Shifting Tenere Weight

[Tundratom]

I am a novice gravel rider, older and not particularly strong. Height is not a problem as I have a 32”!inseam. At slow stops, uneven ground etc, the bike tends to get away from me fairly often. I am thinking about transferring approx 12.25 lbs. (2 gal.) of fuel to the back of the bike by using a fuel bladder strapped to rear seat. Run the tank 2 gallons down and just shift the fuel to the forward tank as needed.  KISS approach.  There are more advanced methods but this is the most economical way. What say you off road denizens of the world? 

[Alan M]

Personally doubt you’ll notice any difference at all but introduce more hassle to your bike/ride.

 

 I don’t think there’s any getting around the fact the T7 is a heavy bike when used off road on uneven ground.

 

Although you’re not vertically challenged a lower seat might help, I’m 5’11” and have recently been thinking of buying the Yamaha low seat just to help in the tricky bits.

[Tenerider]

Agree that adding weight to the rear doesn't help. People with way more brains than me have pointed out that the T7 has an ideal weight distribution (front/rear) already.

 

The high COG is something you just need to get used to. Actually it stabilizes the bike quite well, but makes it hard to pick it up or catch it when it tilts beyond a given angle.

[Hibobb]

Tom,

 

I too have a 32" inseam, and the T7 is a TALL bike.

I don't believe moving two gallons of weight to the rear is gonna do diddly squat (American colloquialism at its finest).

Lowering the suspension a bit might help you achieve what you are looking for.

It is pretty cheap/simple to try it, and is easily reversible if you don't like it....

 

Bob

[sunndog]

Are you shifting your ass off the seat and weighting the side you need to?

I've a 34" inseam and Very strong but still do this, you need to take control early and put the bike where you're strongest

 

Google 5 foot people on dirt bikes

Lil 90lb girls manage tall bikes bikes by shifting that ass

[qInvention]

Two things come to my mind to stabilise your ride: stand up & speed up. 

By standing on the footpegs, you shift your body weight around easier. No need to hassle around with a few liters of fuel, this won't save you. 

By speeding up, the bike moves over obstacles without being pushed out of its line. The weight comes to your help. 

[Tundratom]

32 minutes ago, qInvention said:

Two things come to my mind to stabilise your ride: stand up & speed up. 

By standing on the footpegs, you shift your body weight around easier. No need to hassle around with a few liters of fuel, this won't save you. 

By speeding up, the bike moves over obstacles without being pushed out of its line. The weight comes to your help. 

I should have been more clear, but the problems don’t occur while underway and standing on the pegs was an early adoption, but at some point you have to come off the pegs as you stop. It’s at this transition point that things start to go sideways, especially with uneven ground or I’m getting tired. From the feedback, it looks like a technique issue. Respondent above referenced 90 lb women, which speaks to balance and not strength. His comment rings true I’m sure, but those 90lb women have a lot less ass to move than I do, so I am sure they are more nimble.  I thought 12 lbs of weight high on the front was significant, but I guess not.  
 

Lower seat? I’ll have to look at that.
 

Thanks to all for feedback! I’ll keep working at it.  Enjoy the weather. 

[discoganya]

You need a Versys-X 300

 

(I have one, it's an awesome little bike)

[AZJW]

@Tundratom. This video from forum member @Jimmy Lewis might help you out.

 

Motorcycle Balance Drill – Jimmy Lewis Off-Road

---

Jimmy Lewis shows you some simple ways to get in touch with your balance on a motorcycle.

 

[Tundratom]

Hey thanks!  I’m on it. 
T

[sunndog]

Those 90lb girls will have less ass I'm sure but riding bikes off road is a physical thing, bigger bikes even more so. You've gotta get yourself used to it.

If you're coming to a stop from standing don't sit down. Just aim off to one side of the seat as you put your foot down so your opposite ass cheek/thigh are hitting the seat.

No shame in practicing it in your garage either. 

Will also make your "dabbing" much more purposeful 

[sunndog]

You can do it at every stop light too.

Coming up on a red light? Stand up and balance for as long as you can before putting your foot down.

When you get good you can do it at junctions too.

In fact just road riding in general while standing is good practice, esp round town and stuff

Edited August 31, 2023 by sunndog

[winddown]

Yeah I think the fuel transfer method is a bit dramatic.  If it was me, and it is me!  I would just spend a lot of time  practicing pulling up to a stop on different terrains.  I think if you focus on that, train at that while not being distracted by an overall ride as you normally are you'll develop muscle memories etc so that when you do have to put your feet down on the fly it will be second nature.   Practice is the key to all of this as with all things in life.

[winddown]

On that note, the other day I came across a cyclist on a racing bike out country where I live, he was going slowly up a hill.  I pulled in beside him and we chatted for like 5 minutes as we went up the gentle hill, me keeping an eye on the road behind for approaching cars.  At one point a car came and I fell back, went across onto the grassy verge and pulled back up beside him.  I didn't think much of it at the time but it was a good exercise in controlled slow riding.  I had to use the clutch here and there to match his pace but the Bloody T7 is so torquey and stable at low revs it was a piece of cake.  I had a full tank too, the secret is to just keep moving forward.

[Rider 101]

Momentum is your friend

Gravity is your enemy

[qInvention]

It's what I was thinking about when I wrote stand up & speed up.

My wife and I train our balance by battling who will be last to put a foot down on a traffic light. 

When I was a child, we would play "foot down" with our bicycles on a concrete sports terrain with a small wall around it. The rules were simple: a bunch of kids rode around in the terrain on their bikes. If someone put a foot down, he was out. Last to not have put a foot down won. You could block the others and even push them with a hand... that was real balance training. 

[winddown]

On 8/31/2023 at 9:41 AM, AZJW said:

@Tundratom. This video from forum member @Jimmy Lewis might help you out.

 

Motorcycle Balance Drill – Jimmy Lewis Off-Road

---

Jimmy Lewis shows you some simple ways to get in touch with your balance on a motorcycle.

 

I like it.  I'm gonna practice that, but I'll start off in one of those little gullies on the side of the road, the ones with soft grass on either side

 

Edited September 5, 2023 by winddown

[sunndog]

Riding out of that on a t7 will be good practice too!

[Tenerider]

37 minutes ago, sunndog said:

Riding out of that on a t7 will be good practice too!

That's what I thought!

[winddown]

  Yes well it won't be 'that' gully, that's just a stock photo, I'll find one with an open end hahaha

[qInvention]

Otherwise it will be practice with open end