even Charlie and Ewan had to mount/dismount this way!
munsterlander
Member
As the previous owner of the original poster's Tenere, I guess I should weigh in. Here is what I did most of the time, and I learned it from a riding buddy well into his 70s. I stand next to the bike facing the saddle, raise my right knee toward my chest a bit, reach down and grab a handful of pant leg at the bottom hem/ankle area with my right hand and lift my right leg up and straight ahead over the saddle as though I am taking one real tall step with my right leg. As soon as boot is cleared, you are good to go. I hope the description is adequate. It is pretty easy and way better than throwing leg over luggage. Same step forward thing can be used with left leg in the stirrup, so to speak, (on the peg) when on centerstand, but it's a little more precarious. The guy I learned it from has ridden over a million miles on motorcycle. It easily raises your leg several inches more than you can do without the hand grab, esp if you have a gut.
IslandTractor
Member
Thanks. I'll add that to my list of techniques learned here. Any tips on how you dismounted?
By the way, I was in Gig Harbor a couple of weeks ago and took the bike out on a familiarization ride. Loved it. Looking forward to my xcountry tour late this summer. Might need to adjust the shift lever position but I won't do anything until I've spent more time on it.
By the way, I was in Gig Harbor a couple of weeks ago and took the bike out on a familiarization ride. Loved it. Looking forward to my xcountry tour late this summer. Might need to adjust the shift lever position but I won't do anything until I've spent more time on it.
Snake I just cannot ignore this. BTDT but I am a fat guy who cannot ride off road with Steve. The thought of you being me is just hilarioussnakebitten said:I have GIANT foot pegs. So I actually have a "step" to put a boot on.
And as stated above, if on the center stand, no matter how heavily I have packed the mule, I can mount up without drawing too much laughter.
In fact, once I swing the leg over with various techniques, depending on cargo configuration, I now look like this huge dude standing on this huge Beast and the impression is that it is in full submission to my authority. Impressive actually. (But misleading...read on)
Getting off?
That's another thing completely. Packed or empty I risk getting stuck for a second with my left foot on the ground and my right boot seat high and hung on something. I often have a boot-smudge on the seat as evidence that I dragged my foot across to get free of the bike.
Public humiliation is actually good for the soul. At some point it finally leads to some degree of humbleness. Being humble never hurt anybody.
Those same folks at the gas stop that saw me get on with such aplomb, were earlier witnesses to me getting off. Too late to be cool in their eyes.
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Well, you DO know very few folks on the planet can ride off road (or will) with Steve.BigBob said:
Honestly, he actually teaches\taught me how to ride this Beast correctly, off road.
(He won't admit that, of course.)
In fact, I just tormented poor Martin in Chile with a story about Steve, that you fellas have had to endure in the past. (probably many times)
He literally taught\explained to me how to do something that I couldn't possibly have done otherwise.
As for getting my boot stuck on the seat of the Tenere.....I still haven't found a remedy.
Maybe I'll ask him in Romney?
HBLQRider
New Member
I am 6'7" tall with a 36" inseam and always have my Jesse panniers on the bike. I have a tall custom seat and still do okay if I don't have a bag on the rear rack. If I have a bag on my rear rack...forget about it. I have had many embarrassing dismounts. I move slowly, get my leg stuck on the back bag, or get my heel stuck on the seat and have to hop on one leg to get it off. After my trip this weekend I swore I'd start doing yoga.
Getting on the beast is easy. I put it on the center stand and Cowboy up as they say on this thread.
Getting on the beast is easy. I put it on the center stand and Cowboy up as they say on this thread.
UpToNoGood said:
That guy is a Yamaha tech....a good one; at my local dealer. His name is Dallas, and he is my hero. As for getting on the bike....center stand, cowboy. I'm not sure I would trust my side stand to hold up over time. Had Beemer that the side stand snapped when I was dismounting. I realized something was wrong at about the same time that the bike reached the point of no return. Right in the middle of an intersection. Worst part was that everybody thought that I had just dropped the bike for no reason. Getting off of the bike....side stand down, just in case, lean forward while lifting leg and roll to the right. I have the passenger use the passenger pegs while I'm sitting on it. Step up; step down.
I always cowboy mount on the side stand, used to be concerned about it but it seems to be alright. I try and shift my weight as soon after I get my leg over to get some weight off the stand. Only thing you have to be concerned with is if you have the bike started, don't want to push down that gear shifter
WJBertrand
Ventura Highway
I do the same. Plopping into the saddle to compresses the suspension makes the side stand push the bike more vertical and helps right the bike as well. With some practice it can be done in a fluid, continuous motion. When the bike is loaded with stuff on the back seat I do the leg lift and slide over method. Depending on the terrain I may approach from the left or the right. Indeed, don't accidently kick the bike into gear or alternatively hold the clutch lever in whilst mounting.Kabish said:I always cowboy mount on the side stand, used to be concerned about it but it seems to be alright. I try and shift my weight as soon after I get my leg over to get some weight off the stand. Only thing you have to be concerned with is if you have the bike started, don't want to push down that gear shifter
IslandTractor
Member
I cannot think of a reason to have the bike running when mounting. Why start the bike before mounting? I appreciate the "running mount" technique requires the motor to be started but that is a pretty unsafe stunt generally.Kabish said:I always cowboy mount on the side stand, used to be concerned about it but it seems to be alright. I try and shift my weight as soon after I get my leg over to get some weight off the stand. Only thing you have to be concerned with is if you have the bike started, don't want to push down that gear shifter
UpToNoGood
Member
Some people like to let the bike warm up before driving off.IslandTractor said:
Cycledude
Well-Known Member
If it's not already warmed up I prefer to start my bikes before mounting it simply gives them a little warmup time, the only unsafe things I see about it is the bike needs to be parked on a level spot so it won't roll off the side stand and tip over, and don't unintentionally knock it in gear if your not holding the clutch, none of those things have ever happened to me .IslandTractor said:
Another reason for having the biggest footpegs in the world on the Biggest Dirt Bike in the world.
(Went to a Yamaha "ride-day" at a dealership and left my Tenere out front while I test drove an FJR. When I returned, the "Yamaha guys" were all standing around my Tenere and taking pictures of it. Imagine how that made me feel. They are Yamaha guys! Come to find out, they were actually laughing at my bike and taking pictures of the footpegs because they had never seen anything so BIG before. I then explained to them why I actually NEED them. [spinal chord injury left me with numb feet. I have no idea where my feet are if I am not looking at them. So I need big enough pegs that my chances are good that my boot will catch some portion of the peg if I were to have one of those Yahooooooo moments off road])
Anyways, if my bike needs to be warmed up before I mount it, that peg is big enough to allow me to stay very far away from an accidental gear-shift-uh-oh while "cowboying up".
(Went to a Yamaha "ride-day" at a dealership and left my Tenere out front while I test drove an FJR. When I returned, the "Yamaha guys" were all standing around my Tenere and taking pictures of it. Imagine how that made me feel. They are Yamaha guys! Come to find out, they were actually laughing at my bike and taking pictures of the footpegs because they had never seen anything so BIG before. I then explained to them why I actually NEED them. [spinal chord injury left me with numb feet. I have no idea where my feet are if I am not looking at them. So I need big enough pegs that my chances are good that my boot will catch some portion of the peg if I were to have one of those Yahooooooo moments off road])
Anyways, if my bike needs to be warmed up before I mount it, that peg is big enough to allow me to stay very far away from an accidental gear-shift-uh-oh while "cowboying up".