Sport bike v. Tenere

MattR

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On public roads i'm always limited by visibility and fear of death far more than by my bike of choice.

The tenere is a very well behaved machine though that loves to be run hard. It's stable, and i love that it just hangs at whatever angle you set it at.

That said, I like a rip on a good supersport as much as the next guy, i just don't own one because the compromise of luggage, very limited off road ability, and comfort just means i won't ride it as much.

if we're talking about the quickest way to get 800 miles away with a tent and a 12 pack the tenere wins every time.
I regularly go camping in the Pyrenees. 1000 miles down through France. I divide it in half and stop for a night at my mates in France. My Kreiga bag system easily holds all my camping stuff and 500 miles per day is easy on my Zx14r. For me, the S10 is just not fast enough or comfortable enough for long hours on the autobahn.


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WJBertrand

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I think on tighter twisties the Super Tenere can make a good accounting of itself amongst sport bikes assuming the riders are all of equal and somewhat experienced / advanced skill. On more open roads with high-speed sections between the twisties (or a race track), the Tenere will have a hard time keeping up. I've found on one of my favorite local roads (hwy 33) that the Tenere kind of needs to be ridden like a 250GP bike, that is, keep up the cornering speeds as much as possible. The sporty bikes with big power and or big redlines can go much slower into and around the corners and then easily make it up on the straighter sections. It his regard it's kind of like my previous ST1100 & ST1300. Also there's not a lot of rev headroom if you're keeping the revs up going into a corner, as you can sometimes hit the limiter accelerating back out especially in hard lefts, before you can get to the shift lever. meanwhile the sporty bike motors away at umpteen thousand RPM!

I had a frustrating experience on 33 once following a guy on a ZX-9. He would nail it in the straights where I was no match but he was almost parking it in the corners forcing me to slow way down. After a couple of attempts to pass him on the straights (lost cause) I noticed how early he was braking and how slow he was going into the corners. When I finally got my opportunity, I just basically coasted past him going into a left and went 'round the outside of him before I even needed to really lean in. Fortunately this section had a few more curves immediately following before the next open stretch. I never saw the guy again until I stopped at the top.
 
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richarddacat

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Tennessee
I’ve lowered my ST and Imconsidering a lower handle bar. So you could say I’m turning my ST into a sport bike.

Why? The height and weight is bugging me and last years back surgery and the upright/slouched seating position is aggravating my back. My 87K75c with low bars keeps my back straighter and more comfortable.
It’s either sell it and find something else or make it fit me better.
 

Sierra1

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Going around corners/curves, separates riders from operators. Anybody can operate their bike in a straight line. Hell, the bike doesn't even need the operator to go in a straight line; plenty of videos to prove it. This also goes for cars. It frustrates the hell out of me when I get behind a car that can corner well, only to have the operator slow to a crawl, when the road starts to twist/turn. If a person is in a Mustang, or similar type of car, and I have to slow down in a corner/curve. . . . and I'm in my Jeep. . . . o_O . . . . they are barely operating that vehicle, not driving it. Maybe I should have put this in the Rant thread. :oops:
 

MattR

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It’s true that the wider bars of the S10 gives it an advantage in very tight bends. And my Sports bike doesn’t do as well there but there’s always a straight between bends and not all bends are tight so overall my sports bike will decimate the S10 in the mountains.....unless there’s gravel...


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Sierra1

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The low rpm torque of the Tenere makes it a joy when you start stringing corners together. Just rolling on/off the throttle, effortlessly gliding through the curves without having to continually shift up or down. Sport bikes have better lean angles, but they sometimes make you work harder. Going fast in a straight line does nothing for stirring my soul. The smooth rhythm of curves is where it's at; high speed not required.
 

AVGeek

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Going around corners/curves, separates riders from operators. Anybody can operate their bike in a straight line. Hell, the bike doesn't even need the operator to go in a straight line; plenty of videos to prove it. This also goes for cars. It frustrates the hell out of me when I get behind a car that can corner well, only to have the operator slow to a crawl, when the road starts to twist/turn. If a person is in a Mustang, or similar type of car, and I have to slow down in a corner/curve. . . . and I'm in my Jeep. . . . o_O . . . . they are barely operating that vehicle, not driving it. Maybe I should have put this in the Rant thread. :oops:
Certainly worthy of that thread...I frequently outdrive people when the road kinks up like a pretzel. Even when I had a class C motorhome (though admittedly, it was only a 23 footer with the Ford V-10, so big motor, little home).
 

