Thinking about S10

[FuzzyRider]

I am thinking about moving from my 09 Wee to the S10. Hope to get a demo ride in the next few days. It would be helpful if you guys could answer a few questions.
1. Will it run on regular gas
2. What is the typical life of the OEM tires
3. Are routine tasks like changing the oil difficult or easy for non gear heads.
4. What is real life gas mileage in town and on the road.
5. For comfort is it necessary to buy after market seats and wind shields?
6. What are the must have accessories.

Thanks for any and all help.

 

[GrahamD]

I am thinking about moving from my 09 Wee to the S10. Hope to get a demo ride in the next few days. It would be helpful if you guys could answer a few questions.
1. Will it run on regular gas
Yep

2. What is the typical life of the OEM tires
About as long as a piece of string. (7000 - 13000 Km)

3. Are routine tasks like changing the oil difficult or easy for non gear heads.
Easy enough. Really Gear challenged people maybe not.

4. What is real life gas mileage in town and on the road.
4.5 - 6.5L/100Km

5. For comfort is it necessary to buy after market seats and wind shields?
Windshield probably, seat if you come from the US. People from the US are soft.

6. What are the must have accessories.
Whatever you find you need. RonH will say none, others will say the bike is just the deposit. Have a read around the site. Top box for me is the minimum.

 

[rem]

Welcome on, FR. You won't need to know all that once you ride a Super Tenere. You'll be hooked. Having said that, I pretty well agree with GrahamD. You're gonna want panniers if you go any distance. You may want a taller windshield, or one of those bracket thingys. I have one. I think the seat is fine. But you will find that adding stuff to the bike will be a most pleasant endeavor, and not a chore. You will determine what you need to meet your specific riding habits. I don't have much on mine. I like to keep it simple. But I also like to admire a bike that is totally decked out. You'll figure it out. Better getter done. Good luck. R ::004:: ::022::

 

[Boostedxt]

I am thinking about moving from my 09 Wee to the S10. Hope to get a demo ride in the next few days. It would be helpful if you guys could answer a few questions.
1. Will it run on regular gas
Yes
2. What is the typical life of the OEM tires
A lot. I believe people are seeing 6000 miles + or more. In my opinion it depends your right wrist and how heavy handed you are
3. Are routine tasks like changing the oil difficult or easy for non gear heads.
I am a gear head to a certain point. Doing valves? Not for me. Changing out, spark plugs, suspension, and things like that? Sure. Changing the oil on the S10 is easy. The filter is on the front of the engine, and there are two small oil drain plugs on the bottom of the engine. Everything is very accessible in my opinion.
4. What is real life gas mileage in town and on the road.
I am seeing about 46-52 depending on my right hand and conditions If cruising and not being hard on it I see great mileage, and with the 6gallon tank I will see 250+ per tank
5. For comfort is it necessary to buy after market seats and wind shields?
I am 6ft and feel the wind protection is good. I have my seat in the low position, screen in the low position, and personally feel that its just fine the way it is. I dont plan on buying a new screen but I will add the side wind screens.As for the seat I feel its awesome. My butt fits on the whole seat and its really comfortable for me annd in my opinion its the best stock seat I have ever had.
6. What are the must have accessories.
In my opinion this depends on the person and how you plan on using the bike. For some people the bike stock is just fine. If you want to tour I would say a bigger screen just for more protection not because the stock is bad. If you off road I would get adv rider crash bars, skid plates, shaft drive protector, headlight screen, and stuff like that. So this answer depends on you...but just so you know, however you intend to use the bike, there are accessories that fit that style.

Thanks for any and all help.

i am going to give you my take on these questions....

joe

 

[Tremor38]

I am thinking about moving from my 09 Wee to the S10. Hope to get a demo ride in the next few days. It would be helpful if you guys could answer a few questions.
1. Will it run on regular gas
Yamha prefers we use premium, per the decal next tot he filler cap, however the bike was designed with low-grade fuel in mind. This is further proven by trips through South America and Africa, with no fuel related problems. I run mine on reguar-grade petrol and there is no hint of knocking
2. What is the typical life of the OEM tires
Let's be safe and say 6000 miles..YMMV depending how happy your right hand is
3. Are routine tasks like changing the oil difficult or easy for non gear heads.
Routine tasks are simple. and the center stand makes many of them 'simpler'
4. What is real life gas mileage in town and on the road.
I average about 42mpg. Very sorry about the Ozzie giving your their screwy L/100km figure ..musta been pretty confusing >
5. For comfort is it necessary to buy after market seats and wind shields?
That would depend upon your torso length (winscreen) and weight/body makeup (seat)
6. What are the must have accessories.
I personally consider heated grips a must have...best bang for the buck move I've made on any bike. Beyond that, accessorizing is all dependent where you ride and personal preference. One thing for sure is that with all of the mods available for this machine, you can farkle to your heart's content


Thanks for any and all help.

