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[McBride]

I'm either going to be a newbie, or chicken out and not get the Tenere. I am in the process of trying to figure out if I want to trade for a tenere or keep my fjr. I love the fjr but I think that I would like the tenere better. It has really been working on me as to if I would be sorry after trading. I thought that I would join this forum and get some more opinions. I have only had the fjr for around 6 months and have put around 6000 miles on it, and have really grown to like the cruise control among several other components. Also the smoothness and quickness of her. I am hoping to get some feed back from owners. I have tried to read everything on the Tenere I can.

 

[Mzee]

McBride go to a Yamaha dealer, ride the Tenere. If you don't make up your mind then, you will not have yourself to blame.

 

[McBride]

I will try that, I'm not sure if they will thou because they only have one. But I will ask

 

[Combo]

Mzee has the right idea but if you are missing riding dirt roads and do not mind riding miles to get to do so then the Tenere is hard to beat.

 

[sportsguy]

Test ride shouldn't be an issue for them.

I traded my FJR for my Tenere, as have many hear. You will notice the difference in power - no way around that (until you reflash the ECU - totally optional, mind you), but in fairness, after a few rides, it's fine. The Tenere is still plenty quick.

You will immediately notice the more upright riding position, which many find more comfortable.

Wind management will be very different, and your own judgment on what's what will rule there - for me, the Tenere has much better wind management with the few tweaks I've made than the FJR ever had for me - and I tried 5 different windscreens on my FJR! FWIW, I'm 6 feet tall w/a 30" inseam - so longer torso.

Now, for me, having done week long trips on both bikes, I'm happier on the Tenere. From time to time I miss the endless pull from the 1300cc mill in the FJR, but that's rare, and as I noted, mostly cureable. )

duane

 

[fredz43]

I will try that, I'm not sure if they will thou because they only have one. But I will ask

Go to Niehaus Cycles in Litchfield, IL, which shouldn't be far from you. They have new and pre owned Super Teneres that you can ride. If you let me know when you are going, I should be able to see you there and you can see what a Tenere with the gen 2 flash feels like.

EDIT: That is if you are in central IL as it says on your profile. If you are in Nebraska, as your map location shows, it would be far from you.

 

[mashy]

I had an early FJR and while it was fast and could stop, I didn't care for anything else about it. I know this makes me a minority in the FJR owners world. I sold it and bought a V-Strom 1000 and was much happier on it. Then the Tenere came along and I made the switch. I am very happy with that decision and IMO it handles far more superior than the FJR.
Bottom line, if you are on two wheels, have a smile, and bugs in your teeth, you're good to go.

 

[Rasher]

I came from big fours, the last one being a ZZR1400 (ZX14) to Adv bikes, the first thing I missed was the buzz of nailing past 100mph in a few seconds and knowing there was nothing on the roads that I could not blow away, apart from the ego boost of having something so fast I did not really miss it at all.

I suppose I gained a lot more comfort, which would not be quite the same difference for you, and I really wanted to leave behind the speed as in the UK much over 3 figures can easily have you banned for a year, which in my case would mean no job / no house etc

What I gained was a bike I could use for 9-10 months a year instead of 5-6, a bike that was "compatible" with 100% of roads instead of about 20% (The ZZR was only good on the best of our A roads - and most of them are congested) and of course the S10 can carry on where the road ends (although not many places you can ride off-road in the UK)

As mentioned the Flash gives it a fair amount of extra beans and a huge low-midrange pull, but it will still be well down on top end over the FJR, but for me it is perfect for lazy touring and blasting around back lanes and perfect once I get to some Mountains and can use its relatively low gearing and huge low down drive t fire out of hairpin bends.

A test ride sounds like a good idea, but try to ride it around on some roads you probably would not take the FJR down, that was what sold me on the swap, a few hours on demo's exploring little lanes I would never have pointed the ZZR down.

 

[stutrump]

Rasher and Sportsguy are right. In my opinion it will actually feel a bit slow compared to the FJR. Prior to my S10 I had a Blackbird (fantastic bike) and an ST1300 (great engine but rubbish bike). The S10 felt slow initially but the roads in UK are so busy nowadays that I spend most of my time filtering....even late at night! Weather protection is poor on the S10...IF like me you regularly do 3 hrs plus in the saddle ALL year round. If you're just a leisure rider...why would that matter? What I really like about the S10 is cheaper tyres...(I get through a lot!) ...easy to work on..(oil, filters etc are easy to change) and it copes with the UKs terrible potholed roads very well.

 

[rem]

Welcome on, McBride. When you get the chance, please post under Member Intros so the rest of us don't miss you as a new member. Decisions .. Decisions. Yes, do take a ride. Might even find a member here from Illinois who would allow you to take a spin. Tenere is very comfortable and capable for all situations. You're gonna like it. Getter done. ::004:: to the Forum. R. ::022::

 

[copb8]

I owned an '04 FJR for 9 years and currently own a 13 FJR and 13 Tenere. I'm very much an FJR lover.

