I have now acquired a 1988 Ténéré. It's a 3AJ model imported from Italy a couple of years ago with 52000km on the clock. General condition is good and the engine has just been rebuilt (5th gear went and the bits completely knackered the rest of the engine). This is my list of mods - any others recommended?

Kickstart, alloy wheel rims, larger sidestand foot, fuel tap-off point, electric power socket, in-line fuel filters, heavy duty spokes, rack for aluminium luggage. Also may have to address the 5th gear weakness as I think the gearbox was rebuilt using standard Yamaha parts.

Are auxilliary/larger fuel tanks available for this model (I think the tank is only 23L)? I am planning a trip right round the Med so it'll be mostly arid conditions.

does the engine already have the additional oilpipe from oilfilter housing to 5th gear?
i wouldn't worry too much about standard yamaha parts, they're not bad.
you should use a good quality motorcycle engine oil 20W50(no syntetic oil if the engine is not used to it!) and avoid low(< 2000) and high (>6000) revolutions.
klaus@xt600.de

Not sure about the extra oil feed will check. How long will 5th gear last with it? Dave Lambeth says that 5th gear on earlier models starts to go after less than 15000m (24000km).

Have noticed that the wheel rims DID alloys so will be OK (silver finish, not gold as on 34L/1VJ).

Is adding a kickstart a major job?

as i said, it depends very much on the way you treat your engine. i now xt's which have done more than 100 000 km without opening the engine.
silver finished wheel rims? don't know them on 3AJ. as long as they are aluminium alloy, they should be okay.
kickstarter: is no big work since your right crankcase cover should have the boring for the kickstarter axle covered with a plastic plug. so all you have to do is to buy (second hand) the kickstarter unit, the drive gear, the decompression unit and some small parts whose english name i don't know. have a look to the pictures here: http://www.xt600.de/xt_schraubertips...rter/index.htm