They finally get it!

[Mikeybikey57]

It would seem that after many years of tacit indifference and damning with very faint praise, the UK motorcycling press finally understands what we have known and appreciated for a long time. After reading the new years BIKE magazine review of the new Honda AT, I looked at the page of alternatives to it and naturally our bike was amongst them. I then read the following short appraisal, which was entitled "The unsung hero" :-

"Forget that list price. Shop around and you can find brand new or pre-reg examples, often loaded to the gunnels with accessories, for as little as £9,500. Electric-suspension fully kitted ZE models can be yours for less than a base model R1200GS. Although out-shouted by newer adventure bikes, Yamaha's shaft drive twin quietly gets down to providing a truly useful, rugged blend of road and dirt abilities. It handles on-road, is better than most off it, laughs where others break, is kind to your bum and looks good. Be a leader, not a follower."

All I can say is, you took your bloody time!

 

[itlives]

I'm late to game as well. Just glad to be in the game!
I lucked into the Tenere as it was a trade-in and the price fit the bill. I've learned it through riding it!

 

[MIKE R]

I bought an FJR1300 way back in 2003. The press then did not rate it, but it slowly began to convert people who dared to ride what the UK press ridiculed. Now it's seen by many to be a bullet proof, iconic tourer.

I've always thought that the Super Tenere would be slowly recognised in the same way as the FJR.

Mike

 

[Pterodactyl]

I bought a used 2012 S10 last summer on a whim. It had 5000 miles on it, Jesse Bags and topcase, every protective part Alt Rider makes, over two years left on a YES warranty, a heated Sargent seat, hand warmers and Madstat windshield amongst other add ons. I had never sat on a S10 and never read any reviews before buying the bike. Boy did I get lucky. The S10 is my go to ride for most trips and is the perfect mate for my FJR. You're correct Mikeybikey57, the S10 has been largely ignored.

 

[Tony Down Under]

I agree that the S10 is a very underrated adv bike. However, I often thought that the Yamaha marketing team never did themselves any favours in promoting the S10. Most bike magazines etc are full of rival motorcycle manufacturers advertising their latest and greatest additions to the adv market, where as your lucky to hear a cricket chirp from Yamaha regarding the Super Tenere. In Oz it's also very difficult to find a Yamaha dealer who will demo their bikes. So I think that bias motorcycle journalism is only part of the problem with the S10's lack of recognition.

 

[Squibb]

It would seem that after many years of tacit indifference and damning with very faint praise, the UK motorcycling press finally understands what we have known and appreciated for a long time. After reading the new years BIKE magazine review of the new Honda AT, I looked at the page of alternatives to it and naturally our bike was amongst them. I then read the following short appraisal, which was entitled "The unsung hero" :-

"Forget that list price. Shop around and you can find brand new or pre-reg examples, often loaded to the gunnels with accessories, for as little as £9,500. Electric-suspension fully kitted ZE models can be yours for less than a base model R1200GS. Although out-shouted by newer adventure bikes, Yamaha's shaft drive twin quietly gets down to providing a truly useful, rugged blend of road and dirt abilities. It handles on-road, is better than most off it, laughs where others break, is kind to your bum and looks good. Be a leader, not a follower."

All I can say is, you took your bloody time!

I agree - a bit late now though.

Personally I found their effusive praise of the AT, after a sunny 'beano' in S.Africa, rather nauseating. Not unlike other BMW launch rides at similar venues (RIP Kevin Ash). Yet, when I set off on the self same model at a dealer demo a few months later, I wonder if we are talking about the same bike.

I understand the problem - getting whisked away to sunny climes, wine & dined, good Hotel, various items of free kit available & a great blast around the countryside on a brand new bike with perfect set-up. Then, for the flight back, a press pack & goodie bag - maybe even a digitised version so one can copy/paste up a report without too much effort on the laptop. Call me cynical - OK, but I do find the lack of objectivity from Bike mags somewhat frustrating these days.