Sierra1

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Now imagine the joy of a sports bike that has much more torque and much more power than the S10 from lower in the rev band!
I have to assume that your speaking of your Zx. I understand, and support your druthers, but yours is not the average Zx either. There's not a lot of sport bikes (not sport tours) that have "much more" low rpm torque. Maybe it's where the T-12's torque band is that makes her such a dream in navigating the twisties; you're also correct about the nice wide bars helping. 'Cuz, if it was all about the numbers, the Rocket3, and Vmax would be great canyon carvers.

Once again, I'm not trying to convince anybody that the Tenere is a top shelf sport bike. But, a person doesn't have to be afraid to ride her like a sport bike. . . . while they're carrying their camping gear. . . . to their remote destination. . . . that doesn't have a road to get there. :)
 
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MattR

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Gravel roads terrify me when I’m on the ZX. I’ve fitted a fender extender but the radiator is still too exposed. So I avoid them at all costs.


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ballisticexchris

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The low rpm torque of the Tenere makes it a joy when you start stringing corners together.
I know you have mentioned that to me before and you are on point Robert. I was just a bit apprehensive of running at low RPM because of all the "internet drama" of flat spots and stumble in certain places throughout the powerband. I have learned I can lug this bike almost to idle and it just pulls.

I have also been experimenting with riding in sport mode in the twisty's. With a little practice this mode is perfect for everyday riding. It also has a safety feature built in. When I'm in the saddle and running miles and miles and hours and hours of nothing but curved highways and stop and go traffic, sport mode lets you know when fatigue sets in. The bike will start riding like a sea saw and lurch because I'm not on top of my game. It's especially noticeable entering and exiting corners.

I'm not meaning to offend, but anyone who finds the engine braking and sensitive throttle response in sport mode annoying is simply lacking practice and skill. It took me quite a bit of practice to get used to this mode in certain conditions. I have Robert (Sierra) to thank for suggesting that I should keep it in sport mode almost exclusively. It's actually helped make me a better rider.
 

Cantab

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Now imagine the joy of a sports bike that has much more torque and much more power than the S10 from lower in the rev band!


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I do miss that from the big bore Zooks ive had.....at 50kph either the B King or Busa would pull cleanly away in 6th and turbine up !

Rode with a 1050 Speed Triple , Buell 1125R and a Guzzi 1100 Le Mans Corsa last weekend thru about 300kms of tight twisties and the only way to mostly stick with them
was with Sport M and TCS off ,its the only time ive liked the abrupt engine braking ,suspension preload set to 2helmets and luggage and Hard setting. Sometimes they'ed pull a few corners at times and thats ok with me.

But as often said with the overall abilities of the S10 meant that when we got to our destinations i was feeling pretty good physically and mentally , the ES suspension rocks !
Im very happy i chose a Tenere as my all rounder.
 

WJBertrand

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I'm not meaning to offend, but anyone who finds the engine braking and sensitive throttle response in sport mode annoying is simply lacking practice and skill.
I guess maybe after another 50 years I'll have enough practice and skill then? One can learn to master a flaw and ride around it but why not fix it if possible?
 
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ballisticexchris

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I guess maybe after another 50 years I'll have enough practice and skill then? One can learn to master a flaw and ride around it but why not fix it if possible?
I don't see sport mode as a flaw. It's a very valuable tool that makes the riding experience and performance of the bike much better overall. Less braking in corners, using more on/off throttle to slow down and speed up, and way smoother launching from stops. Using sport mode in corners during entry and exit requires less trail braking with the brakes than standard mode. The ability to let the motor do more of the work vs brakes is amazing with this bike.

An example is when entering a corner at a brisk pace in standard mode you are braking hard until the apex then off brakes and back on the throttle. In sport mode I can downshift and use the throttle and a lot less brake. This keeps the chassis more settled and makes for easier mid corner adjustments for avoidance maneuvers. Yamaha did it right.
 

