MCNEWS GS VS S10

[Rasher]

Value is harder to compare as prices vary by region and deals come and go, in the UK the Tenere started out at £13k, compared to under £11k for a GS, OK to add ABS / Traction control takes the GS to just under £13k, but it then also has heated grips so is still "more for less".

As a GS owner and have ridden the latest GS / GSA and tenere on the same day I can't see a lot in it

Somehow the GS engine is more "fun" and has "character, but on my crappy commute to work in solid traffic I would rather have the better low down punch and much smoother Yamaha motor, but when out on twisty back roads with little trafficI would take the GS, switching back to the Yamaha for long motorway work where the BMW vibes are a bit intrusive and limit crusiing speed to about 85mph (still with far more vibes than the Yamaha has at 100mph)

The gearbox on the GS I find fine, the dry clutch however is a different matter, nowhere near as smooth and progressive as the Yamaha - and I bet a few drag starts would proper bugger the GS, I got caught up in a huge cycling event on the Col Du Galibier this year and spent a lot of time crawling up the mountain in a stop-start fashion and the clutch started overheating badly. Apart from that the drive-train on both seem fine (ignoring the fact the GS Final Drive has a shorter life than a chain)

I can see why the press like the GS so much, especially as they do not own the bikes, if offered a brand new bike each summer for free I would take the GS every time, but as I can't have a new bike every few thousand miles and have to pay to service the bike and put up with any breakdowns I would never get another BMW.

Never ride off-road (not proper off-road anyway) so that is irrelevant, plus I am sure a bit more ride height from a Wilburs shock would bring the steering up to scratch, and the Diapson sports map would give the engine a bit more "character" and improve the pace, whereas nothing will stop a GS from eating a final drive at the most inconvenient moment, or costing a fortune to maintain.

I still am perplexed why the Yamaha is so expensive in the UK, or why BMW's are so expensive in the US - not sure which, but with the price being right the Tenere is great value over here at the moment.

 

[cosmic]

Any link to MCN test?

 

[tc9988]

Value is harder to compare as prices vary by region and deals come and go, in the UK the Tenere started out at £13k, compared to under £11k for a GS, OK to add ABS / Traction control takes the GS to just under £13k, but it then also has heated grips so is still "more for less".

As a GS owner and have ridden the latest GS / GSA and tenere on the same day I can't see a lot in it

Somehow the GS engine is more "fun" and has "character, but on my crappy commute to work in solid traffic I would rather have the better low down punch and much smoother Yamaha motor, but when out on twisty back roads with little trafficI would take the GS, switching back to the Yamaha for long motorway work where the BMW vibes are a bit intrusive and limit crusiing speed to about 85mph (still with far more vibes than the Yamaha has at 100mph)

The gearbox on the GS I find fine, the dry clutch however is a different matter, nowhere near as smooth and progressive as the Yamaha - and I bet a few drag starts would proper bugger the GS, I got caught up in a huge cycling event on the Col Du Galibier this year and spent a lot of time crawling up the mountain in a stop-start fashion and the clutch started overheating badly. Apart from that the drive-train on both seem fine (ignoring the fact the GS Final Drive has a shorter life than a chain)

I can see why the press like the GS so much, especially as they do not own the bikes, if offered a brand new bike each summer for free I would take the GS every time, but as I can't have a new bike every few thousand miles and have to pay to service the bike and put up with any breakdowns I would never get another BMW.

Never ride off-road (not proper off-road anyway) so that is irrelevant, plus I am sure a bit more ride height from a Wilburs shock would bring the steering up to scratch, and the Diapson sports map would give the engine a bit more "character" and improve the pace, whereas nothing will stop a GS from eating a final drive at the most inconvenient moment, or costing a fortune to maintain.

I still am perplexed why the Yamaha is so expensive in the UK, or why BMW's are so expensive in the US - not sure which, but with the price being right the Tenere is great value over here at the moment.

Current UK price is 11999GBP which includes delivery, setup, tank of gas and 20%VAT. VAT excluded price is 9600GBP or $14998 USD at current exchange rates. Current US MSRP is $14500 Canadian MSRP is $16500. I think there was a recent significant reduction in the UK price

 

[cosmic]

I paid mine here in Croatia 19100$ with end of the year discount. Normal price is 20 large. Lovely. ::013::

 

[Fintenere]

I paid about 21000€ (28000$) for my Tenere (with Yamaha factory side cases).
BMW 1200GS is 200€ cheaper and 1200GSA is 1200€ more expensive than Tenere.
Bikes are so 'cheap' here in Finland. :'(

 

[cosmic]

I paid about 21000€ (28000$) for my Tenere (with Yamaha factory side cases).
BMW 1200GS is 200€ cheaper and 1200GSA is 1200€ more expensive than Tenere.
Bikes are so 'cheap' here in Finland. :'(

I know that you have killer tax up there, but why it didn't killed also the GS? ::013::
Btw, jeeez that's a lot of money. ???

