Wobbler said:
For those of you that feel the Yamaha Super Tenere' is too heavy, bulky, top heavy. Would a consideration for replacement be a BMW F800 GS Adventure option on the downsize? Thoughts... I hear a lot of feedback from some of my riding friends out of state.
No. The F800GS is quite tall. If you're concerned about too heavy, bulky, top heavy, you're not going to like how the F800GS feels in the same conditions as when you have concerns about the S10. The F650GS/F700Gs (same bike, still not correctly named by BMW), is a better option for you to look at. However, the cost of ownership will be higher with the BMW than with the Yamaha. I say that with the wife having sold her '11 F650GS with 104k miles on it back in June, a '09 VStrom 650 Abs in the garage and 104k on my '12 Super Ten, as well as a new R1200GSA Low/Low in the garage with 10k on it that is the wife's new bike. She rides the new, bigger bike much better than she ever did the F650GS and with more confidence. It simply handles better, has better geometry and she certainly loves the power and better braking.
The F650GS is a commuter bike. The F800GS while more suited to off pavement, is just that same commuter bike with a few features that help it out. Both have the same Rotax parallel twin motor, with different tuning and both suffer many of the same design flaws and re-occurring issues. (some addressed, others continue to be ignored by BMW)
As others have said, take a look at the Vstroms. The bike is not really an ADV bike, but it rides like a tall, skinny bike and is quite tossable. Our '09 650 is a fun little bike to toss around, but I always miss the braking and power of the Super Ten when I ride the little 650. Still, the Wee is very capable. I have friends that have ridden one to Ushuaia and another that rode one for the IBR (11k miles in 11 days), and both have ridden them all over before and since with virtually no issues. Conversely, the BMW F650GS cost more in repairs over it's time with us than it cost to buy new. Many of those issues have still not been addressed by BMW such as the water pump and coolant overflow tank.
If you only ride 4-10k a year, buy anything that makes you smile and get a warranty on it. If you ride more than that, pay attention to riders that actually put miles on the bikes you are interested in. It will save you some grief in the long run.