Anyone not like their Super Tenere?

[grahamfitter]

Originally Posted by pluric

I still have my KLR. It has not left the garage since I bought the Tenere. I don't think there is a trail I would not take the Tenere on over the KLR. I could not say that with the Strom.

Since the Tenere has a bit of a "Rich mans KLR" reputation I would at least go with an Action Packer
over the milk crate for your budget luggage.

I think they have red handles that would complement the sticker on the black tank so at least that makes the color decision easy.

To be honest if the Tenere has the same "one bike that can do most things well enough, is reliable and easy to maintain, and can be made cheap to drop" quality as the KLR, while being more refined across the board and also pillion friendly, I'm OK with that.

Originally Posted by arkline

OK, I'll 'fess up. I traded the Super Ten in last weekend. On the road, it was pretty nice. Super steady (on rails as the media say), very responsive handling, pretty decent suspension for a guy coming off an R1150R, and so weiter und so fort. In motion, I would agree with most of the owners here - great bike.

But when it wasn't rolling at speed, it was more than I felt comfortable with. Tall, fairly high COG, and freaking heavy. Moving it around the garage was a chore, especially when the tank was full. It just never felt easy enough. I couldn't really get enough foot down at stops, definitely hated stopping on grated bridges, and couldn't back peddle into a parking space. In short, it was more bike than I personally could handle. I admit it. It got to the point where (contrary to the usual), I'd make excuses to not ride the bike. Seriously, that's stupid. So, no more Tenere for me...

Out of interest, how tall are you? At the risk of going off topic, I'm wondering how big of a bike is too big of a bike for carrying a passenger. I'm short and skinny (5'7", 31" inseam and 140lbs) and she-who-says-no-way-in-hell has seen the somewhat abstract relationship that I have with the ground while astride the KLR. I'm wondering whether the heavier but lower Tenere would be more approachable.

[pluric]

Originally Posted by grahamfitter

Out of interest, how tall are you? At the risk of going off topic, I'm wondering how big of a bike is too big of a bike for carrying a passenger. I'm short and skinny (5'7", 31" inseam and 140lbs) and she-who-says-no-way-in-hell has seen the somewhat abstract relationship that I have with the ground while astride the KLR. I'm wondering whether the heavier but lower Tenere would be more approachable.

There is absolutely no comparison between the KLR passenger area and Tenere. The Tenere is like the
passenger is on their own bike. Lots of room. My wife voted it better than the FJR, a little better than the
Strom. She won't ride on the KLR double up. I hate that combo too. She's little I'm a healthy boy at 5'11"
and 215lbs 32 inch inseam.

140lbs? Wow. I'm thinking what the power to weight ratio would be there.

Maybe some lowering links just to be safe.

I'm not quite sure about "Cheap to drop" what is? Get some Altrider side bars and at least make it affordable to drop.

[AlsoRan]

I hate my clutch...no hard pull, no on-off like a switch, no slippage, and no stink = no character! But then it's a Yamaha clutch! As expected though - no problems either, even with 1st gear being just a little high (not too high), and the bike being ridden by a subconscious clutch user.

I think I will keep it anyway!

[arkline]

Well, on a really, really good day when the atmospheric pressure is down and I've had a good night's sleep, I'm 5'6" tall with a 29" inseam depending on who made the jeans I'm wearing...The low seat in the low position on the Tenere is still pretty tall. Now, I'm not dissing the bike at all. I think it's a pretty good, quality piece of work. Especially considering the less than ideal situation the Japanese found themselves in after the tsunami (and probably still less than ideal). The factors that didn't jibe with me had little to do with rideability of the bike. It just wasn't for me. I hope the one I traded in goes to a good home and gets ridden. A lot.

Originally Posted by grahamfitter

Out of interest, how tall are you? At the risk of going off topic, I'm wondering how big of a bike is too big of a bike for carrying a passenger. I'm short and skinny (5'7", 31" inseam and 140lbs) and she-who-says-no-way-in-hell has seen the somewhat abstract relationship that I have with the ground while astride the KLR. I'm wondering whether the heavier but lower Tenere would be more approachable.

[grahamfitter]

Originally Posted by pluric

There is absolutely no comparison between the KLR passenger area and Tenere. The Tenere is like the
passenger is on their own bike. Lots of room. My wife voted it better than the FJR, a little better than the
Strom. She won't ride on the KLR double up. I hate that combo too. She's little I'm a healthy boy at 5'11"
and 215lbs 32 inch inseam.

140lbs? Wow. I'm thinking what the power to weight ratio would be there.

Maybe some lowering links just to be safe.

I'm not quite sure about "Cheap to drop" what is? Get some Altrider side bars and at least make it affordable to drop.

To balance my short and light, she-who-needs-to-see-the-light is even shorter at 5'2 but is a little, err, denser. This is about more than bike physics; I've never ridden with a pillion and she hasn't been on the back of a bike before and despite the bike porn I've been accumulating, isn't on board yet. So I'm a little concerned that -- if I do manage to pull off the sale of the century -- I can hold up my end of the deal, literally.

