Cory Hanson @ Camel ADV has a penchant for identifying areas in need of improvement & implementing quality & well sorted bike specific solutions...enter "The Fix" T7 Rear Brake Pedal for the Yamaha Tenere 700, which should fit all current models. It has been in development/testing for a year by Camel ADV & in use by RideADV Adventure Tours, an Australian motorcycle tour company with a high mileage fleet of T7s....needless to say, Cory & Greg's crew @ RideADV have subjected it to extensive use & abuse resulting in 23 revisions! The primary goals were to eliminate the long pedal travel & flex + improve pedal return...thereby reducing the spongey feel & sometimes sticky return action that could lead to pre-mature wear of the pads & rotor.
Camel ADV's product description & videos below, from their website, provide a clear & concise explanation of Cory's analysis of the deficiencies he sought to improve upon of the oem brake pedal function/design & his development journey of "The Fix" T7 Rear Brake Pedal. He makes a point of stating that it is not an issue of the oem design being weak or unable to lock up the rear brake or a rear brake master cylinder problem...but rather that his "Fix" is primarily targeted at improvements to brake pedal function/use that many riders may find beneficial, particularly for off-road use that typically sees a more rear brake bias than street riding. He also notes that this modification may not work for pegs that have been lowered significantly as the brake pedal is limited in it's downward range of motion by the assembly....so do you due diligence to determine if compatible with your set up.
Cory has also tested numerous brake pads in search of improved feel/performance over the oem parts & offers Galfer Semi-metalic pads, of which I am currently using & can attest to their improved braking characteristics....my review can be read elsewhere on my blog here. Other Camel products that I use & have reviewed can be viewed on my blog via these links:
Great news, after a year of testing, "The Fix" rear brake pedal is here! You don't have to deal with the Yamaha 700 Tenere's spongey rear brake any longer! The Fix brake pedal addresses all the OEM pedal's issues. Check out our product intro video at the bottom of the page.
"The Fix" Features
Corrected leverage ratio reducing pedal travel by about half compared to stock
Durable 6.4mm thick 304 stainless steel construction
Straighter shape to reduce pedal flexing while braking
Brass bushings to reduce slop in the pedal main pivot point
Grippy, replaceable stainless steel brake tip
Offset clevis to correct the master cylinder pushrod angle
Black powder-coated finish
*Patent Pending*
100% money-back guarantee. If you still aren't happy with your T7's rear brake after installing "The Fix" send it back for a full refund, no questions asked!
Explanation Video of Development of "The Fix" T7 Rear Brake Pedal
Installation Video of "The Fix" T7 Rear Brake Pedal - a must watch prior to starting the job!
Camels' "The Fix" Rear Brake Pedal UPDATE (Dec 08, 2022)
addressing a few issues that have occurred & upcoming pedal options
Well done Cory for being so proactive & transparent in quickly communicating with your customers...yet another example of Camel's commitment to quality products & outstanding customer support 👍
Camel's Personalized Packaging is a Nice Touch...Thanks Cory 😀
I took advantage of the pre-sale offering...ordered Oct 26, shipped Nov 03, delivered Nov 7.
Tech Tip: The brass bushing comes pre-greased & wrapped...see install video above for assembly/installation instructions. NOTE that the 2 black Camel supplied washers install with the raised lip facing inward toward the brass bushing...the larger black + smaller stainless washer on the bolt head side & the smaller black washer on the opposite side.
"The Fix" installation on my 2021 Tenere 700
All work done with bike on the side stand.
Tech Tip - alternate master cylinder clevis cotter pin removal method: unbolt the entire bracket assembly & rotate around to permit access to the cotter pin vs trying to remove it while the assembly is still attached the bike.
NOTE: Brake light switch wiring harness must be released from cable tie strap on the frame by prying the top of the strap up to release it to permit enough slack to rotate the assembly around.
FYI that my 12k km oem brake lever had noticeable stiction & would not return to its full upright position...just as Cory had demonstrated in his video.
Tech Tip: put assembly in vice to remove oem brake lever (impact gun or quick pulls on a breaker bar/long ratchet will break lose the oem bolt) & install Camel lever using red loctite on the lever bolt (see below for torque amount). Ensure that lever return spring is installed correctly with the outer end properly situated over the protruding locating tab & that the protruding inner spring inserts into the assembly locating hole.
Tech Tip: Be sure to install the brake master cylinder off-set clevis the correct orientation to ensure proper alignment of the adjustable master cylinder rod reusing the oem clevis nut & oem clevis washer on the cotter pin side of the clevis pin & position the brake light switch mounting bracket correctly with the tab butted up to the assembly & re-attach the wiring harness securely to the frame tie strap.
Torque Settings for Bolts
Tech Tip: The torque settings for the 7 oem mounting bracket bolts & the brake light activation switch bolt are noted in the pics below extracted from the Camel installation video...use blue loctite.
NOTE that no torque setting is specified by Camel or in the Tenere 700 Service Manual for the oem 12 mm brake lever bolt that Camel replaces with a 17 mm bolt & spec's red loctite...I suggest using 23 N-m which is the same as the 2 allen head & 12 mm bolts used for the upper part of the assembly bracket....which resulted in almost zero side to side flex & created no noticeable binding allowing the Camel lever to fully return to its upper resting position with far more authority than the oem.
