Forgive me Father, for I have sinned

[cosmic]

Me like XSR900... I drove all the Yamaha 3ples, and the one in XSR is by far the smoothest. Pretty neat looking bike to.
SC Project black full exhust system, Rizoma tail tidy...I'm inlove. Would definitely keep both.

 

[racer]

I was riding the FJ-09 Sunday with a guy on a XSR900 and I didn't like the tail light or the headlight. Liked everything else. BTW, I DO have both bikes. But I agree I'd have to give the S10 away to sell it. I'll just ride both bikes for a while, despite not having enough garage room, unless I move the wife's car outside, and that's not an option. Just got back from a 2700 miles trip on the S10, then got on the FJ and have put around 500 miles on it last week. Leaving Thursday for a conference a couple hundred miles away and will take the S10 for comparision.

 

[eemsreno]

I get to ride them 09s and 07s often.
That 09 would be the worst engine for a true adventure bike.
It would make a good FJ or FJR type bike.
Yamaha used the best engine possible with the 1200 and guys just don't realize it.
I hope they keep it just like it is for us real ADVers.

 

[greg the pole]

My name is Bob and I went out and bought an FJ-09. There, I said it. So now it's back and forth, forth and back.......which one to keep. The S10 has treated me really fine, but it's time for the 26k valve check and I guess I should complain about the non-existent CCT noise while its in the shop, just to get the newer CCT hopefully under YES that is still valid for another year. And It's probably time for a new battery, even though the original is doing fine.

But oh the siren song of that new triple and the torque that starts down low at 2k and goes all the way to 10! No need for down shifts here. She's a light, nimble and sultry bitch, that will probably cost me some points on my virgin drivers license. She feels a bit small but I like the 150 pound saving over the S10.

At three year's difference in their age, do I opt for the youth of the younger woman or stay with what I know best? Only time will tell, they are both licensed until next May. Racer

errrmmm....keep em both. I did. No regrets
https://thetenerist.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/one-really-long-term-review-one-short-term-and-a-bunch-of-ramblings/

 

[JRE]

I get to ride them 09s and 07s often.
That 09 would be the worst engine for a true adventure bike.
It would make a good FJ or FJR type bike.
Yamaha used the best engine possible with the 1200 and guys just don't realize it.
I hope they keep it just like it is for us real ADVers.

I don't really take mine off-road...I use the XRL for that so the FJ-09 for me would be a commuter, light tourer.

 

[greg the pole]

I get to ride them 09s and 07s often.
That 09 would be the worst engine for a true adventure bike.
It would make a good FJ or FJR type bike.
Yamaha used the best engine possible with the 1200 and guys just don't realize it.
I hope they keep it just like it is for us real ADVers.

The FJ09 spins up too fast. For the road it's a great motor, but soft-sih bottom end, then a quick power delivery is no good for a adv bike.
The 700 is a peach, and will make a great tenere motor

 

[ace50]

Wow, what a range of opinions on bikes, here and other places.
Some times it's not even worth asking others opinions, you just have to ride one your self. ::26::

 

[Kurgan]

Wife has an FZ09 and that engine is a gem, it makes all the right noises and revs happily in any gear. It truly does pull like a banshee. Yamaha could easily make it more low speed manageable with a heavier flywheel and a slight change in cam profile for an ADV bike. As it sits now, there's really not much torque off the bottom but what it has works in a sub-400 pound street bike.

That homemade street/flat tracker, very nicely done. A true urban assault bike with the extra suspension travel and ground clearance. FZ09 MadMax Version

 

[Rewop]

For a a modern 3 cylinder, shaft drive maybe Yamaha should take a look in their sheds and see if they have any of these left

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIzUlvAlpTE

If they apply some water cooling, enlarge it to 1200cc, add some better suspension, give it adventure styling it will be job done!

I had the XS750F in 1979 and for the time it was brilliant

 

[Nissbird]

FWIW:

I don't ride off-road but do prefer the ergonomics provided by the adventure style bike.
With this in mind the ideal specification motorcycle for me would have in no particular order:

Yamaha reliability
Shaft drive
Touring screen with linear angle and height adjustment
17" cast wheels
90°+ knee bend
90°+ hip bend
3° forward lean
1000/1200cc twin for lower meatier torque
100HP max
220KG max
Traction cntrol
ABS with combined braking
Cruise control
Low seat height version availability

In effect a S10 with less weight, better screen and lower seat capability

What do you think Yamaha should do to improve the S10?

 

[greg the pole]

there's no such thing as an ideal motorcycle.

The tenere does an excellent job on and off road.
they could try to save a few pounds, but would make the components less beefy.
The Africa Twin is lighter, but not by a large margin, even though it's chain driven.

Re-fresh it, keep the ergos, give it a bit more motor, keep the shaft. Can't do much about the weight.

