Anyone NOT like their ST10 after trading in their R1200?

broop

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OK OK I have got it, we all love the Super Tenere or we would be on another forum...I get it. There are no perfect bikes, women or beers, they all have good qualities, some have good manners, some are a bit wild, scary and fun all at the same time some are just smooth and make us feel good. Like women, I like em all my favorite right now is the Super Tenere.....tomorrow?.......looks like more than a one night stand. Going to Utah from Dallas have the BMW R1200gsa gonna ride the Super T...Nuff said.
 

Paulvt1

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Good, measured arguments both ways. Nice to read. I'm intrigued to see the new L/C boxer and if BM have put their build issues to bed. After all, there are more and more credible alternatives popping up each year.
 

Wheelin

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Like many of the other owners posting, I also have owned a R12GS. I never had any final drive issues and I never broke down on the road. The repairs that I couldn’t do myself always ran around $1000 or more, so my hope is that the S10(bought in august with only 450 miles on the odometer) will have a far lower cost of ownership. But yes, I did enjoy the ride and handling of the R12GS.
 

cyclemike4

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I have rode several different BMW's and liked them all but one. The sticker shock was just too much for me. Also I have a good Yamaha dealer 30 miles from the house and that is a big deal for me to have a good dealer that will help you when you need it. Also I have put thousands of miles on a couple Yamaha's. they seem to be as good as anything out there. The thing that really gets to me is the terrible stumble off idle and then when I first got it would stall for no reason on as I would come to a stop. As far as I am concerned that is a terrible black mark on any company when you buy a new motorcycle or any vehicle for that matter and then have to work on it or spend hundreds and void factory warranty's to make it run the way it should have from the first day. I did do some work on the bike it runs much better and is no longer stalls on me. I have put over 40,000 miles on it and I would not consider getting rid of it now. the places I ride and the things I do with this bike is amazing. it is perfect for me. It is like my two wheeled pick up truck!
 

taskmaster86

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justbob said:
I put 80,000 miles on a R1200 (RT) , it was the best motorcycle I have ever owned and it was also the worst.
Ride quality, handling, fuel mileage and fuel range were excellent. The transmission seals leaked and contaminated the clutch, fortunately that was right near the end of the warranty period and BMW covered that repair which I was told would have cost me in the $1500 to $2000 price range. The lower left throttle cable frayed and broke which left me stranded on the road. The ESA quit working twice, both times it required connecting to a BMW dealer computer to recalibrate it and make it functional again. The Final drive failed in the middle of a trip thru the Everglades, leaving me stranded again. I was aware of the potential for failure with this part and had purchased a spare unit from a crashed bike. A lot of guys that I know with BMW's have experienced FD failures, some multiple times. This bike required more repairs than the last 5 or 6 bikes I owned, combined.
I have only had my Tenere for 10 days and 1600 miles but so far am really really pleased with the overall fit and function and the grin factor.
Wow thanks for that post.

While I am pretty happy with my S-10, the thought of ditching the whole adventure touring field and jumping over to the sport touring field has crossed my mind more than a few times. The BMW R1200RS is what I had my eye on. The RS and RT are supposed to be the same bike with different body panels. Your post really knocked the allure of that bike right out for me.
 

Sierra1

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FWIW, if you're looking to make the switch to sport touring, take a look at the FJR. I've moved from that to my current Tenere. Many here have. On the highway/curve/track, the FJR is hard to beat. The motor is phenomenal! That being said, the Tenere has more leg room, lighter slow speed handling, and at least equal carrying capacity. For ME, the Tenere does everything I need it to do....very well. I rode a BMW 1150RT-P for 60k miles. It was a great bike until the warranty was up; then it wasn't. Just MY two cents.
 

taskmaster86

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Sierra1 said:
FWIW, if you're looking to make the switch to sport touring, take a look at the FJR. I've moved from that to my current Tenere. Many here have. On the highway/curve/track, the FJR is hard to beat. The motor is phenomenal! That being said, the Tenere has more leg room, lighter slow speed handling, and at least equal carrying capacity. For ME, the Tenere does everything I need it to do....very well. I rode a BMW 1150RT-P for 60k miles. It was a great bike until the warranty was up; then it wasn't. Just MY two cents.
Thanks for the input but the FJR is not visually appealing to me. I like bikes that are either unique and/or aggressive in their styling cues. The FJR is too generic and boring looking for me, like an old man's bike or something. My matte grey S-10 has a unique, high tech look about it, that is what initially drew me to it.

Here are some new bikes I like the looks of and some of which I am considering, in no particular order:

Kawasaki Ninja 1000 - The only sport bike I like the look of but don't like the riding position.