Anyway, cheap to drop, in addition to not breaking anything important, now means not losing my glasses while righting the narcoleptic machine.

Originally Posted by arkline

Well, on a really, really good day when the atmospheric pressure is down and I've had a good night's sleep, I'm 5'6" tall with a 29" inseam depending on who made the jeans I'm wearing...The low seat in the low position on the Tenere is still pretty tall. Now, I'm not dissing the bike at all. I think it's a pretty good, quality piece of work. Especially considering the less than ideal situation the Japanese found themselves in after the tsunami (and probably still less than ideal). The factors that didn't jibe with me had little to do with rideability of the bike. It just wasn't for me. I hope the one I traded in goes to a good home and gets ridden. A lot.

Thanks for the feedback. I hope you found something that fits you better. Would an extra couple of inches of leg length have made the difference for you?

[arkline]

I've been wishing I was taller, slimmer, and better looking since high school.

I will say the turning point in my relationship happened when I was rolling the bike to the front of our garage to get ready to ride it to work. As I pushed it, the side stand popped up without making much noise (I had my gear on already, helmet, etc.) Thinking the side stand was still down I let the bike lean over to set it on the stand and, damn, the thing just kept going over. It literally pushed me aside (I am no immoveable object it turns out), as I held on to the bars for dear life. It made a soft landing and then I tried to pick it up.

Could not do it, not by myself. Had to get assistance from the wife and it took the piss out of both of us. We did get it up, but it was a struggle and there were back muscles tweaked in the process. Well, this no-speed drop got me to thinking. Like what would it be like to have the thing go over on me in a rest stop somewhere east of Pendelton with a full load of traveling necessities? Or on some forest service road all by my lonesome? So it got parked until I could bring myself to trade it in on something more appropriate for me. Believe me, I recognize that I'm something of an idiot for not recognizing the idiocy sooner. Anyway, I managed to get into a new bike without getting bent over and taken from behind and at the approximate cost of having the bike lowered by professional suspension magi. And someone will get the ride of his/her life, because it really is a good motorcycle.

Originally Posted by grahamfitter

Thanks for the feedback. I hope you found something that fits you better. Would an extra couple of inches of leg length have made the difference for you?

[pluric]

Originally Posted by arkline

Could not do it, not by myself. Had to get assistance from the wife and it took the piss out of both of us. We did get it up, but it was a struggle and there were back muscles tweaked in the process.

I have a very similar sex life.

[arkline]

Originally Posted by pluric

I have a very similar sex life.

Well, I don't think there's any blue pill to help pick up a blue Tenere...

[pluric]

Originally Posted by arkline

Well, I don't think there's any blue pill to help pick up a blue Tenere...

Maybe you need implants instead of a pill.

http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/pickup.html

[GrahamD]

Originally Posted by arkline

Could not do it, not by myself. Had to get assistance from the wife and it took the piss out of both of us. We did get it up, but it was a struggle and there were back muscles tweaked in the process.

Maybe you are not old enough?

[Cruz]

Seen a few of these trying to be picked up off road. Usually takes two or three to do it. It's not too bad if you are on hard and level ground, but who falls off on hard and level ground? It isn't alone though, the Explorer and Varadero are heavy and hard to pick up in the same situations.

[GrahamD]

Originally Posted by Cruz

...but who falls off on hard and level ground?

arkline does.

[Bill 310]

Originally Posted by pluric

There is absolutely no comparison between the KLR passenger area and Tenere. The Tenere is like the passenger is on their own bike. Lots of room. I'm not quite sure about "Cheap to drop" what is? Get some Altrider side bars and at least make it affordable to drop.

My wife rides her own bike but now that we shipped my KTM 990 to Europe she rides two up there. She would never ride well in Florence or Rome -and she is smart enough to know that.We occasionally ride two up at home and we have had a variety of bikes. The Tenere has a Russell Seat and nice back rest (same as the KTM). I am 6'4 250 and she is 5'6 125. She commented last weekend on how much more comfortable the Tenere is for here, "oodles of room" was her statement. We are going to ride the Tenere to Ushuaia in a few years, ( two up )and I expect it will be a pretty good choice, thought the KTM would be far easier to ride off pavement the Tenere


It is a heavy pig and will be a pain to pick up, I think that buying a bike that tall when you are inseam challenged is going to add more difficult to your riding. I hate to mention it but BMW sells a lower from the factory 1200 GS that might be a better choice ergonomically for some shorter in the leg riders. Dumping your bike with your spouse on the back at a stop sign is a lousy feeling.

[arkline]

Originally Posted by GrahamD

arkline does.

Too true. More than once.

[crazyjeeper]

Originally Posted by Cruz

... but who falls off on hard and level ground?

I did.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=810906