Question I get asked a lot: Why the S10 vs a GS. Whats your answer?

[Andylaser]

I also have an old '74 airhead that I picked up and fixed up last summer. I love it.

I'm ok with incessant noodling on a 40-year old antique beemer. But on a new, state of the art ADV-bike? Final drive worries, et al? Pass.

To be fair to BMW, I would quite happily have an old air head. They were built when BMW quality and reliability was legendary.
A simple bike built extremely well. As opposed to a technically advanced bike built to a price point.

 

[Nissbird]

For me mostly brand loyalty, and I liked the bike. This is my 6th new Yamaha.

I also like having an extensive dealer network you never need.

::026::

 

[stomp347]

Thanks to adventurelounger, I now have a new helmet decal design for the next time I make a set. I really like BMW's, but that was still pretty funny.

Thanks, I printed one for the garage AND office!!

 

[RCinNC]

No problem. Those were pretty low res images....if you want a higher resolution file that would probably print better, let me know and I can email you one.

 

[stomp347]

PM sent

 

[Bryce]

I don't think I've ever been asked the question the OP posed.

To the OP: where are you that people are asking you this and what sort of people are asking (Other riders in general, BMW pilots, cagers, etc)?

I do get asked "what is it?" occasionally. Others ask how I like my bike, sometimes.

 

[shrekonwheels]

Just as the title says, I get asked a lot why I picked the Super Tenere over a GS usually once a week. My usual answer is price, reliability and cost of repairs.

What do you guys say when/if posed with that question? What made YOU pick the S10?

...

 

[itlives]

After reading every post in this thread, I have nothing to add.....oops! too late.

Oh well......the only deal I could get from BMW was a GS with 38,000 miles for the same price as the Tenere with 9,000. The BMW was also 4 years older than the S10.
I think I made the right choice.

 

[WenWa]

I've never been asked the OP's question, but my bike usually draws the gawkers. Went on a 3 day ride last Sept. WA—OR—ID; in each state I had someone checking out the bike, asking questions, admiring it. While having breakfast in Joseph, OR, I noticed a guy taking pictures of my bike. Turns out he and his group were from Ireland doing a fly-n-ride out of Bend, OR. He was planning on buying an XT1200Z when he got back to Ireland—just loved the look of the bike.

When I decided to buy an ADV bike, I looked at every option out there.

BMW = too expensive, closest dealer 150 miles away, upkeep expensive, the Long Way Round and Down actually turned me off on reliability.

KTM = too expensive, being new to adv. riding the power was intimidating, more maintenance involved, some known reliability issues with the airbox.

Suzuki = I will never buy a Suzuki again, 'nuff said.

Triumph = Very questionable off road handling, closest dealer 150 miles away. Unsure about reliability/quality.

Yamaha = $12,300 for a new 2014, reliable, low cost of ownership, good power, sweet looks, loved the electronic display, dealer at 1, 60, and 100 miles away, I enjoyed the S10 Internet community the best.

To sum it up: Practical people buy Ténérés.

After a year and 2 months of ownership, I still feel giddy when I lay my eyes on my blue beauty.

No knocks on anyone else's choice of bike. This was the process my simple brain went through before buying.

Wayne

 

[RhodeTrip]

I've never been asked the OP's question, but my bike usually draws the gawkers. Went on a 3 day ride last Sept. WA—OR—ID; in each state I had someone checking out the bike, asking questions, admiring it. While having breakfast in Joseph, OR, I noticed a guy taking pictures of my bike. Turns out he and his group were from Ireland doing a fly-n-ride out of Bend, OR. He was planning on buying an XT1200Z when he got back to Ireland—just loved the look of the bike.

When I decided to buy an ADV bike, I looked at every option out there.

BMW = too expensive, closest dealer 150 miles away, upkeep expensive, the Long Way Round and Down actually turned me off on reliability.

KTM = too expensive, being new to adv. riding the power was intimidating, more maintenance involved, some known reliability issues with the airbox.

Suzuki = I will never buy a Suzuki again, 'nuff said.

Triumph = Very questionable off road handling, closest dealer 150 miles away. Unsure about reliability/quality.

Yamaha = $12,300 for a new 2014, reliable, low cost of ownership, good power, sweet looks, loved the electronic display, dealer at 1, 60, and 100 miles away, I enjoyed the S10 Internet community the best.

To sum it up: Practical people buy Ténérés.

After a year and 2 months of ownership, I still feel giddy when I lay my eyes on my blue beauty.

No knocks on anyone else's choice of bike. This was the process my simple brain went through before buying.

Wayne

+1, well said.
Jim

 

[motoguy]

I despise Starbucks. Their coffee sucks.

Starbucks? Who can afford that? I buy Japanese coffee, you can buy it just about anywhere and it taste soooo much better knowing that I saved money.

