Farkles. Reviews/recommendations.

[WingVetteStrom]

Farkles installed in preparation for a three month trip in South America starting in January.  (Will airfreight bike to Bogota, Colombia.)

 

Hope these explanations can help someone.  Entire process took more than a week of 5-6 hours a day in my man cave.

 

Please no smarmy comments about too many farkles.  Honest questions or comments happily entertained.

 

 

Fork guard protectors and plastic screws.  Camel

       Easy install but they included spacers that I couldn't figure out how to use.  Left them out.  

       Recommend

 

Shock socks. 

        Easy install

        Recommend

 

Radiator guard.  Rally Raid.

         Easy install but instructions were lacking.

         Recommend 

 

Fog lights.  Cyclops

          Moderately difficult install.  Instructions were lacking with pictures not so great, and no mention about a white wire that should just be ignored as they told me on a phone call that it was for a programming mode that isn't used.  However once installed very nice setup after finding places to tuck all the wires away.  I got the dimmable version with an on off switch.  Aurora lights.

          Recommend

 

Front LEDs.  Camel

          These are only two wire, and the Tenere is a three wire as stock turns are also running lights.  I capped off the third OEM wire and installed the LEDs without a running light function.   I spliced  the connector from the stock wiring to wire in the LEDs with cold solder connectors.

           Recommend

 

Headlight protector.  Puig

          Easy install

          Recommend

 

Windscreen.  Madstad

           Easy install.  Haven't tested yet but quality seems very good.  Adjustable.

 

Garmin XT GPS mount.  Rally Raid

           Easy install.

           Recommend

 

Heated grips.  Oxford

            Moderately install.  Remove old grips with WD40 and a box cutter.

            Recommend, with the proviso that on set on my VStrom, the left side failed during a long trip thru the freezing mountains of N. Mexico.  Replaced when I got home.

 

Handlebar riser.  Helibars.

            Easy install

            Recommend

 

Go pro mount.  SW Motech

            Easy install.  I mounted it on my double take mirror adapter.  Very clean nice look with a Ram mount

            Recommend

 

Double take mirrors.

             Easy install.  You have to order the reverse threaded adapter for the right mirror mount. Much more adjustable than OEM.

              Recommend

 

Throttle lock.  Atlas

               Moderate install.  If you have to stick pads together increase pad width, stick the thin pad on first, then stick the thick pad to the thin pad.  Follow instructions carefully.  However they're coming out with a different pad option soon he says.  Used on my VStrom.   A bit on the pricy side.

              Recommend.  Much better than my Kaoko throttle lock on my VStrom which I didn't like.  

 

Barkbusters

               Easy install.

               Recommend

 

Crash guards.  SW Motech.  Installed lowers only to save weight higher up.

               Difficult install.  The clamps on the crash guard support bars have to be installed according to mm measurements before installing main crash guards.  And if they're even a couple MMs off, everything has to be loosened up and redone.  Had to do this process multiple times before finally got it right.

               Fit and finish nice, but thankfully haven't tested them.

               Recommendation pending.

 

Right accessory outlet.  Yamaha.

              Difficult install.  Ordered mine from eBay, and it must have been for a different Yamaha, as didn't have the accessory connection to plug directly into the Tenere acc connector.  There's a YouTube video on this, but I had to remove all the plastic forward (was off anyway for other installs), the display, and the headlight just to string the wiring to the battery!  Ridiculous. Come on Yamaha!

               Don't recommend.

 

Throttle cable, rear ABS switch and rear brake servo covers.  GP Mucci.

                 Difficult install.   Brake servo cover wouldn't work with Yamaha Center Stand.  I had to modify it with a hack saw and grinder.   Also about $100 for just three pieces.

               Don't recommend if you have a center stand.

 

Side stand foot.  Outback Mototek.

               Easy install.  It's heavy but not worried about weight carried low.

               Recommend

 

Custom seat.  Rich's in Kingston, Wash.  

               He does the work on site and I live near his shop.   I chose leather so cost was over $700 which seems excessive for a little (only the front) seat, but for long trips it's worth it.

               Recommend.

 

X frame pannier racks.  Outback Mottek.

               Easy install.  The Xframe versions are for mounting a Rotopax or a toolbox.  I mounted their toolbox on the left side, but couldn't mount my Rotopax on the right side as the muffler sits partially inside the racks, so I'll have to bungee down my Rotopax to the rear seat.  You could mount the Rotopax outside the rack, but then it would interfere with my Kriega soft bags.  The optional large toolbox is really nice and fits well.  

                Recommend.

