Want to purchase a Tenere - some questions please

[dgrenda]

I'm looking to trade my FJR1300 for a Tenere. Been riding for 30 years, had several bikes of all types. Tried a Suzuki DR650 once and did not care for it. My riding here in AZ will be 90% street and the occasional fire road. The Tenere seems to do it all well from what I've read.

Is the Tenere good at highway speeds? Is the engine smooth like a twin/four or is it more like a single in sound and vibration?

Is the suspension really soft like the DR650? Or is it truly pavement worthy. It seemed great when I sat on it. I am 6'3", 250. I'm really looking for a road bike that I can take off pavement occasionally.

Can you tell me what your OTD price was? and if you bought it in Arizona, where?

Any other advice? Your time and answers are MUCH appreciated. I don't want to have anyone rehash tired material either, so point me in a direction if you like.

Thanks!

 

[viewdvb]

I've been riding 50 years. I've owned 3 FJR1300s and now a Super Tenere. The FJRs handle OK but the rear suspension is undersprung and they drag their tails when heavily loaded (I cured mine with Ohlins). The Tenere is softly sprung and does sink when heavily loaded but, though I'm your weight, the suspension still works well, better than the FJR, two up and luggage. I don't see any need to change anything yet. Is it pavement worthy? I bought mine solely for road touring and it is a brilliant choice. I can't comment on the off-road experience. The engine is smooth but will never match the silky performance of a four. It will also not match the sheer power of the FJR. That said, it is still plenty fast (it is 1200cc after all) with excellent acceleration. On fuel, it will beat the FJR by at least 5mpg. It is nothing like a single but a typical modern twin - no nasty vibes but you can tell when it is working hard. Most riders actually find that pleasant - I do. It is a lot better than you could ever expect at highway speeds. Cruising up to 100mph (that's enough for me) is smooth and unfussed. It is lighter than an FJR and the riding position is very comfortable - wide handlebars, lowish footrests, upright stance, typical adventure bike. Because of the bars, it is easy to handle, especially at low speed, and feels lighter than it is. It isn't a sports tourer but it would give an FJR a run for its money on the twisties just because it is nimbler. Brakes are good and the electronic linking works well as does the ABS. Traction control too which the FJR doesn't have. My previous bike was a Ducati Multistrada which is as fast as the FJR and handled like a sports bike but the Tenere is much more of a real world, long term, long distance bike and I prefer it. It has a rare, hard to define character that endears itself more the further you ride it. Swap it for an FJR? Not on your life! Can't comment on prices because I'm in the UK but I reckon they are a bit overpriced new. There are good, low mileage, used models out there at a very considerable saving. I saved 30% on new price on a year old 3000 mile model that had every extra available fitted including a SATNAV. Why not consider that approach?

 

[Mike91]

I've been riding sport bikes for the last 10 years, and I am amazed at how smooth it is on the highway - plenty of torque and the suspension works pretty well. I think what viewdvb said about the engine is correct - not as smooth as a four, but the vibration isn't bad.

I bought mine in NY just under a month ago, and OTD was in the $15000 - $16000 range. I can't remember exactly, but I paid $13500 for the bike, plus fees, the biggest of which is NYS sales tax. There were probably better deals to be had, but no other dealers had one in stock anywhere nearby (within a hundred miles), so I took what I could get.

 

[3putt]

LOL, I have also been riding for 50 years! Only my second Yamaha tho, WR250R was my first. The suspension is pretty good stock, but will be undersprung in the rear for your weight. You may have to crank the preload all the way up in back. Some have changed springs, I did for forks and shock, now going to all new with Penske shock and Stoltec valves in the forks along with yet another spring change. 28,000+ miles tho, so it has worked pretty well.

Also you might notice we had more than a few bikes (more than 22) trek to White Horse, Yukon this June/July, and most went on to Alaska. I would say this bike travels very well. It's a pretty big deal, to quote Ford.

 

[jettcity1]

Its a good bike and many FJR guys are transitioning to it. I have been riding street since 85 and just sold My C-14 Concours to get my Tenere. I ride the occasional forest road and spots of gravel but mainly commute and tour with this one. It will do many things very well but it doesn't do everything. I like it for many reasons but its pure fit , form and function. I think its well designed for the price and I bought the Yamaha cases for it also. Expect to pay 16K with the accessories, its not a cheap bike. Many dealers will work with you but they are not going to give these things away . It offers alot of new designs and technology in a simple rugged bike that ends up to be a "do it all" bike.
Theres not many places that this bike won't go with a skilled rider. It is comfortable and can run blacktop all day long and smooth as a new twin gets.
I am sure you will not be disappointed. I like this suspension very much but coming off the 'Connie its alot different. It did not take long to get used to this bike and after a couple thousand miles it just gets funner to ride each day.
One thing you will notice is how many people look at it when you park it .It turns heads.

