Mike B, our resident Yamaha Ténéré 700 rider and salesperson extraordinaire recently took a 860-mile round trip across Oregon to Idaho and back. The serious chunk of saddle time allowed him to evaluate the upgrades on his bike. Read his reports below:
Go Cruise
First of all, one of the the cheapest and most helpful accessories for long road trips is the Go Cruise, which you can add to your grip to give you cruise control-like capability. Essentially, it is a small, grippy plastic clamp with an arm that attaches to your throttle grip. Once you get to the speed you want to maintain, you just use your index finger to push the arm down to the brake lever. The clamp will hold your throttle in position, allowing to take your right hand off the grip and give it a stretch.
Dunlop Mission Tires
Next would be the Dunlop Mission 50/50 tires. I’ve been impressed with these tires since I put them on my T7 4,000 miles ago. They have good hard-pack traction and are smooth on the highway. They are solid through the twisties, and the T7’s handling on them is very predictable. They are long lasting, and have held up very well!
Rugged Radios BT2
On the way back from Idaho, I had the support of a chase car (my wife and son). With the BT2 Moto Kit from Rugged Radios, we were able to communicate for the complete 7 hour trip with plenty of battery life to spare. There were a few times through the mountain passes when we could tell that we were close to the max range, but that was with a couple of miles and quite a few corners between us. The handlebar switch for the radio works like a dream, and the clarity was just like talking on the phone. It was our first time using the setup and I am truly sold!
Moose Racing ADV1 Trail Pack
I picked up a 25L Moose Racing ADV1 tail bag for the trip. I needed to haul 3 days’ worth of clothes, laptop, and supplies. The bag has its own tiedown straps included, so it’s easy to secure it to your tail rack. This bag held almost everything I needed, and I was able to fit the rest (my size 13 shoes and a couple last minute items) into my small Rigg Gear Ridge Roll Bag.
Shop Moose Racing ADV1 Trail Pack
Seat Concepts Seat
Lastly, I have to say how much of a difference the Seat Concepts seat makes. I run the tall one-piece version with a low-slip top, which I find gives just enough grip to keep me on the seat while still allowing me to move around and reposition on those long rides. Speaking of moving around, the one-piece is particularly nice for long trips as the stock seat on the T7 has a big dish that keeps you in one area.
Wrap Up
In all the trip was a success, and getting some great miles on the bike was so rewarding. The T7 ran like a champ, because well, it is a Yamaha! Now that snow is flying in the passes in the east, time to head west towards the coast! I hope this gives you a little insight on some great products that we offer and inspires you to get out on your own adventure!