Sports Mode...

Picked up my 17 plate non ES bike just under a week ago.. I had been enjoying how smooth and easy touring mode was wafting along the roads. But then today I went out for first proper ride and tried sports mode for first time, and really opened the throttle up on some nice twisty A and B roads. These bikes are really quick, had three piece luggage on at the time too (all be it empty). All gears have so much power, what impressed me the most was 6th gear and the amount of torque available from so low down. I read on the forum they are sports bikes in disguise, I 100% agree.

When you consider the photos of Super tens with half a house strapped to the back being taken around the world over all sorts of terrain. It really did surprise me just how quick they are on the road, and how well they handle. I had read the bhp and torque figures, but the numbers don't mean much to me. Once I opened the throttle up all the numbers suddenly made perfect sense ... Love these bikes...

Shuckers said:

....I read on the forum they are sports bikes in disguise, I 100% agree....

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Yup, that was me. I was expecting an overgrown KLR, but was pleasantly surprised. She's an absolute dream in the corners....carrying luggage and a passenger. I only use "S" mode. I don't refer to it as "twitchy", I use the term "instantaneous". Enjoy.

Cool!

Try it in Sport with the traction control off and it feels even more unleashed.

Checkswrecks said:

Cool!

Try it in Sport with the traction control off and it feels even more unleashed.

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Will certainly be trying that out next.

Shuckers said:

Will certainly be trying that out next.

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And there you will find the elusive Wheelie!

After 2 weeks on touring mode with TC on 1, decided to try S, TC2 and what a difference, Pop a tiny wheelie out of a stop light. Next stop light went to TC off and f**k, wheelie came nicely. I'm not a daredevil so I will only do that for fun once in a blue moon, but knowing is capable of it is golden.

Åh yes, pure power wheelie is no problem in first gear..
And if yours haven't many miles on the ODO (less then 4-5000 miles), it will get better

I don't do wheelies....Mr. Murphy is ALWAYS right around the corner.

Shuckers said:

Picked up my 17 plate non ES bike just under a week ago.. I had been enjoying how smooth and easy touring mode was wafting along the roads. But then today I went out for first proper ride and tried sports mode for first time, and really opened the throttle up on some nice twisty A and B roads. These bikes are really quick, had three piece luggage on at the time too (all be it empty). All gears have so much power, what impressed me the most was 6th gear and the amount of torque available from so low down. I read on the forum they are sports bikes in disguise, I 100% agree.

When you consider the photos of Super tens with half a house strapped to the back being taken around the world over all sorts of terrain. It really did surprise me just how quick they are on the road, and how well they handle. I had read the bhp and torque figures, but the numbers don't mean much to me. Once I opened the throttle up all the numbers suddenly made perfect sense ... Love these bikes...

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Yup, loads of torque and as fast as you want to go, along with great low end torque.
Certainly not a rocket or track bike, and no match for, say a Honda CB650.
But the Tenere is like a Swiss army knife and it does everything that I need
My Ten puts a smile on my face every time I go for a ride. I do miss my Africa Twin.
Ride safely and always wear your gear.
SHUMBA


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SHUMBA said:

....Certainly not a rocket or track bike, and no match for, say a Honda CB650....

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Shhhh....don't tell her she's not....or can't. And, it MIGHT be true....depending on the riders of each bike.

SHUMBA said:

Yup, loads of torque and as fast as you want to go, along with great low end torque.
Certainly not a rocket or track bike, and no match for, say a Honda CB650.
But the Tenere is like a Swiss army knife and it does everything that I need
My Ten puts a smile on my face every time I go for a ride. I do miss my Africa Twin.
Ride safely and always wear your gear.
SHUMBA

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Hey, how did you know that was my previous bike? lol (2018 CB650F), Yep it is not a crotch rocket, but the S10 is a better bike! (fits me better)
After a week on the S10, I sat on the CB and was certain I was selling it. Felt so small!!!

SeaBass said:

Hey, how did you know that was my previous bike? lol (2018 CB650F), Yep it is not a crotch rocket, but the S10 is a better bike! (fits me better)
After a week on the S10, I sat on the CB and was certain I was selling it. Felt so small!!!

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Last year I had two bikes,
An Africa Twin and a CB650 (2018)
I preferred to ride the Africa Twin, but the 650 was a failed experiment, I sold it after only 4,800 km or 3,000 miles.
Straight line fast, yes, but not a comfortable ride for me, unless you are just doing short trips. Anything close to 160 kph or 100 mph and I felt myself going airborne.
The Africa Twin is a great machine despite the chain and lack of OEM farkles, read cruize and heated grips, but the AT is definitely a better off road bike than the Ten. So it all boils down to a) your bank book$$, b) your style of riding along with the comforts you expect.
Going forward, I will part with my Ten cause I'll be 70 next year and will be looking for a smaller, lighter ride. Maybe the new Tenere 800 or so cc. Or something else.
For now the Tenere does it for me.
SHUMBA

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The s10 does it for me , bikes all my life and this is a keeper , Last time up in Tenn, NC and GA myself and a few home boys went riding , me on the s10 ,one on a 1100 Honda and the other had one of those striped gold wings , well around the curves I lead (no problem) and when It came flat open road the Gold wing guy had said , "I was waiting for this so I can smoke you now " Who cant except that challenge so on a rolling start we went for it and I SMOKED him again.. He couldn't be leave how the s10 ran and never said another word... That was ..say 20 mph to 100+ I didn't look down at the speedo it was just time to back down. Great Bike !!

