Just fitted up my modded / decatted standard muffler , same as redbikejohns , 1st impressions on the short run home, bike pulls from at least 500rpm lower down and feels a bit more peppy , noise is increased a bit and a bit more thump but no where as loud as most aftermarket mufflers.

Im off for a ride on the weekend so wil get more of an idea of performance and fuel economy

Yes, I did mine today, just break up the cat with a 13mm drill & pull the pieces out through the hole.

Drill bit
 

The hardest part of all this to a man without welding kit is making up the long drill bit to put the holes in the baffle plate, for want of a better word. When you drill from the outlet end, is that plate all that you drill through? If so, I was wondering if you could use a regular drill and chain drill the two required holes in the baffle plate?

I've got a steel fab shop just up the road from me who can weld it all back up for me, so that's fine.

If you posted this last night I could have brought mine with me - I'm in oxford this morning! Alternatively pop over to wycombe and I'll drill it on the bike.

Thanks for the offer
 

Thanks for the offer of the drill. I need to update my profile. I'm 1000km away from Oxford, down in the French alps...

LOL - :) .......... er I was in France last week :)

If you can do this mod yourself, or know someone who will do it at "Mates-Rates", this is without doubt, the best bang-for-buck improvement you can make to the Tenere.

My seat of the pants Dyno can't believe the improvement it has made to the overall performance of the bike, particularly on dirt, where you can hold gears longer, and on tar where you continue to accelerate up long hills without the need to change down through gears....BRILLIANT!!!!

Not a huge weight saving unfortunately...in my case it only worked out to be 800grams, but none the less certainly worth the exercise.

My only regret is not having done it sooner.... Sure it is slightly louder, but it is "good" loud, in my opinion not offensive in the least...I have fellow riders who have said to me that the Tenere now sounds like a real bike....!!!

If you are considering buying an Ako or other light weight exhaust system, sure you will save a few kilograms, but you will be hard pressed to exceed the performance gains achieved with this simple mod. You would be better served putting your money towards enhancing your suspension.

BTW...A cheap way of making an extension drill is to buy a HSS Hole saw (19mm I think) and then chase up a head bolt from a series one Land Rover Freelander. Trust me, any Land Rover Service agent will be glad to give you a used one for free. They are long and strong...It is then simply a case of welding the hole saw to the bolt....

Going to ask it again, is there a real BIG advantage of de-catting?
Or can one just leave it and live with it

Yes. Fuel economy improves immediately. Bike feels a bit better and you don't get roasted under the seat.

Sorry to bring this up again.

I'm pretty much sold on decatting, purely just for the usability low down in 4th and 5th and should be doing this at the end of the month.

Just two questions,

Does it make the bike run lean? Surely the ECU would know what's going and adjust the mixture accordingly? Or do you have to have the mod/power commander fitted....hope I'm not sounding dumb?

Also, Any issues with MOT? (It's my first bike that is pre 2001 so not sure about emissions).

Thanks.