 

[RockyDS]

I went on the trip to Whitehorse on my Super Tenere with my wife. The two of us plus gear weighed in at 450lbs. We didn't travel as far as most but we were the only two-up attendees. I had the rear suspension cranked up and the bike handled the weight just fine. I've never been a sports bike rider so I can't compare the bike to a sports or sports touring bike but I can say is it is perfectly capable of long distance travelling two-up on the highway at illegal speeds and also easily soaks up the gravel - even two-up. Although it's not a dirt bike, in the hands of the right rider and with the right rubber then it is able to perform very well off road and the type of riding you described is pretty much what the bike was designed for - it will take you round the world if that's what you want, (just stay out of the swamp). A DR650 is at the other end of the dual sport range of bikes and really no comparison.

I'm in Canada and I paid $1k under msrp for mine but I also negotiated a discount on extras, so bought the Yamaha side cases, crash bars and skid plate. Although I don't regret doing that, there are better aftermarket alternatives.

I find the engine is smooth and responsive with plenty of power and minimal vibration. I swapped the stock tires for 50/50 tires and that is a greater factor in terms of generating noticeable vibration.

Bear in mind that black is faster than blue.

::001:: ::001::

 

[joneil]

I currently still have a 2007 HD Ultra Classic with 65k miles. Although the Harley is more comfortable I rarely ride it anymore because with it, i'm limited to paved roads. Lately, half my miles have been gravel and dirt roads, places the Harley will not go. On the 22nd of this month I'm leaving for a trip to Denver with some buddies and I will be going on the Super Tenere. It's just a better bike. There are many people on this forum that have more experience than I do and are much better at writing out the things that make this bike so special. But take it from a soon to be ex-Harley rider, this bike is a blast to ride, in everyway.

 

[Twisties]

I'm looking to trade my FJR1300 for a Tenere. Been riding for 30 years, had several bikes of all types. Tried a Suzuki DR650 once and did not care for it. My riding here in AZ will be 90% street and the occasional fire road. The Tenere seems to do it all well from what I've read.

Is the Tenere good at highway speeds? Is the engine smooth like a twin/four or is it more like a single in sound and vibration?

*****It is much, much smoother than the KTM 950 or 990, and not quite as smooth as BMW 1200 GS. I am perfectly comfortable with it in terms of noise, vibration, smoothness. Cpntrols and throttle control are much smoother than my BMW RT, I am talking engine smoothness.******

Is the suspension really soft like the DR650? Or is it truly pavement worthy. It seemed great when I sat on it. I am 6'3", 250. I'm really looking for a road bike that I can take off pavement occasionally.

*****With street oriented tires it is a great street bike. With K60's it performs well on most dirt surfaces, is fine for highway use, but begins to show a bit of degradation in sport riding on mountain roads. Still capable.*****

Can you tell me what your OTD price was? and if you bought it in Arizona, where?

Any other advice? Your time and answers are MUCH appreciated. I don't want to have anyone rehash tired material either, so point me in a direction if you like.

Thanks!

 

[dgrenda]

Thank you all for the advice and insight! In my absence from here this afternoon, I traded in my FJR and bought the Tenere! I paid $14300 OTD here in Phoenix.

I bought my 2005 FJR for $6000 a year ago and they gave me $5800 for the trade. I paid the difference and rode off. I asked why the deal was so easy (after the deal of course) and the guy told me they weren't selling and the chain of dealerships had several in the warehouse.

I'm very happy. I got the free side boxes that are currently in promotion now.

Can anyone tell me what a good price on the Yamaha extended warranty is?

Thanks again!!!

 

[coastie]

I'm looking to trade my FJR1300 for a Tenere. Been riding for 30 years, had several bikes of all types. Tried a Suzuki DR650 once and did not care for it. My riding here in AZ will be 90% street and the occasional fire road. The Tenere seems to do it all well from what I've read.

Is the Tenere good at highway speeds? Is the engine smooth like a twin/four or is it more like a single in sound and vibration?

Over the summer I did an endurance ride from Western Massachusetts back to Jacksonville Fl in one shot. I had full camping gear on with myself weighed in about 300lbs and the motorcycle was spectacular. I was in touring mode the entire way and stopped to fill up every 200 miles, but had many more miles before it required it. I remember being tucked behind the windscreen somewhere in north Georgia after about 18 hours in the saddle, in the dark, no traffic, and listening to the faint hum of the motor (4.2k rpm in 6th gear), thinking how impressed I was with how quiet and smooth it was. I was tired of riding at that point but not uncomfortable at all. It will chew up the miles once you get the ergos and windscreen set to your liking.

Is the suspension really soft like the DR650? Or is it truly pavement worthy. It seemed great when I sat on it. I am 6'3", 250. I'm really looking for a road bike that I can take off pavement occasionally.

I'm vertically challenged at 5'7" 185lbs and I have had no problems on or off road. I grew up on dirtbikes and was very impressed with the handling of the tenere on stock tires in the dirt. I even rode the loose gravel dirt roads between Robbinsville, NC and Tellico Planes TN next to the Cherahola Skyway fully loaded with gear and never felt like I was in over my head. Some of those roads are very steep with loose gravel and switchbacks. No problem at all.

