Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere

[papabread79]

If only HL can test ride...:sian:

Seems like u r keen.

[kmax]

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=435007&page=379

 

 

http://www.waspworks.com/gallery/supertenere/WASPWORKS%20Super%20Tenere%20020710_06.jpg

 

As I said, I had the use of a demo 2010 GSA for a full weekend a few weeks ago.

See exhibit A

 

http://www.waspworks.com/gallery/supertenere/_T3A4547.jpg

 

I must say, I fell completely in love with this machine and had to have one.

 

I wind the clock back two weeks prior to riding this bike...

 

A mate of mine is a sales dude at a local Yamaha bike shop.. We are sitting around shooting the breeze one day and I tell him I am thinking about getting a BMW GS/Adventure to compliment my Ducati SC1000S.

He asks if I know that Yamaha has a new adventure bike/intercontinental tourer called the Super Tenere coming out and is due soon. We had a look at the early info that Yamaha sent to the bike dealers and I say (talking ****) "Get one in - I'll have a ride and if I like it I will buy it"...

 

Anyway, all talk of Yamaha is forgotten..

Man meets BMW - Man falls in love with BMW - Man and BMW live happily ever after. Or so it would seem.

I take the GSA back on a Monday morning after my weekend of demo riding and tell them I will go and organise some funds. The same day on the way home from BMW, I stop by the mates Yamaha dealership to see a crate on the back of a truck with Yamaha Super Tenere plastered over the side of it...

I hang around for the next couple of hours as we unload and unpack the bike from the crate and I physically wrestle the mate over who is the first to sit on it... I am bigger, smarter, and stronger than him so I am the one bouncing up and down on this thing and almost laying it down in the middle of the bike shop to see how heavy it is to pick up.

I was absolutely astounded by the light weight feel (after the top heavy beemer) and I comment that it must be because it has no liquids etc.

Long story short, I say to the mate "Get this p,d'd tomorrow so I can have a ride because I am about to go and buy a beemer"... He says " sorry no one can ride these as Yamaha has not allocated any demos"

 

W.T.F???? How are you supposed to sell bikes that you wont let anyone ride.

That notion went out the door when I started to do the same thing.

30mins later I am sitting at his desk signing papers and thinking up a story to tell the wife.

 

You may be able to see from some of the pics, I live in an Australian bush setting and wanted a bike that could handle the forest trails and gravel and general bush riding.. Not to heavy going or I would have bought a more enduro rated bike. I work from home but travel the 50kms into Perth metro area nearly every day for one thing or another so I wanted a realy comfortable bike for those duties + heading of adventure touring with the wife (and luggage) on the bag.

 

I digress. You ask why the Yamaha instead of the BMW??

This is my opinion only.. Take it or leave it but dont bash me because it doesnt suit you...

Remember, I was about to buy the BMW so I had the funds and the desire for either bike.

 

1/ The Yamaha seat and ergo's were more comfortable - FOR ME.

2/ The Yamaha felt exponentially lighter both sitting on its wheels and when rolling, also when wheeling the bike around by hand. I am not a small man (5'11" - 240lbs) but the BMW was spooky to try and get off without the side stand down, and even more spooky to stand beside and wheel around.

3/ All the weight in the Yamaha felt like it was bottom heavy/neutral while the BMW felt top heavy.

4/ The Yamaha is rock solid up to incredibly illegal speeds (to which it achieves very quickly) where the BMW is twitchy between each gear change and extremely light at the bars and unstable at those high speeds.

5/ I was VERY unsure of the longevity and possibility of drive line failure with the BMW. Seems to happen all to often..

6/ The Yamaha feels physically smaller and less imposing than the BMW, specially in the dirt. I only took both bikes on a 2km section of powerline trail near my house but the Yamaha was immediately like an 50kg lighter bike and felt more controlable with the back end hanging out.

7/ The suspension on the Yamaha (specially the front forks) seems smoother and I seem to feel less sharpness in bumps than I did with the BMW. In dirt the front suspension of the Yamaha is miles ahead. The bMW seems like every thing revolves around, and waits for, the front suspension.

 

There were many, many things about the two bikes that lead me to the purchase of the Yamaha and at the end of the day, many things about the Yamaha suited ME better than the BMW.

 

Just my two cents worth.. You asked, I told.

 

Greg.

 

Oww - P.S - I forgot to mention:

8/ The Yamaha was $10,000 Aussie dollars cheeper than the GSA...

Apples for apples with three pannier boxes + liners + TC + ABS + Programmable whatever.. Except the Yamaha does not have tyre pressure monitors???

 

Greg.

 

[AJ..]

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=435007&page=379

 

 

 

 

damn....you have to rub it in again...

[EasyRiding]

damn....you have to rub it in again...

 

BUY! BUY! BUY!...

Count me in for the 2nd hand sales...

