Ownership Verified: Catch and release! Btdt, Vespa, CB600, GSX 1400, R1150GSA, Transalp and T7

Sold the lowering dog bones, sent them and buyer contacted and told that I had sent the original dog bones to him. That explained why the bike sat so straight up on sidestand and I still could sure foot it. After I apologized we bought laughed at it and he sent stock ones back so I can pack the same package for third time and send it. Well now it sits as it supposed. Also sold the lowering seat as I have no need for it, this time making sure I sent the right one.

Been out on gravel roads and on trails with three different friends, first time was friend with 701 supermoto, second time was friend with brand new DesertX and third was friend with a my23 Tenere. DesertX had 400km and MY23 Tenere had 20km when I took them to trails. Super fun, but second time out with my23 it had rained in the morning and drit tracks were very, very slipery and I bike felt really heavy. To top it got slow puncture and flat front following morning. This brings to things I don't like about the bike.

First two are common complains, fuel gauge is off, shows empty at half tank and speedo is atleast 10% off. But third one is biggest and is plain stupid. To remove front front tyre you need 19mm hex/allen key that doesn't come in bikes tools. Puncture in tyre is most common problem you run when doing trails or off roading and to remove front you need a tool that no one has.
Ended up running through four stores on bank holiday rush hour to find eye watering expensive hammer size tool to remove front wheel so I can take the wheel to repair shop before they close doors for long weekend.

Went out riding today with friend who I rode alot last summer and has similar Transalp that I had. Riding Transalp and Tenere back to back opened eyes and reminded me of a lot.
Transalp's engine is laid back, it is lazy and it is missing the wake up on low revs and punch upper rev range (read: it is gutless), also CP2 pulls from idle speeds with out a hickup and feels 30 years younger that it is. Also V2 shakes much more than Tenere's 270°. I remembered that my Alp would've ran smoother but CP2 is way better in every way. But still the Honda is fun (exept misbehaving electrics "is my brake light working?")
Riding Honda I sit really in and low on the bike and on Tenere sit on top of it. Standing it is completely different game, with Tenere I can ride standing. I was worried that I would be more exposed to wind in Tenere but no, feet are behind the engine and top is even better than Honda was. I can easily do 140km/h and have no turbulence on helmet were Honda became horrible over 110km/h and painful over 130km/h.
Biggest difference is on gravel. Last year riding on gravel roads and hitting loose gravel (ball bearing gravel) felt always a bit unnerving and front felt unstable, with Tenere I barely notice any loose gravel and bike feels solid and stable. Solid is good work to describe Terere compared to Alp, feels like its made from one piece.

After test riding bikes we started to set up my bikes suspension. I'm complete noob so I seriously needed help from my friend. Got started on rear, it had had spring at softest and bound on max hard, not right way to compensate riders weight, but I guess they had tried to get previous owner feel more planted and sure footed when standing stop. Rear spring needed to tighten to max to get close to right sag and played with bound and rebound a bit. I will copy set up from Nomad Sweden as for a starting point.

I have been looking for a used suit since a start of last years season and I finally found good used, Rukka Roughroad.
I bought mid range Lindstrands suit last summer just to discover that I'm my old suit was still better. So since last summer I've been on hunt for top tier Rukka, Klim or Touratech. Two later ones doesn't exist on used market here, Rukka is plentiful but people ask stupid money, as who in right mind would pay 800€ for 10 years old 1200€ suit or two years old for 20€ less than new. Got mine from older lady who had given up riding (Last bike was R1250GS that she rode to Vladivostok). Felt like home immediately. Rukka Airprotection pads are great update, feel so much safer. Knee pads go over the boots so whole leg from knee down is in covered. Only downside is that the GoreTex isnt laminated, instead it is separated layer under the jacket and pants. So top layer will get soaked wet, cold and heavy. But other than that it is great, whole ethos of design and quality of everything are what I wanted and expected. And I love the storm collar, no more draft on neck or shoulders, how have I lived with out it?

Oh almost forgot, friend got bash plate and crash bars for the twice the price DesertX, over a one thousand euros, Gee...
 
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You won't believe this, but I sold it.

Tenere left the yard few hours ago and I'm back to bikeless life. Why?
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Really, really tired of gearing up for riding and riding in cold and bad weather.
I ride it every day, shine or rain. Rode last year too long, for late september to november. I was completely worn out and tired of gearing and riding in cold.
Sold the Honda and thought that after a long cold refreshing winter I will be fresh and happy to start new season with Tenere.
No, I was not. It felt the same, like there wasn't a winter at all. Tenere was great, but I had no will to ride and bike being only transport, whiping freeze from bike and riding in freezing cold after 10 minutes of gearing and then at work same 10 minutes take the gear off.
It just got really, really old.
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Did 2tkm in 1 month and 4 days I had it. It is brilliant bike, would suggest to anyone. Downsides?
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Gearbox, Major big time annoying part of the bike! It was biggest let down on whole bike.
I went through every video I could find and almost every blog post and still it suprised and no one mentioned about it. Great CP2 achilles heal is it's gearbox. It won't take next gear unless you really let the gear lever go back to it's neutral position. Even worst when changing down, every now and then it needed to release clutch enough to get a gear to engage and allowing to free the system to be able change down to next gear.
Super annoying when I stopped at lights and then realized that light changed to green and I'm standing there, stomping the gear lever that does nothing.
And at first I thought that it is only my bike and it might be because gear lever isn't positioned at just right or what ever reason. No, co-worker bought brand new MT-07 and it has the same problems. So if you buy any bike with CP2, get it with a quick shifter.
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Fuel gauge, it starts to blink empty when there is still 6 liter of 16 still left.
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Speedo, it is off a lot. Usually speedo's are +10km/h off at 120. This one is 10km/h off at 60 and 13km/h at 120, I don't know how they do it.
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Other than those, it is magnificient bike, loved it. Loved the engine, riding position and it had best lights I've had on any motor vehicle.
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As a farewell here is a video from last weekend when I exceled myself and after a long pondering and agitating from friends I just went for it. First part is really steep, but it was a walk in a park. Teenagers on the top were waving me to do it.
 
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