My dilemma...

[Devik]

Been lurking here for a bit. On a bike for past 20 years, harley softtail in garage now. I went to the Ozarks last month for a 5 day trip from Houston and saw dirt roads everywhere that I wished I could have explored.

That led me to start doing a ton of research on adv bikes and everything that I have researched has pointed me to the S10. So I have been drooling over pictures for some time but no real opportunity to test drive. Although I saw my first one in real life last week, sat on it, and it felt awesome.

So maybe you vets can help me with a couple questions:

1. For those with a cruiser background what are the most surprising things about going to adv bikes and specifically the S10?

2. There not a lot (as in zero) used gen2 bikes in Houston. There are two new ones. For those that purchased new, are these bikes going for msrp or are dealerships dealing?

Yes I could do a fly and buy but I am bit uneasy on that since I just dont know enough about these bikes yet to know what I'm looking at when used. And dont want to fly across the country to buy a bike, see it in person, decide not buy it, and fly home.

Thanks guys. Looking forward to joining the club before end of year!

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[Nikolajsen]

Welcome
(changed from Honda Transalp, so can't answer your question )

 

[Sierra1]

....So maybe you vets can help me with a couple questions:

The cruiser guys will check in, but for now, I came from sport touring; with a dose of a KLR. I was surprised with the feel and handling of the over sized dirt bike; nothing like the KLR. And, actually, not all ADV bikes are the same. Some are faster, some are lighter, some are this or that. BUT, the Tenere is quietly competent at just about everything. Watch this video on YouTube: "24 Hours on the Yamaha Super Ténéré". It's by Fortnine. It explains just about everything you need to know about her; pro & con. She's my favorite bike ever.

As far as the purchase....it's a dealer to dealer kinda thing....some good....some bad. Mine sold me my '17ES, in '17, for the price of a non-ES. I prefer the ES, some don't. It may take some searching. Good luck.

 

[RCinNC]

I was also a Harley convert. In my case, I went from a Road King to a V-Strom to a Super Tenere. My reasons for the switch were just like yours; I was out in Utah about a decade ago and saw a whole bunch of dirt roads that I wanted to explore but didn't dare do it on an 800 plus pound low clearance bike. I bought the V-Strom in 2012, and the Super Tenere in 2014. I'm just shy of 60,000 miles on the Super Tenere.

The most surprising thing for me during the transition was the change in riding position. On my first test ride on the Suzuki I felt like I was sitting on a very tall sawhorse, and it felt uncomfortable and unbalanced. It was so disconcerting at first that I actually decided to stay with the Harley. It wasn't til maybe a year after that first test ride that I went back and just decided to go for it and get the bike. I told myself that if I wanted to try those dirt roads, I was just going to have to get used to riding a bike with an upright seating position that was so high that I couldn't put my feet flat on the ground. As it turns out, it was just a matter of overcoming the muscle memory that goes along with a decade of riding a cruiser in that feet forward position with big wide beach bars. In a very short amount of time (we're talking days), that upright position that I thought would be so uncomfortable over long distances turned out to be about a hundred times more comfortable than my chrome plated Barca Lounger. Just being able to stand up on the pegs to stretch your legs can make a long day in the saddle so much easier.

I would say the second most surprising thing for me was the luggage capacity for touring. Harley may advertise the RK as part of their touring line, but those saddlebags were shaped for style, not practicality. If I toured with a passenger, those two bags would basically just hold our combined rain gear and a couple other small items. If we were going for more than an overnight, I ended up strapping things like backpacks and T-Bags to the bike. On the Yamaha I have a couple knockoff Pelican cases and a top case, and those will allow us both to carry plenty of stuff for a multi day trip without having to stop somewhere and do laundry. I've crossed the country on both the Road King and the Yamaha, and the Yamaha wins hands down. To get a similar amount of practical carrying capacity in a non adventure style bike as I do with the S10 with the Pelican knockoffs, I'd have to go up to something like an Ultra Classic with a full tour pack.

I really like Harleys. I enjoyed every mile I put on mine. But I wouldn't go back to one, if a Harley was the only bike I could own. With the Super Tenere, I only need that bike; it does everything I need it to do.

 

[Kyle_E]

If you are not already, check out cycletrader. I just checked your area nada on used bikes (one near Austin with a pile of miles) But you can set a search and keep an eye on them based on distance from zip code.

 

[U.P.rider]

I came from a '92 Vmax and the biggest thing I noticed was the seat height. I have a 32" inseam and the stock seat in the low position is perfect.
As far as buying new or used; I purchased used but looked for a long time (over a year) before I found what I was looking for.
It was a little over 500 miles away but was able to combine a trip to visit relatives that lived a couple hundred miles away. I figured that if I didn't like the deal I wasn't out too much other than gas money. I did end up buying that bike so I picked up a u-haul enclosed trailer and hauled her home to the U.P. in late December of 2018.
I would keep looking on cycle trader, craigslist, Adventure Rider, on here and any other advertising venue you may have in your region which should get you a few choices you can call on to get a feel for what's out there. From what I saw that most of these bike have been owned by older riders who will generally take care of them better than the mass appeal bikes like cruisers and sport bikes.

 

[gv550]

Last summer I headed out with my Super Tenere on a month-long tour of the northwest. Yukon, NWT, BC, AK....... saw the Arctic ocean then west into Alaska and south along the Pacific ocean, then back roads eastbound. At that point I had driven 40,000 kms on the S10 and that trip added another 20k. When I got home I thought it would be cool to head east to the Atlantic, I'd see all 3 of Canada's oceans within 30 days....... so I packed my 900 lb cruiser and did it. With over 1 million kms on big cruisers I had convinced myself they were the only way to tour but on my home from Nova Scotia I came to the realization that I was more comfortable on the Tenere. Sold the cruiser when I got home.
Super Tenere is now packed and tomorrow morning we are headed two-up for a month long tour to Newfoundland.
No more overweight, underpowered, poor suspension, slow handling bikes for me.

