Heikki & Ténéré
HEIKKI & TÉNÉRÉ
Why a 600 Ténéré? Isn't it a bit old-fashioned and outdated? Actually no; basic mechanics are still used in new XT600E models (but in lower trim) and the accessory markets are filled with Ténéré goodies. Globetrotters around the world use it as a base for modifying serious long-distance tourers (Eat your heart, GoldWing!). Besides it is one of the best-looking bikes in its category! Engineers in Yamaha headquarters must curse silently in their minds when they managed to lose the winning concept when dropping air-cooled 3AJ from the production line and introducing fancy road-oriented water-cooled 5-valve XTZ660... So basically if you can't afford a brand-new KTM 640 LC4 Adventure, then go for a 600 Ténéré!
My Ténéré is an Italian import with 47.000 actual kilometres on the clock. Obviously spent most of its life over tarmac instead of gravel and been carefully taken care of. So far only nice surprises when going through the bike (Okay, okay - one of the headlight support studs was broken but that was easily fixed...).
List of bolt-on goodies that have found their way to the bike:
- Därr aluminium boxes (36l + 31l) + adapters to H&B side racks
- Hepco & Becker side racks
- Shad 42l rear bag + adapter
- Hepco & Becker tank guards
- Spiegler steel braided brake lines (f + r)
- Garmin GPS III navigator + Touratech handlebar bracket
- Touratech aluminium roadbook holder
- Bagster tank protector + Bagster Gamma 30l bag
- Motad s/s collector pipes + Arrow Paris-Dakar Replica s/s silencer
- Touratech aluminium chain guard and Wunderlich rear master brake cylinder aluminium shield
- Sigma Targa bike computer
- Acerbis steel bars + hand protectors + Acerbis hand protectors and spoilers
- Five Stars centre stand
- 12V accessory socket
- Powerbronze flip-up screen
- Wunderlich seat cover + foam
- Ariete Pro fork gaiters
- New fuel lines with in-line filters
- Kilos of nuts and bolts (motto: "all the Phillips screws into Allen ones") and lots of TLC
- New paint-job (White / DAF Truck Orange; looks a little bit like Marlboro-Yamaha war paint...)Browse Finnish sites and | pictures | to see the phase of the project. Mind you; the stress is in updating the bike, not in taking the pictures after every garage session so they don't show the real-time situation...
Spring 2004 Ténéré was traded for a '04 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom. More info at http://www.heikkil.com/strom