 

[racer]

The decision has been made. The FJ seems really small with the 56 inch wheel base. Rode the FJ for about 500 miles over a few weeks, then took the Tenere back out on a four hour back road exploration. I'm in love with Super Tenere all over again! So, it's off the dealer for a valve check, TB sync, and new CCT. The FJ is now for sale.

 

[THE TENERENATOR]

Before I got my S10 I rode both a new S10 and a FJ-09 back to back. The S10 of course is heavier but it's also a quality motorcycle. Everything feels robust and something you can depend on. The FJ on the other hand has a great motor, it feels a little angry and loves to rev up. But everything else about the bike felt cheap. Off-road the FJ may not do very well, while the S10 can lug at a lower rpm. The S10 is also more comfortable, better in cross winds, shaft drive, solidly built etc. Yeah I wish it wasn't so heavy. But when you take weight away, often you take quality and sturdiness away with it. I just had the ECU flashed and the canned PC put into it. That and the full Arrow pipe really woke my S10 up. I have no regrets and feel like I'll have this bike for a very long time.

 

[bob dirt]

Who said you could only have one bike? I still have a Wing cuz my wife won't let me sell it. We both have BW350's for beach riding in Mexico and Honda Metropolitan's for yard selling in the hood and I got a CT110 for kicking around. My other toys are for dirt only.

 

[VRODE]

I demo'd the FJ and S10 back to back. Loved the FJ motor but it was too much like my then current ride (Gen1 FZ1) and I wanted something different. A twin was the answer and the S10 was just real easy and comfy to ride. Yes, I have to put the whip to it a little more, but that's kinda the fun part.

 

[AVGeek]

Who said you could only have one bike? I still have a Wing cuz my wife won't let me sell it. We both have BW350's for beach riding in Mexico and Honda Metropolitan's for yard selling in the hood and I got a CT110 for kicking around. My other toys are for dirt only.

I didn't think there were any BW350's still kicking around!

 

[Dogdaze]

ace50, I recently went and sat on a Versys 1k 2016 model, although the ergos on ergo cycle say that the S10 and Versys are close, I would disagree, felt cramped and the seat does not move for height, yes I know I could always get the taller seat and possibly move he pegs down, but if I have to make adjustments just to have smoothness it's just not worth it to me, I'll wait for the Honda Adventure scooter to come out next year before jumping........... oh, I'm getting picky too ::008::
I keep coming back to the Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally, now that is comfy.

 

[Dogdaze]

I get the smoothness of the engine thing, even though most of my bikes have been twins of some kind. Aprilia are much better than they were a few years ago, being owned by big money Piaggio has done a lot to improve that. Availability / servicing is not an issue so much in Europe..............

 

[Scubatech]

I've been riding the S10 a lot in traffic lately (read: having to shift a lot) and down shifting has always been catchy, clunky.
Yes I have lubed the shifter, blaa, blaa, blaa. Upshifts are buttery. That along with the twin pulse this engine has
(read: I love 4 cylinders) and I never go off road, has always got me thinking about the bike I was thinking of before the Tenere.
The Kaw Versys 1K. I know people have gone both directions in owning them. My biggest dislike is the chain drive, then no cruise control.
(I have a 2012 S10 so don't have it anyway).
The similar ego's, slipper clutch for very light clutch control and that engine, just can't get it out of my mind.
Snagging a ride on one around here is nearly impossible. That's the only way to know.
I hardly trust others opinions as they are so subjective.

OK, off my bitch box!......................................No wait, not done!

What about the big Honda with the V4? Really smooth and good power. My friend has a new Versys and I like the room of the S10 better. He is like you and doesn't like twin cylinder engines so it works for him. I like all the configurations of engines on motorcycles and I think the S10 engine works great. A lot of this is just a matter of personal preference and lots of choices. Versys 108 HP/ S10, 98 HP.
I hate that I've spent a lot of time getting the S10 set-up the way I wanted, and still to get it right, I need to re-flash it and get a better seat (hate the stock one).
So that's another $700 possibly, and then I still have the issues mentioned above.
Maybe I'm getting too picky as I get older.

Ok, now off the box.....................................really!

 

[dietDrThunder]

You can't sell your S10, you'll have to give it away. I love my S10, but with only one exception, the VTX 1800, I have never seen a bike loose its value so fast.

Blame Yamaha for dumping about a million left-over '13 S10's into the marketplace last spring. I bought my '12 with 25k miles and about $2k worth of stuff on it for $6500. Best deal ever. Sucks for people who bought them new and want to trade, but it is what it is.

Regarding your conundrum, I can't help you. I love my bike, but a buddy of mone has an FJ09 and that thing is awesome. If Yamaha built the 2018 S10 on that platform, I'd be first in line. Great bike.