Dirt Bike Magazine Tenere vs GS article in the December 2013 issue

[terryth]

I ride enduro and trials and get the dirt bike magazines. Dirt Bike magazine started an adventure bike section a while ago and has a tenere vs the new water cooled GS in the December issue. Looks like most of the December stuff isn't online yet. Their take; the one area the Yamaha has the edge is when you take to the dirt with the various electronic ninnies disabled, the Yamaha feels more natural and handles more like a dirt bike.


http://www.dirtbikemagazine.com/ME2/Default.asp

 

[Salmon Sam]

Thanks for spotting this and alerting us.

Picked up the issue on the way home tonight. Very nice and balanced. Will scan and post when I can.
Bottom line: "When you ride the two bikes side by side and back to back, the most striking difference is the bottom-end horsepower. Even though the Yamaha is a rocket, The BMW will pull away easily ... There's still one area, however, where the Yamaha has an edge. When you take to the dirt with the various digital systems disabled, the Yamaha feels more natural. The bike handles more like a dirt bike."

Prior to the comparison the article says:
"The motor (Yamaha's) does exactly what you would expect - it goes very fast and makes you grin like a fool. That's a crucial measurement of any adventure bike; the sillier your facial expression, the more fun you're having".

Pretty much aligns with my sentiments. Nice review for a bike that is essentially 4 years old against a brand new Beemer - and from a Dirt magazine! ::008::

 

[Rasher]

the most striking difference is the bottom-end horsepower. Even though the Yamaha is a rocket, The BMW will pull away easily

I expect they are talking more about the lower gears, I suspect an ECU flash would turn the tide and still leave you with a fair chunk of change, may have to demo the GS just to see.

 

[Salmon Sam]

Here's the article. Not bad for a 4 year-old model being compared with a 2014 one. The cynic in me would suspect that Yammie marketers paid a bit for the article in order to move some 12's and 13's before March 2014.... :

 

[bloodline]

I regularly ride with a guy with a 2012 GS and another with a Tiger 800. I'm often riding 2 up when they are solo. At every gas stop, the s10 takes less fuel, every time. The Tiger 800 burns the most, by far.

So, I don't agree with their fuel remarks.

I also completely disagree about the electronics on the GS. I haven't ridden the 2013, so maybe I'm wrong, but the traction control and ABS on the s10 are night and day better than the BMW.

 

[snakebitten]

I regularly ride with a guy with a 2012 GS and another with a Tiger 800. I'm often riding 2 up when they are solo. At every gas stop, the s10 takes less fuel, every time. The Tiger 800 burns the most, by far.

So, I don't agree with their fuel remarks.

I also completely disagree about the electronics on the GS. I haven't ridden the 2013, so maybe I'm wrong, but the traction control and ABS on the s10 are night and day better than the BMW.

I bet you are 100% correct on the TC and ABS comparison.

But I believe the 2013 GS upgraded to the same hardware as the Tenere.
Now that the GS has it, it's all the rage.

 

[Yamaguy55]

As an added bonus, look what I found on the DB website: a link to this-

http://bestdualsportbikes.com/the-dead-end-anti-vibe-system/

For those that are interested. An interesting take on the previously mentioned Vibranators.

 

[Red dust]

Looks like they only fit in 7/8 bars? Maybe I did not read it properly.