Great article and video.

[snakebitten]

Journalists have a tough job from one aspect. They have to give opinions of motorcycles that they spend a small amount of time with. Then we "purchasers" compare their views to ours after we have a long term ownership reference point.

They often won't line up.

The Super Tenere is definitely a bike that comes up short in a short term view compared to living with it. Volumes have been written here about how much you learn to appreciate this machine after it reveals what it is so good at. That takes time.

Always amazes me when I see a low mileage well farkled S10 for sale. Makes me think the owner never gave it a chance. But the second owner sure gets a good deal!

 

[fredz43]

I have only owned one BMW, a R1100S and while it was a nice bike that I initially found fun to ride, I never could make an emotional connection to that Boxer engine. I really hoped that it would grow on me, as overall, I liked the bike. However, to REALLY like a bike or dare I say, love a bike, I have to really like the character of the engine and the boxer never did get any better as far as making that emotional connection with me. I think the final straw was when I started it outside my local bike shop and walked inside while it was idling outside and one of the customers asked if there was an air compressor running somewhere. Then it hit me as to what the character of that engine was, about the same as an industrial air compressor.

Up until last year, my favorite engine was the 996 V-Twin in my Super Hawk. Now that my S10 is broken in, has the ECU Unleashed reflash, plus Akra can, it has taken over first place as my all time favorite engine. Cracking that thing on in midrange and listening to the growl and feeling the pull is intoxicating to me and I enjoy it more with each mile.

Different strokes for different folks, but for me, I have had a lot of bikes in my several years of motorcycling and the Super Tenere is tops in my book, especially because of the character of the engine.

Here is my long gone Beemer:

 

[snakebitten]

Hmmmm.

I still think the SuperHawk motor has more character.

 

[autoteach]

I also had a superhawk. I honestly think the biggest fault of the super tenere next to it is the RPM's. Other than that, I prefer this bike by far. While the hawk had a fantastic exhaust sound, 1200 miles down the road I can still walk after riding the tenere...I also can hear things. Maybe my custom exhaust was a little much, which has me wondering if I really want to mess with the Yamaha.

 

[RED CAT]

Alot of those moto journalists just arn't dirt guys, especially the Euro ones. And I didn't see any dirt comparo in that video. Street bikes are a dime a dozen and these guys get to ride the really fast stuff so arn't really from the Adventure Moto world. They did have the one real dirt guy I guess but he was hung up on the KTM and rightly so. Still maintain the S10 is hard to beat overall.

 

[fredz43]

Hmmmm.

I still think the SuperHawk motor has more character.

Well, you may be right. Problem is since I got the Tenere I have put 19,000 miles on it and about 5 on the Super Hawk. Perhaps I'm forgetting how sweet that motor is. I'll just say they're both in the top 2.

 

[snakebitten]

Well, you may be right. Problem is since I got the Tenere I have put 19,000 miles on it and about 5 on the Super Hawk. Perhaps I'm forgetting how sweet that motor is. I'll just say they're both in the top 2.

I only stated the motor had more character. But like you, my Superhawk sits with a dead battery and likely gummed up carbs. I feel a bit guilty about it. But the Tenere dominates my riding life.

 

[True Grip]

Yea the Tenere is more comfortable and more capable and enough grunt to thrill me. I don't see myself bending over a bike again. I redid the forks and changed all the fluids and tires on a friends RC51 he left me the key and insisted i ride it as much as i wanted. It was in my garage for over a month. I took it out one time and ripped it.It was nice especially with new pilot powers and it really growled I grinned the whole time.But about an hour was all I wanted. I just don't look at sport bikes the same. They are starting to look like pretty young women to me. Yea I'm just getting old.

 

[viewdvb]

Just so you know how lucky you are in the US, the UK price of the S10 runs around $19,000 and it is definitely not the cheapest of the bunch.

 

[snakebitten]

Just so you know how lucky you are in the US, the UK price of the S10 runs around $19,000 and it is definitely not the cheapest of the bunch.

It's true, we are the land of $13,000 S10's and $3.00 per gallon gas. And although we are in steady decline and aren't too happy about it, we are truly blessed.

 

[troll]

It's true, we are the land of $13,000 S10's and $3.00 per gallon gas. And although we are in steady decline and aren't too happy about it, we are truly blessed.

I would ask.... who of us here that own and ride a SupaT is not blessed... no matter what land we hail from. We are a privileged group that can afford a kings ransom for the bike and then add $$$ in accessories. We whine about the most insignificant things :-*

 

[nwryder12]

I would ask.... who of us here that own and ride a SupaT is not blessed... no matter what land we hail from. We are a privileged group that can afford a kings ransom for the bike and then add $$$ in accessories. We whine about the most insignificant things :-*

True

 

[snakebitten]

I read somewhere a few years ago that only 25% of the human population has a refrigerator in their home. A method to preserve and store food for future consumption. Without one, life is incredibly different.

So yea, just that one convenience places you in the top 25% of "standard of living", so to speak.

Add a Super Tenere to the garage and I'm pretty sure you are right. Top 1%?

 

[GrahamD]

Just so you know how lucky you are in the US, the UK price of the S10 runs around $19,000 and it is definitely not the cheapest of the bunch.

And in Oz it's the $20K S10 and the $27K BMW (equiv to s10), however the competition is bringing down the KTM prices though. KTM's are now only 10% more expensive than they should be.

Are they made in India yet?