What do we now think of the bike

[lund]

Food for thought here, but I did 3weeks in the interior of BC and accumulated 2700km in those 3weeks on reserve roads. I rode some of the most remote roads BC has in the interior, all dirt and mostly on Indian reserve land. The fuel I could only get was 87oct from mostly 1970 style gas pumps in villages and in a couple of occasions came from 45gallon drums that was pumped by hand and who the hell knows what octane that was or how old it was LOL.
The Tenere had no issues and in fact never missed a beat, though I did run for a little in sport mode where appropriate it was not pleased so stayed in touring after that. My experience.

 

[Scrambler007]

My first impressions of the ST vs my 2019 Africa Twin:

I have tiny channel so feel free to like and subscribe if you find it useful, thanks!

 

[lund]

Good video, informative.
The only inaccuracy is the side cases, they are not aluminum as stated in the video. The OEM side cases are 100% plastic with a cosmetic thin outer aluminum sheeting for looks only and non structural.
Also the HP output of the S10 in touring or sport modes is the same at WOT, there is not less hp in touring mode or more hp in sport mode. The only difference is the delivery of the power and this is achieved by the factory tune that can be changed with aftermarket tuners.

 

[Scrambler007]

Good video, informative.
The only inaccuracy is the side cases, they are not aluminum as stated in the video. The OEM side cases are 100% plastic with a cosmetic thin outer aluminum sheeting for looks only and non structural.
Also the HP output of the S10 in touring or sport modes is the same at WOT, there is not less hp in touring mode or more hp in sport mode. The only difference is the delivery of the power and this is achieved by the factory tune that can be changed with aftermarket tuners.

Thanks.

For the side cases they are indeed pretty cheap and I should have said "aluminum covered" instead hehe

For the sport and touring mode, by the seat of my pants, I feel like there's less power, even if all it does is give you 75% of throttle instead of 100%, the end result is that it doesn't pull as hard. I'd be very curious to see a dyno test comparing the two if it has an impact or not on the HP. And indeed many seem to have gotten great results from having flashed the ECU. I just wish all companies stopped making modes, and just made the throttle more progressive for the first 5% and then you use your wrist to determine how much power you want to use It's not a deal breaker, but even after riding motorcycles for over 350000km and trying over 150 bikes, I have to say the throttle on the ST is a bit twitchy.

 

[Korsair]

in reference to the thread topic, i took the long way around in coming into possession of my SuperT (this is going to be long, but explains the gap in my expectations vs experience with it)

I'm a Honda man, through and through. I've had my hands in HRC, with factory contracts at pro level, and engineering/building go fast parts for amateur level for riders from 5 years old to 65 years old.
No other brand really has been on my radar......

Fast forward to ~2015, Honda drops an Africa Twin into my shop for a local dealer to get a few accessories fabricated and bolted in place, and make it look like one of the Dakar bikes as a promo, and I knew I had to have one.. this was now my new "dream bike" (replacing my current dream bike, the ST1300)

Timing never worked for me, traveling with race teams internationally, to breaking my femur and a handful of ribs at a GNCC race, I just couldn't justify purchasing one.... Then COVID hit..
I had plenty of free time, the new bike market dried up, and the used market heated up.. I watched the prices of the Africa Twin skyrocket 5-6-7000 over retail in the first year and no way am I going to buy a used bike above new prices.. Then my youngest son got his Motorcycle license and I was short a bike....

I was in my shop complaining about having no bike and one of my employees said to me "ever thought of maybe NOT buying a Honda"? ... well after I fired him for insubordination, then rehired him because he's my best machinist, I said "out of the question, suggest it again and i'm putting you on mold making", and off I went to look at bikes that weren't Honda, knowing full well the idea was my own, and not that insubordinate employee of mine.

googling "alternatives to Africa Twin", figuring I would get zero results, I happened upon the a few options including the SuperT, which thanks to my Honda blindness I didn't even realize existed!
The market here isn't that hot for them, my local dealer had to 'bring one in', so after then googling "Super Tenere common problems", I was off to the used market to have a look at what was out there.

