2014 XT1200ZR

snakebitten

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There have been lots of Super Tenere reviews by the press. It's been a mixed bag of results from the beginning. And although, on occasion, somebody that "gets it" gives the Tenere its due, it is far more common that it comes up short against the competition because it just doesn't have the required wow factor the press seems to require.

Fine.

But I just had a fantastic 3 day run across Texas on a Tenere that was leaking wow by the mile.

Hey Yamaha, here is what you do.
Straight out of Europe's bag of tricks, release an XT1200ZR.

1. You can add a new color for it, or simply add a classy graphics package to enhance the existing colors.
2. Then add Ohlins Bling front and back.
3. Add the Gen2 Flash. (Can be Any brand, but results need to be similar to what I experienced all day today. Superb! )
4. If you must, add a name brand can (not loud) and an R version of the shroud.

Nothing more. Restraint. You do not need to pre-farkle the bike.

Retail for R models with Ohlins can often warrant $4000.00 premiums.
So MSRP in the USA is 18,500

Now for the press release, supply the regular version too. They must be ridden back to back.

So the first review will simply result in huge praise over the improvements Yamaha made to their Super Tenere. They will certainly find the wow. Because it is a truly stunning leap forward. They will say things like "Yamaha finally releases the Tenere they should have built in the first place".......blah blah blah. It will be predictable. :)

Then they will start testing it against the typical cast of characters. Only this time it won't come across as dull and characterless. Yamaha will get credit for unleashing the beast.

It will still be a Tenere that needs personal farkling. That's the nature of this genre of bike that lends itself to bolting on every imaginable RoundTheWorld piece of kit.

But there WON'T be any issues with how it runs and how it handles! The inferiority complex will be a thing of the past.

Lucky for me, I don't have to trade mine in to get one. In fact, several of us already have the XT1200ZR.
It's available now.
 

GrahamD

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snakebitten said:
Retail for R models with Ohlins can often warrant $4000.00 premiums.
So MSRP in the USA is 18,500
No No No.

You want to bump the compression to an air liquifying 13:1.
It now has to make 160HP @10,000RPM
12 riding mode Active suspension that can be average because it's the modes that count. Let the rider switch modes like a mofo instead of getting the shock properly sorted. Bugger that.
USB connectors, Wireless, bluetooth, crash avoidance, built in GPS,

You want quantity not quality.

And it's a YAMAHA so it has to be $12,000 US or it's a rip off.

Then the press will bag it out for not being able to use regular unleaded fuel.
They will then complain about the tractability under 2000RPM.
It won't be economical enough at 250Km/h or stable enough.
There are too many gadgets. The BMW got it just right.



Cheers
Graham
 

snakebitten

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I hate that you are probably right. At least for a lot of the motorcycle press.

But I still say the bike I rode today would impress the hell out of a lot of guys. It's that good.

(and I realize I wasn't the first)
 

GrahamD

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snakebitten said:
But I still say the bike I rode today would impress the hell out of a lot of guys. It's that good.
I dare say you are right..

The one thing that many Wee owners wanted was better suspension. Top of the list. Maybe better weight management. (Lower COG). If they did do an "ohlins" low cog Wee I would have ponied up the extra.

SO, personally I think I am going to go the same way you have gone once I extract some value out of the OEM suspenders, or they gives me the shits which ever comes first.
 

TenRider

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In a way I am glad I didn't read too much about the Yamaha or I would of been frightened off. I just had a ride and loved it. The bike puts a smile on my face. I have had one of my riding mates say I didn't buy the right bike as it didn't make economical sense. I realized he was reading heaps from the pommie press.
You don't at once see the quality of the Yamaha, its not a show boat of a bike with heaps of add on bits. Thing is you notice the quality in the bike and in design as you ride the bike mile upon mile. Its a fantastic machine, but I am preaching to the converted. I really have no idea why the poms hate the S10 so much?
 

GrahamD

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TenRider said:
I have had one of my riding mates say I didn't buy the right bike as it didn't make economical sense.
Here is a funny thing. The bike is a real long distance any road tourer, not a "blast down the coffee shop and show off" bike. It's pretty honest.

Very similar to a GSA in concept. The fact that those who take these off road can go either way between the Bavarian Wallet Muncher and the YAMAHA makes me wonder where the $7K went. Of course it has its own character and is not actually a copy of anything really.

All the press seem to be doing is the same as they did with RRRace bikes. Pushing them further and further away from reality.

The reality is though they all have their sweet spots and there is no real reason why any of them need to be too different in price. for similar spec levels. If one suits you over the other that is the one you buy, whether that be "speaking to you" or application to your needs or both.
 

twinrider

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The Japanese makers are selling themselves short by not offering premium packages or simply accessory options that would include better suspension, cruise control, handlebar-mounted dash controls and other features. Those who want to spend the extra cash can order them, those who don't can get the base model.
 

macca

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Its rare that you get a honest press review of a bike except when its a retrospective best 2nd hand buys, historical review. I've just read the UK TBM and MSL reviews of adv bikes and they are little more than regurgitated press packs, especially the MSL ultimate adv bike test which is hard to tell if they actually rode any of them as part of the "test" and only included the S10 as others you may like add on ::).. Unfortunately the starbucks brigade read these and buy on the whims of journos views, so aprat from telling you what options they come with and showing you lots of pics of the steeds (sometimes not very well) they are not more that coffee table/crapper fodder for idling a few moments away..

PS on the XT1200ZR other than tweaking the currently fitted bits and loosing a few pounds (if possible) I agree there isn't much needed if anything at all, however this aspect may be a downfall for yam as in todays society change is good, no change is not good, and I guess its true too as I received my buy a new yam spam mailer recently but two things stopped me taking up the offer 1) they forgot to include the XT1200Z in the list of offered bikes/finance deals and 2) even if they had it hasn't changed apart from colours in respect to the my current S10 1st Edition. So until it does I'm not likely to be buying a new one?
 

fjrden

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Indeed Macca and others there are those who read articles rather than ride bikes and are taken in by so called Journos. have had a lot of bikes over the last 20/25 years. Some good VFRs some better FJRs and at the moment the best XT1200Z. I would buy a new S10 if it were to be upgraded in some form, lightend defo, flash,defo, the rest I believe is Bril. ::014:: ::022::
 

Rasher

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Great points all around,

We all know the bike is pretty decent for the real world (i.e. pay your own cash and keep it for a few years) as it is, but Yamaha should:-

* Sort low gear restrictions (Similar to decent Flash) OK their hands are parltly tied by emmisions, but the 2010 GS did not need stupid restrictions for its air-cooled engines and none of the competition (1200 twins) suffer the same fate.
* Improve switchgear
* (UK Only) Price in line with the competiton

That's about it IMO, anything else would add significant cost, or be more suited to some riders at the expense of others, for example I would prefer sharper steering, but that would negatively affect the bike for those who ride off-road.

For the road testers GrahamD nailed it

You want to bump the compression to an air liquifying 13:1.
It now has to make 160HP @10,000RPM
12 riding mode Active suspension that can be average because it's the modes that count. Let the rider switch modes like a mofo instead of getting the shock properly sorted. Bugger that.
USB connectors, Wireless, bluetooth, crash avoidance, built in GPS,

You want quantity not quality.
Probably helps to send the Journo's to some five star Hotel in a nice warm resort for the launch, take them on Helicopter rides and pour thousands of bottles of expensive booz down their necks and agree to take out huge adverts using snippets from their excellent reviews.


Many riders don't know what they want and cannot think for themselves, and turning up at Starbucks on the bike that came no better than 4th in any magazine test ruins their perceived street cred, something I have never aspired too, I judge my motorcycling happiness by my own enjoyment and nobody can tell me a bike I like is crap.
 

klunsford

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I followed the Super Tenere from when it came to the UK, Australia and then finally to the US. I then went and bought one. You believe half of what you read and less about what you hear and judge for yourself. That is why I ride what I ride. Plain and simple. I was on the verge of buying the mighty GS when the S10 came over on the boat... I am so glad that I waited....
 

~TABASCO~

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Snake,

Being one who loves everything with a motor, and mostly, motorcycles I know what your talking about.. I too have an "R" and its a bad mother !! This is the first bike I have every owned that will do anything I want it to do very well.. I really love this bike ! ::26::
 

big dave

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TenRider said:
In a way I am glad I didn't read too much about the Yamaha or I would of been frightened off. I just had a ride and loved it. The bike puts a smile on my face. I have had one of my riding mates say I didn't buy the right bike as it didn't make economical sense. I realized he was reading heaps from the pommie press.
You don't at once see the quality of the Yamaha, its not a show boat of a bike with heaps of add on bits. Thing is you notice the quality in the bike and in design as you ride the bike mile upon mile. Its a fantastic machine, but I am preaching to the converted. I really have no idea why the poms hate the S10 so much?
The poms don't hate the S10, it's our sportsbike obsessed journos in their power ranger suits, and magazine editors swayed by the advertiser's dollar.

there are lots of us independent thinking riders who love their S10 in the UK.

BD
 

Higstatic

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big dave said:
The poms don't hate the S10, it's our sportsbike obsessed journos in their power ranger suits, and magazine editors swayed by the advertiser's dollar.

there are lots of us independent thinking riders who love their S10 in the UK.

BD
::026::
 

snakebitten

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coastie said:
You guys need to stop spending my money! :)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Believe me, I went back n forth over and over whether the $$ would be worth it. After all, I had no real gripes. I was still loving the bike after 18+ months and 24,000 miles of fun. To make it even worse was the 5 month wait. You can change your mind a lot of times in that amount of time.

But now I know. No longer wondering. Doubt erased. The XT1200ZR is worth every penny over the standard bike. :)

It's fine not to do it too. But ask yourself if you WOULD HAVE bought the R version if it had been available. I wouldn't have been able to resist.
 

coastie

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snakebitten said:
Believe me, I went back n forth over and over whether the $$ would be worth it. After all, I had no real gripes. I was still loving the bike after 18+ months and 24,000 miles of fun. To make it even worse was the 5 month wait. You can change your mind a lot of times in that amount of time.

But now I know. No longer wondering. Doubt erased. The XT1200ZR is worth every penny over the standard bike. :)

It's fine not to do it too. But ask yourself if you WOULD HAVE bought the R version if it had been available. I wouldn't have been able to resist.
its like a young child. Although perfect at birth, you want to give it every opportunity to be the best it can be.
 

snakebitten

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This is what it looks like. Kinda stealthy. You would never suspect. ;D

 

~TABASCO~

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Looks great Snake ! Nice job ! Looking forward to looking at your monster pegs in Colorado !! ::008::
 
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