New rider questions (+ nice wallpaper inside)

[BoomerE30]

Hello guys,

New Super Ten enthusiast here. I have been doing tons of research and comparison of adventure bikes and the Super Ten certainly stands out to me above all others. I am hooked and looking to buy one as soon as I get my first bonus at work.

I have several questions and would highly value any input from experienced riders:

I am 6,2", 225 lbs, with no riding experience. Is it reasonable to start off with with such a (relatively) heavy bike as my first? If so, I am aware of safety riding schools as well as about all the protective gear requirements both for myself and for the bike. However, the question still stands. Should go for the S10 or start of with, perhaps, a KLR 650 and then move on to the much heavier Super Ten? What other considerations I should keep in mind?

The other question I have is about the 2013/14 models:

I have learned about all the differences between the new (2014) models and earlier ones. Would you suggest that as a new rider, an adjustable suspension and other nice additions of the 2014 ES would be a major plus or I wouldn't really see the difference, providing that I don't have experience riding and don't really know what is "good" or not so good as far as suspension and other components go on the bike? There is a major price difference between models. I have seen new 2013 models going for as for less than $9k while 2014 ES models are all around $13-14K.

I hope to join this amazing community very soon with my own bike!

Many thanks for your input,

Happy holidays!

 

[barkingllizard]

my suggestions, BoomerE30, for what they are worth...

1. safety course
2. starter bike, motorcycling looks cool and all, but it's not for everyone [thank the gods]
[especially if you believe the Super Tenere is a heavy bike]
3. IMO, once you have decided the Super Tenere is the ride for you, get one with everything,
the adjustability and all round comfort achievable by tweaking the suspension or having warm hands or
setting cruise control to cross the flats to that next mountain pass will keep that grin on your face.....

 

[Donk]

IMO; saftey course then go buy yourself a used Super Tenere. You are not a small guy so the bike will not be a problem for you. If you buy something else you will only wish you bought the S10 and cost yourself money trading up. There are GREAT deals on used Super teneres out there (or on the for sale page here). If you buy a good used bike and decide riding is not for you then you won't take the same kind of hit when you sell it. A new bike will lose 30-50% in value the first year regardless of brand. Go get one, be careful and have fun.

 

[EricV]

In regards to starting out on the Super Tenere as a first time rider; This is a question that comes up fairly often on many bike forums. Those of us that have been riding many years mostly started out on smaller bike or dirt bikes where the potential of damage and injury was lower. It can get really expensive to drop or lightly crash a big, new bike. And you can get badly hurt at surprisingly low speeds, especially if you're falling, sliding, tumbling body hits some stationary object, even one as minimal as a reflector post.

Take your local MSF or similar course for beginning riders. There is a lot more there to learn than how to operate the bike. The necessary awareness of other traffic, and your vulnerabilities, as well as how to maximize your strengths are all very important for any rider.

A KLR or a 650 Vstrom or Versys or any older bike that fits you reasonably well is a good start for someone your size. You don't need to start on a 250, but many a modern 250 is quite capable of interstate touring too, so don't necessarily rule that out if something catches your eye. Don't buy a new one. You will drop it. You can save a huge amount on a pre-scratched bike that is mechanically sound. The wife and I recently picked up a '09 DL650ABS Vstrom with low miles and some nice farkles for $3500 that just needed some minor cosmetic improvements and is suitable for a third bike for us. There are lots of other low mile used bikes out there.

The new '14 has some nice stuff and some refinements. Adjustable suspension runs two ways. Some are always fussing with it, and it can be a distraction for newer riders, others find the sweet spot and never adjust it again. I adjust pre-load when I'm on trips and fully loaded and when I'm day riding, otherwise I leave it alone. The ES wouldn't be worth the extra coin for me, but I'd probably consider the standard '14 to get factory CC and the improved smoothness.

 

[BoomerE30]

IMO; saftey course then go buy yourself a used Super Tenere.

Thank you for your advice, Donk!

How does the safety course work? Do they provide you with the bike? Does one have a choice of which bike to do the course on?

 

[EricV]

Thank you for your advice, Donk!

How does the safety course work? Do they provide you with the bike? Does one have a choice of which bike to do the course on?

The beginner MSF course is done on their bikes. Sometimes they have all the same, other times they have a couple of choices. Usually the instructor(s) will decide what fits you best. Nearly always they are 250cc machines that are easy to deal with. Do a search for your state's Motorcycle Safety Foundation and you should find locations, costs and other details there as well as schedules. This is typically a good time of year to get quickly into a class, IF the weather in your area allows classes this time of year. You're a bit vague on your location in your profile.

 

[BoomerE30]

In regards to starting out on the Super Tenere as a first time rider; This is a question that comes up fairly often on many bike forums. Those of us that have been riding many years mostly started out on smaller bike or dirt bikes where the potential of damage and injury was lower. It can get really expensive to drop or lightly crash a big, new bike. And you can get badly hurt at surprisingly low speeds, especially if you're falling, sliding, tumbling body hits some stationary object, even one as minimal as a reflector post.

