XT660Z Tenere swingarm upgrade / weight reduction - .: XT660.com

tuscan · # 1 10-04-10, 09:49

The 09 Tenere rear unsprung assembly is massively heavy, and when compared with XR650 or DR650 is way over the top.

Has anyone attempted to change the swingarm for something stock off another model in order to save unnecessary kilos (say WR, xt660R, earlier XT600 models or anything else)?

I'm aware of wheel improvements to save weight, but the swingarm needs attention too.

Thanks in advance.

regie308 · # 2 10-04-10, 10:42

G'day Tuscan
"over the top"...... is for strength!! for loaded up touring!!
But if you un-bolted the spring to feel this weight you mention... did you also remove the rear wheel to then compare the "true swingarm assembly" weight to something else?
I can't imagine how the hollow swingarm assembly on the tenere would be "so much" heavier than something similar that would be noticeable while riding anyway.
So far haven't seen anyone do a swingarm swap yet. but i'd imagine a WR swingarm would look a bit dodgy on the tenere IMO. (if it fits)

Tuscan i most certainly don't want to sound like im raining on your parade so please forgive me if it sounds so, but why is weight an issue? I see there are a few fella's on here that are looking at spending considerable cash on fairly major mods to shed minimal weight, that are probably never going to race anyway (each to their own i know....but!). If its to make the tenere more "enduro" worhty as this maybe your main form of riding then maybe an enduro bike may have been a better choice. This is why i kept my WR when i bought my tenere, because i knew that i would never be able to push the tenere to the limits that my WR can go no matter how many mods.

Anyway mate if you go through with the swing arm swap be sure to post pics as it would be interesting to see

Cheers
Reg.

Kev · # 3 10-04-10, 15:20

Most of the XT's weight is in the motor.

I started to try to get some weight off my bike but it got to hard, I changed most of my 6mm & 8mm Bolts to Titanium Bolts.

Gerhard Beukes · # 4 10-04-10, 23:12

Go on a diet and lose 10kg. Best power /weight ratio improvement anyone can do...and it only cost some determination,
GB

JMo · # 5 11-04-10, 00:01

I agree with Kev - the engine is heavy, so is the full frame (no separate alloy seat-subframe), and so is the tank assembly on the Ten'... none of which you can do anything about really, without fundamentally changing the bike?

In fact the one thing I really like about the Tenere chassis is the cast swing-arm, as Regie suggests (and I have certainly found myself), it is massively strong and rigid, and a few grammes or even a kilo or two saved there won't make any difference to the bike - fit an Ohlins if you are worried about rear suspension performance x

In comparison, changing the wheels will make far more of a difference to the unsprung weight/suspension performance - there is some ratio (3:1 or something) that rotational mass has vs. static unsprung weight... the wheels you[might] feel, the swingarm, you almost certainly won't...

J xx

tuscan · # 6 11-04-10, 08:59

The 10kg personal weight loss I know about - thanks very much!!! I couldn't agree more.

I hate bikes being over built - hell the XR650 is just as robust and is 122kg dry (cf Tenere at 186kg ish). Looking at the exhaust, wheels, tail light etc. there is unnecessary weight all over the place. The lighter the bike the easier it is to ride further without gettingtired and the more likely the rider will be able to save a moment from becoming a full spill.

Now I haven't separated the shock / swingarm / wheel yet to see which is the main culprit, but the XT660R does just as well with a "standard" swingarm, and I wouldn't mind betting that it ain't as heavy as the Tenere unit. Happy to be proved wrong though. The wheels and shock are the obvious areas for improvement and I suspect that JMo you are right about the noticibality of any changes - Every gram helps though.

Sounds like the singarm hasn't come in for much attention yet by owners - so I'll have to do some more research.

What I'm after is a comfortable, light, long distance capable machine, and the Tenere has the alot of the boxes ticked already - just a few mods required that the factory should have done to make it a really stunning machine.

Cheers for the feedback.

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