 

[dcc46]

I have to disagree with their review, I've ridden both and prefer the yamaha especially with a 7k price difference its a no brainer. ::022::

 

[hojo in sc]

Funny I lost interest in shaft drive BMW's when three random people I met, all had a big whine at me about BMW and the problems they have had. I lost my BMW rose colored glasses after that and wondered what were the chances of bumping into 3 random BMW owners in a row with shaft drive problems. Then a nice policeman riding a R1200RTP pulled me over one day and started having a bitch about the bike he rode using more oil than petrol. After that I lost confidence.

Apparently I need not have worried because BMW fan boys point out that they were the 4 out of ten ever made with issues.

Yes I forgot to mention that I had to keep spare oil with me on the GSA to add periodically. I was told that it would stop burning oil after about 10,000 miles, not so. 1,400 miles after the last oil change on the Teneree and it is still spot on, whereas on the GSA I would have put in about 0.2 L (6.5 oz).

But anyway, where I live they are just not worth the price unless for some reason you just can't find another bike that works as well for you.

I am glad there are a few alternatives now with different compromises.

I do hope that YAMAHA don't sit back and "Do a Suzuki" though and keep raising their own bar.

I have a funny feeling that BMW's entry into the Sports bike arena has sparked a bit of tit for tat amongst the Japanese.

I wonder whether this Growing segment will now get as much attention as the shrinking RRR market?


Cheers
Graham

 

[cosmic]

My best man has the 2010 GS ADV. Sweet,sweet bike...when it works. ::025::

 

[Tall Paul]

The thing that impressed me the most of the MCN review was that both motorcycles received the highest overall rating (5 colored circles) at the end of the evaluation. I have only seen maybe 3 or 4 motorcycles that received the highest overall ratings in the MCN's reviews. For the price difference and the lack of BMW dealships, to me it was a no brainer to purchase the Super Tenere. ::012::
Paul

 

[HoebSTer]

I just read he article! Biased??? If one adds all the dots together and divide by 10 for each bike, BMW = 4.75 and the Tenere = 4.70 avg. Way too close. I like how much they say the BMW suspension doesn't track good in rough stuff and the Tenere soaks it up, yet still gives the dirt part to the BMW.

 

[Tremor38]

I just read he article! Biased??? If one adds all the dots together and divide by 10 for each bike, BMW = 4.75 and the Tenere = 4.70 avg. Way too close. I like how much they say the BMW suspension doesn't track good in rough stuff and the Tenere soaks it up, yet still gives the dirt part to the BMW.

Kind of like in boxing. The the incumbent always gets the benefit of he doubt. There may have been a homer in the crowd as there always seems to be. I picked up the latest issue of motorcylist and almost puked. The title read something like "Adventure riding for any occasion" or least conveyed that meaning. There were like 5 different bikes, but on closer examination they were ALL BMW's...and that includes the Huskv in the goup. Near the end, somebody was crowning the GS the winner with a statement like "will go more places further, faster and more comfortably and ANY BIKE ON THE PLANET" Sorry, I just had to lay the rag down after that.

 

[motard-menace]

I have been a long time subscriber to MCN because they provide the best (as non-biased as you can be) reviews of motorcycles and equipment. I have not ridden an S10 however I have ridden the GS so my thoughts on the topic are uneducated at best. That said I thought the test appeared to be fairly conducted with a pretty thorough review. Of course the GS will be better in the dirt, having 50 less pounds to change direction is going to be a high positive. Of course what kind of off road riding you intend to do will play a part in this. My guess is they conducted various tests in different terrain and the BMW just edged out the S10 from the sound of it and most of the concern was the weight difference. They picked the BMW overall but stated it was close and told you the strengths and weaknesses of both bikes so as a consumer you can take that information for what it is worth and use it in your decision process. For its first model year here in the US going up against a 30+ year old GS line I think it faired better then average. Imagine if Yamaha produces and upgrades the S10 for the next 30 years. I would guess the next iteration will take a huge jump ahead. You also have to remember that this is stock vs. stock bike and any tweaks and or modifications are not considered. It is what it is out of the crate for the test. Imagine what a person could do for the performance of the S10 with the $6K saved on purchase price. I'm not talking about buying bags and heard grips etc......but putting it on a diet and removing some of the mass to bring its weight down 20-30lbs. I can't imagine this is not possible if you have the creativity and money. Anyway the review did nothing but actually push me more towards the S10 as it appears that it will fit my needs better then the GS as well. Now if I could only find a nice low mileage used example.........

