super tenere vs bmw gs and others

[Oss]

I am thinking about trading in - or selling the police bike and looking at the super tenere by yamaha

Any tall riders have any experience with either?

I like the bmw rt but can only ride it a few hours without my hips and knees getting sore. Fortunately my commute is less than an hour (sometimes only 25 minutes    )  Getting to that point where even getting out of a chair is a chore but at least I am active

[DirtyDan]

Service is bmws weak link

Be thankful that you CAN get out of the chair

Ride on

Dan

[Mr Whiskey]

I caint afford it but... been watchin' for a Tenere since Joe's buddy (Rodney, I think) showed up to a dayride on one. Man I dig it! Yamaha's 1200cc parallel twin been around forever, dependable, tall, plenty of after market to accessorize, easy to work on, parts are pretty cheap & easily had when you need because of good dealer support (unlike KTM or BMW) & they run forever. I think '14 & up has factory cruse control. Got a buddy said he wish he'd never sold his!
Rode a Suzuki DL 1000 V-strom the other day, & I'm sorry but to me it was a complete turd! Gotta keep it tac'd & droppin' gear to get anything out of it (what good's 6th gear if ya caint use it with a head wind).
Only thing negative I've heard anybody say 'bout the Tenere is it's too heavy for "real" trail ridin'. They say the Triumph Tiger 800 is much better off road, or the Kawasaki KLR 650... but I jus' wanna be able to leap the ditch & tear up some fire trails 'round here, that's 'bout as "dirt bike" as I'd ever get it. I hope ya find what ya lookin' for Brother

("Frackel'd out" jus' like this...)
https://youtu.be/P0l1QAkk-Xo

(& love that sound...)
https://youtu.be/-hHOb156eOk

[Mr Whiskey]

A few upgrades on the '14...
https://youtu.be/551zU3WGsFU
Doesn't do any one thing exceptionally well, but does everything incredibly well

[Savago]

What about the new Africa twin? Everyone who rode one loves the bike!

= advantages =
- it is lighter
- it is newer
- better handling
- cheaper (when comparing the prices for a new bike)
- Honda quality
- better mpgs
- true off-road credentials

= disadvantages =
- chain (not a shaft drive)

[Pappy!]

Oss.....I would go over to ADVrider and snoop around there.
Not as many positive comments on the Africa Twin as there are on the Tenere that is for sure and I do not mean to slight anyone's opinion of either.
Very tall platform and more of a dual sport style bike but am assuming you are well aware of that.
I have been following the new Triumph platforms as well and like them quite a bit. Something else for you to look at.
Always fun to start looking for your next ride!!

[..]

The Tenere is bloody big across the fuel tank/engine and the saddlebags. Big like a cows butt.

[RDKLL]

I 2nd the suggestion to check out www.advrider.com. When we were looking for our next bike, before settling on the KTM...there are sub-sections on almost everything, adventure and everything else.

[Davemn]

You should be able to get a good deal on a Tenere if you find one My dealer here won’t even stock 1 bike because they just don’t sell. Too heavy for any off road.
I have a Triumph Tiger XCX. 800 triple. I just love it. Fantastic on the hiway. It’s tall but they do make a shorter version called a “low”. Also agree about the Africa Twin. Love  the bike, hate the color graphics.
The BMW FG 800 is great but it’s more suited for off-road compared to the Tiger. My neighbor has one. We always trade bikes.

[Savago]

Another bike I would consider (if the riding is more on-road than offroad) is the Yamaha FJ-09. It has a really nice triple 847cc engine and a more comfy riding position:

[northernvalk]

My cousin, Baha class champ 2017, rides KTM and loves it.

[Alberta Patriot]

Excellent Videos on this very subject...here was his conclusion, but leading up to it are more videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2oif0UePQg

[sheets]

After I crashed the Valk I opted to try the adventure bike route. Bought a first generation S10 in 2012. Rode it for a year. A good solid machine. Most of my riding is two-up. No creature comforts for a passenger. The S10 found a home with my kid. He still has it with >50k miles on it - with zero failures. He is an avid adventure rider. Most of his adventure riding was with a DR650 with his buddys who ride other similar class machines. He took the S10 on a couple multi-day adventure rides (Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR)). He says it is heavy for the style of riding he is accustomed to. He says the S10 is still a keeper, but it is relegated to "light duty" adventure riding. The later year model S10 have some upgraded electronics and cam chain tension mechanicals. If I was mostly a solo rider I would have kept the S10.    

[Jess from VA]

Even, how ever you go (different bikes), I think for your mostly intended purpose of city commuting, with occasional longer street rides, as soon as those dual sport tires wear out, I'd replace them with pure street tires (assuming they can be had in the required sizes).  And that might be worth looking into before you chose a particular dual sport bike.

My biggest fall and slide for 70 feet on the street was on my DT360 Yamaha dirt (but street legal) bike, with a great big chunky Metzler dirt (only) knobby on the back.  I leaned it over in a turn on a big spill of gasoline in the road, and would have probably dumped it with any tires, but for pure street use, I'd be running pure street tires.

The dual sport tires my old Yamaha came with were OK, but in truth, they were not as good as street tires on the street, and not as good a dirt tires in the dirt.   

Unless you are actually planning some hill climbs and motocross (if so, we need video  ).

[Motodad71]

I cannot say enough good things about the Suzuki V-Stroms, I am on my 3rd one.......love em!!! The latest models are pretty high tech, and there is no more reliable ADV machines available.....PERIOD. I do serious touring on mine, gravel roads, hard pack, and some off road areas which I shouldn't have.  The aftermarket for these bikes is insane, and the cheap purchase price for what you get is second to none. I love the Super Ten as well, would be my next ADV bike purchase hands down.

[Savago]

@Motodad: the weestrom is also another great bike (I got a Yellow DL650@2008). Bought with 8K miles about 4 years ago, now it got close to 20K and have being trouble free.

Just curious but why are you on your 3rd? Did you manage to wear out the first two?
 

[Motodad71]

@Motodad: the weestrom is also another great bike (I got a Yellow DL650@2008). Bought with 8K miles about 4 years ago, now it got close to 20K and have being trouble free.

Just curious but why are you on your 3rd? Did you manage to wear out the first two?
 

I have a 2015 650XT "love that damn bike", but I've owned 2 previous 1000's "05/06". Nah I am just a bike whore  , the 650's were always the better all around bike until the 14 1000 came out, and now the 18 is even better. The latest 650's are even better as well, just lacking the cornering ABS and the suspension/brakes of the 1000 unfortunately. None of my Stroms have ever let me down, they just require a bit of routine maintenance every now and again. 

[sheets]

You can get 50/50 tires easy enough. Probably 100% highway if you have no plans to go on forest service roads. I had 50/50 tires on for my everyday purposes. Rode from NorCal to Ft. Collins, CO, then swapped out for 100% knobby on the front and a 80/20 for the rear to ride with my kid for a few days. (Leadville, CO via Hagerman pass to Gypsum, then more off-road to get over hill and down to the Colorado river, then follow the pavement to State Bridge, then more dirt & gravel to Kremmling - in one day). For the trip home we put the more hiway friendly tires back on.