 

[wantajustride]

I am thinking about moving from my 09 Wee to the S10. Hope to get a demo ride in the next few days. It would be helpful if you guys could answer a few questions.

Let me start by saying, I had a 2011 Wee. That is until I test rode the Super Tenere. The DL 650 was traded that day. I have never looked back. Never regretted the fact that the Yamaha was almost twice the cost of
the Suzuki. The Super Tenere is such a nice machine.

1. Will it run on regular gas
It will but Yamaha recommends 91 oct if I remember correctly.

2. What is the typical life of the OEM tires
Don't know. I swapped out the OEM treads before taking delivery

3. Are routine tasks like changing the oil difficult or easy for non gear heads.
Oil changes are easy. It really depends on how mechanical you are. I'm not talking about engine rebuild but if you are installing the farkles that's pretty straight forward stuff.

4. What is real life gas mileage in town and on the road.
I ride 50% stop-n-go in town, 50% highway @ 60-65mph and am avg around 46mpg

5. For comfort is it necessary to buy after market seats and wind shields?
The buffeting from my Wee drove me nuts. I did a windscreen modification on that bike. This time I bought the Madstad brackets and the Yamaha side wind deflectors straight away. Almost no buffeting at all. The seat is to subjective to say. I find mine comfortable but I haven't done a 500 mile day in the saddle yet.

6. What are the must have accessories.
I installed good crash bars first thing. One stupid mistake and a dropped bike, the bars pay for themselves ( they saved my Wee from nasty damage a time or two). Good side cases are a must for me. I use mine everyday. The rest is really up to an individual need.

Thanks for any and all help.

Hope it works out for you.

WJR

 

[GrahamD]

Very sorry about the Ozzie giving your their screwy L/100km figure ..musta been pretty confusing

Ok Tremor, I hear you ;D

52.27 --> 36.19 miles per pidly little US Gallon.
62.77 --> 43.46 miles per real mans Gallon.


And for the Texans...

2195 --> 1519 miles per Barrel.

Cheers
Graham

 

[fender5803]

Ok Tremor, I hear you ;D

52.27 --> 36.19 miles per pidly little US Gallon.
62.77 --> 43.46 miles per real mans Gallon.


And for the Texans...

2195 --> 1519 miles per Barrel.

Cheers
Graham

Now I had a good laugh all to myself after reading this post

::022::

and I live in California with my XTZ12BCL bike Max.

 

[fender5803]

Fuzzy R,
I can not agree more with all said so far here. The center stand for me has been a must have.
I moved from my K4 Strom to XTZ and while I do enjoy still riding the Suzuki (it's for sale) I'd never want to back to it only, giving up the Tenere. No Way-!!
Tenere is just so much more - !!! Although I don't ride off road much, but still from the little I have, I would not go back. Just saying the heft of the XTZ is a change from the DL650K4 and you would be very happy making the switch IMHO.
best,
-dt

::022::

 

[eemsreno]

I am thinking about moving from my 09 Wee to the S10. Hope to get a demo ride in the next few days. It would be helpful if you guys could answer a few questions.
1. Will it run on regular gas
2. What is the typical life of the OEM tires
3. Are routine tasks like changing the oil difficult or easy for non gear heads.
4. What is real life gas mileage in town and on the road.
5. For comfort is it necessary to buy after market seats and wind shields?
6. What are the must have accessories.

Thanks for any and all help.

FuzzyRider Looks like the guys have answered your Questions good. I would just add that I have a WEE also, Put 18,000 miles on it this Summer. It is one of the best little commuter bikes around but it is not a real adventure bike. It souldn't even be mentioned in the same book as a Super Tenere. The Tenere is in a class by itself. I still ride the Wee to work but I can't wait to get on my Tenere when I get home. It is so much more bike. It is so much safer on gravel and better off road. The best touring bike out there. Steve

 

[Tremor38]

Ok Tremor, I hear you ;D

52.27 --> 36.19 miles per pidly little US Gallon.
62.77 --> 43.46 miles per real mans Gallon.