 

[elizilla]

I think that this dirt/street dichotomy is a peculiar notion anyway. I mean... "street" to most of us, includes at least some (and perhaps many) roads that are in really terrible condition. Potholes, cold patch, gravel, scattered rocks, sand/cinders/grit left from the prior winter, deep puddles, greasy mud, tar snakes, combinations of all these things. The street is definitely not the racetrack, and while I adore perfect pavement it's not something I get to ride on very much. Especially while touring. And when you say "dirt", what exactly is that? A putting green, an obstacle course, a climbing wall? Where does "street" end and "dirt" begin?

It's the grey area where street become dirt, where both of these bikes excel. They cover just a bit farther towards the dirt end of the spectrum, than traditional sportbikes or cruisers, and there are a lot of so-called-roads that fall into that part of the spectrum.

But I can't see myself taking a GS anywhere that I wouldn't take a Super10. Whether the bike weighs 3.5 times what I do, or 3.3 times what I do, it's still a whole lot heavier than I am and I can't physically dominate it. If I'm going to do true off-roading, I want a bike in my own weight class, like an XR100 - something I can actually push around, pick up and haul over any obstacles that I can't persuade it to haul me over.

 

[Rasher]

"street" to most of us, includes at least some (and perhaps many) roads that are in really terrible condition. Potholes, cold patch, gravel, scattered rocks, sand/cinders/grit left from the prior winter, deep puddles, greasy mud, tar snakes, combinations of all these things.

Sure does in most of the UK, where I am the major (A) Roads tend to be dull and congested, even many of the "better" B-Roads are similarly congested, so that leaves me looking for the lesser travelled B-Roads and Unclassified roads where I can escape the traffic, and most of them are far removed from the race track - yet the most fun I have had riding a motorcycle on public highways.

This is why I ditched the sportsbikes, the GS has shown me a new way of motorcycling that does not involve hitting 150mph on every ride, modern sportsbikes have evolved to the point where they only work on a small percentage of the raods, and only when really taking the piss out of the law.

I would not go proper off-roading on a GS, or anything even close to the GS size / weight / Value, but crap roads, unapaved roads, tracks and trails are another dimension available on these bikes.

The GS is in reality not so far off the Tenere weight as seen in other topics here. BMW seem to weigh the bike with the wheels missing or something as independant weigh-ins put the difference far less than manufacturers spec sheet, on the road I thought the Yamaha felt as light or possibly lighter than the GS due to how it carried the weight, especially at low speed.

 

[Maybert]

One huge advantage for the Tenere IMHO is the wet clutch in the dirt (loose surfaces anyway ). When I rode my beemers in the dirt the dry clutch would overheat and become difficult to engage, not to mention it would make a very expensive smell.

 

[spasm]

Sure does in most of the UK, where I am the major (A) Roads tend to be dull and congested, even many of the "better" B-Roads are similarly congested, so that leaves me looking for the lesser travelled B-Roads and Unclassified roads where I can escape the traffic, and most of them are far removed from the race track - yet the most fun I have had riding a motorcycle on public highways.

This is why I ditched the sportsbikes, the GS has shown me a new way of motorcycling that does not involve hitting 150mph on every ride, modern sportsbikes have evolved to the point where they only work on a small percentage of the raods, and only when really taking the piss out of the law.

I would not go proper off-roading on a GS, or anything even close to the GS size / weight / Value, but crap roads, unapaved roads, tracks and trails are another dimension available on these bikes.

The GS is in reality not so far off the Tenere weight as seen in other topics here. BMW seem to weigh the bike with the wheels missing or something as independant weigh-ins put the difference far less than manufacturers spec sheet, on the road I thought the Yamaha felt as light or possibly lighter than the GS due to how it carried the weight, especially at low speed.

::026:: have to agree, ive ridden many bikes but the tenere seems to take me on routes i would normally avoid. country lanes, and it makes me want to explore roads that i normally would just ignore. it seems to bring the adventure out in me, which is what i really am inside adventurous.
its not all about thrashing round main roads, waiting for some old fart to pull out in front of you and kill you.
after many years riding different bikes, i have found the bike that i belong to. the super tenere ::008::, good posting rasher

 

[doctorj]

I just got my copy of MCN so scanned the article. It seems to me to be pretty reasonable, but even though no advertising, nothing is totally unbiased when humans are involved. I look at my XTZ and see I paid $12,000 and added about $2500 in great farkles for $14,500 total. I don't know if one can get great discounts on the GS like I did with the XTZ or not, but $21,400 as they tested the GS (and no TC) is a big factor for me. One thing they can't test is reliability, which is huge with me and cost to repair out of warranty. If the GS was a lot closer in price and with a great reliability factor, closer dealers, closer prices of aftermarket farkles and reasonable repair costs, I might be all over a GS since it is a great bike. But these things aren't present for me, so the XTZ is the clear winner to me personally.

doctorj

 

[Swagger]

I have to say that I know I bought the right bike .... and the article confirmed it really. Just saying. ::025:: ::025::

 

[cosmic]

Is there a web version of the test??
Maybe a scan...

Tnx


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