 

[KiloGram]

50,000 completely trouble free miles on my 08 FJR that I traded for the new leftover 2013 Tenere ($8900 out the door).
I know Yamaha will not leave me stranded
And
Dropping a $9000 bike in the dirt is a lot easier to swallow than dropping a $20,000 dollar one...

Bring on COBDR!

 

[CentralCal]

Initial cost and maintenance costs. Reliability. i can drive right past a starbucks without fighting the steering.

 

[spinalator]

Two Yamaha dealers within 10km, closest BMW is 250km away. I bought a leftover 2015 and added 4000 in accessories, gadgets and shit I don't need, and still have 4000 to go before reaching the cost of the GS I was sitting on in the showroom. I likely could add a sidecar and trailer for that money.

If money was no object, and if they were as reliable as the Yamaha, and if a dealer was local, I would have a harder decision. But until we reach that point, I won't be going Bavarian anytime soon.

 

[TXTenere]

Initial cost and maintenance costs. Reliability. i can drive right past a starbucks without fighting the steering.

Initial costs, I definitely agree.
Maintenance costs, I disagree. Comparing the two bikes to 36k miles, if always dealer maintained, the GS will be less expensive to maintain.

 

[Use2btrix]

The dealer had a leftover '15 ST on the floor for $10,000 less than what they were asking for a new GS. I test drove both and liked the feeling of the ST power delivery and engine more. That said, power is important to me so that was a tougher pill to swallow with the GS but I've been content so far.

I do contract work all over the country and there are far more Yamaha dealers than BMW dealers, so that was a huge plus.

When I went to the Ducati/BMW/Triumph/Kawasaki/Yamaha dealer I hadn't even really considered the ST. I had mostly counted it out because I didn't care for the stock photo I saw of it online. When I actually saw it in person, my mind totally changed. I also liked the dash a lot more than the BMW dash as well.

Those are the reasons that did it for me. If it would have been a $5k difference I may have been more swayed mostly due to the power.

Now that I've bought the bike and really starting to research and mod it, it's really reinforcing my decision with this bike, so that's a relief. I had researched tons of other bikes prior to this, but not the ST, and then just sort of fell in love at the dealer. I had owned two R6's and an R1 in the past, so in that aspect was already a bit of a Yamaha fanboy.

 

[spinalator]

The price point sometimes also is affected by currency. In Canada, the Euro seems to be very strong vs our dollar, but the Yen apparently is not as bad, since there are some bikes that are very well priced in showrooms for Japanese stuff, but Ducati, KTM, BMW, Triumph stuff was all premium priced, and the shipping costs seemed high. Triumph for example, they wanted 1000.00 CAD for transportation, and extra for setup, etc. Yamaha was 400 or something.

 

[Motowalt]

Thanks to adventurelounger, I now have a new helmet decal design for the next time I make a set. I really like BMW's, but that was still pretty funny.

I like it!

Who's gonna print up some stickers????

28,000 trouble-free miles on my 2012 Super Tenere and counting..
(had an 1150 GS and F800GS....got stranded by both)

 

[CentralCal]

I don't like the attitude that goes with owning a BMW. A lot like Harley riders. Also I prefer the styling of the S10.

yep the Harley riders wave at me more than the bmw's.
My buddy has the starbucks 800 and I watch him try to get comfortable in the seat after 100 miles and I'm comfortable as hell! ::022:: ::021::

 

[bnschroder]

I must admit, I would have bought a BMW if I had all the disposable cash I wanted, but I didn't, and so i took the really amazing deal I got on a 2014 ES.

However, ever since I owned it I really like it, and everything I read about it makes me happy I own a Yamaha and not BMW for all the rational reasons (reliability, accessory pricing, lowed cost of ownership, dealer network).

But even from an emotional perspective, I really like the S10. I don't get the beak, I always thought the GS has way to many exposed wires and connectors, and last weekend I went to Hourglass Cycles in Buford, GA to check our their BMW showroom and the new Triumph models, and i felt no sadness that I can't afford a Beemer. I actually popped the nice Touratech panniers and my only thought was "they must dent really easily when you drop it" and was happy about my cheap, functional, indestructible, and ugly Pelicans.

I am also a 3-4000 rpm rider, who likes fire roads and tight twisties in low revs most, so all that top end performance of a BMW or KTM would go wasted on me. I never get less than 50 mpg average which shows that the bike has plenty of ooomph for me. In fact, I have always liked the character of Diesel engines and so the engine is perfect for me.

But I have also never had anybody ask me why I don't ride a Beemer. I ride with riders of all different brands and we only show interest and never disrespect for each others rides, according to our moto "It's not about what you ride, it's about how you ride it!"