It's amazing how easily humans can get adjusted to a new situation and that becomes the new normal. Mental adjustment locked in.
I've done a lot to get my Tenere ready for sale so I decided to take it for a ride to make sure everything is good to go. My beloved Tenere. I've happily bought 4 of them over a 6 year period, because they were the best bike for me. I've ridden a Tenere to the eastern and western most corners of North America. They have all been reliable to a fault, more comfortable than I could have ever wished, and protected me from disaster. I'm a Super Tenere fan for life.
Did a lot of test riding of my two big bikes today. Literally jumping off one bike and immediately getting on the other...5 times. It went like this...
Ride 1: Super Tenere
Intended ride duration: 3 miles
Actual ride duration: .75 miles
Experience: Boy, this seat is comfy....dang, this is a big bike. Oh yeah, I have to use the clutch to shift...that sucks. How did this bike get put into Touring mode...oh, it's not. Wow, this is sluggish. I don't need to go the full 1.5 miles down the road. That's enough, lets go back.
Ride 2: SAS
Intended ride duration: 21 miles
Actual ride duration: 41 miles
Experience: Man this is tall. Feels svelte and competent. If I go that way I can stay out longer. This thing is so smooth. Sport mode, TCS off, sometimes wet road, sometimes gravel on road, but still no concern about 160 HP in these conditions with TCS off. Bike inspires confidence, so light, so easy to control. Still not riding all that much faster than Tenere, just more enjoyable at these speeds.
Ride 3: SAS - reinstall a nearly empty top case back on. Still probably near 15lbs.
Intended ride duration: 14 miles
Actual ride duration: 3 miles
Experience: This sucks!!!! ride 1 mile change suspension from 1 rider to 1 rider with luggage. Still sucks for a fun ride. All luggage is now strictly for long distance travel. I expect diminished "fun" factor on a fully loaded travel bike. I'm not giving up the enjoyment of this bike to carry crap I don't need.
Ride 4: Super Tenere
Intended ride duration: 3 miles
Actual ride duration: .75 miles
Experience: My god...this feels like an ocean liner. Clutch damn-it. After 9 years of Tenere ownership, it's time for a change. Let's turn around here. This may be my last Tenere ride.
Ride 5: SAS top case gone
Intended ride duration: 3 miles
Actual ride duration: 14 miles
Experience: Ahhh...this just feels right. What time is it?...I have enough time to go all the way down the mountain. Turning around at the bottom, go a little wide...thinking I'm so glad I turned off that blasted Hill Hold feature...and wow, this bike is tall.
In summary - top case sucks. I'm hoping the KTM crash bars I have on order do not screw up the wonderful weight balance of the bike. I'm guessing it won't. Same curiosity of the side case racks. Since it is low weight, I'm hopeful, but time will tell. Looking at the mounts on the bike I suspect the racks may be easy to remove and put back on. If so, they will probably stay off except for big trips. This bike is just awesome as it sits.
So I have made the mental jump from the Tenere to the SAS. I can now let the Tenere go and be at peace. May it serve the next owner as wonderfully as it has served me.