Can you tell me what your OTD price was? and if you bought it in Arizona, where?

I think 14k ish otd is fine! Don't stress to much, it's a fantastic motorcycle and worth every penny. In Jacksonville Fl I paid 13.7 otd. Some have done better, some worse but we are all in the same ballpark.

Any other advice? Your time and answers are MUCH appreciated. I don't want to have anyone rehash tired material either, so point me in a direction if you like.

If I had to describe the Tenere, I would describe it as Utilitarian. It will impress you in how well it performs everything you throw at it but it's not going to blow your socks off, but it just might at times! I can tell you, and I think I can speak for everybody here, all you are going to want to do is ride it when you get one, and all you will need to do is ride it. Your biggest inconvenience will be the downtime for scheduled maintenance. Good luck in you decision.

Thanks

 

[RCDantzscher]

One thing about this forum is that you won't find much thats negitive about the Super T; Those that have made the conversion this last year have overwhelmingly been happy with the product they have gotten.

Myself included. I've knocked off 24K miles this year, made the trek to Whitehorse and AK, traveled to New England, around Lake Superior and made it down to Missouri...and I still have 4 months of riding ahead of me. I've ridden off road, down fireroads, over mountain tops, through downpouring rain storms and across the heat of the Plains. I am in love with this bike.

Does the bike have some flaws? Sure. The stock seat sucks. Go ahead and order a custom seat now; your arse will thank you later. You will need to spend $2K-$3.5K to have the accessories necessary for proper long distance travel; but you don't have to spend that money all in one day...take you time and do your research; there are plenty of options and more coming each month. Regardless, you'll still be cheaper than a compariable Beemer AND you'll enjoy the fact that you don't need to go to the dealership to work on the bike. This bike is VERY user friendly in terms of normal maintenance.

If you shop carefully, you can easily get this bike for under $13K (not including tax). Used ones seem to be holding there values, too. Of all the things you need to know most about this motorcycle is that the black ones are faster, while the blue ones make you look sexy. Pick your poison. Go ahead and take the plunge; I'm sure you'll be satisfied as we have been.

 

[Jerry]

Congrats- maybe we can meet up and ride sometime? I am in North Scottsdale.

 

[Danno]

I too am very interested in the ST. Did you purchase your bike from the dealer on Arizona Ave? I was there today.

 

[dgrenda]

Yes, thanks....I plan to add to the accessory list slowly.

Any feedback on the Yamaha Extended warranty price? I have until Friday to decide and would like some advice. Otherwise I wouldn't be pushing it. Sorry! I was quoted $945 for the 4 year extended.

 

[coastie]

Yes, thanks....I plan to add to the accessory list slowly.

Any feedback on the Yamaha Extended warranty price? I have until Friday to decide and would like some advice. Otherwise I wouldn't be pushing it. Sorry! I was quoted $945 for the 4 year extended.

If it will give you piece of mind and you can afford it then get it. Some members swear by it and will get it every time. I personally do not think its worth it and I did not get it, but that is me. I'm not up to date with current offers and cant offer you any help in the pricing area. There are discussions on here that talk about it if you want to see what other members think. I would suggest doing a search. Members might not be commenting because its sort of like an "OIL" thread, people get hot over the subject.

Anyway congrats on the purchase. You are going to enjoy the hell out of it. Be patient, she wont be broken in and smooth out until you have gone past 6K miles.

 

[dgrenda]

Thanks Coastie.

I agree and do the break in by the book....hard as it is to contain myself!

 

[RockyDS]

Yes, thanks....I plan to add to the accessory list slowly.

Any feedback on the Yamaha Extended warranty price? I have until Friday to decide and would like some advice. Otherwise I wouldn't be pushing it. Sorry! I was quoted $945 for the 4 year extended.

In the US it's the Yamaha factory warranty. You can buy it online. Dealer mark up is 100% apparently but someone on the forum here offers it to US residents for about $400. Start here - I think this is an option for you:

http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=4436.0

The Yamaha factory warranty is the same deal as the one year but extended. It it were available in Canada I'd buy it. From what I've read $945 is a rip-off.

 

[fredz43]

Also you can buy the Y.E.S. warranty any time before the original 1 year warranty runs out, so you don't have to decide by Friday..

 

[Rogue]

Also you can buy the Y.E.S. warranty any time before the original 1 year warranty runs out, so you don't have to decide by Friday..

You can purchase the Yamaha YES 4-year warranty on Ebay for $379.

Rogue

 

[MidlifeMotor]

Thanks Coastie.

I agree and do the break in by the book....hard as it is to contain myself!

No need to do the gentle break in. Keep the rpm's from staying in the same range for the first 500 miles and you will be fine. Don't baby it!

14, 300 is what I paid at Four Seasons in Rye, Az outside of Payson.

There's more than a few PHX valley riders here on this forum. I highly recommend the Forest Road 300 near Strawberry. NChristie, Bugkiller and I took it one day and it was great.