Back in the saddle

[luke29ermtb]

Cross posted from ADV Rider: After a long break from riding I'm getting back in the saddle. I started on dirt bikes as a kid but ended up riding road bikes for many years. My last two bikes were big GSs and this time I'm heading further off the tarmac with a Tenere 700.

I live in Adelaide, South Australia. Am really looking forward to exploring the Flinders Ranges and beyond on the T7. I've already got some great rides mapped out. One of them is a recreation of a trip I did many years ago on my 1100GS from Adelaide to Port Macquarie via Kosciuszko, Goulburn, Oberon, Bells, Putty Rd, Gloucester to Walcha and down the Oxley Hwy but this time on as much dirt as possible.

Now all I need is the bike. It might arrive in January 2022, maybe. The wait will be long.

[luke29ermtb]

Thanks for this excellent forum. I'm already picked up a few tips on things I need to check when I get my T700.

[thepointchris]

Welcome to the forum Luke. You will find a ton of useful info here, from the old hard-core riders all the way to the newbs. A lot of valuable information in one place.

Do show that pony once you have it between your legs.

Cheers 

[Landshark]

Welcome @luke29ermtb.  Thanks for joining in.  Post often and have fun on that 700.

[luke29ermtb]

18 minutes ago, Landshark said:

Welcome @luke29ermtb.  Thanks for joining in.  Post often and have fun on that 700.

Cheers @Landshark Will do. I'm waiting to find out how many T7s Yamaha is importing into Australia in January and whether I'm far enough up the list to get the colour that I want. Yamaha are apparently running a strict first in first served process but they can't/won't tell me where I sit on the list. The dealer returned three bikes to Yamaha from the last shipment so they could go to the next buyers on the list. I assume the three local buyers for those bikes cooled off due to the delay in supply.

 

It has been seven years since I've owned a bike so I'll be taking it easy to start with but I'll be stretching it legs for sure in the years to come. First stop will be the suspension shop to get stronger springs front and rear and the fork damping re-valved. Once general gear setup is sorted the adventures will begin.

[luke29ermtb]

So, my bike was going to be delivered in late January 2022. Turned out that it was a 2021 model. By then I'd seen the Heritage White colour scheme on the 2022 models which is classic old school Tenere with gold rims so I chose to wait, and pay more money, for a 2022 model. I expected to wait months.

 

Surprisingly, my 2022 model is at the dealer already but there are a couple of problems. So far we've learned that this bike was made in Japan, not France. The Yamaha heavy duty bash plate I ordered doesn't fit and the Yamaha USB socket I ordered doesn't fit. The dealer is not happy. He's contacting Yamaha Australia to try to find out what else won't fit before they start taking it apart to fit all the accessories.

 

Next week will be interesting. The 2022 was supposed to be the same bike with a different colour scheme. That is obviously not the case but how different it is from the 2021 remains to be seen.

[Tenerider]

9 minutes ago, luke29ermtb said:

So, my bike was going to be delivered in late January 2022. Turned out that it was a 2021 model. By then I'd seen the Heritage White colour scheme on the 2022 models which is classic old school Tenere with gold rims so I chose to wait, and pay more money, for a 2022 model. I expected to wait months.

 

Surprisingly, my 2022 model is at the dealer already but there are a couple of problems. So far we've learned that this bike was made in Japan, not France. The Yamaha heavy duty bash plate I ordered doesn't fit and the Yamaha USB socket I ordered doesn't fit. The dealer is not happy. He's contacting Yamaha Australia to try to find out what else won't fit before they start taking it apart to fit all the accessories.

 

Next week will be interesting. The 2022 was supposed to be the same bike with a different colour scheme. That is obviously not the case but how different it is from the 2021 remains to be seen.

Keep us updated, sounds interesting! Not sure about Australia, but it might be an Euro5 model (introduced in Europe in 2021 already, USA had the Euro4 model in 2021 still).

In Europe, it looks like 2022 is identical to 2021 apart from the colour schemes. But if AUS has had Euro4 in 2021 still, then there will be some differences.

[luke29ermtb]

11 hours ago, Tenerider said:

Keep us updated, sounds interesting! Not sure about Australia, but it might be an Euro5 model (introduced in Europe in 2021 already, USA had the Euro4 model in 2021 still).

In Europe, it looks like 2022 is identical to 2021 apart from the colour schemes. But if AUS has had Euro4 in 2021 still, then there will be some differences.

The reason the bash plate doesn't fit is because of a heat guard on the exhaust (presumably on/around the Cat). That is a fair indication that this model is built to different emissions standards. 

[Tenerider]

You're right - this indicates it's an Euro5 model (DM11).

You will find quite a lot of skids which fit this model (although some like Altrider aren't available yet for this model).

[luke29ermtb]

Looks like everything fitted except the bash plate so I'll be picking it up on Saturday morning and having a nice leisurely ride home the long way.

I've ordered a rear tail rack and tail tidy from B&B Offroad and a full set of Kriega soft panniers.

 

Planning is well underway for a bit trip in late Apr and early May. The route will be Adelaide, Bendigo, Bright, Omeo, Jindabyne, Yass, Lithgow, Singleton, Gloucester, Wauchope and return with approximately 50% of that on dirt. More if I can find it.

 

Can not wait!

 

P.S. The dealer has been fantastic through all this so if you're in the Adelaide area and looking for a T7 then give Bridgeland Motorcycles in Murray Bridge a call.

 

[luke29ermtb]

Here she is with about 200km on the clock. On road handling improved a lot once the tyres scrubbed in but some body english is required to get that big front wheel into corners and keep it there.

The next improvement will be new fork and shock springs and re-valving the forks and shock. Springs have been ordered.

 

Still waiting on the rear tail rack and tail tidy from B&B Offroad but they did say it might take a couple of weeks as most items need to be manufactured.

 

The rear Michelin Anakee Wild is already showing signs of wearing quickly. That is a concern given I'm following Yamaha's instructions for running it in.

Edited March 2, 2022 by luke29ermtb
Added some tyre info.

[Dougie]

How long do you have to wait for the correct bash plate @luke29ermtb?

[luke29ermtb]

2 hours ago, Dougie said:

How long do you have to wait for the correct bash plate @luke29ermtb?

I don't know yet. The dealer is going to notify me when Yamaha come out with a new part number. I'm not planning on riding on any rough stuff in the next few months so there's no rush.

[Dougie]

2 hours ago, luke29ermtb said:

I don't know yet. The dealer is going to notify me when Yamaha come out with a new part number. I'm not planning on riding on any rough stuff in the next few months so there's no rush.

Cool. Looks great. 

[luke29ermtb]

This is the reason why the 2021 bash plate won't fit the 2022 model.