I have to say though that the Tenere has really impressed me more than I expected it to. I bought it to try something new and to replace a Triumph Speed Triple that I wasn't using very much. After about 1500 miles on it I realized I fell into a great bike. It's more comfortable to ride than the FJR with it's upright seating position and lighter, more balanced handling at slower speeds. You really notice this around parking lots and tight turning areas. It has decent power for most of your needs. The FJR though is silky smooth and pulls forever. Where the Tenere loses most of it's steam after 100mph, the FJR just keeps pulling and pulling. Aesthetically I prefer the sleek look of the FJR although that's purely subjective and many on this forum would disagree.

I 'think' if I had to get rid of one of them it would probably be the Tenere but it would be a close decision and I reserve the right to change my mind after I've spent more time on it and taken it to places the FJR can't go.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

If your mind in wandering after only 6 months of FJR ownership, then I'm guessing deep down inside you might be feeling like something is missing. Truth be told, that little voice in the back of your head is right. I found my FJR very unpleasant to ride on anything except near perfect pavement. Bumpy pavement was a chore to be endured, lack of pavement a situation to be avoided completely. The FJR had limited ability to explore a road less traveled. No doubt the FJR was fast, had awesome wind management, and could go into a turn effortlessly. That last part is what killed the FJR for me.

The bike was so good in the corners I really didn't feel like I was needed. The FJR was riding on rails in the twisties and I didn't feel like it took much of my skills to accomplish it...anyone could do it. That was proven to me when I sold the bike. The prospective buyer was following me on a route that included some pretty sharp curves. After the test ride the buyer admitted he was a little nervous following me into those turns thinking he was going too fast, but said the bike just breezed through them perfectly. Yep, that's why I'm selling it. I want to feel like I'm controlling the bike, not just a passenger with a fast/slow control lever.

The Tenere can do everything the FJR does, except win a speed race against some truly fast bikes. I have toured with it in comfort from Virginia to Newfoundland and back. My wife also rode her Tenere in comfort on that trip as well. It's a wonderful touring bike. I've also taken it on rough pavement, dirt roads, mud, stream crossings, rocky trails, and other spooky places where any sane FJR pilot would never consider. All again, in comfort.

The FJR is an incredible bike for the smooth road. If that's all you're interested in riding, then it really is hard to beat. But if you want to do some exploring when the pavement is less than perfect, the Tenere is easily a better bike.

I'm not slamming you for a wandering mind after 6 months. My FJR was up for sale after the first month of ownership. I appreciated it's virtues, but was not the right bike for my riding needs.

Good luck.

 

[kmac]

I bought my Ten looking for versatility. I liked it right out of the gate, but as with most bikes I had some minor gripes that I posted in a first ride review. Most if not all have been either easily resolved or have just stopped being an issue. The bike has grown on me more and more.

If you like eating up interstates and pristine back roads then the FJR is probably a better bike for most. BUT, if you like just saying "I wonder where that road goes" then the Ten is THE bike. I have ridden it in about every type of condition and roads and it is capable and even fun in 90% of them. The other 10% is deep soft sand and big rocks with ruts....but NO big powerful, heavy bike is good in that....but it still got through it.

When you are on a cool back country, twisty, rolling road and it turns to a dried out, kinda pot holed and broken up road in dire need of a repave then the Ten excels and just keeps being fun. When you would be stressed out that you are bottoming out the fairing on the FJR or going to ding up a rim...not so with the Ten, just keep on riding.

That is what I love about it. If you can keep the soft sand to a bare minimum and avoid those big gnarly hills that most people stop and stare at even when on a legit dirt bike then the Ten will go anywhere and do it competently. Personally as an old dirt bike, desert rat, MX guy I love the upright seating position. I have had 2 major surgeries on my neck with multiple level fusions and leaning forward is NOT a good thing, sitting naturally just feels right.

Can't go wrong with the brand though ::022:: ::021::

 

[barkingllizard]

McBride go to a Yamaha dealer, ride the Tenere. If you don't make up your mind then, you will not have yourself to blame.

+1

 

[EricV]

There are a lot of FJR guys here. With the exception of Dirt_Dad, they pretty much are spot on. Dirt_Dad isn't happy unless he's spinning wheels and being a general hooligan in the dirt, which is not a bad thing, but he's so far off base about the FJR it's really sad. Love you DD, but you're off base here.

I rode an '04 for 160k. Off pavement was no problem. I routinely took it up single track, dual track, gravel, dry river bed crossings, minor water crossings, etc. Part of why I moved to the Super Tenere is because of the abuse I was giving the FJR, knocking rocks off the pipes and just taking it places most wouldn't go. I passed many a parked BMW GS with the ride walking up a road I was riding up. I covered thousands of miles of gravel roads w/o issues. I did upgrade the suspension on the FJR at around 40k. It does make a difference in those less than pristine roads, but I strongly disagree with the opinions that the FJR needs smooth roads.