 

[Devik]

Living the dream Garry! Good for you!

Thanks for the responses, you guys are giving me great feedback! I did see the fortnine review and pretty much everything else that comes up on youtube for damn near every bike I looked at - bmw, ktm, suzuki, honda... I am pretty sold on the S10 as the way to go. Just need to find the right deal. I'll find one by the end of the year and in time for twisted sisters next spring!

 

[ballisticexchris]

Hi there and welcome!

I'm sorry I'm not much help in cruiser background. I've been mostly an off road desert guy most of my life with a few long mile trips on sport bikes and dual sports. Not sure how much into suspension you are but I highly recommend finding an ES if possible. The suspension on these Super Tenere's is amazing.

Seat height should be of no consideration. The higher the better. More comfortable for long miles. I have a 31" inseam and I keep the seat in high position. Simply slide off to the side you need to plant a foot. On these big adventure bikes it's very important to learn this technique. Learn to plant one foot at a time in almost any situation. Only time to have both feet on the ground is when taking weight off the bike in deep sand, rock crawling, or climbing out of a rut. Both feet down "Harley" style just will not work on this bike or any bike that sees the dirt.

Things to look for:
Loose or missing spokes
Rim damage/cracks
Bent footpeg mounting tabs (frame damage)
Cracked fairing mounts on steering head/front of frame
Bent rubber handlebar mounts
Bent radiator (left side)
Motors are pretty solid but look for leaks or JB welded cracks
Final drives are solid as well but again check for leaks or pumpkin damage
Eyeball the subframe for bends/cracks at welds

That is just a quick list of obvious stuff. I recommend having a mechanic do a full diagnostic if buying used.

 

[Sierra1]

....I'll find one by the end of the year and in time for twisted sisters next spring!

My boys and I took our bikes down there two springs ago. That's when I found out the Tenere is a sport bike in disguise. The roads are fan-freakin-tastic. Forum member, ucwinters, lives in Kerrville. He can probably point you to some hidden gems.

 

[Kyle_E]

Things to look for:.............

Good list of things. I would add to that. Flip up the foot pegs and look at the sides and bottom of them. Quick way to see if it took a nap.
Also look at shift lever and brake pedal for the same reason. People don't usually replace those things in a get off. Where they would replace a faring or something obvious.

 

[barkingllizard]

a simple hello, Devik, the biggest change from cruiser [VTX1800] was a whole lot less back stress and then there's that go anywhere ability.....

 

[magic]

I owned 2 Harleys before buying my Super Tenere, an Electra Glide and a Super Glide. I traded the Electra Glide in on the Super Tenere. I kept the Super Glide because I really liked it. That Super Glide sat in the garage for 2 years and was barely ridden, 500 miles in 2 years. So, eventually I sold it. As stated by some of the other posters, the seating position on ADV bikes is more comfortable than cruisers. Your feet are under your rear end and you are more upright with your back straighter. I find this much more comfortable than either Harley.

The Super Tenere is no lightweight dirt bike. It has a top heavy feel when stopped and when moving it around the garage. Once underway it feels balanced and the top heavy feel goes away. If you buy one, take it easy at first, spend some time working on low speed maneuvers. This will give you a chance to get used to the touchy throttle.

Shop around for a leftover new one. There were some leftover 16's and 17's for sale around here for about $12,000 this spring. Good luck

 

[SuckSqueezeBangBlow]

My other bike is a Victory Cross Country Tour which I still have. To me the Vic is way more comfortable then anything especially most cruisers, because of the huge floor boards your feet are not stuck out in front. That being said I do like the seating position on the S10 with your feet right below you. I think the two big things are weather protection and shifting. I don't find the weather protection on the ADV style bikes as good as a cruiser, that being said I don't know what kind of fairing/shield is on the HD.
It takes a bit to get used to shifting on the S10, I LOVE the clutch on it but it likes to be shifted above 4500ish most cruisers shift in the 3000 range. Just takes a bit and you will get used to it.
No heel shifter on the S10, again not a big deal but a lot of cruisers have them.
No music, no big blasting stereo, however there are a lot of ways around that. Again, just different.
Good luck!

 

[Devik]

You guys listed some great things to look at. Thanks!

And considering the fact that I currently have zero wind protection or music and the fact that my 1300cc engine is bolted directly to the frame, I think I am going to love riding the S10!

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[Boris]

BUT, the Tenere is quietly competent at just about everything.

IMO a perfect description.

 

[dell835]

I go ride for a couple hours and take off up a dirt road to explore. I occasionally think a lighter bike would be nice but a lighter bike would not have the comfort & fuel range to get me there and back. I just ride a little slower on the rough stuff.

 

[ballisticexchris]

I go ride for a couple hours and take off up a dirt road to explore. I occasionally think a lighter bike would be nice but a lighter bike would not have the comfort & fuel range to get me there and back. I just ride a little slower on the rough stuff.

Tell me about it!! Comfort is amazing!! I'm having a lot easier time dealing with some tough off road sections on this bike when I know that there is 100+ miles of pavement to ride home.

 

[Jlq1969]

https://www.motorscompany.com.br/2017/03/08/500-milhas-de-interlagos-leandro-mello-conta-como-foi-competir-com-super-tenere-1200-contra-as-esportivas/

 

[Checkswrecks]

See if there is anybody in your area who would trade test rides with you then go do a fly-n-ride. It's an easy bike to do distance on.