Hi guys i recently owned a Tenere but now i find that when i go in straight at low speeds (10-20MPH) i can turn softly for 15 degrees, more than that i feel an opposite force in the front wheel and i must overtake that "limit" to effectively turn in any direction. The bike there does not turn softly, there is an extra force i should apply to go past 15 degrees and there i can not predict so easy the bike move. Passing the 15 degrees (aprox) it feels like a "jump" in the turning swing. I feel this is risky and even more pronounced if a pillion is with me.

Tyres are ok, the bike is in very good shape. I lowered the bike in the forks an inch just to get to step the floor but i believe this should not lead to this strange and sudden behavior.

Is this normal in a Tenere?

Best


Killabyte

Hiya, sounds like the steering head bearing is on the way out. I had similar on my Tenere at about 10k miles, it was still under warranty so Yamaha replaced the head bearings. They had been assembled dry, (without grease), at manufacture hence the premature wear. I believe this has been a problem on several bikes.

Cheers.

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maybe your tyres do this.are they in good condition?

i had the same problem when i bought my second hand MT03!bike had only 7000km's and when i first tried to turn the bike just wouldn't fall.. i almost crash from the first km's i made!check the bearings as others said!If the previous owner drove the bike very easy and a lot of highway the tires got that shape and made step!thats why you can't lean!push it hard to lean and then check the tyres wear ,if the mark is like slalom then its 100% that this is the issue!
p.s sorry for my bad En i hope you understand me!

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my dirty xtx youtube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/20vtorestis?feature=mhee

The bike is 10500Km, tyres are in midlife, surely i will go to check the steering bearings. But what you say -Orestis- could be true because i have been running for about 2500 km in straight highway with little or no lean.

Im induced to blame that kind of tyre wear because i can not feel any sound or roughness in the head steering when the bike is stopped.

Do your Teneres, apart from being heavy to turn behave in any similar way when turning? i mean apart from the increased force needed to make a full turn, is it a smooth turn?

another vote for dry steering head bearing

Could well be tyres then? My Ten 's steering does exactly as you describe with a squared off rear - initial lean is OK, then fights back (as you climb over the tyre's square edge) and eventually falls over into the turn!

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Could it have been the Reg/Rectifier fault!

Hi guys, yesterday i went to pick up the bike. Must say that prior to the workshop i never felt some kind of rubbing or any weird noise coming from the steering even parked at silent night in the garage, there were not hints of a troubled steering apart from when running.

Now after bearings replacement and generous greasing, i can say the bike is a completely different bike, behaves light as feather and feels very good.

I have found the steering issue in many threads and i have been told by mechanics that they have worked on many teneres suffering from dry bearings not only in the steering but inside the weels and swing arm too. It seems like Yamaha is very mean with grease, in fact they said many bikes have come completely dry with no lub there.

I recommend to you tenere people to have a look at your steering and put grease there.

In the other hand i could not find the electrical issue, i will deeply check it on weekend.

Best and thanks for all those nice inputs. Xt660. com is a must for all of us and i believe i can no travel without keeping connected to this forum.

Why not check the white plug under the seat? Mine looked connected but in reality was only just making contact. The neutral light would flash intermittently. One day the plug separated completely, which brought things to a halt. Just push the two halves together. Can't hurt to look...