Will Yamaha Increase the S10 Power? If so, When?

[spklbuk]

I'd just as soon see the s10 lose weight and then perceived power would take care of itself. ::008::

 

[copb8]

As I read your posts it does become clear to me that I may be barking up the wrong tree. Rasher nailed it that Yamaha chose a niche and is not trying to be all things to all people. I also realized that after 11 years of FJR ownership Yamaha didn't do hardly anything motor-wise and never upgraded to a 6 speed transmission, so why would I think they'd significantly re-engineer the S10, especially considering how much it contributes to their overall sales.

As far as being a horespower junkie, that a bit true. But I'm a car and track guy and while I have a decent horsepower it isn't nearly the fastest thing out there but it's reliable, raw and fast enough to scare you when pressed. That's what I ultimately would like my S10 to be.

The KTM thing is just a bit of flirtation for me. When I bought the S10 I was drooling over the Ducati 1200S Pikes Peak bike. But I knew reliability and service was going to be a bitch and that I'd be far to careful with a $20+K bike to really enjoy it off roads. I realize the same is true of the KTM but it doesn't hurt just to look and fantasize.

In the end the decision will be made once I'm down to just the S10 for some period of time. Will I miss the the FJR more than I think I will? I hope not. I like the potential of turning down any road that interests me even if that's not what I intended the ride to be when I left the house. With a bike like the FJR your committed to the tarmac for the whole ride.

PS: If you didn't catch it yet and you're looking for a pristine '13 FJR PM me!

 

[AVGeek]

As I read your posts it does become clear to me that I may be barking up the wrong tree. Rasher nailed it that Yamaha chose a niche and is not trying to be all things to all people. I also realized that after 11 years of FJR ownership Yamaha didn't do hardly anything motor-wise and never upgraded to a 6 speed transmission, so why would I think they'd significantly re-engineer the S10, especially considering how much it contributes to their overall sales.

As far as being a horespower junkie, that a bit true. But I'm a car and track guy and while I have a decent horsepower it isn't nearly the fastest thing out there but it's reliable, raw and fast enough to scare you when pressed. That's what I ultimately would like my S10 to be.

The KTM thing is just a bit of flirtation for me. When I bought the S10 I was drooling over the Ducati 1200S Pikes Peak bike. But I knew reliability and service was going to be a bitch and that I'd be far to careful with a $20+K bike to really enjoy it off roads. I realize the same is true of the KTM but it doesn't hurt just to look and fantasize.

In the end the decision will be made once I'm down to just the S10 for some period of time. Will I miss the the FJR more than I think I will? I hope not. I like the potential of turning down any road that interests me even if that's not what I intended the ride to be when I left the house. With a bike like the FJR your committed to the tarmac for the whole ride.

PS: If you didn't catch it yet and you're looking for a pristine '13 FJR PM me!

I loved my FJR's...I had both an 04 and an 08. Twisting the throttle as I dropped down the on ramp onto the freeways was a rush I'll never forget. So was dropping a gear and passing a long line of slow moving cars on two lane desert highways. Cruising at 80+ was "FJR-nominal"; I thought I'd always have one in my garage. But notice I said "had"...once the ST made its way to my garage, my 08 FJR saw less and less road time. The 08 left my garage at the end of 2013, and in the time since, I can count on one hand the number of times I've missed it. And I haven't done anything to the ST to improve motor performance...yet!

 

[Nooner]

I have nothing against more power, but I get 50-55mpg and the motorcycle has ample power for me, but I'm not riding with the wife, as the wife would rather not ride on the back of a Tenere. As to the KTM1190, yea more power, but read over at ADVrider about that thing. There are 255 or so threads, 250 of them on various problems, and not problems such as a burnt headlight harness. That bike is a real winner, a race bike. I can't argue that, but I would rather have a street bike.

What kinds of speeds do you travel at? What aerodynamic farkles do you have on your bike?

I have sidecases and (occasionally a topcase) - I weigh about 180lbs with all my gear on (helmet, motoport mesh pants,jacket and kevlar gloves & Sidi Adventure Boots) and I am lucky to cross the 40mpg barrier. Add a pillion (which I do as often as possible) and I am mid 30's...

I love the broad-spectrum torque of my '13 (White also, the best color) but I too would love a few more HP, and a few more MPG. I loved the power and economy of my '12 GS (which was regularly in the mid 40's) which was loaded, farkled, and ridden similarly to the way I use my s10.

So, OP, as a fellow Texan, I hear you!

 

[Vanderwho]

To the OP,

When you learn how to ride the 100 hp it has now ::021::

The only thing hp numbers are good for is the swinging dick party ::002::

I cannot wholeheartedly agree. Maybe it's the fact that I came from an FJR, but more is always better when passing two-up on a two-lane road (uphill, with a headwind...)
::26::

 

[fredz43]

Motorcycle Consumer News accepts no advertising, and although I may not always agree with their opinions, I trust their facts and measurements. In their August, 2014 issue, their measurements show that Yamaha HAS increased the HP by 8.24 with the 2014 model over their measurements with the 2012 model.