I still struggle to understand Honda's pitch with the AT, in such a crowded marketplace. Chain drive & tubed tyres seem strange cost savings, although I can appreciate the purist off-roader looking for something different may see the attraction of the machine. Not much room for a pillion either. Still, I must get a test ride next Spring.

Ride Safe .......................... KEN

 

[tenbob]

I often hear others, the press or peers, harp on about other bikes in the category and dismiss the Unsung Hero : and fickle minds are swayed easily, often born of paper specs, but to me, ya either 'get' the Tenere or ya don't... I for one totally GET it... Just gonna keep piling the miles on. ::001::

 

[stutrump]

Interesting. Comments. I too wish the AT was shaft drive..could have been my next bike then. Back to the S10 though. My take on it might be slightly weird....particularly the fact that I still think it is quite an ugly bike and I would normally only buy something that I find pretty...BUT...my criteria this time was shaft drive/must be reliable/economical as possible/easy to self service/rugged etc etc ...all because I use the bike every day in all weathers. I've now had the bike 3 years and I can honestly say that it still delivers really well on all those fronts. It still aint pretty but then it has been said that the ugly ones are more keen??

 

[Ramseybella]

Interesting. Comments. I too wish the AT was shaft drive..could have been my next bike then. Back to the S10 though. My take on it might be slightly weird....particularly the fact that I still think it is quite an ugly bike and I would normally only buy something that I find pretty...BUT...my criteria this time was shaft drive/must be reliable/economical as possible/easy to self service/rugged etc etc ...all because I use the bike every day in all weathers. I've now had the bike 3 years and I can honestly say that it still delivers really well on all those fronts. It still aint pretty but then it has been said that the ugly ones are more keen??

It delivers what one expects from Yamaha, but they don't aggressively promote products!!
I do more advertising when I am at a dealer and some guy is purring over a Tenere I found out from a sales guy that due to my love for the bike and details about the bike and what it can do one guy I was talking to bought one a week later.
I felt good about that.

 

[rider33]

Yamaha seems to be doing what Honda use to do back in the day: make really good products, continually improve them, and let word of mouth lift them over time. When the S10 first came out I didn't really pay that much attention to it, "another GS-clone". Over time in talking to S10 owners (many of which seem to be former GS owners) it's charms became apparent. So when I needed to replace my touring bike it was on the top of the list. Splashy intros can buy you visablity but it is nothing like happy, contented owners who can't say enough about the bike. Good marketing can reinforce a product but it can't fix it. You need good leadership and engineers to do that.

 

[Rasher]

Not forgetting press bikes are often specially prepared, sometimes to the point of having different fuel maps so what the press ride is not necessarily the same bike you will buy.

I think BMW have been caught out in the past with extra powerful press bikes, and way back in the 80's Suzuki tuned the bollox of the RG500 press bikes, they made about 20% more power and pulled through about 1500 rpm higher than the bikes the punters ended up with.

The press can only report on what they get to ride, although I am sure the 5* hotels, free booze and wonderful sun drenched curves also make a bike seem that much better, on those roads an Ex Despatch CX500 would probably feel a whole lot nicer than riding my bike in the hurricane and driving rain outside my house right now.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Nice to see the Tenere get some love...finally. But the truth is I didn't care about the mag writer's opinion when they crapped on the bike, I'm not going to grant their opinion any additional credibility now that they appear to have caught up to my way of thinking. What do they say about a broken clock? The writers have to fill so many pages with words that sooner or later they may arrange those words in an order I can agree with. Doesn't mean much. I suspect they'll be back to trashing it soon enough. That won't mean much either.

 

[stutrump]

Good points Dirt Dad. Same asall the expensive kit one readsabout in mags which they say is waterproof. Pah...baloney every time. I've bought most of it over time abd try 7 or 8hrs on the bike in the rain per day and then you'll really know if its waterproof. Anyway..I digress. Really happy with my S10 ...so...to me..that's all that matters

 

[barkingllizard]

 

[Donk]

::021:: or in this case ride more and read less.