I test rode a couple of bikes and honestly I actually really liked it, like a lot! but there was some real junk out there, until I happened upon a bike being sold by one of our soldiers at a local base who is shipping out and needed to fire sell his local possessions, a 2012 with about 75,000kms on it, mostly dealer maintained, so how bad can it be really! (i don't trust dealer mechanics and this bike was no exception). After driving out to the base to see it, it wasn't half bad but was to be this gentleman's project bike, and so I figured it shall be my project next.. I offered the young man $1000 over asking (hey young military man having to move himself and his family across the country and ultimately leaving them behind is not cheap, even with the military paying some expenses, and lets face it he was asking way too low to begin with just to get rid of it by the weekend).

So I brought the bike into my shop, and immediately stripped it bare, down to the frame, motor out, harness off and began my anal retentive journey to replace everything worn, broken, botched and bodged (didn't strip the motor, but realized a few things I should have changed while it was in the motor cradle), and ultimately to figure out what things I'll be machining to make this my own customization's, and damn this bike is rugged as hell.. the early sparks of love are forming, do not tell my employee, do NOT tell my employee

It took me about 6 months to reassemble the bike, with work and just taking my time, to make it road worthy and roughly 2 months ago I dropped a leg over it for the first time and all i can say is Wow.. no other bike has fit me as precisely as this bike does, all the things I didn't like about my Honda's but accepted as 'nuances' because "Honda is the best!" were absolutely not present in this machine. I rode the bike every day for weeks to find out my limits in the saddle, and I was physically (sore butt, sore back, sore legs, etc) not finding my limits with this bike..

So the following week I was off to AliExpress to buy some questionable Honda badges and stickers to put on the bike, to well, save face with the people I shamed and i'm going to be totally honest here and say dollar for dollar, part for part, Honda would really have to step up their game for me to consider buying an Africa Twin now, and i'm already looking forward to the day my eldest son takes this bike over for his move out to the East Coast and I go out and purchase a brand new Super Tenere to replace it.


Sorry everyone for the long read, but just know the bike has exceeded every expectation i had and even exceed expectations I didn't have

Don't worry, I won't tell your employees. I used to be a Honda guy too, then discovered the TL1000 and SV series, and became a Suzuki man. Then, when the ADV bikes started to catch my attention, I took a few for a spin. Typical close minded people talked me into test riding the BMW GS1200...I didn't like it. I didn't see the big deal. Coming from sport v-twins to that huge, heavy, clunky feeling bike was a disappointment. Until I saw the ST that I eventually ended up owning. I agree with you, this bike is a tank. The handling and torque have the same feel as a streetfighter v-twin sport bike, but more comfortable.
I loved your story.

 

[Nomad]

My first impressions of the ST vs my 2019 Africa Twin:

I have tiny channel so feel free to like and subscribe if you find it useful, thanks!

Looks like the Edmonton/Stony Plain/Devon area to me.

 

[Scrambler007]

Looks like the Edmonton/Stony Plain/Devon area to me.

You're in the right country hehe I'm in Quebec

 

[liquidsmile]

I changed the coolant my 2012.


Was a pretty straight forward job.

 

[Old Git Ray]

All the above talk about octane rating reminded me of this:- 2014 near Lake Titicaca. Fuel was not the problem.... air was. At 4654m (15,260ft) the air was only 56% of that at sea level. Bike was a bitch to start and being 2 up and loaded made hill climbs slow and in a low gear.
Having said that, it ran faultlessly.

 

[Sierra1]

All the above talk about octane rating reminded me of this:- 2014 near Lake Titicaca. Fuel was not the problem.... air was. At 4654m (15,260ft) the air was only 56% of that at sea level. Bike was a bitch to start and being 2 up and loaded made hill climbs slow and in a low gear.
Having said that, it ran faultlessly. View attachment 91858

But, you were getting great mileage. First time I noticed the fuel:air thing was in Arizona in my Jeep. No power, but I was getting 25+mpg. And no rough running. Computer controlled fuel injection is awesome.

