Which one to try and buy

[hairymonster]

Hello boys and girls,

I really would like to try a Super Tenere and, potentially, lay down some hard-earned to buy one if I like it.

My budget says Gen 1, so I have a few questions to ask of the assembled experts:

1. If I test ride a later bike, Gen 2 or Gen 3, will I be riding something like the Gen 1 or were they night and day different?

2. What, specifically, should I be looking for on a Gen 1 in terms of stuff that breaks, stuff that should have been done under warranty and stuff that stops working?

3. Which colour is the fastest?

I did try looking for a thread on this, but failed, so please don't be horrible to me.

Love 'n' kisses - HM

 

[bimota]

white is the fastest 3rd question answered

 

[RCinNC]

If you get a Gen 1, I'd probably plan on replacing the cam chain tensioner. That model has been superseded twice since the Gen 1. There have been some CCT failures of the Gen 1's that can result in a whole lot of expensive damage.

I doubt that you'd see a night and day difference between Gen 1 and Gen 2. The Gen 2 has cruise control, which for me is really nice.

 

[RCinNC]

Man, I love the look of that bike.

 

[Darkstar77]

I'd been test riding the Gen 2 since 2018 before I finally pulled the trigger this past summer. I would imagine you could find an early Gen 2, non ES model, that could fit into your budget. I'm not bashing Gen 1's, frankly I don't know enough about the differences. I do know they made some improvements in the Gen 2 in respect to the motor, and the weight distribution. Not sure where you're getting Gen 3, unless you mean the ES vs non ES models, and how they dropped the non ES model after 2019.

So far as colour, man, that 2016 anniversary edition was pretty sweet looking, but of course that is a Gen 2. For the 2020 model year you could pick grey and black with red accents, or light grey and black with blue accents.

Good luck.

 

[Boris]

I have had a Gen 1 bike for 5 years now and have done about 37k miles on it. It has has never let me down, and to a large degree has been faultless. A fair few Gen1 bikes suffered from vibey clutch baskets which ranged from mild to severe vibes, mine was awful. Bike still rode well and did what it was meant to, but the vibes put a downer on the overall experience. Mine was also a tad cam chain rattley. The clutch vibes and CCT issues appeared well under 10k miles and by about 13k miles and with a big trip coming up, I’d had enough and replaced the basket with a Gen2 version and an upgraded CCT. I now have a bike that is so much better to ride and enjoy. Happy again!

I had ridden a mates Gen2 prior to my upgrades, a nicer bike all round. I personally would definitely recommend a Gen2 bike. The questionable parts were upgraded from the Gen1, cruise, better dash, the possibility of improved suspension via the ES version. It’s just an improved and refined version of an already good bike, but a worthwhile upgrade.

Stuff that breaks……….nothing really, they’re pretty much bullet proof. I have read of the odd dash failure, however it’s not common. Prone to water ingress into a couple of the plug wells, which can ultimately lead to plugs rusting and snapping, but again this is rare and can be avoided with a couple of simple and cheap mods. Have read about a few rear wheel bearing failures, but only a few. Headlight wiring harness replacement was done as a recall on Gen1 bikes only (I think?). Gen2 bikes had an additional recall, but not sure it affected UK bikes?

 

[Cycledude]

Having owned both generations my choice would definitely be generation 2 but they are both pretty decent motorcycles. Cruise control is the main reason I switched. But if I was switching again it would most likely be a new Africa Twin with DCT

 

[escapefjrtist]

Like 'dude, owned both generations as well. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but my GEN I was a better machine than my current '18. Granted, I replaced the clutch basket and CCT on the '12, but in the end it ran every bit as quiet and smooth as the '18. If the leftover (NOS) '18 hadn't been such a screaming deal, I should have installed a McCruise on the '12 and kept it. **Sigh**

As far as fastest...once you go black you never go back!

~G

 

[pilleway]

Hi, I have had a Gen1 bike for 3 years and just love it, I had upgraded the clutch basket and the CCT and the vibration almost gone, the bike feels much better, since I got it I had no issues regarding driveability, reliability or walkhome.

 

[Sierra1]

. . . . As far as fastest...once you go black you never go back! . . . .

Oh. . . . speed . . . . I always thought that referred to something else.

 

[twinrider]

Hi, I have had a Gen1 bike for 3 years and just love it, I had upgraded the clutch basket and the CCT and the vibration almost gone, the bike feels much better, since I got it I had no issues regarding driveability, reliability or walkhome.

My Gen I's vibrations at highway cruising speed (around 34-3500 rpm if I recall right used to put my throttle hand to sleep. A flash got rid of 80 percent of it and the Gen II clutch basket swap got rid of the rest. I changed the CCT at the same time as the basket, but I don't think the CCT adds/subtracts vibration.

 

[pilleway]

My Gen I's vibrations at highway cruising speed (around 34-3500 rpm if I recall right used to put my throttle hand to sleep. A flash got rid of 80 percent of it and the Gen II clutch basket swap got rid of the rest. I changed the CCT at the same time as the basket, but I don't think the CCT adds/subtracts vibration.

You are correct the CCT does not affect vibration, the reason why I replace it was due to the Gen1 OEM tensioner durability concern.
Have a great day!

 

[twinrider]

You are correct the CCT does not affect vibration, the reason why I replace it was due to the Gen1 OEM tensioner durability concern.
Have a great day!

Same here. Did it while I had the valve clearance checked as it doesn't add to the labor cost.