Looks like the Tenere will be looking for a new home. `

[shrekonwheels]

Two years ago I purchased this bike as a better two up machine than the KLR. We took off Immediately and had a grand time, only two weeks in I found out the woman was preggars.

Morning sickness followed and a woman who had trouble getting comfy we still managed to rack up a quick 3k miles, not great but it was something.

Baby comes and all the responsibilities of parenting. I manage to burn through a tank and a half of gas on my 30 mile commute on a deer infested highway I even hate driving on, riding a bike is another story. Shingles next hit making riding impossible from august on.

So now it looks like the wife will calve again this summer, damn mailmen anyhow, I cannot stand for such a beautiful touring beast to be cafe talk in the garage. I buy bikes to ride not to look and brag about.

I have a friend who is getting rid of a 07 Suzuki DR 650 with a wopping 300 miles on it! I am thinking this may fit the bill, I can still commute to work if I want and do some short rides, plus put a few grand back in the bank. Or a may focus on simply mountain biking for my two wheel fix, a deer encounter in that regard are common and usually I just startle them and they want to race

Overall anyone can read my signature or other ride reports on the Tenere, I honestly think anyone who thinks it is lacking in power is not looking for a real world bike. It works in all the boxes it is supposed to. For me the only problem were the fork seals, still not acceptable to have the problems I did with the little riding I have done, but it is a magnificent beast do not think otherwise.

Happy trails!

 

[OldRider]

I've rode down that shingles highway about ten years ago and I wouldn't wish that mess on my worst enemy. I suggest that everyone study and know the shingles symptoms. I was mowing along a fence row on a windy day and mowed through some poison ivy and the wind blew some grass clippings on my sholder and neck and I remember thinging I hope I don't get a poison ivy outbreak.

It was a few days later that I broke out with shingles and I thought I had poison ivy and just ignored it. By the third day it got so bad I went into the local clinic on a Sunday morning. The doctor walked in and asked what brought me in. I told him I had a bad case of poison ivy, he took one look and said "I don't think you're going to be that lucky". Worse pain I ever had. You could drop a cotton ball on it and it would almost make me cry.

Good luck with everything.

 

[shrekonwheels]

As someone who grew up Ranching, fell my share of Timber, kickboxed and totaled a couple of cars I am here to say I have never had pain like that in my life.

Like you I thought It was something else, I was convinced I was having an allergic reaction to a spider bite until I saw the doctor.

My bog on it. So people are clear, if you have chicken pox you can get the Shingles. Doctors say I am healthy although I can stand to use a few pounds it does not matter, when it is time forget it. It attacks your nerve endings which is what makes it so painful. Some like a friend who recently have it will only get an irritating itch, others will be screaming in agony.

http://thoughtsoftheages.blogspot.com/2015/08/shingles-yea-it-really-does-suck.html

 

[Madhatter]

not to be flippant, but makes road rash sound kinda pleasant... shreck, you gotta do what you gotta do to take care of the family... dr650 is a great bike, easy to take care of.... haven't ruled out getting another.... no one on the forum will fault you for taking care of your family, but referring to your wife as calving may not be a healthy way of expressing the reality of childbirth, depends on her sense of humor I guess .... and later you can get another super ten, hang in there...

 

[Checkswrecks]

Sorry to hear about the ailments and CONGRATS on the kids! They gotta come first, so it sounds like your priorities are in order.
You can never lose with a DR and we'd love to have you stick around here, too.
::008::

 

[WJBertrand]

I've rode down that shingles highway about ten years ago and I wouldn't wish that mess on my worst enemy. I suggest that everyone study and know the shingles symptoms. I was mowing along a fence row on a windy day and mowed through some poison ivy and the wind blew some grass clippings on my sholder and neck and I remember thinging I hope I don't get a poison ivy outbreak.

It was a few days later that I broke out with shingles and I thought I had poison ivy and just ignored it. By the third day it got so bad I went into the local clinic on a Sunday morning. The doctor walked in and asked what brought me in. I told him I had a bad case of poison ivy, he took one look and said "I don't think you're going to be that lucky". Worse pain I ever had. You could drop a cotton ball on it and it would almost make me cry.

Good luck with everything.

I went and had the shingles vaccine as soon as I turned 60 which at the time was when they were recommending it. I think you can get it at a younger age now. I actually didn't contract chicken pox until I was 40 and my kids brought it home. Saw my dad go through shingles in his 80s and it was no fun especially as he was also suffering Alzheimer's disease. Amazed he survived it and lasted another couple of years. Had to get professional in-house care for him and we were all masked and gloved around him.

 

[Cycledude]

A friend got shingles a couple years ago and told me about it, she advised me to get vaccinated , I had heard of lots of folks getting shingles but never knew there was a vaccine for it, stopped at local Walmart pharmacy and asked about shingles vaccine wow it was near $200 but my insurance covered it. Lots of folks don't believe in vaccines but after growing up on a dairy farm I sure believe in them.

