Pillion of Tenere, R12GS, and CrossTourer?

[Checkswrecks]

We are in the planning for a Norway trip next summer and have the option of renting a R1200GS versus a Honda CrossTourer. As the tag line says, I want to make sure she is comfy for a half dozen hours a day, riding for more than a week. We're not looking for speculation, we want to hear from folks with actual experience on both bikes.
I'm 6' (1.83m), 190 lbs, and with her at a thin 5' 2" (1.57m) I seldom feel her on the back of the Super Tenere. Being northern Europe means a high chance of cool temps and rain. For reference, we are coming from the background of a FJR and Super Tenere with a (large) Parabullum windshield and both have been great in all sorts of weather.
Obviously, the GS is a great bike and known quantity. I've ridden a number of them, yet never drank the Kool-Aid with respect to the motor & trans. So to ME they are kinda like renting a Chevy in that I know what I'm getting but the bike doesn't turn me on. In rain, a stock GS doesn't have quite the coverage as the stock Tenere and the Tenere traction control and ABS blow the BMW's away. But the GS would clearly work for this adventure.
The CrossTourer is obviously a new model and this question is partly about playing with the new guy in town. Their forum obviously has good comments about it and there is one article that discusses being 2-up:
http://www.visordown.com/road-tests/...ays/20697.html
Our riding will be 100% pavement, which the Honda is built for and the V4 engine is great, while the article knocked the transmission. But how is the trans when compared to a GS? (OK, that's for me more than about her. ) With respect to rain & cold, it looks to have a bit better body coverage than the GS for the same windshield height. A potential downer is that the article say the pillion pegs are a tad high, so would she feel cramped? I have no idea about how the baggage volumes compare, but then a tour company will be moving most of our luggage.
So does anybody have actual experience with, or as, a pillion on both? How the pillion of the CrossTourer would compare with the Tenere?
Thanks in advance!

 

[MikeBear]

Could you share reason for not taking s10?
And one more: why not rent them both for 2-3 days each and decide. You know that whatever works for some people, may not work for you.
Sorry I couldn't be of any help.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Hi Mike -


It's an Edelweiss tour of the Scandinavian coast, picking up the bike in Sweden and dropping it off 11 days later in Norway.


Postage for the Tenere would be a bitch!


btw - Hope you are dry, warm, and have gas available again.

 

[MikeBear]

Thanks. Absolutely no problems here. Most annoying thing we had here was cable box rebooting 4-5 times.

You might be better off going with something familiar, like GS. You are going to be throwing yourself in "new to you" everything. My danger meter would be going crazy high.

 

[sail2xxs]

Hi Mike -


It's an Edelweiss tour of the Scandinavian coast, picking up the bike in Sweden and dropping it off 11 days later in Norway.


Postage for the Tenere would be a bitch!


btw - Hope you are dry, warm, and have gas available again.

I'd go with the Honda - no experience with it, but if I were spending that kind of money on a trip, I'd want it to be on the most reliable bike I could get. The trip, not wondering if you'll finish it, should be the adventure!

Chris

 

[Rasher]

My Mrs liked the Tenere a little bit more than the GS, but we never had issues on the GS apart from seat beng a bit hard, on mine we had them re-covered, but there not exactly awful and probably similar to the Yamaha.

The thing she prefers most with the swap to the Yamaha is the motor, on the GS it was a bit lumpy and bumpy in the low-mid range and then takes off a bit suddenly, this meant quick overtakes tendy to feel a bit jerky to her, the turbine like linear pull of the Tenere allows me to get a lot more quick overtakes done without her moaning. Solo it made no odds to me and I did quite like the engines "character".

The later (2010 onwards) twin cams are definately smoother and feel less peaky, still not as grunty low down and smooth as the Yamaha, but if you have not ridden one you will be pleasantly surprised by how much better they feel.

