Unrelated questions
 

I have a couple of questions that I've been saving for one post for all you knowledgable folk.

1. My Ten sometimes doesn't go into first from neutral. I have to spin up the engine a bit and then it engages first when I try it again. Is this signs of clutch getting old?
2. How would I know when it is time to replace the clutch, or when is generally a good time for this?
3. When I go over bumps in the road I can hear my forks (or at least one of them), what sounds to me, release air. My Sertao never did that. Do I need to take a look at the forks, maybe service them a bit or is that natural? It's just a short burst when the fork is compressings.
4. Do I need the Kev mod for stage one conversion (hacked off snorkel) and will stage one have any impact on fuel consumption? Since I chopped the snorkel on the air box my Ten's gotten a bit more thirsty. It can also just be me that changed my riding style to hooligan.
5. I have a new TKC80 on the back but would like to hear what you'd recommend for the front. I love the way the bike feels with the new shoes on the back but I have to get rid of the stock Tourance in front.

I think that's it for now.

Hi Pasta, i cant answer all of your questions but........the hiss of air from the forks I had on my bike, it turned out too be air escaping from the fork gators. Theres tiny holes in the back of them to release air as they compress. It could be that one of them isnt seated properly so doesnt hiss. Easy test pull them up from the bottom so theyre loose one at a time. If the noise stops, problem solved.

Good.luck with the rest.

Ah. So they should hiss. I'll investigate this further. Thinking of replacing the fork springs as well while I'm at it.

1. My Ten sometimes doesn't go into first from neutral. I have to spin up the engine a bit and then it engages first when I try it again. Is this signs of clutch getting old?
   
   Probably unlikely to be a worn clutch, not really the symptoms you'd expect. Could be a number of things. Check the easy first, such as the free play in the cable - is it too much and the plates aren't releasing fully? Could be that the lever arm is not fitted in the right position on top of the RH casing - do the punch marks line up when it is in the furthest forward position? I guess the friction plates could have swollen due to incorrect oil used in the past? Maybe you're suffering from clutch drag because of the wrong grade/type of oil - if it's too viscous for the ambient temperatures it will drag, especially when cold, making selection of first from neutral rough, stiff or jerky. Try revving the engine a couple of times with the clutch pulled (disengaged) before engaging first, this will free off the plates. I quite often do this on very cold mornings as it makes things a lot smoother.
   
   
2. How would I know when it is time to replace the clutch, or when is generally a good time for this?
   
   Mine's done 40K and as far as I can tell the clutch is still good, many will see 60K before a new clutch is needed. However, it depends how you, or the previous owner(s) have ridden it. They can go as quickly as 10K miles! Slippage is usually the first sign that it's on its way out.
   
   
3. When I go over bumps in the road I can hear my forks (or at least one of them), what sounds to me, release air. My Sertao never did that. Do I need to take a look at the forks, maybe service them a bit or is that natural? It's just a short burst when the fork is compressings.
   
   That'll be exactly what Jon said - air escaping from the fork gaiters, which is perfectly normal.
   
   
4. Do I need the Kev mod for stage one conversion (hacked off snorkel) and will stage one have any impact on fuel consumption? Since I chopped the snorkel on the air box my Ten's gotten a bit more thirsty. It can also just be me that changed my riding style to hooligan.
   
   Just cutting off the snorkel doesn't necessarily require any fuelling modification, but to feel the benefits fitting one would help as you've weakened slightly an already weak A/F ratio. As soon as you fit a free-flowing filter, you will need to do something to richen things up. As for the consumption, you're probably like the throaty induction roar so your subconscieously giving it more gas!
   
   
5. I have a new TKC80 on the back but would like to hear what you'd recommend for the front. I love the way the bike feels with the new shoes on the back but I have to get rid of the stock Tourance in front.
   
   ... A TKC80 front perhaps! ;)
   

It could be. But I doubt it. It's just the way the gears work in motorbikes. For example it's almost impossible to switch through the gears when the bike stands still. Even if the engine is running but the bike is not rolling. You can try it. Try to switch gears with the engine off. If it's not going anymore just turn the real wheel a little bit and voila! the gear slips in:-).
I don't know. I had plenty of bikes with massive ks on it (my Ten has 110000 km on the clock) and hadn't to change the clutch once.
I don't have it with my Tenere ('08).
As Pleiades said: TKC80 would be the choice.

Thanks for the info guys. I'm always looking for an excuse to tinker with the bike and learn how to maintain it so I'm looking for anything that could be wrong with it so I can take it apart :D

I was going to buy the TKC front anyway, was just curious if there are other tires that work better on the front.

get tck80 as well, that's what I have. Big difference offroad.

Bought a slightly used TKC 80 front for �12 on ebay. Nice one.

I have one more question for you guys. The last week my Ten's been riding very hard. At first I thought it might be the chain that is not slack enough but after reading up on chain slack I think mine is fine.

The front feels hard when goig over tiny bumps but under me as well so I can't tell if the problem is in front or the back.

Over larger bumps like speed bumps I can't feel the same thing as noticeably. I'm thinking maybe the springs? I don't know. When I'm next to the bike and I push down on the seat the bike sags and goes back up but I've never paid much attention to that type of thing so don't know if it doing what it should.

Nothing has changed on the bike from before this started.

Any guess as to what it could be?

The most likely cause of a sudden and unexplained stiffness in the forks is that they have become misaligned for some reason. If they aren't parallel in the yokes, there will be additional resistance making the forks sticky and unresponsive and will quite often pack down after a series of bumps.

They're pretty easy to realign. Here's a simple to follow video that explain what you've got to do and why you need to do it. It's not an XT, but the principle is exactly the same.



There are other reasons for stiff forks, but it's always best to start with the simple/quick things first.

Thanks Pleiades. The steering doesn't feel misaligned but I will check it out anyway when I fit the new tire this weekend.

On my ride to work this morning though, it feels like the knock is coming from under me as well. Like when the bike bottoms out when it's heavily loaded and you go over a bump.

But first thing's first. Will have a look at the fork alignment.