Take your local MSF or similar course for beginning riders. There is a lot more there to learn than how to operate the bike. The necessary awareness of other traffic, and your vulnerabilities, as well as how to maximize your strengths are all very important for any rider.

A KLR or a 650 Vstrom or Versys or any older bike that fits you reasonably well is a good start for someone your size. You don't need to start on a 250, but many a modern 250 is quite capable of interstate touring too, so don't necessarily rule that out if something catches your eye. Don't buy a new one. You will drop it. You can save a huge amount on a pre-scratched bike that is mechanically sound. The wife and I recently picked up a '09 DL650ABS Vstrom with low miles and some nice farkles for $3500 that just needed some minor cosmetic improvements and is suitable for a third bike for us. There are lots of other low mile used bikes out there.

The new '14 has some nice stuff and some refinements. Adjustable suspension runs two ways. Some are always fussing with it, and it can be a distraction for newer riders, others find the sweet spot and never adjust it again. I adjust pre-load when I'm on trips and fully loaded and when I'm day riding, otherwise I leave it alone. The ES wouldn't be worth the extra coin for me, but I'd probably consider the standard '14 to get factory CC and the improved smoothness.

Thanks for the input Eric! The KLR650 sure seems like a good option to me, especially in terms of reliability and ease of use from what I understand. I will look into the '14 version of the Super Ten for the improved mechanics over-all, when I decide to purchase it.

One main concern I have about the adjustable suspension is the reliability and repair costs down the line. I am sure that if I am in the middle of no-where in some other country (I am planning to do anther 2-month trip in southern part of Africa, this time by bike), it would be tough to find someone to mess with the electronics of an adjustable suspension.

 

[BoomerE30]

The beginner MSF course is done on their bikes. Sometimes they have all the same, other times they have a couple of choices. Usually the instructor(s) will decide what fits you best. Nearly always they are 250cc machines that are easy to deal with. Do a search for your state's Motorcycle Safety Foundation and you should find locations, costs and other details there as well as schedules. This is typically a good time of year to get quickly into a class, IF the weather in your area allows classes this time of year. You're a bit vague on your location in your profile.

This is great info, thank you!

I am located in New York, NY (updated location on my profile). It is the worst place right now for doing anything 2-wheel related, probably at least until March pr April.

 

[Donk]

EricV, I agree with much of what you say. I am 5'7" and my first bike was a '65 Harley Sportster. Granted that was 40 years ago but the size of the bike was never a problem. I think that a rider gets used to the weight and seat height of any bike very quickly as long as his/her feet are comfortably on the ground. It is just as easy to drop a smaller bike as it is to drop a larger one. Let's leave out the 800-900lb full dress tourers for the purpose of this discussion! My opinion anyway

 

[oldbear]

PLEASE put some serious thought into this. The S10 is a GREAT bike, extremely competent and a great choice for an all rounder, however let me state that it is not (IMHO) a "starter bike". It is fairly heavy, it is powerful and it can get you in trouble pretty darn quickly if you don't know what you are doing. I would HIGHLY recommend an MSF course before you do anything else, followed by starting out with a small, lightweight used bike. A KLR would work as would any of the 250-650 "dirt bikes". Buy the BEST gear you can (Helmet, Jacket, Gloves, Boots, Pants) and wear it, always...Once you've mastered your first bike and logged a few thousand miles on it (won't take long if you find you really like to ride! ) you can sell your starter bike (or trade it in) and get the S10 you are wanting, comfortable in the knowledge that you KNOW how to ride. You'll enjoy your S10 more, be far less likely to crash it, and will have the confidence needed to actually travel on a motorcycle. Then, take off and enjoy!!!! Years ago a study was done that showed the most dangerous time for a motorcycle rider is the first 10k miles that you ride and the first 1500 on a new machine. A buddy who teaches MSF courses to newbies always ends his program with "Congratulations! You are now fully qualified to operate a 250cc motorcycle at low speed on a closed course and under adult supervision! Now go out there, take your time and really LEARN to ride!! Be careful, the world is a dangerous place" Good Advice! Anyway, Welcome to the world of two wheels, and know that, if it is really "for you" it will be a long term option and something you will be doing from here on out (says the man that started riding in 1967! Be safe and have fun!

 

[EricV]

EricV, I agree with much of what you say. I am 5'7" and my first bike was a '65 Harley Sportster. Granted that was 40 years ago but the size of the bike was never a problem. I think that a rider gets used to the weight and seat height of any bike very quickly as long as his/her feet are comfortably on the ground. It is just as easy to drop a smaller bike as it is to drop a larger one. Let's leave out the 800-900lb full dress tourers for the purpose of this discussion! My opinion anyway

No real argument Donk, just remember that the Sporty dropped well! ;D Not a lot of plastic to worry about then. The Super Ten, depending on protection, can get expensive. Side mounted radiator, plastic front subframe that all the gauges and headlight are mounted to, etc.

