R1200GS vs Super Tenere - Operating cost comparison

[TXTenere]

Someone posted their operating cost spreadsheet for their (new) R1200GS Adventure on ADVRider.
I was surprised to see how expensive the R1200GS Adventure is to run. I question how accurate the numbers are.
Just for comparison, I made a rough estimate with all the same factors in play for the Super Tenere, for purposes of comparison.

Again, I am unsure how accurate EITHER of these two are, because it really depends how the numbers are arrived at. Nonetheless, I found it to be an interesting exercise.

 

[barkingllizard]

 

[WJBertrand]

And those lists don't even consider unscheduled repairs, if they did the Yamaha would look even better.


-Jeff

 

[TXTenere]

And those lists don't even consider unscheduled repairs, if they did the Yamaha would look even better.


-Jeff

Perhaps. However, the comparisons are for "in warranty" bikes. So unless you bend a rim on one but wouldn't have on the other, or something like that, the comparisons wouldn't change. On the other hand, comparing a high mileage out of warranty GS with a high mileage out of warranty Super Tenere may be really eye opening.

 

[Ramseybella]

"Nothing".

Remember correctly it's not about cold facts or numbers that matter it's about what you prefer to ride.
:-X :-X

 

[ace50]

"Nothing".

Remember correctly it's not about cold facts or numbers that matter it's about what you prefer to ride.
:-X :-X

I'd prefer to ride a Motus, that's not gonna happen..........................so numbers DO matter! ::003::

 

[Checkswrecks]

I think different basis were used for the two sets of numbers, so the break-outs would need to change for anything valid to be said.


Most of the BMW expense is the depreciation, but that is based on half of a full retail with options price of $27,088. Meanwhile the Tenere is at $12,500 which is reasonable, but would not have skid plate, bars, boxes, etc. And the two bikes use the same tires, so $2400 for the BMW vs $1000 for the Yamaha doesn't sound right. Your Yamaha fuel price is at $3.50/gal, while the BMW gas is $2/gal.

etc

 

[AVGeek]

I think different basis were used for the two sets of numbers, so the break-outs would need to change for anything valid to be said.


Most of the BMW expense is the depreciation, but that is based on half of a full retail with options price of $27,088. Meanwhile the Tenere is at $12,500 which is reasonable, but would not have skid plate, bars, boxes, etc. And the two bikes use the same tires, so $2400 for the BMW vs $1000 for the Yamaha doesn't sound right. Your Yamaha fuel price is at $3.50/gal, while the BMW gas is $2/gal.

etc

I was thinking much the same thing, that the difference in tires and fuel would be negligible between the two (depending on riding style), and that the major cost differences are initial purchase price, maintenance costs and farkles.

 

[Defekticon]

Let's see, if I bought two new Super Tenere's at 13k each, and split my riding time equally between them..... ::025::

 

[Pterodactyl]

Cost will depend largely on if you do your own maintenance. The Boxers are pretty easy to work on. I have had a half dozen of them and a full service on a GS or R is a 3-4 hor job; an RT a bit longer because of the Tupperwear removal. Basic Yamaha parts and BMW parts about the same, but some BMW replacement parts are very high (final drive for example). If you have everything done at a shop on either bike it is going to get costly.

 

[mrpete64]

After owning five bmw's I can tell you that they are "warranty" bikes. When the warranty is over...get a new one!

 

[Rasher]

On the old Aircooled models the costs in the UK were generally higher, especially with valve check every service, but the Yamaha was not so much cheaper after a cycle of 4 services due to the Tappets being that much harder to get to.

By the hour I doubt there is anything in it, where I am the BMW dealers was @£95 / hr to the Yamaha dealers £65, adding up 4 services (24k cycle) the Yamaha was about £1100 to the BMW's £1400 suggesting the BMW had less labour time.

The big difference for me was I am happy to have a Yamaha without extended warranty, and to do all services myself except the 24k (tappet) ones once the warranty expired. In the UK a BMW without full BMW history depreciates very badly and bikes without full BMW history are harder to sell on or part exchange. For me this would mean @ £400 a year to keep the warranty and even the smallest service would cost me £300 - so about £700 a year minimum, compared to £50 for oil and filter for the Yamaha.

I know that is not like-for-like, but it is the savings I made by going for the Yamaha over the BMW of the time, plus the bike was also a lot cheaper to buy.

I think it is also fair to say nobody buys a BMW to get cheap servicing, I liked the GS a bit more, but for me the TCO of the Yamaha was very significant, given a lotto win maybe I would buy the BMW - although more likely a KTM or Ducati.