Jeff Milleman said:

The s10 does it for me , bikes all my life and this is a keeper , Last time up in Tenn, NC and GA myself and a few home boys went riding , me on the s10 ,one on a 1100 Honda and the other had one of those striped gold wings , well around the curves I lead (no problem) and when It came flat open road the Gold wing guy had said , "I was waiting for this so I can smoke you now " Who cant except that challenge so on a rolling start we went for it and I SMOKED him again.. He couldn't be leave how the s10 ran and never said another word... That was ..say 20 mph to 100+ I didn't look down at the speedo it was just time to back down. Great Bike !!

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Yep, I chased a newer gold wing through some twisties recently and stayed with him no problem.
The Tenere is a great bike.
SHUMBA

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Nikolajsen said:

Åh yes, pure power wheelie is no problem in first gear..

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There is one problem... you do have to bring it back down. I love wheelies, but only do little ones on the Tenere. That beast slams down pretty hard when you take it too high. Sure some say you have to set it down gently, but I don't always do that.

SHUMBA said:

Going forward, I will part with my Ten cause I'll be 70 next year and will be looking for a smaller, lighter ride.

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My wife just went from the S10 to the BMW F750 GS. Much lighter, and feels much smaller...although actually about .5" longer. Like the Tenere, it's super stable, and can comfortably cruise at 83MPH all day long. You have to put up with a chain, but so far, 7000+ miles in, I'm very impressed. It has me considering the 850 myself.

Jeff Milleman said:

... when It came flat open road the Gold wing guy had said , "I was waiting for this so I can smoke you now " Who cant except that challenge so on a rolling start we went for it and I SMOKED him again.. He couldn't be leave how the s10 ran and never said another word... That was ..say 20 mph to 100+ I didn't look down at the speedo it was just time to back down. Great Bike !!

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For 8 years I'd go to an event in SE Ohio hosted by a fast Gold Wing guy (and former ATV motocross champ). Every year his ride group would get smaller and smaller. Everyone came back and said he was jumping that thing and just way too fast to be comfortable riding with him. After about 5 years no one was willing to ride with him, so I finally did. Just the two of us absolutely flying through the uniquely challenging roads of that area. Turns out he and I ride almost exactly the same, and I had to back off a bit to avoid looking like we were riding in some Harley formation spacing. It was a freaking blast, and still one of my favorite all pavement rides ever. At the end of the day, he just looked at the Tenere, and in his low-key way said, "that's a really fast bike." Yes, yes it is.

Just for the record.
I also don't do wheelie all the time...in fact...I have done two, in two years..
Second one of them by accident, becuase this was when it had about 5000 miles on, and I switch TCS off and in "S", then the front suddenly went to the sky in first gear....
And first time it only lift the front about 30 cm, but there it only had about 1000 miles on it...therefore I know this engine takes long to get to it's best

Back in the day I did wheelies in my DT 360 Yamaha ...

Jeff Milleman said:

Back in the day I did wheelies in my DT 360 Yamaha ...

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Well well, I went for a test ride on not one, but two Honda Goldwings today. First up was the DCT or automatic transmission model.
Smooth, but since I've never ridden an automatic motorcycle, it was a little different. I felt more comfortable with the clutch model.
1,800 cc six cylinder engine and very perky, smooth, and it would give the Tenere a bad time from zero to 160 kph or 100 mph.
No, a Goldwing is not for me because I don't want to lose the versatility of the Tenere. I love gravel roads and the overall capability of the Tenere. I don't do two-ups so for now I will keep my Tenere.
Going forward, I plan to downsize to a lighter dual sport bike
SHUMBA



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SHUMBA said:

Well well, I went for a test ride on not one, but two Honda Goldwings today. First up was the DCT or automatic transmission model.
Smooth, but since I've never ridden an automatic motorcycle, it was a little different. I felt more comfortable with the clutch model.
1,800 cc six cylinder engine and very perky, smooth, and it would give the Tenere a bad time from zero to 160 kph or 100 mph.
No, a Goldwing is not for me because I don't want to lose the versatility of the Tenere. I love gravel roads and the overall capability of the Tenere. I don't do two-ups so for now I will keep my Tenere.
Going forward, I plan to downsize to a lighter dual sport bike
SHUMBA



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Goldwings go down gravel roads just fine, the DCT takes a little getting used to but just talk to some owners, after a few thousand miles most say they would not want to back to a manual transmission. My opinion a Goldwing is a lot easier to ride than a Tenere.

Cycledude said:

Goldwings go down gravel roads just fine, the DCT takes a little getting used to but just talk to some owners, after a few thousand miles most say they would not want to back to a manual transmission. My opinion a Goldwing is a lot easier to ride than a Tenere.

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Agree, the Goldwing was not difficult to ride, other than getting used to a no clutch motorcycle.
Upon entry to the on-ramp to merge onto the expressway, a gentle lean was all that was required. Then I rolled the throttle to the Max and the wing did the rest. That was the DCT model. The clutch wing, six speed performance was very similar.
But I love my Tenere
SHUMBA

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I put about 150 miles on the 700cc Honda DCT. Absolutely, positively hated it.

Just not for me. You're results may vary.