Long-Distance Endurance MT10 Project

[Warchild]

Nice write up project. Question, only a 260 mile range? w the aux tank?

Correct. The MT-10 engine is notoriously thirsty right from the factory; after most owners have their ECU flashed for performance, mpg falls even further to 29-30mpg. So after flashing, low fuel light illuminates in 90-100 mile range. Obviously no good for Nevada purposes.

I bought the bike with the ECU already flashed, so I had it flashed back to factory specs. Between that, and dropping 2 teeth in the rear, I can get a consistent 34-35mpg, unless I go into Warchild-mode. A total of 8.8 gallons of fuel will have the low-fuel light illuminating somewhere at ~ 250-260 miles

 

[Warchild]

I have always maintained that a clean bike is a happy bike. @SkooterG will back me up here, I am sure!

 

[Warchild]

Winter projects for the MT-10 includes a stunningly gorgeous carbon fiber headlight cowling. But you talk about a tedious install... oof!

First, removing all the factory front end:



This was not really a fun task...



There are quite a number of bit pieces/trim to move over from OEM cowling to the carbon fiber cowling. Key was obtaining a stubby 90-degree ratcheting Phillips-head driver (seen below, just above fastener bags) for dealing with those two lower mounting fasteners.

I bagged and tagged every set of fasteners removed in an attempt to avoid any leftover fasteners. Hey... it's a goal!





Orange arrows below point to the upper two of four main retention screws that affix the headlight assembly to the nose of the bike. The upper bolts are cake to get to; the lower two are buried deep - the stubby 90-degree Phillips-driver saves a lot of cussing.




Left upper retention fastener. As mentioned, it's the lower two fasteners that are a butt-pain; they are a bit too close to the steering neck for regular stubby screwdrivers.




Oh, yes... Yes..... YEEEEEESSSSS!!!!!!!!!





More to come, I am not done here yet...

 

[northsouth]

I had 2 first gen MT10’s and now have a second gen. Incredible bikes. I’ve done a few comfort/distance mods to mine but nothing near what you have done.
Awesome job!

 

[Warchild]

This is turning out to be quite the winter make-over. Now I am in the Death Grip if installing Spiegler SS Brake lines. This is a slightly painful process due to all the ABS plumbing. Got some HEL interlopers on my Spiegler Stainless Steel line kit. Those four bleeders are for the ABS pump:




Stainless steel drama shot under the triple tree.

Most of the bike is black, so I just went with clear silver lines, silver fittings and stainless banjos to provide some contrast.




Lots of soft lines and hard lines. All of these lines are just for the front brake.

 

[Warchild]

This is more intensive major surgery than I was hoping for. Not all that close to wrapping up this job; I have Samco hoses coming from England, so I have to leave the engine bay torn asunder until they arrive and are installed. Can't say I am looking forward to the bleeding job here...

 

[Warchild]

After 3 painful months - this Beast is finally back on the road. New powder-coating job on the Aux Cell that came out killer. The Spiegler SS Brake lines are incredible. The carbon fiber pieces were a huge ***-pain to install, but certainly look sweet. Ready for some 2024 adventures, finally!









30-degree Quad-LED Driving Lamps on top, 60-degree LED Driving Lamps below. All four Lamps together put out over 14000 lumens. This isn't counting the two lamps under the chin, or factory headlights.

 

[RossKean]

After 3 painful months - this Beast is finally back on the road. New powder-coating job on the Aux Cell that came out killer. The Spiegler SS Brake lines are incredible. The carbon fiber pieces were a huge ***-pain to install, but certainly look sweet. Ready for some 2024 adventures, finally!

View attachment 6860


View attachment 6861


View attachment 6862

30-degree Quad-LED Driving Lamps on top, 60-degree LED Driving Lamps below. All four Lamps together put out over 14000 lumens. This isn't counting the two lamps under the chin, or factory headlights.



View attachment 6863

Looking great. What are the lights? Links?

 

[Warchild]

Looking great. What are the lights? Links?

They are from SuperBrightLEDs:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/vehicle-lights/motorcycle/led-light-pods/3-led-light-pod-40w-square-off-road-light-4-000-lumens-spot-flood-beam-single-2-pack+packamt-2-Pack+beam-30°

 

[Warchild]

I am starting to gear up for a Tour of Honor SaddleSore 1000 in Nevada over Memorial Day weekend. Did a shakedown run to northern Idaho last Friday to test out modifications done over winter.

