Hi today i got the missus to sit on the bike while I double checked the chain tension it seems just right as i can just get the chain to touch the swing arm under very firm pressure. While she was on the back i got on the bike as well and was amazed to find that it did not make any noticeable difference to the hieght of the bike, I was expecting that with me 220 lb, plus missus 180 lb that i would be able to get my feet flat on the floor Nope!! The rear shock is set on standard (one up from the softest) I thought the tenere was supposed to be softly sprung? both the front fork and rear springs seem very firm to me. Is your tenere like this?

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XTz 660 tenere, adventure spec bash plate, main stand, skid marks tall screen, Oxford tail pack 36 litre. Kobra hand guards, Bigger cast footpegs, Zen overland luggage plate, USB power point, iridium spark plug, TKC80 f k60 R tyres, o2 and fuel Kev mods, DNA stage 2 filter. bark buster bar wieghts, Touratec side stand base and GPS mount. Led spot lights

No, or rather it wasn't when on its stock springs. Mine was softish from new, and then got softer to the point where at just over 10K miles the spring on the rear shock had collapsed to the point where I was needing full preload with just me (at 85Kg) on board.

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Thats interesting mine is a new 2014 model I wonder if they have uprated the springs? The chain tension i have set is very loose with no wieght on the bike and with wieght on the bike there is just 45mm slack so it isnt bowstring tight when loaded. I recently sat on a KTM 690 enduro at a dealers and this bike was much softer than my tenere. the rear shock on mine has a integral resevoir attached to it with the name SACHS on it. I assume this is normal?

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XTz 660 tenere, adventure spec bash plate, main stand, skid marks tall screen, Oxford tail pack 36 litre. Kobra hand guards, Bigger cast footpegs, Zen overland luggage plate, USB power point, iridium spark plug, TKC80 f k60 R tyres, o2 and fuel Kev mods, DNA stage 2 filter. bark buster bar wieghts, Touratec side stand base and GPS mount. Led spot lights

The the fork springs are different post 2012 - progressive with a shorter spring longer spacer as well as raised fork top adjusters. They're made by KYB, rather than Paoli, although the legs and stanchions are the same. This may make a difference up front?

The Sachs shock carries the same part number from 2008 to present, but that doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't have a different spring rate?

What's interesting is that I've never heard before of anyone complaining that the Z's suspension was too stiff, early or late models?

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