 

[Jlq1969]

All the above talk about octane rating reminded me of this:- 2014 near Lake Titicaca. Fuel was not the problem.... air was. At 4654m (15,260ft) the air was only 56% of that at sea level. Bike was a bitch to start and being 2 up and loaded made hill climbs slow and in a low gear.
Having said that, it ran faultlessly. View attachment 91858

And the air filter?….in what condition was it?….

 

[lund]

That is correct the elevation change with kill for power on any N/A engine. 3.5% for every 1000ft of gain. The only option to is a turbo that generates its own atmosphere through boost.
So your S10 at sea level at 110hp is now about 58hp at 15,000ft, suffering from a 52hp lost.

 

[pdksh]

I'm enjoying the bike very much and have started to make it mine - bar risers, engine guards, bash plate and barkbusters. I was unpleasantly surprised by the motor, I find it a little light in the power department. I find the difference between Sport and Tour mode is jerky throttle response so I mostly ride in Tour mode - Funny how things work out I do find the motor smooth and meets my needs as a touring bike with the occasional dirt road, its not lacking for power, even if it sounds like the engineers left an extra spanner or two in the engine when they buttoned it up. I'm also not a fan of the factory side cases, plastic? really? They came standard on the bike, again meet my needs but I wouldn't hesitate to replace.
This is a fantastic bike, zero regrets, my observations are "nit-picky" but for the type of riding I do this bike is a perfect fit.

 

[lund]

Tenere's like to take unexpected naps once in a while and it looks like your's did.
The Yamaha panniers are interesting, as a plastic case they are actually pretty tough.
IMO as an OE pannier it is a smart option from Yamaha to offer it. While a soft pannier have great advantages for the harder core riders going off road the hard panniers are more appealing to the general consumer. The problem is hard pannier can be problematic to the subframe and rider in a drop, thus Yamaha's panniers. They are very functional yet in a hard enough drop will break away from the bike protecting both the subframe from damage and rider from breaking their leg.
I had Jesse boxes on my GS, a very tough box and the subframe had to be straighten and welded a couple times because of drops. I no longer use hard cases on excursions. In a hard enough drop something will give, either a bike component like a frame or the boxes. For street use hard cases all the way, soft cases are a pita for street IMO.

 

[pdksh]

The choice of Hard bags vs Soft bags really depends on the type of riding you do, soft for off-road, hard for on-road. I have heard the hard bags saved my bike and hard bags screwed my sub frame stores. It really depends on the factors of your crash. Hopefully I don't have to find out I never thought the plastic case of a mix of hard/soft bag to become a sacrificial component in the event of a crash. I was disappointed by being locked out of my side case because of a tumble that was designed with the durability of a child's toy .

I have toppled over a couple of times at slow speed in the dirt (20km/hr) and the SW-MOTECH crash bars have done there duty very well but the crash bars are now starting to buckle in. This is not a fault of the Tenere, just an observation. I'm pretty sure the ALTRIDER crash bars would hold up better but at twice the cost... its a constant compromise.

I do like the top opening boxes! my Ulysses had side opening cases and when ever you were stopped at the side of the road, the item you needed was in the back of the right side pannier which meant EVERYTHING you carefully packed was now scatted across the shoulder of the road.

 

[Clawdog60]

A late model motorcycle without auto cancel turn signals is beyond stupid.

 

[lund]

A late model motorcycle without auto cancel turn signals is beyond stupid.

My thumb works flawlessly and never fails.
What irks me most is the location of the high/low beam on motorcycles. Who ever thought that it was a good location where they are currently located is an idiot. Talk about bad ergonomics.

 

[Sierra1]

I've never had self-cancelling . . . . so I don't even know what I'm not missing.

 

[fac191]

I've never had self-cancelling . . . . so I don't even know what I'm not missing.

We are cancelling Indicators now ?

 

[Gerard]

Just completed a 3,500 km trip in the Australian outback and could not ask for a better bike

Cameron Corner, borders of SA, Queensland and NSW



Mount Hopeless road towards Arkaroola. The GSA fell over and copped a pin hole in the rocker cover despite the crash bars.



...it's a big country