Kawasaki Versys 1000 - a more serious contender, the 2017 model got some small but important updates to make this very competitive for me.

BMW R1200 RS - I like everything about it on paper, low real world reliability plus the high cost of purchase and upkeep, no thanks.

BMW S1000 XR - Awesome machine but expensive and known to have really bad vibration in the handlebars.

Yamaha Vmax- Love the look, wish it had a more practical engine and lower price tag.

Suzuki Boulevard M90 - The only practical cruiser I like. Not sure If I really want a cruiser though.

Harley Fatbob- Good looking machine but again, really not sure If I want a cruiser at all, let alone a Harley.

How's that for being scatter brained?
 

hogmolly

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I've owned airhead GS's, oil head GS's, and a hex head GS. Each generation I find the engineering more and more questionable. So much so that my last R1200GSA ruined me on the brand. I believe Yamaha engineers a better bike. You can't assess "sturdy" from looks. If your heart wants a GS then by all means get one. You won't be able to justify it from an engineering standpoint nor do you need to.

BTW, I still have an airhead GSPD. I like the bike but it's more tractor than motorcycle.
 

EricV

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SIX YEAR OLD THREAD. This thread started when the Super Ten was barely in the US. I'd had my '12 Super Tenere for a month. That bike was sold with 109k miles on it and another forum member is still cranking out miles on it. I now have 20k+ on a '15 that I bought with 3k on it last May.

There is basically no new input to this thread that will be of any use to others since it's all referencing dead links and 6 year old comments.

@taskmaster - I'm happy for your fun in buying and selling bikes. My tip for you is that motorcycles are meant to be ridden, not looked at. If you buy a bike for what you want it to do, you'll keep it a lot longer. That said, I'm guessing you don't put that many miles on any bikes you own. That's all good, but no need to ask any questions about comparisons if you're just buying bikes because they are visually appealing to you. Buy what you like the look of and enjoy looking at them. ::008:: No one else's opinions of how they look is important.
 

Sierra1

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1) taskmaster86: You are likely correct in labeling the FJR as an "old man's" bike. My 23 year old son is probably the youngest FJR owner. But, from what "I" have been told, the Tenere is also an "old man's" bike. "I" would also consider any BMW with saddlebags as an "old man's" bike. "I" don't buy bikes/cars/trucks because of what they LOOK like....I buy them for their function/performance. But, everybody has their personal preferences/priorities; whatever makes you smile.

2) EricV: You are absolutely correct that this is a six year old post. But, "I" think it's still relevant; the BMW to Yamaha switch is still going on today. And, as you correctly stated, where there not all that much new for the current Tenere, the BMW over the last 6 years has gone from air/oil cooling to water & dry clutch to wet. So, if Beemer owners are still trading in their newer bikes for Teneres, that (to me) is huge. But, what do I know....I'm still a Tenere rookie.

3) hogmolly: Your tractor reference is SO right; the 1150RT I had to was referred to as a "poppin Johnny", at idle, more than once.
 

EricV

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nondairycreamer said:
Why all the quotation marks?
It's called emphasis added. Just a way for an author to imply their own point that those phrases are local colloquialisms.
 

Hfjeff

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I looked at the Versys 1000 as well. Although the motor was impressive and really barked when you wound it out, the rest of the bike was not appealing. No Cruise, no heated grips, and chain drive. I test drove one with 2,000 miles on it and that made up my mind.
 

taskmaster86

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Yes I realize this thread is old and has gotten way off topic but hey, most threads do end up going way off topic.

Eric and Sierra- While I am not a cross country rider, I put the most yearly mileage on my motorcycle out of all the vehicles I own. I put about 5,000 miles a year on my S-10 and my cars and trucks get about 4,000 a year. I think that is a fair amount considering my motorcycle is one of 4 vehicles I drive daily and I live in new England, where the riding season is not all year around. Also, I do not constantly buy, sell or trade motorcycles either. I was just creating conversation and throwing some of my thoughts out there.

My buying preferences are aesthetic appeal AND function/performance. For me, no matter how great any vehicle might be performance and practicality wise, If I don't find it visually appealing, I can't get excited about it. Much like shopping for a wife.... No matter how good of a woman she might be in every other aspect, If I don't find her attractive and she doesn't excite me; its a no go! It's got nothing to do with showing off or status symbol, I just can't justify putting money, time and effort into something I am not excited about and do not enjoy the aesthetics of. I think a lot of people would agree with me on that thought process.

