2010 Yamaha Super Tenere

[Giaka]

Think we will get this one in the US?

[Diablo Rojo]

I hope so.

[desert_rider]

Not gonna happen.

[chornbe]

Nope. Tiny niche market and it costs more than the GSA (in the UK, anyway).

[mxvet57]

I'd get one in a hartbeat. and i bet the final drives don't explode eather.

[Hunter]

I fail to understand the allure of this type of motorcycle.

Too heavy and unwieldy to be used off road, a gravel road is not off road. Appears to have little protection from wind and the elements so I can't see it as an uber-tourer. I can see how with it's long suspension it could be fun in tight corners but a smaller motard would eat it alive and once the road straightened just a little bit a true sport bike would easily pass.

What am I missing about these"Adventure" bikes? Is it all about posing? I know BMW sells a lot of the GS series bikes but I have yet to see one actually dirty, are they the motorcycle equivalent of a Hummer?

[chornbe]

I fail to understand the allure of this type of motorcycle.

Too heavy and unwieldy to be used off road, a gravel road is not off road. Appears to have little protection from wind and the elements so I can't see it as an uber-tourer. I can see how with it's long suspension it could be fun in tight corners but a smaller motard would eat it alive and once the road straightened just a little bit a true sport bike would easily pass.

What am I missing about these"Adventure" bikes? Is it all about posing? I know BMW sells a lot of the GS series bikes but I have yet to see one actually dirty, are they the motorcycle equivalent of a Hummer?

They're not my thing, but I fully understand their usefulness... as I see it, anyway.

They're not necessarily for "off road". Not dirt bike trail stuff, anyway. They're best for a mix of real-world roads, shit-road conditions, hard-pack and gravel roads, etc. Basically the "swiss army knife" of bikes. You wouldn't want to spend any real time on a CBR on hard pack & gravel, and you wouldn't want to run a DT125 up the highway. Bikes like these give you the opportunity to "do it all".

[marc11]

There is HUGE allure for a do it all, go anywhere bike.  

Long suspension travel to soak up the crappy roads we have here in the NE, not so much plastic that if it falls you have $x thousands in repairs, cheaper to insure (usually), upright riding position and not focused on one type of riding.  Generally these bikes, like the Versys or Strom can tour, sport ride, commute, run gravel or crappy roads and IMHO are the essence of the new breed of UJM.

And that is the point of the GS, Versys, Strom, etc.  They are not uber touring bikes, but they can tour.  They are not sport touring bikes, but they can sport tour.  They are not sport bikes, but they can be ridden at a good clip, etc.  They aren't great at any ONE thing, they are very good at everything.

The problem with soooooo many bikes today is they are built to focus on one thing very well and that is it.

[2wTraveler]

Looks like a great Alaska bike to me. I would seriously consider buying one if they came to the USA.

[Steve-H]

Spend even an hour on roads in Puerto Rico and you will understand why a bike like this makes sense.
I've been looking for a bike to keep down there (Family is down that way).  I've really been leaning towards a KLR650 - as there truly are off-road roads...But lots of shitty highway too.  This looks like it would fit the bill nicely.

[Max Wedge]

Chris and Marc nailed it. Michigan roads are the #1 worst in the country. These bikes make the roads rideable.

[Wanderer]

There's a good reason there are a ton of KTM ADV990s, Stroms and R-GSA's here in Colorado. There are miles and miles of roads that are 'high clearance vehicle' unmaintained dirt.  4wd isn't necessary, but they are far too rough to be done on anything without long-travel suspension.    
I can see this bike being very popular.

[UFO]

Think we will get this one in the US?

Nope.

They barely brought the FJR over here, you really think they will bring the Tenere over?

[bomber]

Nope.

They barely brought the FJR over here, you really think they will bring the Tenere over?

+1 Not in this fiscal climate, no.

[county]

Nope.

They barely brought the FJR over here.....

Wow, that would have been some tragedy, eh?

[DkKnight]

HaHa - Left the door wide open for County  

DK

[Max Wedge]

I would have bought one, even at the price premium, just to get "Yamaha quality'.  

[David Morrow]

Nope.

They barely brought the FJR over here, you really think they will bring the Tenere over?

You may have answered your own question. ( There was a question in there, wasn't there ? ) Yamaha took some are twisting before they brought over the FJR and then, surprise, surprise. It became a very popular bike. They may get a similar surprise with this one. I hope.

[DogBoy]

Wow, that would have been some tragedy, eh?

 

[bogfro]

There is HUGE allure for a do it all, go anywhere bike.  

Long suspension travel to soak up the crappy roads we have here in the NE, not so much plastic that if it falls you have $x thousands in repairs, cheaper to insure (usually), upright riding position and not focused on one type of riding.  Generally these bikes, like the Versys or Strom can tour, sport ride, commute, run gravel or crappy roads and IMHO are the essence of the new breed of UJM.

And that is the point of the GS, Versys, Strom, etc.  They are not uber touring bikes, but they can tour.  They are not sport touring bikes, but they can sport tour.  They are not sport bikes, but they can be ridden at a good clip, etc.  They aren't great at any ONE thing, they are very good at everything.

The problem with soooooo many bikes today is they are built to focus on one thing very well and that is it.

 

[sagerat]

I'd buy one.  I loved my GS as a riding platform, just a gigantic Universal German Standard.  

[CLAY]

Chris and Marc nailed it. Michigan roads are the #1 worst in the country. These bikes make the roads rideable.

Right on!  I need to carry a pipe to bent things straight after a rough day!  I'd be interested, but I don't think they'll be here for a few years, if they come at all.  I'd love to be wrong though- I really like them and would love to try one out.

[motoguy128]

As others have said...adventure bieks are jsut that, do everything machines.  Long distance, twisties, gravel roads, light trails, urban commuting.  Yes, they are heavy, but you can't carry a passenger and 100lbs of luggage and cruise comfortably at freeway speeds on a 350lb small displacement dual sport.

I almost purchased a GS, but the RT was just too comfortable 2-up to pass over.  I take the RT on gravel roads now and then, but I can't really explore any further than that.  Plus on loose gravel, you really want a narrower section rear tires, that larger front wheel, longer wheelbase and more relaxed steering geometry.

[JonS]

I thought it looked pretty good until I read that it weighs 575lb, wet. About 100lb more than what I ride now.

[tdeboeser]

Yet another bike I'd love to own ( MT1200 would be first though ).  

I'm kinda surprised, Yamaha has been pretty proactive in doing things different from say... honda (i.e. bringing bikes to US, asking and listening to owners, etc).  

Give it another year or so, we may yet see this bike here...

Tom de

[X1rider]

Great concept, and the wire wheels with tubeless tires are a trick bit of kit.

It is way to heavy, and the unbalanced styling turns me off. What's with the Japs and the asymmetric styling these days? Goofy placement of the radiator, and the massive single exhaust that intrude into the left side case is just plain dumb.

If it were to come here, it will be a lot lizard, then sold at fire sale prices.

The photo shop concept bike looked better!

[R Doug]

What am I missing about these"Adventure" bikes? Is it all about posing? I know BMW sells a lot of the GS series bikes but I have yet to see one actually dirty, are they the motorcycle equivalent of a Hummer?

I know what you mean.  I tend to see a lot of ZX-9s and other repli racers with 4" chicken strips hanging out at bike nights downtown on weekends.