This Bike Really IS a Fatty

[Mark R.]

Well, it was difficult to figure out a title to this post, but I am apparently not the only one to notice this. Suffice it to say that I have smashed up against the limitations of this very excellent motorcycle, and that limit is its considerable heft.

I rode a 240 mile trip a couple of weekends ago, with about 80 miles of dirt in the middle of two sections of fast pavement, and the Super Tenere was in its element – smooth and fast on the freeway, with great wind protection, and still excellent on the dirt roads - until I hit some soupy mud in the forest and promptly stuck the big pig.

I would have had to break out the block and tackle recovery gear, but a hunter came along and helped me roll it back about 200 feet, until I could get it out of the road and onto the forest floor to turn around.

I don’t think that would have happened on my DR 650 or DRZ 400, and it kind of unnerved me just a bit. 600 pounds is a lot of weight to manhandle in the mud, and it drove home the limitations this bike brings to the table. Even if I got stuck on a smaller bike, I could have simply dragged it to where I needed it, and stood it up and ridden away.

I have to admit, I am getting more and more into dual sport riding on the above mentioned Suzukis, and as such, the ST is showing its heft. Not trying to be a bummer, but I have to exercise quite a bit more caution when out in the mountains, especially by myself. I might stick this pig into a hole I cannot remove it from.

Mark R.
Albuquerque

 

[Checkswrecks]

Riding in that kind of mud, check your front fender, as it can pack up and lock the front wheel, plus the mud can crack it.


A number of us have two bikes, in recognition that there are some places the Tenere may be able to go, but a lighter and more dirt-oriented bike would be better.

 

[Mark R.]

Oh, yes, the front fender got packed up. The front wheel would not turn. Once I cleared enough out that it rotated, there was so much mud left that it sanded off the finish on the right side of my front rim.

 

[mrpete64]

Sounds like it is time for the new Husky 700 single coming out in early 2016.

Tenere's are made for dirt...not...mud! Just like bmw 1200 GS adventures. Too big for this kind of riding. Stick with your single...much lighter and easier to pick up.

Mr. Pete------->
aging hippie

 

[rider33]

In deep sand or mud weight is a problem. Top of the line dual sports can handle it if you are very careful and have spent a lot of time off road but that is not really what they are about. Then again, a DR650 is a bit of a pig in those kinds of conditions too. What you want is a 250 or 400, the less weight the better. The right tires matter (off road knobbies) in addition to the right type of plastic (soft with a lot of room between the tire and the fender). What S10's and their competetors are for is husseling 700 or 800 miles down the highway to spend a lovely day plunking down a BLM road or fire trail while carrying you and a full set of camping gear. For that they really have no peer and pretty good at most things, 'just not the best at everything.

 

[Big Blu]

It's a nice Adventure tourer but it ain't no dirt bike. Yeh, I know, ya can ride any bike in any condition but the ST is no dirt bike.

Paul

 

[Brazos609]

Here's an idea, how about just riding four feet to the right and not right through the middle of foot deep slop. Put it this way, if you were walking would you have walked along the same line, right into the slop, or four feet to the right where you were still on the path and not in the grass? I have a Tenere, a Polaris 550X2, a Jeep JK Sport, and a Jeep JK Rubicon Unlimited so an not a stranger to capable vehicles. My philosophy is to do what needs to be done and be able to get it done, not make it more difficult on purpose.

 

[Mark R.]

Here's an idea, how about just riding four feet to the right and not right through the middle of foot deep slop. Put it this way, if you were walking would you have walked along the same line, right into the slop, or four feet to the right where you were still on the path and not in the grass? I have a Tenere, a Polaris 550X2, a Jeep JK Sport, and a Jeep JK Rubicon Unlimited so an not a stranger to capable vehicles. My philosophy is to do what needs to be done and be able to get it done, not make it more difficult on purpose.

Around here, it is considered bad manners to drive wherever you want to through the forest. It's also illegal, and can result in large fines. Rather than do that, I proceeded up a road I was very familiar with, but which very quickly became un-rideable, and then I turned around, rather than really getting stuck to the point that I could not get out. My point in making my original post is that the ST reached its limit a bit earlier than I expected, and I have since adjusted my riding style and evaluations of conditions accordingly. I posted here to share my thoughts about this with the forum community.

 

[greg the pole]

Sounds like it is time for the new Husky 700 single coming out in early 2016.

Tenere's are made for dirt...not...mud! Just like bmw 1200 GS adventures. Too big for this kind of riding. Stick with your single...much lighter and easier to pick up.