Stantdm

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My first fast bike was a CB 750 four back in 1970 and I am often surprised that I survived that period of my life. It was slow by today's standards but it would hit 125 mph downhill and did quite a few times.

Today I live in an area where I can ride on gravel for miles and miles with just a few pavement crossings. When getting off of my cruiser and onto a bike suitable for dirt and gravel roads I looked at a few bikes and when my local dealer got an ST in on trade it sat there for almost a year. He made me a good deal on it, and so far it is my second favorite bike ever.
 

Sierra1

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Chris is right, Yamaha got it right. Quit "gorilla fisting" the damn throttle. I'm a gorilla, but I learned real fast that this bike doesn't need big throttle input(s). Small wrist input(s). . . . on and off. Riding skill(s) is a perishable commodity. "Use it or lose it", and "practice makes perfect". I'm riding about 1k miles per month. . . . and I'm not "going anywhere". I don't even have to think about clutchin' & gassin'. If a person has to actually think about a vehicle operation, they need more practice. By now, it should come as second nature, especially considering the age experience of the average forum member. This isn't rocket science, if a person is going to do anything well. . . . they're going to have to practice.

This bike is so smooth, I hardly ever even use the clutch. If I'm not in a hurry, I shift at 3k. Shift lever up, at the same time as throttle off, and then back on throttle. It's more of a twitch than an actual throttle movement. She's so smooth, it feels like an auto trans. If you're "twisting" the throttle, you're doing it wrong. That's where the "jerkiness" is coming from. She only needs a "twitch".

And, maybe that's the issue. Everybody is driving cars/trucks with auto trans, and have lost the manual "touch".
 

MattR

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Me too. Hardly need to use the brakes. Not sure if it’s possible to lock the back wheel by snapping the throttle shut in the wrong circumstances, my other bike has a slipper clutch to prevent it but I’m not sure if the S10 has one?


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WJBertrand

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Me too. Hardly need to use the brakes. Not sure if it’s possible to lock the back wheel by snapping the throttle shut in the wrong circumstances, my other bike has a slipper clutch to prevent it but I’m not sure if the S10 has one?


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Not sure about the Super Tenere, but excess engine braking can be a problem under some conditions. I was once road testing a Suzuki 1500 Intruder for MCN (RIP) on some rarely used backroads. I was coasting down a mild slope and in front of me was a layer of fine silt across the road from a recent rain storm, maybe 75-100 feet across. It was a straight shot so I figured I'd just coast through and pick up the throttle on the other side. The moment the rear wheel hit that silt however, the engine RPM dropped to idle and the rear wheel went sideways, I mean completely sideways. Dropping a test bike is extreme bad form for a magazine contributor, especially a stupid cruiser like this. No glory at all. Besides that I was wearing my brand new first ever Aerostich Roadcrafter which I really, really didn't want to christen in that silt. I eventually saved it by pulling in the clutch to free up the rear wheel, the bike straightened up and I somehow made it to the other side still upright. Looking back there were slide marks in that mud as far apart as the wheel base of that bike was long!
 

gunslinger_006

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Not sure about the Super Tenere, but excess engine braking can be a problem under some conditions. I was once road testing a Suzuki 1500 Intruder for MCN (RIP) on some rarely used backroads. I was coasting down a mild slope and in front of me was a layer of fine silt across the road from a recent rain storm, maybe 75-100 feet across. It was a straight shot so I figured I'd just coast through and pick up the throttle on the other side. The moment the rear wheel hit that silt however, the engine RPM dropped to idle and the rear wheel went sideways, I mean completely sideways. Dropping a test bike is extreme bad form for a magazine contributor, especially a stupid cruiser like this. No glory at all. Besides that I was wearing my brand new first ever Aerostich Roadcrafter which I really, really didn't want to christen in that silt. I eventually saved it by pulling in the clutch to free up the rear wheel, the bike straightened up and I somehow made it to the other side still upright. Looking back there were slide marks in that mud as far apart as the wheel base of that bike was long!
I managed to save a huge two wheel slide during a rainy trackday that sounds very similar. My bike was absolutely sideways. I just stayed relaxed and let the bike work it out, and it did.

My coach pitted me and was like “go buy a lottery ticket, no one saves a slide like that”.

Except: I did nothing. I had Keith Code in my ear saying “the bike wants to stay up, so let it”.


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