This is Dent Bridge, a very impressive cable bride that just comes out of nowhere, approx 15 miles north of Orofino. The narrow two-lane road that runs the 15 miles is marginally maintained - it's a paved goat trail, really - so to come out of the forest and see this sight was just breathtaking:




Also scored two Tour of Honor locations in Idaho. ID4, the Bronze Plaque on large boulder at VFW Post 3296 in Orofino, Idaho:




ID3, the WWI, WWII Veterans Memorial in the tiny High Plains town of Nezperce, Idaho:




Going to do another shakedown run this upcoming Friday, this time to southern Idaho and return, about a 800 mile run, and scarf up about a dozen TOH, PNW-GT and RTExUSA locations along the way.

 

[Panman]

First time I saw the Dent Bridge was shortly after I bought my 07. A couple of guys I knew and I took a long weekend and had jumped on Old ID # 7 headed for Orofino and stop at a view point looking down at the river and Hwy 12. A sheriff stopped by to check on us, after chatting a bit he asks if we had ever been to the Dent Bridge and we replied no. He tells us we should go check it out and then tells us that he'd be having lunch the next hour so we did! What a hoot the road was in pretty good shape then lots of good turns and then the Dent starts show it's self and when you get there you ask yourself what is this bridge doing here in nowhere land? Look the other way from the bridge north and it's 22 miles of rough gravel to Elk River. 10 years ago we rode from Elk River to Orofino pulling our Bushtec's and noticed the road from the bridge to Orofino had gotten a lot rougher with lots of frost heaves.
Thanks for the memory's.

 

[Decker]

Why the limited size aux tank? Why not a 3 or 4 gallon drag race tank? Sorry if it's an ignorant question. I have no idea on what this whole long distance riding thing is.

 

[Bounce]

Mostly aux tanks are chosen to work with the OEM tank to meet the Iron Butt Associations limits on total fuel capacity (which in some rallies will be measured; including what's in the fuel lines and filters).

 

[Mr_Canoehead]

@Warchild - did the braided brake lines make a difference?

 

[Warchild]

@Warchild - did the braided brake lines make a difference?

They make a HUGE positive difference, no question. Even though replacing every single factory line on this ABS system was a butt-pain, totally worth it in the end.

 

[Warchild]

Why the limited size aux tank? Why not a 3 or 4 gallon drag race tank?

Well... that is a 4.3 gallon fuel cell. One doesn't want to go too nuts on the cell capacity, at least, I didn't want to. I am no longer competing in events, so I don't need to carry 11.5 gallons. This cell combined with the MT-10's tiny race-bike fuel tank only affords 8.8 gallons total. This gives me roughly 260 miles until the Low Fuel light illuminates. That is still a little lean for hard-core Nevada runnin', but I make it work.

 

[Bounce]

Well... that is a 4.3 gallon fuel cell. One doesn't want to go too nuts on the cell capacity, at least, I didn't want to. I am no longer competing in events, so I don't need to carry 11.5 gallons. This cell combined with the MT-10's tiny race-bike fuel tank only affords 8.8 gallons total. This gives me roughly 260 miles until the Low Fuel light illuminates. That is still a little lean for hard-core Nevada runnin', but I make it work.

With some stretches out there, 260 is barely acceptable.

 

[Decker]

Well... that is a 4.3 gallon fuel cell. One doesn't want to go too nuts on the cell capacity, at least, I didn't want to. I am no longer competing in events, so I don't need to carry 11.5 gallons. This cell combined with the MT-10's tiny race-bike fuel tank only affords 8.8 gallons total. This gives me roughly 260 miles until the Low Fuel light illuminates. That is still a little lean for hard-core Nevada runnin', but I make it work.

Ah, that makes sense. It looked much smaller in pictures. I was thinking it was a 1.5-2 gallon.

Enjoy your longer (?) distance rides!

 

[Warchild]

I sure hope everyone is out there banging out some miles - summer has finally arrived in the PNW.

You can believe I am... this was from a Nevada Tour of Honor SS1K I did over Memorial Day weekend:




Northern Idaho Veteran's Cemetery - this photo is now the cover of the Tour of Honor FB page:




Huey - 66-16654 - UH-1D in Winnemucca:




The Diamond Inn Bar in Denio, Nevada is on the RTExUSA tour this year.




10pm PDT, Thursday, May 23, headed north to the barn in Ely as I wrap up this SS1K. This is the intersection of HWY 93 where it T's into HWY 50 and HWY 6 near Major's Place. This is hollowed Cognoscente ground - bathed in the light of full moon. The MT-10 belongs here.

 

[Warchild]

Still tearing it up as much as I can.... these two locations are on the PNW-GT rally for 2024: GT18, Harrison Creamery, and GT19, Drifter's Western Bar & Grill, both located in northern Idaho: