Sorry, this old cookie again.

I have searched the forum and found no conclusive answer. The handbook is not much cop and the workshop manual is vague as well giving impossible instructions.

When I had my Africa Twin their was a simple solution that was banded around on the XRV forum. It was simple to sit on your seat and reach down to the chain. You lifted it towards the swing arm and if it just touched or was about a centimetre off them happy days. Slapping the swing arm was too loose and piano wire tight . . . well too tight obviously. You get the drift. The bottom line was it was simple and worked for everyone. The only cautionary note was that you had to ensure ALL your weight was on the seat as the temptation is to clearly put some on your feet. Often having a friend get his fingers dirty was the answer to that by getting them to check with you on the seat.

Now in the quest for a similarly simple solution for the Tenere I have been playing and come up with, what I believe, to be a solution that works for me. I am happy for people to poke holes in it and maybe even improve on it for me. But I thought I would share it.

Put the bike on a its wheels (not side stand but fully on wheels) you can easily hold it upright with one hand. A paddock stand serves the same purpose as the rear swing arm is still fully loaded with the bikes weight. Then simple pop two fingers between the chain and the swing arm at the swing arms fattest point. If your fingers are stug but fit, then spot on. If there is maybe room for a third finger, then too loose. Unable to get two fingers in, too tight. Simple. I have run like this for about 1,000 miles and all seems good. Not to much chain slapping off road and no excess tension thretening to fry the output bearing. I have found even with luggage that this works and no ajustment is needed.

See Below


As I say, works for me. Hope you don't mind me sharing. Sorry about the needlessly large picture, couldn't resize it, but might be ok for visually impaired.

Cheers all.

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DickyC

Gun Metal Grey 2014 XT660Z
'Advice is sought by someone who knows the answer but doesn't like it'

'The adsence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously'

Adjusted mine today and did the cush drive repair as mine are toast after 2.5k..

The chain looks kind of loose when on centre stand and then with the weight of the bike (and rider) tightens up. Didn't do the 2 fingers thing, but it will look loose until you load the suspension. Tight is not good.

The manual specifies 50mm, so your two finger 'rule of thumb' is a great simple way of checking this. In my case it's a little more than two fingers (yes, it's 8:23 on a sunday moring and I measured my fingers!)

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Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.