 

Tail Tidy.  Tusk

                Difficult install.  A bit of a jig saw puzzle combining parts from the OEM "rear fender", but just watch the video carefully.   You can get the optional rear LEDs which I did, but they won't act as running lights.  Can't remember if stock rear turns were also running lights like the front.      Once installed looks really nice and clean.    One thing I don't like is the license plate when mounted is angled upwards making it difficult to see.  (Cops won't like it?). So I used some metal straps and bent them to get the plate to mount vertically and to be able to mount Skene and Admire lighting correctly.  (See below.)

                Moderate recommend as maybe other brands might be a little easier to install and would mount a plate vertically, but not sure.   I saw another video of a different one that also showed what seemed to be a fiddly install.

 

Rear lighting Skene.

               Moderate install.  I used the included Positaps to connect the wiring.  Recommend cutting down excess wiring from the control unit to avoid a rat's nest.  Only problem is when I try to program off the Conspicuity flasher, the tail light goes to flashing instead of steady.  I live close the Cyclops which is the distributor so will take a ride up there  to see if they can figure it out.  Other than that nice clean look and nice and bright.   I used the OEM. tail light wire for switched hot.

               Recommendation pending.

 

Rear lighting Admore.

               Moderate install.  Very nice and really visible.  Again recommend cutting off excess wiring to avoid a rat's nest.  I bought the basic version, but should have bought the cell phone programmable version.  Even though instructions say the red wire goes to hot, you have to wire it to a switched hot or the tail light will be on with the ignition off obviously.

               Recommend.

 

Fusebox.  Fuzebloks.

               Easy install.  Very clever way to choose hot or switched circuits for your farkles.  Like it.  6 total circuits.  Each one hot or switched your choice.

               Recommend.

 

Lithium battery.  Antigravity.  

               Easy install.

It's six pounds lighter than OEM.  (Although pricy.) and has a restart function if you accidentally run down your battery, so no need to carry cables or a charging brick.   Also it has two each of pos and neg terminals which makes hooking up farkles a lot simpler.  Especially multiple farkle grounds.

               Recommend.

 

Finger clutch kit.  Camel.

               Moderate install.  Getting the finger arm on with the spring was fiddly, and (my fault) I got confused about where to hook up the cable regarding having to take up all the free play on the finger arm before hooking up the cable.  Watch the video very carefully and you'll avoid my error.

               Haven't ridden with it yet so recommendation pending.

 

Skid plate.  Camel

               Difficult install.  I'm returning it because in order to get the screws to line up on the OEM screw holes, you have to loosen one of the OEM crash bar bars.  (Maybe both.) But if you have my SW Motech crash guards, this would involve having to redo an already difficult install of the crash guards.  You could do the skid plate first I suppose, but also you're loosening up bolts that are also used for the Yamaha OEM center stand.  Additionally, the unit is very heavy (almost eight pounds), and has to be removed for oil changes which involves six bolts.  The video explains the situation very well, but be careful about the direction of the lower mounting clamp during install.

                Don't recommend.  Somewhat do to my choice of crash guards and weight, though others may present the same problem.

 

Tubeless wheels.  Alpina.

                 Still on order.   They've improved the oil ring set up where the spokes mate with the rim to avoid leaks.

                Recommendation pending.

 

Tires.  Dunlop Mission Trailmax.

                 Standard install.   On my VStrom I got over 10,000 miles on them.  Great for 50/50s.

                 Recommend.

 

Tank filter.  Guglatech.  Great for LATAM riding.  No worries about bad gas or water.

                Easy install.  

                 Recommend.

 

TPSMs.  Carid.

                Moderate intall for external sensors.  Only because programming them can be fiddly.  But once done work great.  Rechargeable handlebar mounted sensor.  Amazon.

                 Recommend.

 

Brakes.  Galfer.

                Haven't tested yet.

                 Recommendation pending.

 

Seat release pins.  Rally Raid.

               No brainer.  I trashed the tiny plastic lanyards and used small zip ties for retention when the seat is off.

               Recommend.

 

Stronger side stand spring.  Various suppliers.  Can't remember.

               Moderate install only due to spring tension.  Borrowed a friends spring puller and that really helped.

               Definitely snappier stand return.

               Recommend.

 

Center stand.   Yamaha.

               Moderate install only due to spring install.  Again, using a spring puller really helps.

               Recommend.     Note:   Do not try to buy anything off the Yamaha accessory website store.  Ridiculous bureaucracy and site performance.  Long story but terrible customer service requiring multiple phone calls and emails.  I gave up and bought from Yamaha Parts House/Babbits online.   

               

               

Edited October 31, 2022 by WingVetteStrom

[NeilW]

On 10/31/2022 at 9:55 AM, WingVetteStrom said:

Farkles installed in preparation for a three month trip in South America starting in January.  (Will airfreight bike to Bogota, Colombia.)