I started on the street back in '83 on an '80 CX500 that I acquired for $50 and had to have a key made for before I could try and start it. Low investment. I crashed it a few times and had to replace some turn signal lenses and a headlight bucket, but other wise it was a good starter bike. I already had some dirt and Honda 50 experience before that. Second bike was a '40 HD Knucklehead. That was a real learning curve!

 

[BoomerE30]

PLEASE put some serious thought into this. The S10 is a GREAT bike, extremely competent and a great choice for an all rounder, however let me state that it is not (IMHO) a "starter bike". It is fairly heavy, it is powerful and it can get you in trouble pretty darn quickly if you don't know what you are doing. I would HIGHLY recommend an MSF course before you do anything else, followed by starting out with a small, lightweight used bike. A KLR would work as would any of the 250-650 "dirt bikes". Buy the BEST gear you can (Helmet, Jacket, Gloves, Boots, Pants) and wear it, always...Once you've mastered your first bike and logged a few thousand miles on it (won't take long if you find you really like to ride! ) you can sell your starter bike (or trade it in) and get the S10 you are wanting, comfortable in the knowledge that you KNOW how to ride. You'll enjoy your S10 more, be far less likely to crash it, and will have the confidence needed to actually travel on a motorcycle. Then, take off and enjoy!!!! Years ago a study was done that showed the most dangerous time for a motorcycle rider is the first 10k miles that you ride and the first 1500 on a new machine. A buddy who teaches MSF courses to newbies always ends his program with "Congratulations! You are now fully qualified to operate a 250cc motorcycle at low speed on a closed course and under adult supervision! Now go out there, take your time and really LEARN to ride!! Be careful, the world is a dangerous place" Good Advice! Anyway, Welcome to the world of two wheels, and know that, if it is really "for you" it will be a long term option and something you will be doing from here on out (says the man that started riding in 1967! Be safe and have fun!

Thank you for the great advice!

I also think that this transition (from MSF --> lighter bike --> ST) would probably be ideal in the long term and the least costly in terms of accidents.

 

[JRE]

If you have no riding experience on anything (including dirt bikes/atv's) then I definitely recommend getting a used Versys, KLR650, WR250R or DRZ400S as others have stated. They can all be found "cheap" and if drop them (you will), no big deal. Parts are plentiful and cheap. It'll also be easier to take the riding test for your license on the smaller bikes. Insurance rates will also be cheaper and I believe rates will drop once you've been riding for a few years.

That said, my first street bike was a Honda CBR600F4 and it was no problem but I had ridden a lot of dirt bikes when I was younger so I had a good foundation. I also took the MSF on that bike.

The Tenere is big and heavy but not so much so once underway. Pushing it around the garage is a different story, I damn near dropped mine already moving it in the garage.

 

[Wayne50]

You've truly received some great advice from the fellows here. They really want you to succeed, and to do that you'll need to do that the safe way...... Be careful out there!!!

 

[Donk]

Sounds like I am out voted here and I willingly concede the point. Maybe a smaller bike would be better to start with.

 

[BoomerE30]

I highly appreciate all the advice I've received here! This is a great welcoming to a forum, shows the strong camaraderie amongst everyone here.

Thank you.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

In my opinion I think the Tenere would be an extremely poor choice for a first bike. Even in Touring mode, the engine has too much for a truly inexperienced rider. It's heavy and will make the learning curve much longer than it needs to be. I do agree with the choices mentioned earlier. The taller 650cc machines would reduce the time needed to learn the basic skills.

Spend some time learning the basics on a machine that makes it as easy as possible. There will always be a Tenere or some other bike that catches you interest after you learn to control a smaller bike.

Good luck, don't be discouraged about not starting off on a big bike. There's going to be an overwhelming amount of stuff to learn. Make it easy on yourself. Go for it.

 

[V35A]

I was in a similar situation not too long ago. First I took the MSF weekend course and read a few books on riding. Then I bought some high quality gear and a nice Suzuki V-Strom 650 with ABS. I was fortunate to have several friends who are very experienced riders, and they served as excellent mentors as I learned about riding.

After riding the V-Strom for almost 5000 miles, I recently bought a 2014 Super Tenere ES. I do not have many miles on the Tenere yet, but so far it seems fine, and I feel that the time I spent on the V-Strom was good preparation for the larger Yamaha. Although the 650 V-Strom is not exactly a small bike, in my opinion it is a good "trainer" for the larger 1200 cc adventure bikes such as the Tenere and the GS.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[tomatocity]

Suzuki V-Strom 650
Suzuki DR 650
Kawasaki KLR 650

All are good entry level adventure motorcycles. Good enough that you might keep it when you upgrade to a larger adventure motorcycle like the Yamaha Super Tenere or ?

 

[cb0802]

Well you're off to a good start by asking questions. I'm considered inexperienced around this forum with 8 years riding experience and about 75k miles. You learn a lot by talking to other riders, and even more by RIDING with other riders.
I may be in the minority, but I say buy and learn on the bike you want. Just recognize YOUR limitations and remember that the bike can perform well above them. If you invest the time to learn about YOUR limitations first, you will have many miles to learn about the bike's.