Skittish Tenere

[James BadgeryMember]

[attachment=2721]XT660z001.JPG[/attachment]
Hi guys, need a bit of help. Am going on a desert ride soon, and have been setting up the tenere using lots of good info from the OBs. Forks have been revalved and HD springs fitted, rear shock got a HD spring, new Midas E09 Enduro tyres on front and back, HD tubes and wheels balanced.
The problem is it runs great on the tar, but as soon as you hit loose gravel the front end becomes light and skittish, and at speed it gets a bit scary. I dropped the tyre pressure to about 16 psi front and 18 psi rear and backed the preload off fully, and this has made it alot better but still not right.
I dont have rim locks fitted so not sure how low I can safely go with tyre pressures. Also I have not fitted a steering dampner which may be the answer but I dont think I will have the time to fit one.
Any help will be greatly apprieciated.
Cheers
Jim

[Bruce CurtisMember]

easy as … look at your luggage…

some over and behind the rear axle, I have had 200 kilo roadbikes that behave like clowns on crack with a fully loaded rear luggage system, even a big tankbag can unsettle a bike

[GregMember]

Run the forks through triple clamps about 10mm Jim fixed mine mate

TB

[Geoff ForshawMember]

Trailboss wrote:

Run the forks through triple clamps about 10mm Jim fixed mine mate

TB

Buy a KTM 690 Champ! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Now I’m om the cans! :laugh: :laugh:

Cheers!

[GregMember]

Lefty wrote:

Trailboss wrote:

Run the forks through triple clamps about 10mm Jim fixed mine mate

TB

Buy a KTM 690 Champ! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Now I’m om the cans! :laugh: :laugh:

Cheers!

Come here we are on the cans little man :cheer:

[murph the surfMember]

Sorry about the can confusion, Man.
There are some crazy Dudes on
this usually sedate and informative site
How was that for PR TB
cheers
Murph

[murph the surfMember]

No bloody help but as been said, try and even the load.
And as TB said, maybe lower the forks through the clamps??
Have played around with KTM fork in clamp levels.
Hang on, maybe me, but if you lower the forks (that is to put more fork up through the clamps) doesn’t it make it more prone to head shake.
A questions for the Gods I guess??
Stay tuned

[James BadgeryMember]

Thanks Guys, but I have to admit that was all a bit confusing! So whats recommended is to drop the forks 10mm and even the luggage up ie:tank bag. The only thing is there was no luggage on the bike when I took it for a run, just empty panniers – so its going to get much worse when I load it up?
Jim

[GregMember]

Jim do you still have stock suspension? If you haven’t had your suspension done then it will push the front end cause the rear is low and too soft. Dropping the forks through will help but it will always do it with the too soft stock suspension

TB

[James BadgeryMember]

TB the suspension has been modified with a HD spring on the rear and revalveing and HD spring on the front

[Jan Marais-van VuurenMember]

Hi Jim,

I think it has to do with the load distribution on your bike I.e. it is loaded heavier towards the rear than the front. Mine has a similar feel on loose surfaces off road, due to my setup. That is why I am adding a steering damper as I have done on my previous bikes.

BTW, load distribution issues become more pronounced on very loose surfaces and can either be fixed by spreading the weight evenly front vs rear and as close to the center of gravity of the bike (low) or by cheating and fitting a steering damper. Note that steering dampers only treat the symptoms (light bar feeling, head shakes / tank slappers etc) and not the cause. That said, it works OK for my purposes.

Hope this is of some value.

Cheers, TT

[James BadgeryMember]

Thanks TT, will try to get my luggage better sorted

[GregMember]

Jim wrote:

Thanks TT, will try to get my luggage better sorted

Luggage doesn’t seem all that bad looking at the pictures, lower tyre pressure in the front and drop the forks through the clamps 10mm before before moving luggage.

TB

[James BadgeryMember]

Thanks TB. How low do you think I can run my tyre pressure? Have you put rim locks on your tenere?
Jim

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