 

[Big Blu]

The cost of ownership of the one that puts the biggest smile on your face.......
........
....
..

PRICELESS! ::013:: ::021::

Paul

 

[patrickg450]

one of my best decisions was walking out of that BMW rip off store. It was probably 5 or 6 years ago, I have had this ST for 3. So basically I gave up on having a ADV bike until the ST came to the states. In the beginning I had some buyers remorse and it was so expensive to set up. But once it was and the experience came from multiple trips it is now my favorite bike.


To hell with BMW's, their overpriced lack of dealers and stuck up owners. I can ever find a good reason why one should own one when the ST is available to them.

 

[Checkswrecks]

OK, before we need to lock another Yamaha vs BMW thread, can we keep this one to real costs please?

 

[MNs10]

I know this is the Tenere forum (I had one) so folks want bias in that direction and I’m sure this factual post (like a few others) will magically disappear but in the interest of those who want the truth and information from all angles I’ll post anyway…

Here (MN) the warranty is 3 years for BMW, 1 for Yamaha. The shop rate per hour is exactly the same. The amount of time to perform scheduled maintenance on both bikes takes longer on the Tenere…by an easy margin.

Doing maintenance yourself there is no comparison. Checking the valves on the GS is about the same amount of time to perform and similar interval as doing the plugs on the Tenere…and having done both I would rather do the valves on the GS than swap plugs on the Tenere.

Enjoy your ride...I was just playing in the melting snow on mine and having a blast up here in the north.

 

[rider33]

Someone posted their operating cost spreadsheet for their (new) R1200GS Adventure on ADVRider.
I was surprised to see how expensive the R1200GS Adventure is to run. I question how accurate the numbers are.
Just for comparison, I made a rough estimate with all the same factors in play for the Super Tenere, for purposes of comparison.

Again, I am unsure how accurate EITHER of these two are, because it really depends how the numbers are arrived at. Nonetheless, I found it to be an interesting exercise.

Thanks for posting that. It has always been my perception but I have never seen the math laid out quite like that. Much of it is in the purchase and accompanying depreciation but then again it's suprising that two such similar bikes in term of capabilities can have real world price-points (what they actually sell for, not the list) as far apart as they are. The other thing is reliability, Yamahas have one quarter of the failure rate of BMW as reported to Consumer Reports by several thousand owners. That may not factor into cost if it's under warranty but it defiantly factors into hassle. I actually like BMW's but I liked them a whole lot more when they were simpler and more reliable. That might be why the closest I get to a BMW these days is a Ural.

 

[GearheadGrrrl]

Even if the BMW was as reliable as the S10, the BMW's outrageous initial price dooms it. Heck, even if you ran both bikes 10 years and 100k miles and then threw them in a dumpster, the BMW's cost per mile from depreciation alone would be over 25 cents, about the same as the S10's total operating cost.

 

[TXTenere]

Even if the BMW was as reliable as the S10, the BMW's outrageous initial price dooms it. Heck, even if you ran both bikes 10 years and 100k miles and then threw them in a dumpster, the BMW's cost per mile from depreciation alone would be over 25 cents, about the same as the S10's total operating cost.

I paid $12,500 out the door for my Super Tenere. In five years, I'd think it will be worth at least $4,000 (hopefully more)
If I bought a '16 GS today, it would be $23,000 out the door. In five years, it would probably be worth about $10,500 based on the current price of a five year old GS.
As I see it, the Super Tenere is the less expensive bike, no matter how you slice it.
The GS is a great bike; one simply must determine how much they're willing to spend to own & operate a GS.

 

[Big Blu]

I know this is the Tenere forum (I had one) so folks want bias in that direction and I’m sure this factual post (like a few others) will magically disappear but in the interest of those who want the truth and information from all angles I’ll post anyway…

Here (MN) the warranty is 3 years for BMW, 1 for Yamaha. The shop rate per hour is exactly the same. The amount of time to perform scheduled maintenance on both bikes takes longer on the Tenere…by an easy margin.

Doing maintenance yourself there is no comparison. Checking the valves on the GS is about the same amount of time to perform and similar interval as doing the plugs on the Tenere…and having done both I would rather do the valves on the GS than swap plugs on the Tenere.

Enjoy your ride...I was just playing in the melting snow on mine and having a blast up here in the north.

+ 1

Your comments reflect my personal experience with many BMW's.

Interesting how folks now want to bring purchase cost into the discussion. Maybe we also compare the capabilities of each like lectronics and integrated functions, and maube, depreciation/resale value, ect....
Naaaa, just kidding, none of that is important to most here.

::021::
Paul