Hi folks, yet another newbie. I picked up my new (to me) tenere a couple of days ago. I traded in my Triumph Scrambler for this 2009, 14000 mile black bike that seems to have been lowered at the front (I'll ask questions later). I've already put some extras on , like a touratech rack (ebay) and a head light guard. It already has a alu bash plate and heated grips. I just have to get some soft luggage for it and I'll be ready for some weekends away. Pictures to follow...

Hi suds and welcome aboard.

Good purchase, black is the best colour!

When you say it's been lowered, do the fork tubes stick out above the yokes?

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Yes, they do by about 25mm. I don't know if the rear has had the same treatment but I find that the bike is quite uncomfy. It feels like I'm being tipped forwards in the seat.

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So... what are your impressions so far, how do you like the bike compared to the Triumph?

I don't think it would be fair to compare the two bikes. I did really like the Scrambler, but I think it had been mistreated by it's previous owner. It was a demo bike for a Triumph dealer, so had been abused by a lot of test riders, and when it wasn't being ridden, it was left outsde to rot. The reason I got it was because I fancied an old style bike, without the worry of rust and oil leaks. Unfortunately when I traded it, it had both. While it is possible to ride a bike like that off road (I've seen it on youtube!!), I'm a novice to trail riding and don't think it's the ideal bike to learn on.
The reason I chose the Tenere as my next bike was more due to the Africa Twin I used to own a couple of years ago. I really loved that bike because of the way I would have a bigger grin at the end of a ride than on any other bike I've ever owned, and that is what I'm trying to replicate again. I love the single engine on this as much as I loved the v-twin. It's popping on the over-run is bloody addictive and makes me laugh like a big kid.
What I don't like about the Ten is how easy the engine bogs down at low revs. The other two bikes are a lot more forgiving. I'm sure I'll get used to it, eventually. Also the seat is a bit rubbish (that may have something to do with the lowering that the previous owner did) and that is the main thing it has in common with the Africa Twin. The Triumph, however, had a thin seat that looked like it would be torture within 5 miles but is one of the most comfortable bike seats I've ever sat on. It almost beats the Pan European I also owned.!!!
I think, to sumerise, That I need a very large garage to house all the bikes I've already mentioned, and a few more that I haven't!!!

Forks raised in the yokes by 25mm is a lot and very unlikely to have been done without the rear being lowered too. Measure the hole centres on the linkage bones. I seem to remember that 128mm is standard, certainly if they are longer than 130mm your bike has been lowered at the back too.

Fitting a fueling device to richen the mixture will help a lot with the bogging down at lower revs, it did with mine anyway, which will now pull smoothly from 2500rpm rather than nearer to 3500rpm before.

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Thanks for the info, I'll check the rear now. Any idea what the front should be as standard? I'll have to see about the fueling device...what did you use?

Hi Suds, welcome to xt660.com, you are definitely in the right place for any thing & everything to do with your 660. ENJOY.

The fork tubes should be level with the top of the yokes in standard trim.

I used a "Kev mod" - simple variable resistor wired in series with the air intake temperature sensor to fool the ECU into richening the mixture. See this thread - http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=11641

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Thankfully the dog bones seem to be standard length as I've spent all my months budget already. I'll have to start saving for next month's spending spree. At least I can get the bike handling as it should by putting the forks back to how they should be.
I'll also be able to check if the seat feels better, if not a seat mod will be on the cards, so I may be picking peoples brains soonish.
I also think that the weight of the bike has been over the front end more than it should, so I may have to invest in a new front tyre. Once that lot is bought, I may be able to invest in some of Kev's mods... So much to get, so little cash. Lol.