And for the Texans...

2195 --> 1519 miles per Barrel.


Cheers
Graham

I wonder how she'd do with a tank full of Vegemite. :lamp:

 

[GrahamD]

I wonder how she'd do with a tank full of Vegemite. :lamp:

It would have to go through a Canadian refinery first. ::024::

 

[creggur]

Here's my take after a wee 600 miles on her:

I am thinking about moving from my 09 Wee to the S10. Hope to get a demo ride in the next few days. It would be helpful if you guys could answer a few questions.
1. Will it run on regular gas
Heard it will, but I've run premium thus far
2. What is the typical life of the OEM tires
Only 600 miles so I can't say yet, but no complaints about the Battlewings - stick fine on the road and I haven't dropped her in the dirt...yet.
3. Are routine tasks like changing the oil difficult or easy for non gear heads.
Seems simple enough - not a lot of bodywork to remove for standard maint. stuff. Actually, it's pretty much just basic stuff until the 24k valve check.
4. What is real life gas mileage in town and on the road.
I'm seeing an average of 43MPG and that's with a solid mix of hwy, stop-and-go traffic, a bit of off road, and on-road rabble rousing.
5. For comfort is it necessary to buy after market seats and wind shields?
Thus far no complaints with the seat, but I am getting some pretty nasty buffeting at hyw speeds (80+) - may try a touch taller screen or bracket as it seems to hit just above the brow on my helmet.
6. What are the must have accessories.
As much as you can afford without ending up in divorce court? 8)

Thanks for any and all help.

 

[Tremor38]

It would have to go through a Canadian refinery first. ::024::

Yes, 'refined' those canooks are. That's why they don't bother with mundane things a like a speed limit when they venture south into 'the colonies.' ::025::

 

[rem]

Speed limit? What's a speed limit? You mean like .... can't go any faster than .... ????? Jeeze. That's brutal. R

 

[Tremor38]

Speed limit? What's a speed limit? You mean like .... can't go any faster than .... ????? Jeeze. That's brutal. R

I think I must be part Canuck, cause I have a hard time doing what those signs say 8)

 

[3putt]

I am thinking about moving from my 09 Wee to the S10. Hope to get a demo ride in the next few days. It would be helpful if you guys could answer a few questions.
1. Will it run on regular gas Yep
2. What is the typical life of the OEM tires My bike had EXPs 8000+ rear, 11,500 front and they had tread left.
3. Are routine tasks like changing the oil difficult or easy for non gear heads. Easy with Hepco & Becker bash plate.
4. What is real life gas mileage in town and on the road. With larger windscreen and panniers, 42mpg @ 80mph, 48mpg local riding, got 50+ before large screen.
5. For comfort is it necessary to buy after market seats and wind shields? I have Wasp adjustable and custom built by me large windscreen, Arai XD3 helps also.
6. What are the must have accessories. Heated grips, I have Oxfords, heated gear hookup, 30mm risers.

Thanks for any and all help.

 

[Tremor38]

The ease of oil changes with the Hepco Becker bash plate jumped out at me. Will it accomodate the various lengths of 'compatible' oil filters? I'm impressed with the Bags Connection tank bag, so the Germans could easily get more space on what's quickly becoming a world-concept farkled machine. 8) Almost went H&B for the side cases, but changed my mind when the Italians lured me in

 

[coastie]

It looks like everybody has answered your questions. For me the seat is just ok. I just did a three day trip and almost 1k miles. The seat was tolerable but I could really tell there is a forward lean to the seat. I don't think you will be disappointed in your purchase, it is overall a phenomenal motorcycle. ::022::

 

[FuzzyRider]

Thank you for all your help and advice, but I took the test ride today and just could not see $6000-8000 of difference between my 09 Wee and a new S10. Nice bike though and maybe in a year or two I will pick up a used one.. Two questions :
1. The bar that protudes from the kick stand to just in front of the left foot peg - has this caused any of you an injury? Seemed like an ankle or leg breaker to me.
2. There is so much difference between the engine braking in Sport and Touring mode. Has this caused any of you to make a MISTAKE?

Thanks.