Only rode the Honda solo, I did not like the riding position, for my 6'1 frame it felt "odd", can't be any more help, and I am sure most folk would like it, seat seemed roomy but I did not have long enough to test it properly (I reckon you need to do 90 minutes in one hit to test a seat properly)

Engine is a beauty, and I reckon will be fantastic for hauling two people, probably so enjoyable you won't mind having to go back when you notice the Fisher Price luggage has fallen off

The forks felt mega squidgy to me, obviously I could have sorted them if I bought one, and for a renta-thrash I can't see it being too bad.


BMW wins for the wonderful front end and quality luggage, the Honda for the fantastic engine - and for being so different to your normal steed.

I don't think you can lose ::008::

 

[advswede1981]

Now that sounds like a very fun trip and that entire coastline is absolutely amazing. I lived in that area (Goteborg) for 16 years and you're in for a treat, especially once you hit the serpentine roads in Norway. I seriously can't think of a better place to take motorcycle vacation, as long as the weather holds up of course... I won't be able to help you out much on the questions you had about the bikes but if you have any questions that a former local of those parts can answer I'm more than willing to help out. The "summers" in northern Europe are very unpredictable and very short. Try to ride in August if you can since it rains like crazy in May through July and the temperature will start to drop in mid/late September in higher altitudes.

 

[viewdvb]

I don't think you need worry about reliability on such a trip. It is in the organisers' interest to keep the bikes well maintained and, in the event of any failure, they will have to provide a replacement (check the rules and conditions to be sure where you stand). The pillion provision is pretty comparable on both and hard to advise on because of the many variables associated with the size, experience and preferences of the passenger. One point to consider is that, for a short trip on someone else's bike, you need to be able to make quick, effective adjustments to the suspension to suit your needs. Depending on its specifications, the BMW will have more and maybe easier adjustment than the Honda which has very little. On the other hand, despite improvements to the engine, the BMW gearbox still belongs on a tractor. Braking, handling and all that will be perfectly acceptable on either for a limited trip.

 

[NittanyXT]

10 days? Just ask her to suck it up! ;D

 

[ThatsLife]

Why not the Multistrada? It appears to be an option on their website? Just lash the wife to you so she doesn't fall off!

Sorry, I lack any relevant insight to your inquiry. ;D



BTW, that looks tour sounds amazing! I'm totally envious. Have fun!

 

[Rasher]

Braking, handling and all that will be perfectly acceptable on either for a limited trip.

Suspension capability is similar on the BMW and Tenere, both equally undersprung for two-up, with the BMW you press some buttons and it will stiffen quite a lot, on the Yamaha you will jack pre-load to max and add a couple of turns of damping and afterwards...

The Yamaha will ride bumps better and my Mrs immediately found the Yamaha better than the BMW for comfort, it does also feel better over bumps for the rider, especially the front, the GS gets the nod for little front end dive, and more ground clearance, but IMO if your riding quite smoothly the Yamaha still gets the nod, if your a very quick rider and not slowed up much by her indoors on the back the Yamaha will deck out a lot fully loaded and two-up.

If sat at the side of a twisty smooth road with a Tenere and GS in stock trim I would take the GS for a solo blast, and the Yamaha for a two-up cruise, the bumpier it gets the more likely I am to choose the Yamaha over the BMW. The Yamaha also vibes far less and crusies better at speed, although I think in Normway speed is considered very bad - which makes the Honda pointless as it is only the best of the three at higher speed.

 

[Checkswrecks]

We're still a bit up in the air between the GS and the R1200RT. I know the GS pretty well. The RT is a bit more cramped leg-wise for me, but has better weather protection, which can be a big factor in a destination like this.


Btw - Powerlet heated jackets & wireless controllers ROCK for a renter!

 

[cmastrom]

Unsure if you can rent the Triumph Explorer over there but it would be worth the look plus it has Electronic Cruise control and gobs of power. It was my next choice after my Tenere. Wife actually liked the Trumpet better than the Tenere if she were going to be on the back. Thankfully she seldoms rides on the back of my bike since she rides her own and has been for 12 years now.