 

Hope these explanations can help someone.  Entire process took more than a week of 5-6 hours a day in my man cave.

 

Please no smarmy comments about too many farkles.  Honest questions or comments happily entertained.

 

 

Fork guard protectors and plastic screws.  Camel

       Easy install but they included spacers that I couldn't figure out how to use.  Left them out.  

       Recommend

 

Shock socks. 

        Easy install

        Recommend

 

Radiator guard.  Rally Raid.

         Easy install but instructions were lacking.

         Recommend 

 

Fog lights.  Cyclops

          Moderately difficult install.  Instructions were lacking with pictures not so great, and no mention about a white wire that should just be ignored as they told me on a phone call that it was for a programming mode that isn't used.  However once installed very nice setup after finding places to tuck all the wires away.  I got the dimmable version with an on off switch.  Aurora lights.

          Recommend

 

Front LEDs.  Camel

          These are only two wire, and the Tenere is a three wire as stock turns are also running lights.  I capped off the third OEM wire and installed the LEDs without a running light function.   I spliced  the connector from the stock wiring to wire in the LEDs with cold solder connectors.

           Recommend

 

Headlight protector.  Puig

          Easy install

          Recommend

 

Windscreen.  Madstad

           Easy install.  Haven't tested yet but quality seems very good.  Adjustable.

 

Garmin XT GPS mount.  Rally Raid

           Easy install.

           Recommend

 

Heated grips.  Oxford

            Moderately install.  Remove old grips with WD40 and a box cutter.

            Recommend, with the proviso that on set on my VStrom, the left side failed during a long trip thru the freezing mountains of N. Mexico.  Replaced when I got home.

 

Handlebar riser.  Helibars.

            Easy install

            Recommend

 

Go pro mount.  SW Motech

            Easy install.  I mounted it on my double take mirror adapter.  Very clean nice look with a Ram mount

            Recommend

 

Double take mirrors.

             Easy install.  You have to order the reverse threaded adapter for the right mirror mount. Much more adjustable than OEM.

              Recommend

 

Throttle lock.  Atlas

               Moderate install.  If you have to stick pads together increase pad width, stick the thin pad on first, then stick the thick pad to the thin pad.  Follow instructions carefully.  However they're coming out with a different pad option soon he says.  Used on my VStrom.   A bit on the pricy side.

              Recommend.  Much better than my Kaoko throttle lock on my VStrom which I didn't like.  

 

Barkbusters

               Easy install.

               Recommend

 

Crash guards.  SW Motech.  Installed lowers only to save weight higher up.

               Difficult install.  The clamps on the crash guard support bars have to be installed according to mm measurements before installing main crash guards.  And if they're even a couple MMs off, everything has to be loosened up and redone.  Had to do this process multiple times before finally got it right.

               Fit and finish nice, but thankfully haven't tested them.

               Recommendation pending.

 

Right accessory outlet.  Yamaha.

              Difficult install.  Ordered mine from eBay, and it must have been for a different Yamaha, as didn't have the accessory connection to plug directly into the Tenere acc connector.  There's a YouTube video on this, but I had to remove all the plastic forward (was off anyway for other installs), the display, and the headlight just to string the wiring to the battery!  Ridiculous. Come on Yamaha!

               Don't recommend.

 

Throttle cable, rear ABS switch and rear brake servo covers.  GP Mucci.

                 Difficult install.   Brake servo cover wouldn't work with Yamaha Center Stand.  I had to modify it with a hack saw and grinder.   Also about $100 for just three pieces.

               Don't recommend if you have a center stand.

 

Side stand foot.  Outback Mototek.

               Easy install.  It's heavy but not worried about weight carried low.

               Recommend

 

Custom seat.  Rich's in Kingston, Wash.  

               He does the work on site and I live near his shop.   I chose leather so cost was over $700 which seems excessive for a little (only the front) seat, but for long trips it's worth it.

               Recommend.

 

X frame pannier racks.  Outback Mottek.

               Easy install.  The Xframe versions are for mounting a Rotopax or a toolbox.  I mounted their toolbox on the left side, but couldn't mount my Rotopax on the right side as the muffler sits partially inside the racks, so I'll have to bungee down my Rotopax to the rear seat.  You could mount the Rotopax outside the rack, but then it would interfere with my Kriega soft bags.  The optional large toolbox is really nice and fits well.  

                Recommend.

