Considering The Tenere

[tenny80]

Hey guys, I was told to make a first post and say hello!

I'm a current owner of a 2012 Vstrom 650 and 2015 DR-Z 400, previously owned a 2014 Vstrom 1000, 2010 Concours 14, 2007 Vstrom 650 and a 2005 Ninja 500.

My wife is finding the 650 to be to cramped for two up riding. I find the suspension way to weak with both of us on it. I am faced with spending $2,000 in suspension, and then sending the terrible stock seat to Russell Day long for another $600. Neither of which will make her feel less cramped.

So I am considering trading it in.. Curious how you find the Tenere for 2 up riding? How's the stock seat?

 

[Velvet]

::004:: to the forum!

I have ridden two up on the ST and my wife found it to be quite comfortable both with the seat and legroom. She is 5'9" with long legs and a medium size butt. At 5'11" with a 33" inseam the bike is just about perfect for me. Though I have relatively long arms I wouldn't mind putting on some bar risers especially to bring them back a bit.

 

[Scubatech]

Hey guys, I was told to make a first post and say hello!

I'm a current owner of a 2012 Vstrom 650 and 2015 DR-Z 400, previously owned a 2014 Vstrom 1000, 2010 Concours 14, 2007 Vstrom 650 and a 2005 Ninja 500.

My wife is finding the 650 to be to cramped for two up riding. I find the suspension way to weak with both of us on it. I am faced with spending $2,000 in suspension, and then sending the terrible stock seat to Russell Day long for another $600. Neither of which will make her feel less cramped.

So I am considering trading it in.. Curious how you find the Tenere for 2 up riding? How's the stock seat?

You will love it and for me it's more comfortable than the two FJR's I had. The seat is questionable like all stock seats. Seats and windscreens are always the personal decisions on a Bike and lots of broad based opinions.

 

[RED CAT]

Big jump from a 650 VStrom. Thats a big jump UP. Better in every way. Not much out there better for 2 up Adventure bikes. Not even the GS12 for twice the price and half the reliability.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Welcome aboard.


The forum has a large number of VStrom owners, so I'm sure they will start to chime in. We had a 650 and the son still has the old 2003 DL1000. The Tenere will feel very familiar, just bigger and more polished in pretty much every way. Once you have the shaft you won't go back to chains.


We've had a Gen1 and Gen2 Tenere and the other half likes it more than pretty much anything else she's been on. We've done 10 hour days, as long as she has her Airhawk. The square top box makes a great back rest and the passenger floorboards from the FJR fit if those are of interest. The bike is big enough I hardly know she's back there.

 

[Vanderwho]

My wife found both my '12 V-Strom 1000 and my FJR more comfortable than my S-10 ...until I had Seat Concepts fix the pillion seat, which was a relatively cheap solution. Others have certainly had different experiences. It probably depends on your wife's. ..um ...physique.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Here's the easy mod I did to flatten the rear seat slightly on the 2012. She didn't need it but liked it.
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=5932.msg103313#msg103313

 

[barkingllizard]

a simple hello, tenny80.....

 

[tenny80]

Welcome aboard.


The forum has a large number of VStrom owners, so I'm sure they will start to chime in. We had a 650 and the son still has the old 2003 DL1000. The Tenere will feel very familiar, just bigger and more polished in pretty much every way. Once you have the shaft you won't go back to chains.


We've had a Gen1 and Gen2 Tenere and the other half likes it more than pretty much anything else she's been on. We've done 10 hour days, as long as she has her Airhawk. The square top box makes a great back rest and the passenger floorboards from the FJR fit if those are of interest. The bike is big enough I hardly know she's back there.

I remember you from Romney! Thank you for chiming in!

I put new tires on the V-Strom today and spent about 60 minutes cleaning up the chain, lubing it and getting it adjusted just right. I was thinking about the Tenere at that point haha.

I've been doing a lot of research and hearing great things about the Tenere, I think it's the way I am going to go! It's Thanksgiving weekend here so I'll see if I can't make a deal next week.

 

[tenny80]

My wife found both my '12 V-Strom 1000 and my FJR more comfortable than my S-10 ...until I had Seat Concepts fix the pillion seat, which was a relatively cheap solution. Others have certainly had different experiences. It probably depends on your wife's. ..um ...physique.

She found my '14 V-Strom 1000 really comfortable and I never even knew she was back there once we got going. I don't want to go back to that bike though... (chain, cheap build quality, etc).

