Mike's Tenere & Motorcycle Blog

Potential for  Swingarm Damage by OEM Exhaust  One of the few Dakar inspired design elements of the Tenere 700 that took precedent over functionality is the low mount position of the oem muffler & the welded vs bolted on exhaust hanger that bends easily allowing the muffler to hit & gouge into the aluminum swingarm, even with just a parking lot tip over. Some discovered that the recent generation  Honda CB500X mid-pipe fit the T7 & positioned the muffler further from the swingarm providing a little more buffer between the swingarm & muffler, but did nothing to address the oem hanger's susceptibility to easily bend.   High Exhaust Conversions This has fueled both individual & aftermarket conversions that relocate the muffler higher, away from the swingarm via a few different mid-pipe configurations & oem hanger modification/partial elimination. Some permit use of the oem passenger foot peg hangers & most aftermarket luggage racks tha...

Leatt 3DF Air Body Protector (June 2022) Body armor/protection  has continued to evovle from basic padding to bulky, hard plastic over the head upper body style popular with dual sport/enduro/mx riding to modern, slimmer form fitting, breathable mesh materials, pliable molecular padding that stiffens upon impact to absorb shock & zip up base layer styles.  These lower profile, more comfortable body protectors have also become popular with adventure,  touring, commuter & mtn bike riding allowing increased flexibility of use with multiple sports & lighter weight outer shells/jackets without built-in padding, that may not be positioned ideally & move around upon impact. They promote the concept of layering & a modular approach to safety gear & outer wear accommodating a greater range of rider options & temperatures.    In addition to CE level 2 chest/back & CE level 1 shoulders/elbow protection they provide kidney/rib & bice...