[AJ..]

this is crazy stuff...I am totally in love...

 

http://www.waspworks.com/gallery/supertenere/WASPWORKS%20Super%20Tenere%20110710_01.jpg

 

http://www.waspworks.com/gallery/supertenere/WASPWORKS%20Super%20Tenere%20110710_04.jpg

 

http://www.waspworks.com/gallery/supertenere/WASPWORKS%20Super%20Tenere%20110710_07.jpg

 

The tenere looks more compact...more appealing...way more infact...damn!

 

i want to pester the Yamaha salesman again this week...

[papabread79]

More compact not nice... bigger better... hehe.

[himl]

Seems like u r keen.

 

Who's not....

[Blackie21]

we went to see the bike on sat. loooks great in the flesh and seems to be a very comfie and capable machine. i think many individuals have ordered the machine already.

 

just some personal views, from someone who is considering the machine.

 

price wise seems decent but add ons are a little expensive if you ask me and some things like the bash plate should come standard. most of the protection that the stock bike gets are hard plastic, i thought that yamaha would have at least provided some minimal protection that was made of steel considering that this is suppose to be an off road machine, maybe as its suppose to fall on sand, they didn't make it stock protection in metal.

 

the side mounted radiator, on 1 side is interesting. but gets minimal protection in stock form. The rear shock linkage is also exposed with the stock bash plate.

 

the pipe is fugly! but the headers seem to be stainless steel and that's quality, if they are!

 

interesting way that the spokes are laced with mounting points being cast with the hubs instead of being drilled through the hub flanges like we usually see on most hubs, this one is going to be an interesting point to watch for, in terms of durability.

 

the shaft drive looks as mean as that on the vmax, which says a lot.

 

riding position is great. pillions will be happy.

 

 

As an alternative to the BMW GS12, i would definately get this (its a no brainer, way cheaper and you can do more with the cash you save on the BM) but if you are into unique stuff for posing (like me, who does not have time to ride!) as well as riding, there are a few other machines out there to consider.

 

I have owned/ridden BM's before and imho, they are getting way to technologically advanced for mere mortals like us who wish to have a bike that we do not HAVE to service at the dealers. I think the best all round adventure tourer out there is the AT (still one of the bikes i would like to own) or the airhead GS but they do not build them any longer.

 

If 1 is really going to go off road, get the tenere xtz660, if you want to cruise m'sia into thailand and cambodia, the big brother should be considered.

[AJ..]

strange...why the xt660z for offroad and not with the 1200?

 

 

care to shed some light?

 

in terms of off-roading,what is off-roading?me newbie on the theory of off-roading...

[mumumu]

riding position is great. pillions will be happy.

 

Did you get to sit on it? From what I know they placed the bike on a platform that says "Do not Step" so its for viewing only

[bOtzZ]

strange...why the xt660z for offroad and not with the 1200?

 

 

care to shed some light?

 

in terms of off-roading,what is off-roading?me newbie on the theory of off-roading...

 

offroading = anything off or away from tarmac or normal roads..

 

To me, the XT1200Z is capable of doing offroad rides with the right tyres..

 

XT660Z can do more hardcore offroad due to its higher ground clearance..

 

My point is, both bikes are capable of offroading..the only difference is the level of offroading.. the more hardcore and tighter offroads, the lighter and higher ground clearance bikes will have an edge.

[kmax]

strange...why the xt660z for offroad and not with the 1200?

 

care to shed some light?

 

in terms of off-roading,what is off-roading?me newbie on the theory of off-roading...

 

 

offroading = anything off or away from tarmac or normal roads..

 

To me, the XT1200Z is capable of doing offroad rides with the right tyres..

 

XT660Z can do more hardcore offroad due to its higher ground clearance..

 

My point is, both bikes are capable of offroading..the only difference is the level of offroading.. the more hardcore and tighter offroads, the lighter and higher ground clearance bikes will have an edge.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_GS

 

The GS refers to either Gelände/Straße (German: off-road/road)

 

[Blackie21]

AJ, to me off-roading is like taking dirt roads that go up mountains/hills in the chiang mai area or through the estates in m'sia. maybe its able to do so, but definately not when i am at the **** of the bike as do not think i am capable enuf to handle a 200+kg bike with panniers in that terrain. an xr250/baja, its probably ok for me.

 

I didn't get to sit on it but look at the size of that seat and the position and angle of the bars. The AT had a small seat (both in width and lenght) which was the main reason i didn't get it as the missus didn't approve of that.

[TaNk3e]

how come the 1st edition if the ST12 doesn't come with the standard package or panniers, foglights, belly pans that yamaha promise in their first edition bikes?...

[Blackie21]

how come the 1st edition if the ST12 doesn't come with the standard package or panniers, foglights, belly pans that yamaha promise in their first edition bikes?...