As far as the S-10, It is a great machine and I still really like it but I have come to the conclusion that I very rarely off road. Therefore, I MIGHT be willing to give up the ground clearance and 19" front wheel in order to gain a lower seat height, more comfort, and a lower center of gravity. I know all motorcycles have their idiosyncrasies and none of them are perfect but I have tried several fixes for all of my complaints about my S-10 but the problems still nag at me. Specifically, Despite installing a seat concepts kit and a lamb's wool pad, the seat on my S-10 is still not comfortable for long trips. Despite having the ECU flashed, throttle bodies balanced and throttle cable properly tensioned, the throttle response is still a bit abrupt with too much engine braking. Despite having the clutch fluid flushed and trying several types of engine oils, I still hate the lack of friction zone in the clutch. Are those issues deal breakers? Could all of those issues be solved by buying another bike? I don't know, maybe I will test ride another bike that doesn't have these issues and I will fall in love but until then, My S-10 isn't going anywhere.

If you are still reading this, thank you for enjoying my ramblings! ::003::

::021::
 

EricV

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While I hear what you are saying, I know the answers will not satisfy you. ;D

I hope you find what you are looking for some day. And good on your for staying single too.

I farkled the wife with a some very nice rings. And she has her own bike to ride. :D The Super Ten cost less to farkle. Russell Day Long seat will solve your seat comfort, but I doubt you'll like the looks of it, so no reason to go there. Abrupt throttle response you say...

All that tells me is you lack the seat time to train your self to control the throttle. Carb'd bikes are very soft throttle. EFI bikes become more precise and require a learning curve to become accustomed to that precise control of your wrist. Throttle by wire requires an additional learning curve to regain that same level of control. If you came from Carb'd strait to Throttle by wire, it is a steep learning curve. But riding the bike will get you there.

Perhaps some day you will grow to understand that function is beauty. Form follows function would be another way of saying the same thing. Too much engine braking for WHAT exactly? You have not learned to make use of the function of the beast. When you learn to ride The Pace, you will start to appreciate engine braking. This is no inline four, it has a different animal with different strengths and weaknesses. If that's not to your taste, I understand and no harm, no foul.

Lack of friction zone? You lack the finesse to utilize what is offered. It's there, you just need to learn how to make use of it. You may be accustomed to a much larger throw of the lever. That doesn't mean the friction zone is any less, just that it requires more precise modulation. Same as the throttle.

So, this begs the question, at what types of use are you missing this friction zone if you're not riding off road much? Compared to many other bikes, the Super Ten idle speed is lower and requires less friction zone work in traffic. I idle at 7-8 mph in most situations. As opposed to 11 mph on any BMW sold today. Practice, practice, practice.

You done needless changes to the bike in an attempt to correct issues you perceive as problems. The issue is with the rider, not with the bike. I am not saying the bike is perfect by any means. Only that you have not invested the time to learn to ride this bike well. That can be corrected at no cost to you save gas and seat time. Spend a day in a parking lot doing slow speed maneuvers. When you can do figure 8's inside two parking spaces, you will have mastered the friction zone.
 

taskmaster86

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Eric,
Lots of help there, thanks mate. I am only 16 and the super tenere is my first bike. My mom only let me ride my S-10 around the block one time so that must be why I am not used to it yet. I have never had a girlfriend either....... :D
 

Ramseybella

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Can't afford a BMW so I bought the Super T!!
Yes it has it's issues but never let me down and When I bought it at 2.500 or so miles in 2013 it just turned 71k this week.
And it's the only bike that I didn't need to mod the suspension due to my not so light frame.
I don't like things getting bigger and fatter (been on a diet) ;), watched the Honda Gold Wing go from a light smart highway bike to an old short legged folks luxury two wheel Honda Accord.
The new 2018 coming out is lighter but damn completely different, more stuff to scratch your head over IMO Garage Queen.
Remember they all hit the ground the same way.. ::014::
 

EricV

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taskmaster86 said:
Eric,
Lots of help there, thanks mate. I am only 16 and the super tenere is my first bike. My mom only let me ride my S-10 around the block one time so that must be why I am not used to it yet. I have never had a girlfriend either....... :D
Glad you took it in the spirit it was offered. :D

There is a learning curve to throttle and clutch. While there are still other things you can try, (G2 throttle insert), nearly everyone that complains about the abrupt throttle simply gets used to it and it is no longer a problem. This is more challenging when you're riding multiple bikes. It's also very difficult for riders that are used to a large throttle movement style of riding. Thus my comment about riding The Pace. https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/pace
 

thorstitan123

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taskmaster86 said:
Eric,
Lots of help there, thanks mate. I am only 16 and the super tenere is my first bike. My mom only let me ride my S-10 around the block one time so that must be why I am not used to it yet. I have never had a girlfriend either....... :D


I thought i was the youngest Super tenere rider, lol being 25.
 
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