The FJR is better at wind/weather management in my opinion. That doesn't mean the Super Ten sucks. I rode the Super Ten in the IBR back in July and it did fine. The FJR has you more tucked up in terms of riding position, but that doesn't necessarily equate to less comfort. I sometimes miss the power of the FJR. I always miss the smoothness of the inline four motor. The big parallel twin is a box of rocks compared to the FJR's turbine smooth four. And surprisingly, I miss the electric adjustable windscreen too, though not as much at this point, with 70k on the Super Ten. I changed screens on both bikes, but it's all a compromise. I miss the air flow when it's hot with the S10's fixed windscreen. (Yes, there are manually adjustable options like MaddStadd and Touratech/SWMotech)

It comes down to where you want to ride. The Super Tenere gives you the option of departing pavement with a higher comfort level. Most people are reluctant to take a street bike off pavement to any degree. (It really helps when it's got over 100k, you no longer really care if you drop it). Bonus for the Super Tenere is that you can buy skid plates and crash bars for it, unlike most street bikes. Both bikes get about the same mpg. The FJR has a slightly larger tank and range. The Super Ten has a more upright rider position, but that's really just a matter of what bothers you in terms of knees, back ,etc.

I consider the FJR a better touring bike in many ways. But part of that is because I ride longer days than most. 600-1200 mile days. I feel less beat up at the end of a long day on the FJR than on the Super Ten. The FJR is smoother and more comfortable for me to put in long days on. Obviously, if you're not riding longer days, this may not be a factor for you at all. Almost any bike can be comfortable for 300-400 miles in a day and lots of stops. But riding the bike non stop for 8 hours or more, the FJR is less fatiguing.

 

[kmac]

Eric you must be doing something EXCEPTIONAL or you ride REALLY slow....I can not get 3 hours out of a 6 gallon tank before I must stop. Got 4 hours one time....but that was on a GSA with an 8 gallon tank....last ride I did on the Ten I only got 2.5 hours and then ran out of fuel....I was not riding at "legal" speeds though...8 hours non stop, I would have to have one of fuel tanker airplanes that refuel the bombers in flight. ::26::

 

[EricV]

Eric you must be doing something EXCEPTIONAL or you ride REALLY slow....I can not get 3 hours out of a 6 gallon tank before I must stop. Got 4 hours one time....but that was on a GSA with an 8 gallon tank....last ride I did on the Ten I only got 2.5 hours and then ran out of fuel....I was not riding at "legal" speeds though...8 hours non stop, I would have to have one of fuel tanker airplanes that refuel the bombers in flight. ::26::

Nothing exceptional. I've been riding with 11+ gallons of fuel for a long time. Both the FJR and the Super Ten have fuel cells. The FJR had a 500 mile range, easily, (11.5 gal). The S10 is more like 450 and has slightly less fuel at ~11.2 gal.

 

[MidlifeMotor]

I switch back and forth between my Tenere and a Concours all week long. I have not ridden an FJR but have been told it is at least similar to a Concours. The bikes (Tenere and Concours) ride very differently, but I seem to enjoy my Tenere more. The Concours is so smooth and quick you almost have to ride it at 90mph just to have some fun. Of course with the Tenere the option to take it off road, even mild fire service roads, makes it my preferred bike if I had to choose. After about 10 minutes on the Tenere, it "feels" just as quick as the Concours, although I know it's not. The Tenere in Sport mode is plenty quick for me. I just have to remind myself it doesn't corner quite as well as the street bike, especially with the K60's.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bigbore4]

I kept my FJR. Love em both. If I am on a mission, point to point no excursions and I know it's all paved, FJR every time. Nothing beats it for gobbling up great heaping gobs of asphalt. Going on trip where I might want to see where "that" road goes, Super Tenere.

Like others have said, it does everything the FJR does except the power hit, and it isn't as smooth as the inline 4, but an impressive ride just the same.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Dirt_Dad isn't happy unless he's spinning wheels and being a general hooligan in the dirt

Guilty...

I routinely took it up single track, dual track, gravel, dry river bed crossings, minor water crossings, etc.

I specifically said a "sane FJR Pilot" wouldn't do certain things. Clearly I was leaving you out of the mix.

Love you DD, but you're off base here.

I rode an '04 for 160k.

I don't know who you guys want to believe about the FJR. Some guy who only rode one for 160K miles, or me, an experienced rider with nearly 45 days (that's over 1,080 hours) of ownership of the FJR. Do what you want, but I know who's opinion I'd trust. ::013::

Truth be told the FJR was the final nail in the coffin for me and street only bikes. I had an FZ1 for 5 months, and was bored as could be with it. 0-90MPH in about 3 seconds is great, but when you need to ride near the speed limit most of the time to keep your license, it's painfully dull to ride that bike. I think the FJR is a stunningly well designed and thought out bike. Excluding the heat melting my lap, there's not much for most to complain about.

I freely admit I'm the oddball in my gripe about the bike. Bottom line for me - the FJR was too well designed for me to have fun with it. I like to be challenged. I like feeling that if my skills are not up to snuff, the whole thing could go bad in a hurry. The FJR is so well designed I didn't feel my skills mattered much. The bike would save my bacon, or more than likely, never even let me know my bacon was on the line. It's like flying a Cessna 172. Damn thing is so well designed the pilot doesn't do much, it basically flys itself.

So yes, I realize most people love the very thing I gripe about with the FJR. It's not the FJR's problem, it's mine. Like I said, I'm an oddball.