dark side of the force.

[SniperOne]

Yamaha, Touratech, and others are making all the appropriate bars, sliders, racks, skids, guards, luggage, etc, for the XT1200Z Super Tenere' (ST). Eddie hasn't indicated if he's invested in them yet -- or maybe he's planning that as a winter project. From everything I've been able to read, watch, question 1st hand over the past year, the ST seems to strike a nice balance with long range touring and good off-road capability (the right tires and skills of course). With any heavy weight machine there's the concern of picking it up after it spits you off in the 2 track. I haven't yet found someone w/ an ST to let me try, but I suspect with the right bars it will be a little like a big GS. Spin it down hill, back into it, and lift it from resting on bar end/cyl guard to resting on cyl guard/peg and edge of tires. Catch your breath and then rock it the rest of the way up. This wasn't even a little easy w/ a GS, but I did manage to do it w/ a buddy's bike last year while he was walking off the event. Aside: A KLR buddy says he has 2 loops of 1" tubular web about 4' long (after sewing into a loop) he uses when picking up his bike. I haven't tried it yet, but it seems to work on the same principle as the "Forearm Forklift" moving straps I've used for moving furniture/appliances. He says he ties (or bungees) the bars in the direction he's lifting, reaches under the bike with the loops and either ties on or loops around what he can with one in front and one just behind the center weight of the engine. Then he ties a knot in the tail at the right length so he can run his hand through the lower opening and wrap to grab both sides of each strap while in a deep squat position (back & arms straight). He then does a dead lift to get the bike to round 60 degrees, lets it rest on an upper knee, chokes up on the straps and lifts the rest of the way. Rock climbers call these loops "runners" and use them to carry hardware cross chest. Places like REI usually stock them in 3/4", but he made his out of 1" tubular web to distribute load on hands/wrists. I'm going to have to give this idea a try (at home 1st)! Anyway, while I'm not getting rid of my KLR or the DR-Z (I might let go of the XT250), I do plan to have something in the larger machine category by next spring. Having perused the 5~6 potential choices, and studied their "known issues", the ST seems to be surfacing as an excellent choice. Randy Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone -----Original Message----- From: RobertWichert Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2012 8:17 AM To: transalp1@... Cc: KLR650 list DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com>; SniperOne Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Dark side of the force. Eddie, Does anybody make "frame sliders" for it? You don't need crash bars if you aren't crashing into rocks. Just the sliders will keep the bodywork off the blacktop. Just a thought. Also wide bars do that pretty good too. My KLR handgrips are trashed on the end from dropping it. Robert P Wichert, P.Eng LEED AP +1 916 966 9060 FAX +1 916 966 9068 ================================================================================

On 9/8/2012 10:17 PM, eddie wrote: > "Although my opinions are neither logical nor sane, since I sold my KLR and > bought a Tenere".... =) > > (Thanks, Randy for the congrats! ) > > XT1200 1st > impressions. > > The good: > * The ins. for good coverage from State Farm was only about $10 more a > month than the 09' KLR650. Are ABS and traction control to tank? Dunno. > * Although it's only got about 260 miles on it as of this email, the 1st > tank of gas yielded an average of 48.1 mpg as indicated by the > NASA inspired multi-function display. It also gives on-the-fly mpg #s, too. > Steady cruising around 60mph in 6th gear will net 50-55mpg. > The figure drops on uphills, naturally. But, it's fun to watch the > downhills at the same speed display 70-80mpg!! > With a fuel tank a hair bigger than the KLR's , it's a relief that the > XT1200 doesn't get the advertised 39mpg. > Maybe once the break in period is over and I can play a little harder will > the actual numbers reveal themselves. > * Shaft drive. No more chain lube! Enough said. > * Handlebars as big as Texas. Leverage! > * Tubeless spoked wheels in common sizes. Nifty! > * The bike's comfortable for my 5'8", 30" inseam self to get feet down a > little better at stops. Thank the adjustable seat. > It's a good thing, too. The bike weighs almost 200# more than the KLR. But, > you really don't notice it. Just stay out of the woods. > On the highway, this thing loafs along at 3k rpm @60mph all day. It's a > comforta [The entire original message is not included]