 

Tail Tidy.  Tusk

                Difficult install.  A bit of a jig saw puzzle combining parts from the OEM "rear fender", but just watch the video carefully.   You can get the optional rear LEDs which I did, but they won't act as running lights.  Can't remember if stock rear turns were also running lights like the front.      Once installed looks really nice and clean.    One thing I don't like is the license plate when mounted is angled upwards making it difficult to see.  (Cops won't like it?). So I used some metal straps and bent them to get the plate to mount vertically and to be able to mount Skene and Admire lighting correctly.  (See below.)

                Moderate recommend as maybe other brands might be a little easier to install and would mount a plate vertically, but not sure.   I saw another video of a different one that also showed what seemed to be a fiddly install.

 

Rear lighting Skene.

               Moderate install.  I used the included Positaps to connect the wiring.  Recommend cutting down excess wiring from the control unit to avoid a rat's nest.  Only problem is when I try to program off the Conspicuity flasher, the tail light goes to flashing instead of steady.  I live close the Cyclops which is the distributor so will take a ride up there  to see if they can figure it out.  Other than that nice clean look and nice and bright.   I used the OEM. tail light wire for switched hot.

               Recommendation pending.

 

Rear lighting Admore.

               Moderate install.  Very nice and really visible.  Again recommend cutting off excess wiring to avoid a rat's nest.  I bought the basic version, but should have bought the cell phone programmable version.  Even though instructions say the red wire goes to hot, you have to wire it to a switched hot or the tail light will be on with the ignition off obviously.

               Recommend.

 

Fusebox.  Fuzebloks.

               Easy install.  Very clever way to choose hot or switched circuits for your farkles.  Like it.  6 total circuits.  Each one hot or switched your choice.

               Recommend.

 

Lithium battery.  Antigravity.  

               Easy install.

It's six pounds lighter than OEM.  (Although pricy.) and has a restart function if you accidentally run down your battery, so no need to carry cables or a charging brick.   Also it has two each of pos and neg terminals which makes hooking up farkles a lot simpler.  Especially multiple farkle grounds.

               Recommend.

 

Finger clutch kit.  Camel.

               Moderate install.  Getting the finger arm on with the spring was fiddly, and (my fault) I got confused about where to hook up the cable regarding having to take up all the free play on the finger arm before hooking up the cable.  Watch the video very carefully and you'll avoid my error.

               Haven't ridden with it yet so recommendation pending.

 

Skid plate.  Camel

               Difficult install.  I'm returning it because in order to get the screws to line up on the OEM screw holes, you have to loosen one of the OEM crash bar bars.  (Maybe both.) But if you have my SW Motech crash guards, this would involve having to redo an already difficult install of the crash guards.  You could do the skid plate first I suppose, but also you're loosening up bolts that are also used for the Yamaha OEM center stand.  Additionally, the unit is very heavy (almost eight pounds), and has to be removed for oil changes which involves six bolts.  The video explains the situation very well, but be careful about the direction of the lower mounting clamp during install.

                Don't recommend.  Somewhat do to my choice of crash guards and weight, though others may present the same problem.

 

Tubeless wheels.  Alpina.

                 Still on order.   They've improved the oil ring set up where the spokes mate with the rim to avoid leaks.

                Recommendation pending.

 

Tires.  Dunlop Mission Trailmax.

                 Standard install.   On my VStrom I got over 10,000 miles on them.  Great for 50/50s.

                 Recommend.

 

Tank filter.  Guglatech.  Great for LATAM riding.  No worries about bad gas or water.

                Easy install.  

                 Recommend.

 

TPSMs.  Carid.

                Moderate intall for external sensors.  Only because programming them can be fiddly.  But once done work great.  Rechargeable handlebar mounted sensor.  Amazon.

                 Recommend.

 

Brakes.  Galfer.

                Haven't tested yet.

                 Recommendation pending.

 

Seat release pins.  Rally Raid.

               No brainer.  I trashed the tiny plastic lanyards and used small zip ties for retention when the seat is off.

               Recommend.

 

Stronger side stand spring.  Various suppliers.  Can't remember.

               Moderate install only due to spring tension.  Borrowed a friends spring puller and that really helped.

               Definitely snappier stand return.

               Recommend.

 

Center stand.   Yamaha.

               Moderate install only due to spring install.  Again, using a spring puller really helps.

               Recommend.     Note:   Do not try to buy anything off the Yamaha accessory website store.  Ridiculous bureaucracy and site performance.  Long story but terrible customer service requiring multiple phone calls and emails.  I gave up and bought from Yamaha Parts House/Babbits online.   

               

               

Actually there is one thing I would recommend.  a headlight protection - screen or clear. plastic.

[WingVetteStrom]

1 hour ago, NeilW said:

Actually there is one thing I would recommend.  a headlight protection - screen or clear. plastic.

It's on the list.  Puig.