I've decided to make peace with the lack of power. (well maybe thats the wrong description) I rode it with a mate over the weekend on a KLR that I've just bought for him to ride a bit and the bike was in its element just ticking along. The low end grunt is actually pretty good up to about 4k rpm. I just found myself short shifting everywhere.

I might give the 14T front a bit of a go. Either that or a 47/8 rear and hope it doesnt mess with the speedo even more. The smaller front should give a false sense of hp, but give more fun on the gravel sections where I tend to ride it mostly.

Astute choice of riding companion. As a KLR can't pull the skin off a bowl of custard, what with its 37hp (even less at the rear wheel), any bike is going to feel like a rocket in comparison - not least your Tenere!

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For what it is, the bike actually impressed me. Its got a fair amount of torque down low and seems to tractor up everywhere. I need to learn to ride slower.

I bet very few of us use more than 15 of the XTs 43 horses if you do use them all you must be touching 60mph. For me the are too many immoveable objects such as trees, rocks and drystone walls to even comtemplate high speed off road.

Well said Keithy2. I was out camping at the weekend and fully loaded up I was having a blast. I came back from the Dales and got stuck behind some traffic. I could have blasted past, one at a time, but there was just more and more traffic, so I just sat back and enjoyed the view and dinked in to Skipton for a cuppa.
There is plenty enough power for our small congested roads and any legal speed limit is easy to break. Ride more smart I say!

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If I'm not working, I'll be

right on...

The amount of people who add HP to a bike
that can't use what it already has...
but big hp sounds alot kooler I surpose...

My XTR is prob faster than most offroad & has nothing
done to the motor..
But the suspension is another story..
easyer to ride/faster offroad etc/ can ride faster
for longer/ don't come off as much...

Bad point...
When yer do come off it hurts more as yer going
alot faster....

The dream....
If only it was possable to get rid of 30kgs.....





..

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Harley Davidson..
The easyest way to turn gasoline into noise with out the side efect of horse power...

Strangely the excess weight on the road is not a bad thing. It makes it more stable in the wind, this off course is a problem in the dirt were the weight is a major pain. But it is a DUAL purpose, which means compromise to do it all. Therein lies its strength. A one bike do it all. Big bore dirt bikes are only any good in flat wide open country, like farm roads.

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2010 XT660Z Blue, Exan can, UFO high front fender, SW Motech baseplate, heated grips, 12v point, Kevs Fuel & O2 mod, DNA Stage 2 Filter and cover, Givi tall screen, Mefo mfe 99s, Kevs throttle mod, TT high seat and 'compass'

If you watch my little video of me bimbling up Chalkpit lane and then watch a video called Procesgnilny. ..fast off road action, it's the same bike as mine, the same Chalkpit lane and I admire his skill....but...my bikes too precious and my bones are too precious! , although it does show what the Ten's capable of. Look at JaumeV for example. I was beating myself up a bit for not riding harder faster off road , but the reality is I don't want to trash my bike and I want my green laning to be relaxed and enjoyable . Steve

I think the best performance gain on the Tenere after a pcv and filter is to shed weight.....change the stock exhaust, remove the pillion footrests and bracket that holds the number plate/long fender on and try not to add heavy accessories. Lighter wheels are a great performance mod although quite expensive.