Mr. Pete------->
aging hippie

isn't the 700 basically a 690 ktm enduro?
For a test drive, try out the paint shaker at home depot ::015::

 

[Ramseybella]

Around here, it is considered bad manners to drive wherever you want to through the forest. It's also illegal, and can result in large fines. Rather than do that, I proceeded up a road I was very familiar with, but which very quickly became un-rideable, and then I turned around, rather than really getting stuck to the point that I could not get out. My point in making my original post is that the ST reached its limit a bit earlier than I expected, and I have since adjusted my riding style and evaluations of conditions accordingly. I posted here to share my thoughts about this with the forum community.

You are correct Mark!!
How many times have you been up in the Pecos Wilderness and noticed how the ATV guys just make there own trail to cut switch back time!!
That burns me up, and then the rain and snow melt runoff cuts across the Forestry road and well you know.. ::010::
Don't even think of going to Iron Gate CG, that road is a grand canyon of ruts and bottomless mud holes from monster trucks.
Davis Willow forestry road is still solid but it has it's moments, lots of babe heads in some spots.

And yes this bike can show its weight in some cases, that was a No No attempt at the mud run of adobe Snot Mark.. ;D
I have gotten off my bike when I see this stuff and bring a walking stick and probe around first and evaluate, I have found barbed wire under stuff like that once also take a walk ahead a bit and look around the blind corners.
I have been fooled after I fought my way through a mud hole and struggled only to find another tract of mud that looks worse and longer, that's time for me to boot it back trail..
I like adventure but I am no 30 year old Adventurer by no means A broken leg or bike alone in the middle of noplaceville is not a good thing. ???

That place looks familiar to me Mark..
It just takes a little rain to turn these nice dry roads here in New Mexico into a slurry of no fun.

 

[Rasher]

It's a nice Adventure tourer but it ain't no dirt bike. Yeh, I know, ya can ride any bike in any condition but the ST is no dirt bike.

Paul

::026::

Especially in the hands of people like me :exclaim:

Did an Enduro day on a CR250 a couple of years ago and it just seemed to go over or through anything it was pointed at, I could not believe how easy it was to ride over what looked to me like impossible terrain - on the flip side the Tenere feels a handful (for my limited skills) on anything more than a little loose, deep or boggy.

But on the crap broken back lanes where I live it is perfect - in fact it is perfect for anything remotely resembling a road.

 

[Mark R.]

That place looks familiar to me Mark..

It is the road up to the top of Mount Taylor, on the east side of the mountain.

Mark R.
Albuquerque

 

[Mark R.]

isn't the 700 basically a 690 ktm enduro?
For a test drive, try out the paint shaker at home depot ::015::

Greg, singles are not that bad!! I have a Suzuki DR 650 with a 790 big bore installed. It is pretty smooth - for a single !!!

 

[greg the pole]

I'm not knocking singles, I'm just knocking the 690 single. apparently, when they put in the new duke motor in 2012 it became much smoother and less thirsty.

I've had drz400s, dr650, dr735, two klrs, and now a exc 450.
It just seems the 690 is a paint shaker, as KTM needed to extract 55hp from it
my dr 735 was pretty damn smooth.
and the exc 450 is pretty silky...

 

[Mark R.]

I'm not knocking singles, I'm just knocking the 690 single. apparently, when they put in the new duke motor in 2012 it became much smoother and less thirsty.

I've had drz400s, dr650, dr735, two klrs, and now a exc 450.
It just seems the 690 is a paint shaker, as KTM needed to extract 55hp from it
my dr 735 was pretty damn smooth.
and the exc 450 is pretty silky...

I didn't know the 690 had a reputation as a shaker.

 

[greg the pole]

I didn't know the 690 had a reputation as a shaker.

a buddy of mine bought a 2011 or 2012..and let me take it around the block.
After figuring out that it does power wheelies in gear one through three, I gave it back to him slightly numbed.
Not sure if it was the razor thin seat, or the bars that gave me the shakes.
Maybe im just sensitive ::013::

 

[shrekonwheels]

I am here to say that the 650s are still heavy as hell in the wrong circumstances.

 

[rider33]

..... perfect for anything remotely resembling a road....

Really, that should be the moto for this entire class of bikes.

 

[RED CAT]

I was pleasantly surprised how good the S10 was in deep sand. Deep being relative. I mean a fairly deep sand road like that 3 mile section of the White Rim Trail and parts of Arizona. I could smoke along in 4 gear without too much trouble. My pals on their Triumph 800s were really finding it tough, doing a lot of tank slapping and some crashing. Was running a Heidenau K60 up front and a smoothie in back. The S10 continues to amaze.

 

[chwhnd]

For me riding the s10 comes down to common sense, its a heavy bike of that no arguement exists but when riding something this heavy and by yourself it would seam smarter to not test how deep the mud is by driving threw it, the OP bought the bike knowing its heft and took it somehwere it shouldnt of been, its not a stretch to keep the blame off the bike and put it squarely on the OP and or his lack of forthought,just saying :