Calling all XT660Z Tenere Riders…..

Posted on 27/08/2015

For anyone out there looking to modify their XT660Z, I’ve just added a detailed list of all the mods done to my bike in the ‘The Bike’ section above. Or, just click HERE.

8 Comments on Calling all XT660Z Tenere Riders…..

patrick // 27/08/2015 at 8:38 pm // Reply

Great stuff Paul!
How about cross posting this over on HUBB ? Quite a few Yamaha XT Tenere’ fans there and quite a bit of knowledge too.

I liked your chain oiler review as well. I’d suggest the owner show some pics or video of the oiler mounted on various bikes. Also, a bit showing how the “pump” works. But I’d say it’s about THE BEST oiler I’ve seen yet, but of course not tried it myself.

I’ve gone ON and OFF chain oilers over the last 20 years or so. For my new Vstrom back in 2002 I made my own gravity feed chain oiler. It used HEAT to achieve full flow. It worked well but made a bit of a mess after weeks on the road. Off road even a bigger, harder to clean up mess.

Now, with Teflon type chain care products, I go that way. Teflon type lube like Dupont “Chain Saver”, I don’t pick up as much grit. Not a bad product at all, and once set up, stays on the chain well except in rain.

In UK chain oiler a must with all the rain. In dry conditions, oiler is less critical, IMHO. Off road I use NO chain lube at all (same as ALL desert racers I know) Once back on road I clean and oil and continue. Off road I just stop oiling and try to do wipe downs to remove grit/grunge best I can. Most times in sand and dirt, the chain is quickly cleaned of all oil by the medium I’m riding through.

On both my Vstroms and both DR650’s (170,000 miles combined) I’ve averaged about 22,000 miles on a chain. The DR650 is a bit harder on a chain than a twin or multi. I also do regular front sprocket changes (every 7K miles) to extend chain life. I only use DID 525 X ring chain (top of the line one). Excellent.

I think the HUBB members would appreciate your blog and maintenance/mod ideas for your Tenere’.

Keep up the good work!

Patrick
- Paul Pitchfork // 28/08/2015 at 6:42 pm // Reply
  
  Hey Patrick. Done! On the Hubb. Seems to have been a popular post – must be lots of Tenere riders out there!
  
  Looks like I’ll be in NoCal later in the year, so we should try to meet up. Got an exciting Stateside project in the pipeline – fingers crossed. More to follow if it comes off.
Mark van Blommestein // 29/08/2015 at 6:06 am // Reply

Hey El Forko!
Good stuff – very interesting schedule of mods etc. for someone like me whose Ten is virtually standard, at least compared with your much-fettled machine, but then my bike’s had a easy life by comparison! Also interesting to read about the Tutoro….I’m tempted by its stand-alone simplicity (as compared to Scott Oiler which I’ve had on many bikes), with an eye to putting one on my wife’s CCM450 where the throttle body is relatively difficult to access. All the best, Mark.
- Paul Pitchfork // 29/08/2015 at 12:43 pm // Reply
  
  Hi Mark,
  
  I didn’t realise you have bought a CCM for your wife! Only this morning I was looking around the web to get a feel of how many have been sold and who is doing what with them – there’s not much info out there.
  
  My post about the CCM 450 last year remains one of the most visited, so it seeems there is a plenty of interest in the bike at the moment. Maybe you could include you thoughts on the bike in the comments section of my post to help readers / would-be buyers – or I could even post your thoughts as a seperate post.
  
  I’ll do a short post on the Tutoro in due course once it is fitted.
  
  All the best, Paul
  - Mark van Blommestein // 06/09/2015 at 6:43 am //
    
    Hi Paul,
    it’s still very early days with the CCM but will post comments on it when time to form a meaningful view has elapsed – it was delivered only last month. It’s the lowered model which at 790mm seat height and a paltry 125kg dry weight seems ideal for Debbie, my wife, who had a considerably heavier road bike for a number of years and wanted a light but low trail bike. Aside from the CCM, there’s nothing that seems to fit the bill so well. I’m now trying to convince her we must ride the Trans America Trail next year!
    Mark
Stephen Eldridge // 06/09/2015 at 1:46 pm // Reply

Hi Paul, just wondered what sort of pump/inflator you used..trying to find a small but good quality one. Dropping tyre pressure for off road / then reinflating etc. Steve
- Paul Pitchfork // 06/09/2015 at 4:30 pm // Reply
  
  Hi Stephen,
  
  This is the fella….
  
  http://metalmule.com/cycle-pump.html
  - Stephen Eldridge // 07/09/2015 at 5:07 pm //
    
    Cheers Paul…looks like just the job! Steve