Great idea and I would love to see this happen. But very tough to do a custom adventure bike for any sort of reasonable money ... unless you can do it yourself. Not so easy. Also, the adventure travel/dual sport market is pretty small. In the 60's road racing in the UK/USA had gone wild, everyone was into it. Thousands. Really different world today.

At present I've found a very good compromise for a decent "one up" ready made travel bike. The Suzuki DR650 is turning out to be a much better all round bike than I would have ever imagined possible. It's cheap & cheerful to boot, simple as a squat toilet and tough as a Viet Cong sapper.

here here..

Just a shame that good ones are like rocking horse sh*t this side of the pond

In theory thats what CCM do ... take engines from engine manufacturers and build a high spec bike with good suspension up around it. They have used DRZ400 engines, and Rotax 650 engines at times ... but they just haven't built a proper adventure bike. They tend to build enduro / trail / supermoto type bikes (just like everyone else unfortunately). They would be the logical guys to petition!

And sadly I suspect as Mickey said, the market is small.

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There are plenty of specialist frame builder/fabricators still around doing better quality stuff than was ever done previously, it's just a question of design. There must be one aspiring motorcycle design student reading this? Feel free to chip in...

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Since this thread is about Super Tenere xtz1200, I have some information and a video below.
As many people I am dissapointed. I was expecting something different...something lighter...something less expensive.



SUPER TENERE XTZ1200


regards
Antonis

Yeah, its a rubbish bike, here's proof...

YouTube - Yamaha XT 1200Z op noppen.

.......4 days till mine arrives....

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New bike, Retired Nomad.

I've seen countless videos like that.... I've seen people race Goldwings on trackdays, ride Pan Europeans over a MX course etc etc. It means F**K all.

In the hands of a very skilled rider, i've got no doubt you could do the same on the 1200 Tenere. If you would want to is a different matter altogether.

From what I can tell, its just a BMW1200GS which will hopefully not break down as much ! Plenty of people have done offroading on those for the sake youtube and Marketing companies too. Get the test rider away from the camera and he will no doubt be tearing around the same track on a 450 single or a 250 2-stroke with a big smile on his face.

When you get your 1200 Tenere, if you want to race me over the beach and through the water on my DRZ400 or even down a flight of steps, i'll bet you some decent cash that you wont be even near my back wheel and i'm not anywhere near a pro rider.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Blimey.....emotive is'nt it.

Offer respectfully declined....reason....there's a clue in the username and my last competitive ride was on ice in 1978 on a YZ400.
Not sure what prompted a response like that from a tongue in cheek post, but hey, I'm sure you have your reasons.

Kind regards Ray

Edit: Pop in and see me at the Ripley meet. I'll be the one with the motorhome and the Super Tenere.

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New bike, Retired Nomad.

I think basically there is a lot of jealousy out there; IMHO you've bought an excellent bike and if I could, I would buy one as well. I think many people who criticize this bike don't really understand what it's purpose is - it's an all road bike, not an enduro - why that concept is so difficult to understand is beyond me. For it's intended purpose, I think it's fantastic.

Congratulations on the new bike Ray. Always an exciting time!

I think Yamaha have seen a chink here in BMW's Iron Clad dominance of the "Adventure" segment. Yamaha have finally grown a pair and appear ready to barge the queue with a serious machine. Perhaps they can lure in a few BMW buyers with the new 1200 Tenere'? Or will this bike be a hotted up TDM 900? God help them ...

We don't get either Tenere' in the US at present but I'm pretty sure this 1200 bruiser will be making the trip here soon. Big bikes sell in the US.
I think for it's intended purpose the Yamaha could be better than early analysis may indicate. Yes, a bit heavy ... and expensive. But if it handles well at speed on the road and behaves OK loaded up with pillion. I'd also bet it will be a great rough road bike ... not OFF road. "But one never know, do one" (Fats Waller)

Ray, I hope you won't be run off this site and will come back and post up your feelings on the new bike. I'd really be interested in how it suits you.

Cheers

My reply was just as tongue in cheek !! I thought the silly dancing star gave that away.. maybe not ! I'm not the competitive type, Id probably ride into a tree before we got to the steps !!