 

[Jeff Milleman]

Interesting reading all this , That s what I did , Read all the threads on this forum about the s10 being I could not demo one .learned what i may need to do and got the 15ES , knowing Yamaha is kinda pullet proof having a 1900 Raider .Love the bike , but the seat is at Seth Laams , cant wait to get it back !!! Thanks all for educating me no the s10 , great place to BS and learn !!!

 

[2112]

I still struggle to understand Honda's pitch with the AT, in such a crowded marketplace. Chain drive & tubed tyres seem strange cost savings, although I can appreciate the purist off-roader looking for something different may see the attraction of the machine. Not much room for a pillion either.

I have to agree with you Ken, I was underwhelmed by the AT when I saw it at the NEC this year having previously owned a 1997 model. It felt tiny to me (mind I am 6'2") and not very comfy, and it had a few naff brackets which would annoy me long term. It's a bit heavier than an equivalent KTM too, so I'll be surprised if it will best the Austrian off road and the KTM has more sophisticated cornering ABS when on road and more power too. I really can't see who it's aimed at ? It's a 1000cc when everyone else is 1200cc or above, it's not shaft drive - even it's own stable mate the Cross Tourer will be way better for pure highway work anyway. Just my two penneth worth on the matter but I think Honda missed a trick by not producing a bike with a similar capacity to the original AT and make a class leading do-it-all middleweight adventure bike. The market is already established as both BMW and Triumph make decent 800cc bikes.

Back on topic and I am very happy with my unsung hero of a bike ::021::

 

[Big Blu]

.....
....

I think BMW have been caught out in the past with extra powerful press bikes...
...
..

Nah, all that "extra" power comes stock from the factory! ::013::

Paul

 

[tenbob]

Regarding the extra power thing n staying planted firmly in the real world.., I just don't get the big ups the other bikes get over Tenere. I get there is a difference in spec as well as in action, but the Ten is quite a fast bike, sometimes doesn't feel fast, but in reality it is. If for arguments sake, say another in class bike such as the GS or KTM is half a second quicker to 60... Well, that's the difference between counting from 1 to 2 then halving that. Wow!! Zzzzzzz!! : Top end power n whatever might be another matter, but what's the point in having that on a fat ADVENTURE bike (and there all fat to some degree really aren't they). Maybe I'm on my own ere and don't yet grasp what a basically is big comfy sit up n beg touring bike with some off road credentials, is all about, but I still reckon it's mostly unnecessary spec touted. Real world for me... Choice is choice n choice is good, but guess for some it's just bragging rights or a penis extention for others... Nowt wrong in that, but not my bag how to judge a bike overall. The Tenere is SOLID... In more ways than one... and should be commended for precisely that in this lard ass travel category... 8)

 

[Big Blu]

Regarding the extra power thing n staying planted firmly in the real world.., I just don't get the big ups the other bikes get over Tenere. I get there is a difference in spec as well as in action, but the Ten is quite a fast bike, sometimes doesn't feel fast, but in reality it is. If for arguments sake, say another in class bike such as the GS or KTM is half a second quicker to 60... Well, that's the difference between counting from 1 to 2 then halving that. Wow!! Zzzzzzz!! : Top end power n whatever might be another matter, but what's the point in having that on a fat ADVENTURE bike (and there all fat to some degree really aren't they). Maybe I'm on my own ere and don't yet grasp what a basically is big comfy sit up n beg touring bike with some off road credentials, is all about, but I still reckon it's mostly unnecessary spec touted. Real world for me... Choice is choice n choice is good, but guess for some it's just bragging rights or a penis extention for others... Nowt wrong in that, but not my bag how to judge a bike overall. The Tenere is SOLID... In more ways than one... and should be commended for precisely that in this lard ass travel category... 8)

I was only putting some fact on the statement made be Rasher, not trying to focus on the importance of hp. Hp is highly over rated and most riders that say they crave more hp actually want more torque.

We should all be riding the bike that brings the biggest smile to our face, regardless of the hp, torque, the marque, the price, the color, style, etc... Life's too short to do otherwise. ::021::

Paul