At the front of the Tenere there's a silver coloured metal U-shaped thing fixed to the forks below the fairing that doesn't seem to have any obvious purpose. I'm sure it must do something really useful, so if anyone can enlighten me...??

It's to fix a rope to for towing the bike out of mud if you get stuck.

Al.

It's a design flaw, it should be on the back for towing broken down KTM & BMW's

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Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Aye, yams quaility is second to non, two of my mates have SMs one has a KTM 525 and the other has a CCM both havent had thier bikes as long as my Ten' and both have broken down recently.

As for the contraption on the front of the bike, its so a land rover can pull you across a field to help with take off.

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...On a steel horse i ride.

na it's for tying the bike down on ferry's and the like when overlanding in far away places!

See! I knew it would have a useful purpose. Not that I'd have ever guessed it. I don't remember my 1993 Tenere having one. I suppose Yamaha had to come up with a few design changes!

Long the butt of jokes from KTM riders i considered removing the stupidhook. Last week my Tenere ended up fully submerged in a flooded and flowing creek. Calmly (sort off) i felt my way down the cowl and hooked on a cable from a helpful 4 wheeler and was dragged out with only moderate damage.

its to blow bubbles out of while washing the bike with hot soapy water im lead to believe, i will have to give it a try one of the days

Its to fix your climbing rope onto. How else can you check the crevasses out.?