Yamaha Super Tenere vs BMW 1200GS: The Verdict

[gore-tx]

First comparison test from a French motorcycle website:
http://www.moto-station.com/article8...au-sommet.html
If you can't read French, skip to the end of the article to see the final grade. They grade both bikes. The GS is still on top. BMW have had many years to develop and refine their bike so it's no surprise the GS wins.

[Lion BR]

Originally Posted by gore-tx

First comparison test from a French motorcycle website:
http://www.moto-station.com/article8...au-sommet.html
If you can't read French, skip to the end of the article to see the final grade. They grade both bikes. The GS is still on top. BMW have had many years to develop and refine their bike so it's no surprise the GS wins.

Interesting results. I'm sure it will generate good conversations here from the arm-chair experts.

[craigincali]

If the ST ever comes to the States and is priced lower than a GSA then the ST will win in sales. Every article I have read has said that the only reason they would take the GS over the ST is because the GS is cheaper, other than that it is a draw.

[996DL]

BMW is finally facing some well thought out, distinctly different offerings, from Ducati and Yamaha. The rather conservative XT1200Z, doesn't appear conceived to leapfrog the boxer's overall competence, but merely to offer a more conventional alternative to BMW's GS1200, while relying on the premise and allure of Japanese reliability.

It's all good !

996DL

[DSM8]

http://translate.google.com/translat...au-sommet.html

[Peke]

Plzz noooo.!!!

[pinglow]

The S10 will defintely be more reliable


BMW only Brings Me Worry and Break My Wallet

[GB]

The link is busted.

[GrahamD]

Well the most important bit..

Now, we weigh ourselves motorcycles.
Here are our numbers compared to the values manufacturers.

BMW R1200GS: 254.6 kg fully fueled (20Litres), AV 121.2 kg / 133.4 kg CA (229 kg announced without options) (Cast wheels)

Yamaha XT1200Z: 274.8 kg fully fueled (23Litres), AV 131.4 kg / 143.4 kg CA (261 kg announced with suitcases) (Spoke wheels)

The BMW (Blue) seems to have a bit of an asthma attack at around 5000RPM?


Is that BMW traction control?

BMW R1200GS:

90 km/h compteur / 87 km/h réels / 3 200 tr/min

90 km / h meter / 87 km / h actual / 3200 rpm

130 km/h compteur / 126 km/h réels / 4 600 tr/min

130 km / h meter / 126 km / h actual / 4600 rpm

Yamaha XT1200Z :

Yamaha XT1200Z:

90 km/h compteur / 84 km/h réels / 2 800 tr/min

90 km / h meter / 84 km / h actual / 2800 rpm

130 km/h compteur / 122 km/h réels / 4 100 tr/min

130 km / h meter / 122 km / h actual / 4100 rpm

BMW 27Kmh / 1000 RPM
YAMAHA 30Kmh /1000RPM

So the YAMAHA has dead flat torque between 90K/h and 180Km/h hmmmm.

I can see my license disappearing very quickly.

Well hopefully the YAMAHA team read these test reports and do some small mods every year from the feedback and don't "do a Strom"
and just change colours.

Cheers
Graham

[Blakduk]

Anyone ridden both and want to post up their thoughts?

[GrahamD]

Originally Posted by Blakduk

Anyone ridden both and want to post up their thoughts?

Wasp rode a GSA before he ran out and Bought the S10. He thought it was worth spending his money on.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=595933

And a few others I can't remember right now from the AUS and UK.

Cheers
Graham

[OldDog]

Actually i don't doubt that the BMW comes out on top in that test. As said they've had a while to get the GS thing sorted out, and well lets face it, when you say "BMW" everyone immediatly thinks "reliability"

Also, in Europe the S10 pricing seems to be very high. Over here we can buy an S10 for $3000 AUD cheaper than the base model R1200GS (no ABS ESA etc etc) so the numbers stack up for us. Also theres the service issue, my closest Yamaha dealer is less than a kilometer away and Yamaha dealers are plentiful throughout the outback whereas my closest BMW dealer is about 900km's away.

I do think that BMW will reduce the price of the GS soon as the S10 will be eating into their market share. Also, in the end, for those of you that find it an issue, you may want to consider re sale value. The BMW will always hold its value pretty well, i predict that the Yamaha however will drop in value like most Jap bikes do.
Just my 2 cents worth.

[the Pheasant]

Originally Posted by Blakduk

Anyone ridden both and want to post up their thoughts?

Camhead GS, GSA and two S10s, the second both with and as pillion over a shared 450 mile day. Neither ridden off-road though. A few thoughts...

All fine machines although I personally would not buy the GSA 'cos its tank is too bulky for my liking. I like the feel of the boxer motor despite its uneven torque curve. Initially I didn't much like the S10 motor, finding it lumpy in power delivery at lower revs. With a few more miles I came around to the view that the S10 mill is superb; the sensation of power pulses suggests vibration but there is next to none. Ally this to serious bottom end punch and a linear torque curve and it gets my vote.

S10 riding position is excellent, especially standing. Ergos are typically proficient Japanese.

As mentioned by jribiero, the S10 has a double-sided swingarm. In this it is unique amongst its shaft-drive peers. This surely has to be the most durable arrangement, especially as the S10 does not have an extra pivot in the swingarm to minimise suspension effects from the shaft (seems it does not need one...)

Does the S10 survive drops as well as the GS? Don't know but reports here seem to suggest it is robust, if not as much so as the boxer given its water cooling apparatus and fairing panels.

But in any case, the S10 has one major advantage over the BM, Honda Crosstourer and Triumph Tiger Explorer; it doesn't have a beak.

[GrahamD]

Originally Posted by the Pheasant

But in any case, the S10 has one major advantage over the BM, Honda Crosstourer and Triumph Tiger Explorer; it doesn't have a beak.

Yeah it was a major part pf my decision

My theory is that real adventure bikes don't need beaks.to prove anything.

[R3B]

Originally Posted by GrahamD

Well the most important bit..


The BMW (Blue) seems to have a bit of an asthma attack at around 5000RPM?


Is that BMW traction control?

Nope is a design flaw, every GS if 11xx, 12xx and i presume coming up 13xx has it, it gives the sensation of a very powerfull bike, it gives a punch at 4700.

That's one of the silly "complaints" you read in Magazines with sportbikerider testers, they think a Tenere is slow, because its so linear...
Even more silly in this test, they accuse the S10 of a hole around 4000, because it is so linear they actually miss the gain after the dip of the GS :-)

The torque of the Yamaha is apparently constant over a wide rpm range, providing more than 10.5 mkg in 3000 to 6 500 rpm. But on the handlebars, we still feel a hole at around 4000 rpm,

Look at the Torque curvem, how on earth could you ever feel a dip ???

Oooohhhh!!!!

There the cat is out of the bag...
Reading the last page we see why the GS won...

Once again, a BMW passes the bar imposed by the 106 horses clamping French. It is therefore clear here that the BMW R1200GS entrusted by the importer is not constrained if we observe the peak of its power curve peaking at 110 hp. This makes the game unfair while the Yamaha it, respects rules of the game is also explains the best performance of the R1200GS handlebar observed in our comparison

The Tenere compies with the French HP limitation, but the GS blatently disregards the rule, FOUL PLAY !




But this weekend i get mine (YEEEEESSSS) so i will do some Roll ons with the GS clubbers of our Province, and get you guys some real life data soon, then side by side is the only way to konw for sure.

Verry funny to see they need the speedo lag as a major point to dismiss the Tenere.

Says it all in my eyes; "damn we cant't find a serious flaw, lets look for something!"