For those that need to know: The oem brake pedal height adjustment 12 mm lock nut torque = 18 N-m & the plastic brake light adjuster switch nut = 7 N-m (which is not loosened during this procedure).
Install Procedure
As per Camel's installation video start with the upper right assembly bolt, then the 2 lower assembly bolts & hand snug all 3, then the 2 lower frame/assembly bolts (Tech Tip: insert a screw driver for leverage to assist aligning the other hole & insert bolt), then bolt up the brake master cylinder & torque all bolts to spec.
The AXP Skid Plate (only the right side front, middle & 2 rear bolts need removed to allow enough free play in the skid plate to access the 2 lower front frame/assembly bolts) & SW Motech Center Stand (right side mounting plate is bolted to the 2 bottom assembly allen bolts + spring & 3rd stand bolt must be removed) added extra steps & time for the install.
Tech Tip: Be sure to adjust the brake lever height to your preference & adjust the brake light switch for proper activation as per the oem instructions below. I found that the brake light switch adjuster bolt could rotate the adjuster tab when tightening & alter the adjustment a little...minor adjustments/fine tuning can be done by placing a flat head screw driver against the tab & tapping lightly with a hammer in the desired direction.
Yamaha are you paying attention?! Because this is how the oem brake pedal should have performed...solid & precise with far less movement & flex + positive return action...combined with Galfer semi-metalic pads "The Fix" completely transforms rear brake feel/use. I find that applying & modulating the rear brake, particularly while standing is far easier & more intuitive...although it will take a little unlearning of the oem "extended travel"set up & acclimation to recalibrate your foot inputs for "The Fix", which is more in line with most other bikes. I believe that Cory & team Camel accomplished their design goals of improving on the oem pedal deficiencies...well Done! However, their is a chink in the otherwise impressive armor with regards to foot interface...
Brake Lever Foot Pad Not Wide Enough
One of the few design misses is the narrower overall width of the brake lever foot pad vs the oem. Camel's cleated foot pad is the same width as the oem cleated portion, but the pivoting portion adds 2 cm (0.8") that is sorely missed by my E width size 47 (12 USA) feet. This forces me to toe in to get a good purchase on the lever with my Pivot Pegz 4 & would only be exacerbated with wider foot pegs.
Positioning of Oem Foot Pad on left vs Camel on Right
Install Wider Camel Street Brake Lever Tip Dec 2024
Camel now makes 2 tips for 'The Fix' Rear Brake Lever: a 35 mm wide Enduru tip that was original fitment & a 57 mm wide street tip...there were times riding off-road when my foot would miss the end of the Enduro tip, so will try the wider version. I was really hoping for Cory to develop a pivoting dual height tip.
Simple & Inexpensive dual height brake lever mod for oem lever can be viewed elsewhere on my blog here.
MIVV Dakar Y.064.LDKX Exhaust + Carbon Heat Shield ACC.80.0 Why a New Exhaust? Yamaha opted for Dakar inspired styling & cost savings vs function with the design & location of the oem muffler for the Tenere 700 that positions it precariously low & outside the swingarm, attached to a welded on vs bolt on hanger that easily bends pushing the muffler into the aluminum swingarm with the slightest provocation (there have even been reports that some damaged bikes in the USA have been written off by insurance citing a bent frame). See my blog article here for additional info on the swingarm/muffler issue & several aftermarket T7 exhaust options. The oem wide muffler positioning also complicates the use of some soft bag & rackless systems & clearance with the hot muffler plus mandates that many luggage rack systems be detrimentally far away from the center line of the bike, adding unnecessary width & undesirable handling dynamics at the back end. De...
8 Day, 4,360 km (2,709 mile), 'Rideabout' - 2 Provinces, 5 States, 1 Provincial & 4 National Parks - Aug 7-14, 2024 With each year, & officially a 'baby' senior at 66, motivation & ability to do the things I historically treasured become a plethora of balancing the increasingly disparate physical & emotional realities with the seductive biased recollections of my youth touring much of western Canada & USA, Baja/Central/Northern Mexico & 2 years in Texas via motorcycle...Bob Seger's "Against the Wind' echoes in my head 😎. After having to cancel my Yukon/Alaska trip this June because of recurring back issues, & while no where near 100%, was in need of some throttle therapy & seized an opportunity. The ensuing journey is as much an exploration of my current abilities for a concentrated high mileage solo 1 or 2 week long 'rideabout' without much conditioning & lead up riding as it is about my accessorized ...
Disclaimer: I am just a long time motorcycle enthusiast with moderate wrenching experience/skills (not a professional/Yamaha mechanic) & have compiled this info from others more experienced & knowledgeable as a reference based on my personal experience with my T7 that hopefully can help others. Fork Alignment & Right Fork Caliper/Rotor Position MUST Be Checked After Front Wheel Removal! T he T7 right front axle assembly is a floating design that, depending on several factors, may not correctly position the caliper & rotor for equal gap & can result in the rotor resting against the upper edge of the caliper...not a desirable situation if gone unnoticed. This information is NOT in the Yamaha Service Manual & can be an overlooked issue when changing the T7 front tire .. .the right fork's static/resting position is toward the outside on my T7, which incorrectly positions the inside edge of the caliper to make contact with the rotor ( has been posted by others ...
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