 

as explained by the sales chap, the first edition thingy is a Europe Marketing decision to load up the entire bike with the goodies. Apparently, the dealers in Asia decided not to do that and opt to provide the extras to the buyers based on what they wanted.

 

That imho is marketing talk. crash bars costs abt $900 i think and a full set of panniers will set you back $1800 if you get them on top of your $29k for the bike. Sump guard is about $600 as well i think. it all adds up.

[bOtzZ]

how come the 1st edition if the ST12 doesn't come with the standard package or panniers, foglights, belly pans that yamaha promise in their first edition bikes?...

 

as what is mentioned by Blackie, it's a marketing strategy. The fully loaded ST1200 is only for the European market.. Only those European who made their bookings thru the Yamaha Europe website will get the fully loaded St1200.

 

However, there are many numerous bad reviews regarding the YAmaha panniers. The panniers are also of the same quality as of the XT660Z. Easily dented, scratched easily and there were also comments that the panniers easily came off their rack.

 

The OEM crashbars seems to protect the lower engine well but top part is rather exposed, esp the left mounted radiator. I would love to see a full top and lower crash bars ala the GSA1200.

 

Other than that, the price of an OEM accessories is really exorbitant. Aftermarket accessories normally are better equipped and gives better protection.

[AJ..]

well...today was my 3rd visit to HL to view the bike...it was down from the platform and on the showroom floor itself...so i got a clear view from rider point of view just by standing very close to it and by holding the handlebars...

 

surprisingly...it feels compact unlike my Vara.and not to mention what other huge trailies I've set on...

 

I dunno why,but I was caressing the bike from the headlite,to the meter panel,to the rotors,to the swingarm,to the tyres,tank,seat,everywhere.

 

 

And before heading there,I was at Loois...Was told,HL won't be selling the bike to other bikeshops.It seems like they want to have the whole game by themselves.

 

anyways...was wondering,has this ever happen to any Singaporean Adventure BMW riders?

http://spud63.smugmug.com/photos/930305745_ohYkh-L.jpg

http://spud63.smugmug.com/photos/930306475_ffE8g-L.jpg

[bOtzZ]

well...today was my 3rd visit to HL to view the bike...it was down from the platform and on the showroom floor itself...so i got a clear view from rider point of view just by standing very close to it and by holding the handlebars...

 

surprisingly...it feels compact unlike my Vara.and not to mention what other huge trailies I've set on...

 

I dunno why,but I was caressing the bike from the headlite,to the meter panel,to the rotors,to the swingarm,to the tyres,tank,seat,everywhere.

 

 

And before heading there,I was at Loois...Was told,HL won't be selling the bike to other bikeshops.It seems like they want to have the whole game by themselves.

 

 

i mean like seriously?? Seriously they gonna monopolise the sale of the XT1200Z? DAMN!!

 

u asked at Loois right? Did u asked HL about it? the last time i asked HL, HL is willing to sell it to bikeshops, just like any other Yammy bikes..

 

If anyone dropping by HL, pls do enquire regarding this..

 

thx

[kmax]

 

anyways...was wondering,has this ever happen to any Singaporean Adventure BMW riders?

http://spud63.smugmug.com/photos/930305745_ohYkh-L.jpg

http://spud63.smugmug.com/photos/930306475_ffE8g-L.jpg

 

i remember only this mishap happened to fellow forumer.

 

http://i44.tinypic.com/s3pu68.jpg

 

anyway, let's keep the topic to Super Tenere, else it will turn into Beemer Vs Tenere arguments like ADV..

[AJ..]

well...that's seems like what I was told....

[Vonmuck]

The stock yamaha rear pannier is too small.

 

Prefer a rear pannier that can hold 2 x helmets.

 

Hopefully H&B will have the solution soon. If not, it is back to SK.

[happy125]

i mean like seriously?? Seriously they gonna monopolise the sale of the XT1200Z? DAMN!!

 

u asked at Loois right? Did u asked HL about it? the last time i asked HL, HL is willing to sell it to bikeshops, just like any other Yammy bikes..

 

If anyone dropping by HL, pls do enquire regarding this..

 

thx

 

I enquired at Excel Cycle and the boss saying yes can get from them and they are waiting for the August shipment.

 

Machine price $26000 w/o COE.

[ohayo]

I enquired at Excel Cycle and the boss saying yes can get from them and they are waiting for the August shipment.

 

Machine price $26000 w/o COE.

 

!!!! wa...like that otr should between 27000-28000 liao...price very swee sia.

[anodise57]

Ah yean u dream long long ah

With all the added in cost watsoever. should be closing in on 30K

[mumumu]

I am quite glad that jap bikes distributors or p.i are keeping the prices reasonable.

 

Unlike bml:dot: The euro had gone down a bit but have they adjusted their prices??