Looks to be progressing nicely Ray, quite a mule you're building!

Thanks GULGO,
I sussed the cable tie thing already and have cut them, I will replace them with looser ones when I have insulated the bare wire.

The engine bar thing looked like a metal fatigue fault and is now welded up.

Not sure what you mean about the dark place though ! Overloading perhaps ?
I am concious of the ability to overload but as I intend to do some serious mileage I want to distribure the weight better and nearer to the Centre of Gravity and rely less on rear end weight.
I see many bikes with the rear end loaded beyond belief and that cannot be good for frame stress and handling.
I intend to keep the rear rack free for light bulky loads like sleeping bags etc.
OGR

12 months to retirement and then I can hit the road till I meet my maker...

Its gonna be a long 12 months...OGR

Oh dear I spied a crack in exactly the same place on my engine bars, I tried hard to convince myself it was just the paint.

Looks like I'll have to look closer.

Cheers for posting that Ray.

Tow bar maybe ?

Caravan,,,,

or could it be the BMUU thing, dunno :beer[1]:

The BMUU thing is a definate no no. Too big and far too complicated. I asked the dealer about reliability and he said "its got a shaft drive". His face was a picture when I said "Yeah, but to me thats a disadvantage, its a lot easier and cheaper to change a chain and sprockets."

As for the Tow bar and caravan thing...you are close, we will be buying a new motorhome with a tow bar for carting the Tenere about. It will be our home for a long time.

Re The engine bars and cush drives

I have 2 08 Teneres - one with 5200miles, the other with 4400 miles

They both have broken engine bars - both cracked in the same place.
They both have slop in the cush drive, and the cush drive connecting piece (the thin rubber connecting the rubber blocks) have broken away.

A phone call to West London Yamaha tomorrow I think !!

so if you don't mind me asking, if your base is gonna be the motorhome, what do you plan to put on all your racks on the Ten?

Ah, my favorite subject. So glad you asked...

Initially we intend to sell our house (or rent it out if we cannot sell it), buy a Motorhome and take it all round Europe for a year starting in May 2010. The Ten will be hanging off the back and let us go up mountains etc on a daily / short camping trips basis. We then intend to ship the MH and Ten to the USA and do the same there for 6 months or so including the Alaska thing.

When the North American autumn 2011 begins we intend to park the MH up and then get on the Ten and ride the whole of South America down to Ushuia (the end of the World) .

We will then return to the MH. Ship the MH and Ten back to UK, park the MH up at the in-laws in Scotland and ride the Ten to New Zealand. We have not sorted out a route yet but we have plenty of time. (age and health permitting).

After that we have no idea but the worlds is a realy big place.....Russia...India....China (if I can get a travelling Visa) Australia...Japan...who knows ???

We expect to be travelling and of no fixed abode for about 5 years after which we will likely look for a place in Spain as a base. Having said that, Karen (the boss) said last night that we may never have a permenant base....yipeeee

Thats why I need to get the complicated things sorted now while I have the facilities. You obviously cannot buy racks of the type I want so I have to make them.
OGR

Please excuse me while I go totally green with envy here! Sounds like you'll be having an excellent time on the bike. Do you have any more definate plans in place or more a lose outline for now?

How does Karen find being on the back of the Ten? My wife did not feel that comfortable on the back of mine (first time pillion for both of us), not to mention struggling to get off with her short legs!