I have a Seat Concepts on my DR-Z and it's fantastic. I am debating getting on for the V-Strom and having the rear shock rebuilt as sort of a budget quick fix but neither will solve her main issue. She finds she has no room to move around, feels like she's locked in place. Nothing is going to fix that on the V-Strom so I am hesitant to put anymore money into it!

 

[silvergoose]

::004:: FRom Alma,Arkansas

Try to take the ST for an extended ride, along with your wife if possible. The short demo rides that the dealers give is really a dis service to the buyer and passenger.

Spend the time before spending the money, IMHO, you are going to fall in love with the bike.

Good Luck

 

[Rasher]

Did a lot of two-up on my S10, it was very good at it, I also have a V-Strom 650 for commuting and doubt it would be anywhere near as good two-up.

The S10 rear shock is a bit weedy so if doing a lot of two-up (especially loaded with luggage) it would still be worth fitting a better rear shock, I went for a Wilburs as they are very good quality at a very reasonable price and all built to order based on your weights / use, basically you don't need to spend Ohlins money, but a few quid / bucks spent in this area turns a great two-up bike into a perfect one.

 

[Checkswrecks]

For a Fly-N-Drive, ThreePutt in Illinois has got a nicely equipped 2014 in the For Sale section for a price that'd probably beat anything you can do in Kanookistan. Day ride to get home. Never met the guy, just providing awareness.

 

[tenny80]

For a Fly-N-Drive, ThreePutt in Illinois has got a nicely equipped 2014 in the For Sale section for a price that'd probably beat anything you can do in Kanookistan. Day ride to get home. Never met the guy, just providing awareness.

Tempting but with our dollar and the hassle of importing it i'm not sure it would be worth while. I'll look into it though, thank you for the heads up!

 

[tenny80]

::004:: FRom Alma,Arkansas

Try to take the ST for an extended ride, along with your wife if possible. The short demo rides that the dealers give is really a dis service to the buyer and passenger.

Spend the time before spending the money, IMHO, you are going to fall in love with the bike.

Good Luck

Unfortunately nobody around here allows test rides.

 

[tenny80]

Did a lot of two-up on my S10, it was very good at it, I also have a V-Strom 650 for commuting and doubt it would be anywhere near as good two-up.

The S10 rear shock is a bit weedy so if doing a lot of two-up (especially loaded with luggage) it would still be worth fitting a better rear shock, I went for a Wilburs as they are very good quality at a very reasonable price and all built to order based on your weights / use, basically you don't need to spend Ohlins money, but a few quid / bucks spent in this area turns a great two-up bike into a perfect one.

Thanks for the heads up. Any reason why you don't use the S10 for commuting?

 

[Dogdaze]

Thanks for the heads up. Any reason why you don't use the S10 for commuting?

I think like a lot of people, Rasher uses the V Strom as a 'work' bike, also he now owns a KTM 1190 so makes it really hard to use an S10 to commute if it's gone ::025::

 

[Rasher]

The V-Strom is cheaper to run, better on fuel and tyres, cheaper to service and keeps excessive miles (and therefore depreciation) off my main bike. Mine was the Mrs first bike, bought for £2,000 3 years ago with @25,000 miles on the clock, probably still worth £1500 3 years on with 45,000 miles on the clock - cheap miles :exclaim:

I have to admit to taking the S10 on the odd run to work because it was a more luxurious ride and does make a damn fine commuter bike, and if I did not already have the V-Strom in the garage I would have been happy to commute on it daily....

....more so than the KTM which I think would depreciate far more with big miles.

 

[Harry Dresden PI]

I had a DL650 2012 Wee Strom for a a few years and enjoyed the hell out of it. Fast, handles well, reliable many accessories to make it fit you ... but two up wife and I did not like it.

Bought a 2014 S10 ES and great two up but wife now has her own ride so she never rides bitch. Love the cruise control and electronic adjustable suspension ... and the low end power missing in the DL650

If you are city bound and never take 100+ mile interstate runs the wee storm is great. Never rode or owned the DL1000 ...

 

[RCinNC]

Big fan of the V-Strom here. I had a 2012 DL650, which I ended up trading for my S10. I experienced some of the same suspension issues when riding two up, but mine were alleviated with a simple swap for a heavier spring, done by Cogent Dynamics. I know lots of guys say you can't just change a spring and the shock has to be revalved, but at least in my case, it made the ride a whole lot better.

As far as the S10 goes, I have a 2014 non ES, and have put 29,000 miles on mine. Most of that was two up, and we've toured all the way out to Nebraska and back, and rode up to Maine this summer. My girlfriend says it's very comfortable back there, more than the V-Strom and more than my old Harley Road King. Her only complaint is that it's a tough bike to mount and dismount because of the height.