As the proud owner of a nearly year old XT660Z I find I'm having a few wet weather issues, 3 times now I've braked hard in teh wet to find the back end viciuosly sliding. First time was the day after I bought it on the motorway round Glasgow in rush hour, speed about 15mph or less, 2nd gear, I'm slipping into a gap when the car to the left of the gap came into the gap I was going into. Ended up full sideways across the lane, 2nd time was on a fast trunk road in pouring rain, slowing for a roundabout and again ended upsliding on full right lock towards the roundabout. I was travelling in top around 50 mph. Gently released the brakes and straightened up. Third time was on a muddy, wet single track road, speed about 40 in 3rd, robust braking for the right hander coming up and yep, the ****** slid at the back from side to side 4 times. Released the brakes again and slid down the side road (twin muddy ruts actually). It copes with the mud pretty well and the slides, though initially quick and vicious, are controllable, at no time did I feel like it was going down.
Tyres are Michelin Sirac (4000 miles old - plenty left on them) rear suspension is on 3rd notch, front suspension is reportedly 3 turns harder than standard (haven't checked this yet) tyre pressures are 30 / 33 F/R.
Now it's quite possible that I'm a lead foot on the back brake (Previous bike was an Aprilia Caponord Rallye, which had a back brake that you could stand on with both feet and a heavy mate on your shoulders and not lock it up)
So, is it me? Would sftening the suspension help, are the tyre pressures right? Or are Michelin Siracs not that good on wet tarmac?

I've moved the post into the general area.


I'm going with the lead foot theory. Keep off the clutch when breaking, this will stop the wheel locking - unless you are so hard you stall the bike as well!!

You could check to see that all is well with the rear caliper, it's possible the brakes are binding, and locking on when you brake.

I'd also check your pressures, too hard and the tyres have no contact patch. But I really can't see this as the main cause of your problems.

The suspension settings are nothing to worry about, they certainly (on a stock bike) won't cause the problems you are describing, club foot or binding bakes is where my money goes.

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Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

could be wrong here but it sounds a bit like your putting the rear brake on before the front
when the front comes on 2nd it tranfers weight away from the rear and can cause it to lock eventhough it was braking ok before the front was introduced
it may be weight transfer to the front thats upsetting the rear brake

just a suggestion

+1

I reckon you've not quite sussed out the balance of the Tenere yet when on the brakes. In addition to what minkyhead suggests, it is also very tempting with softly suspended bikes to use more rear brake than necessary, because the fork dive is a little disconcerting in order to compensate for it, particularly if you've come off something stiffer!

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I think it's the lead foot as I was the same for the first few thousand miles on my ten. I then didnt use the rear brake for a while unless I was stopping as I worn motorcross boots which are tricky to feel the brake. now I'm back on road boots and I've adjusted the rear pedal I'm getting the nak of the rear brake

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Plough on

Yep. I'm going lead foot. First time was the day I got it......wearing alt berg hoggs. Next two times were in motocross style boots. Haven't had the issue in the hoggs since that first time. So I'll check tyre pressures and avoid lead foting thr rear and see how I get on. Thanks for the help.