 

[WJBertrand]

A friend got shingles a couple years ago and told me about it, she advised me to get vaccinated , I had heard of lots of folks getting shingles but never knew there was a vaccine for it, stopped at local Walmart pharmacy and asked about shingles vaccine wow it was near $200 but my insurance covered it. Lots of folks don't believe in vaccines but after growing up on a dairy farm I sure believe in them.

Folks that don't believe in vaccines are largely young and ignorant of the severe and lasting effects of many of the diseases we get vaccinated for. They consider these diseases abstract and not real. They'll get more mercury eating sushi at that trendy place downtown than they'll get from vaccinations. Completely irrational thinking. I remember polio leaving one of my childhood friends with a crippled, useless arm. When the Polio vaccine came out it was truly considered close to a miracle.

Imagine popping a sugar cube into your mouth or getting a small shot in the arm to cure cancer today. That's how it was.

 

[shrekonwheels]

Before singing all kinds of praise for the shingles vaccine, it only reduces the chance of getting the Disease by something like 40 percent, while you certainly should play the odds, it is no guarantee.

To make matters worse, even if you get the Shingles, you can still get it again! ??? Although you odds are significantly reduced it does happen, uhgg.

not to be flippant, but makes road rash sound kinda pleasant... shreck, you gotta do what you gotta do to take care of the family... dr650 is a great bike, easy to take care of.... haven't ruled out getting another.... no one on the forum will fault you for taking care of your family, but referring to your wife as calving may not be a healthy way of expressing the reality of childbirth, depends on her sense of humor I guess .... and later you can get another super ten, hang in there...

I am fairly blessed to be able to turn my back on physical objects, I am not gonna lie I really like the S10, but by the time I am ready to start touring again I will be taking a kid with me, Imagine what kind of cool technology (I complain about) they will have by then!

While the DR has a good chance of making it into the garage, I relaly want my kids to have my wanderlust so I will be getting a van or a jeep to take them camping/exploring on.

Since I did not get to do my South America trip by Motorbike the wife wants to finish it as a family, what better teenage gift could you give your kids?

Long way off, but what the hell....

 

[WJBertrand]

Getting the vaccine also reduces the severity if you get it anyway.


-Jeff

 

[Pterodactyl]

Life happens.

 

[taskmaster86]

I hate to be the devil on your shoulder but I would say keep the Tenere. It sounds like you want still want a bike of some sort. Getting a smaller bike isn't really going to be worth while if you will still have time to ride. If you have a long ride to work, you will still want a motorcycle for commuting on the nice days. Save yourself the hassle and heart ache and keep your current scoot!

Just keep the Tenere and enjoy it when you can. Just because you are having kids and getting older does not mean your life has to change that much. And it damn sure isn't over either!

 

[Madhatter]

if your not going to have a bike then get the jeep... seems to be the best option where you live ,do what makes you happy.... just remember if the wife aint happy then no one is ...sounds like she is a supporting type.

 

[shrekonwheels]

if your not going to have a bike then get the jeep... seems to be the best option where you live ,do what makes you happy.... just remember if the wife aint happy then no one is ...sounds like she is a supporting type.

I really lucked out with her, she talked me into the Tenere to begin with. I was going to sell it with child number one but she said "Oh we will find time to get a baby sitter and go together" Now that number two is on the way I think she is seeing my thinking.
I wont stay in Montana much longer, at least I hope not. I want to move south pretty badly and explore the desert more, just something different. Regardless a Jeep or something of the like probably will fit the bill better.

I hate to be the devil on your shoulder but I would say keep the Tenere. It sounds like you want still want a bike of some sort. Getting a smaller bike isn't really going to be worth while if you will still have time to ride. If you have a long ride to work, you will still want a motorcycle for commuting on the nice days. Save yourself the hassle and heart ache and keep your current scoot!

Just keep the Tenere and enjoy it when you can. Just because you are having kids and getting older does not mean your life has to change that much. And it damn sure isn't over either!

ha ha Its not really about downsizing as much as it is using the extra coin for other stuff and having time for everything, not desperate but it is how my mind works. Will it really save me anything? Likely not after tinkering around with the DR etc who knows. The advanage to the Tenere is it is a much safer bike of course. I have also only been without a Motorcycle for two years since I was a small boy, so it is hard to Imagine life without one which is why I am considering the DR. I am however really into this Dad thing, I cannot believe how much fun it is ::018::

I always said that I would sell a Motorcycle if I had a child as Motorcycles are more dangerous than cars. However that was before I had track time and formal training and am wiser, I dono on that end for sure. With that said I also said I would never own a Ninja since I knew a few people who piled them up good. Not only would I end up owning one, it would be one of my favorite bikes

Will see what happens, nothing tomorrow that is for sure.

Thank you for your comment and everyone else as well.