When I saw that vid I rolled my eyes a little and imagined myself back in the dealership I worked in. Being told by clueless punters that their bike could do this and that because they saw someone do it on youtube or read it in MCN... lol. I was just trying to put accross that you shouldn' believe everything you see on the internet. For all I know, you bought the bike because the salemen told you it would be perfect for riding over the dunes in the Sahara or blasting through river crossings. (I used to be one of those souless salesman)

I genuinely hope you have a great time on it.. I'm sure you will ! I can't make Ripley this year as I'm away but I'll gladly come and find you another time for a race heheheh



No doubt an absolutely fantastic road bike ! It has a lovely induction/exhaust tune to it too.

If I was looking for a large comfortable road bike and had the that kind of money to spend, it would be in my top 10 too !

The problem is that Yamaha aren't going to market it as a road bike are they !!

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

That was what my thoughts on it were. Thats what I want it for.

Sorry Ted, being a newbe I did not appreciate the signifigance of .

I was had over by a dealer but not for the S10, for the 09 GSA I have just sold. I bought it as there was no real alternative bike to let SWAMBO and I ride around the world. Trouble was, even before I bought it I did not like it. Having sold it with 6000 miles on it I absolutely hated it. It was (in my opinion of course) crude and unrefined. I did however have some fun on it....

But when the S10 was anounced, I walked into my garage and told the GSA it's days were numbered.
Also, I ordered the S10 over the internet from Yamaha, no sales pitch, just my faith in Yamaha based on my experiences with them. When I did speak to by dealer, Saunders of Knebworth, He knew as much as me and when he went to the initial viewing he was so impressed, he ordered one for himself as well.


Shame, we could have had a and you could have given me some pointers for my next few years travels.

As for marketing it as a road/off road bike, they are only doing the same as BMW and they unlike BMW, do have a completely different large road bike, the FJR1300.

I think Yamaha have made a mistake in naming the bike a Super Tenere. This has made many die hard enduro type fans dissapointed as they were expecting a modern XT750Z (or whatever) and that is not what Yamaha have made.
We are in a very fortunate position at present, we have just retired and have the cash available to pay the £14,500 (inc accessories) for the bike. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and will never happen to us again.

What does get under my skin is that so many people are knocking this bike having never seen one. Hence my cheeky post with the video above.
All the reviews I have seen from NON journalists who have actually ridden one appear to be positive.

I am PXing an 08 Tenere for this bike and I do not think I am going to be dissapointed.

Regards Ray

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New bike, Retired Nomad.

It's a GS12 but more so. Bigger heavier shinier blah blah blah. Tourer!
(I wish they would remake the 750)
They have one in Birmingham and I was offered 2k trade in on my 4yr old wee strom which hasn't missed a beat since new.
So, with the £11,000 price difference I could ride my bike around the world for two years or trade up to a shiny new Yamaha

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have fun with your helmet!

I have had my new S10 forr a month and a half now and can reliably share my experience on this bike with you all.I have done 4000 ks so far and this ha sbeen on highways , twisties and about 600 ks of dirt roads ranging from good to rocky passes. My average fuel consumption on my rides is 5.2 lt/100km = 19.2km/liter , now that is awesome for a bike this size.This is at speeds of around 135km/h with the normal accelaration when over taking.The brakes are awesome in every respect and the suspension is brilliant.Im told that a leading and respected instructer and GS adventure owner , off a off road academy here in RSA rates it better than the KTM990 suspension The handling for me anyway is easier than my XT660Z in than it feels much lighter when throwing it around.The lights at night are the best ive ever had. On the standard tyres it is superb through corners in fact my mate keeps up with the super bikes through the corners its so good, I dont have the balls to ride that fast.Ive gone as fast as 220ks and its very stable and as fast as 180ks on good dirt straights and its bloody stable.The bikes power (torque ) is second to none and the engine is a dream.The riding position is much better than the GSadv and it certainly does not seem to weigh 261kgs. Im not convinced the panniers will last a trans africa trip in fact im sure they wont.I have put tkc80s on the bike now and it feels so much better when riding on dirt roads. The screen should be higher . Anyway thats my view on the S10 and some people talk s*&#@ when it comes to commenting about the S10.I was wandering what would they have to say about the GSadv if it had just been launched and the S10 had been around all the time ??? In my opinion the S10 fits exactly inbetween the 990 and the GS , exactly whats needed by most adv riders. I am off the opinion that BMW have only sold so many bikes because there was never a Jap alterntive in the adv market . bye for now