 

[Random ride]

I cannot wholeheartedly agree. Maybe it's the fact that I came from an FJR, but more is always better when passing two-up on a two-lane road (uphill, with a headwind...)
::26::

I had a 2007 FJR and found it totally useless in this country. It was so smooth and powerful that every time I looked down at the speedo I was running 90mph. It was a ticket waiting to happen when I took it out for a ride.

I find my 2013 has just the right kind of power for my riding style. It grunts down low really well, has great mid range roll-on, and just enough punch in the upper revs to have a spirited ride in the twisties. It carries my 300lb arse, my wife's 130lb carcass, and all of our gear quite nicely. I guess I'm not in that big of a hurry these days

I will say the having avc reflash the ecu made the bike more enjoyable to ride. The way his reflash cleaned up the only part of the power delivery I didn't like really finished the bike off.

 

[Big Blu]

I say love the St for what it is or move on. It'll never be a KTM or a BMW, but that doesn't make it a bad motorcycle, it is what it is.

Seems it's the fickled nature of mankind to seek the next best thing...... me, I'm master of the trait!

Paul

 

[oldbear]

I had a 2007 FJR and found it totally useless in this country. It was so smooth and powerful that every time I looked down at the speedo I was running 90mph. It was a ticket waiting to happen when I took it out for a ride.

I find my 2013 has just the right kind of power for my riding style. It grunts down low really well, has great mid range roll-on, and just enough punch in the upper revs to have a spirited ride in the twisties. It carries my 300lb arse, my wife's 130lb carcass, and all of our gear quite nicely. I guess I'm not in that big of a hurry these days

I will say the having avc reflash the ecu made the bike more enjoyable to ride. The way his reflash cleaned up the only part of the power delivery I didn't like really finished the bike off.

+1 I had a great '07 Feejer and loved it. But it was "sneaky fast". I'd be cruising along @ 60 or so on a quiet country lane, look down and see the speedo bouncing off 90 ???. That bike was gonna cost my my license! Seriously, a great bike, a lot of fun, but really a bit much for the daily grind. I think my old Ducati was as fast, but on the Duc you Knew you were hauling A.. while on the FJR you really couldn't tell a difference between 60 and 90 based on noise or other inputs. Anyway, wound up on the S10 and love it. Does everything I want a bike to do, and I've been on 'em since '67. I found a long time ago I can have more fun on a bike I have to "ride" to get the best out of than one that is simply warp drive fast. I'd ask you to be brutally honest with yourself, and ask if you can REALLY ride an S10 at 10/10's.....I'd suspect there are Very few folks who can actually ride any 80+ HP bike at the 10/10's level, much less one of the 150 horse "superbikes". Anyway, I doubt big mama Yama will plug in more horsepower for the S10. If you REALLY wanna go fast, buy an R1....

 

[scott123007]

I'd ask you to be brutally honest with yourself, and ask if you can REALLY ride an S10 at 10/10's.....I'd suspect there are Very few folks who can actually ride any 80+ HP bike at the 10/10's level, much less one of the 150 horse "superbikes". Anyway, I doubt big mama Yama will plug in more horsepower for the S10. If you REALLY wanna go fast, buy an R1....

That's a very good point you're making, oldbear, but "anyone" riding at a level that starts getting uncomfortable for them, and/or mistakes start to happen, is at "their" 10/10ths, not the bike's. Rule of thumb is, unless no one else your size and weight can ride the same bike faster than you in an identical situation, the bike is not being ridden at its 10/10ths.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the S-10 is a slow pig for true sport riding, but a great all around bike for its intended purpose.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

+1 I had a great '07 Feejer and loved it. But it was "sneaky fast". I'd be cruising along @ 60 or so on a quiet country lane, look down and see the speedo bouncing off 90 ???.

That's one of the main reasons I put my FJR up for sale after owning it for about two weeks. It took almost no skill to ride it fast. The bike was so good, it did not need a skilled pilot to fly it. The guy who bought it from me also proved that point. As he followed me on his test ride of the FJR he reported back that he was a little nervous following me into one of the corners at speed. Then he realized the bike just breezed right through it like it was nothing.

To most people that sounds ideal. To me...it's just not my thing. I want the bike that needs me to be sharp to ride at my normal level. I want a bike that tells me to "back off, Jack" when I've taken 3 weeks off and I'm not on my game. A bike that doesn't allow me to be lazy and still go at my desired pace. I'm sure I could get my needed adrenaline fix from an FJR, but the speeds I'd need to travel are far faster than this dad who needs his license wants to do. The FJR is a phenomenal bike...way too good for me.

This winter I've been going back and forth over the idea of sending my computer to Anthony for a flash. I rode Checkswrecks flashed bike last year and not doubt, it's a major jump forward from mine. Although there have been countless times where I've twisted my wrist and wanted more...more grunt, more response, more easily wheelied...but I'm still leaning against doing it.

I love my Tenere, but it ain't perfect. After riding that KTM Adventure last year, it put my Tenere into perspective. Compared to the KTM, my Tenere is a big, heavy, wide, slowish, somewhat dumpy bike. As memory fades from riding the KTM my ability to overlook all those negatives grows stronger and my satisfaction with the S10 is renewed. I do love that bike. It fits me in so many ways.

Doing a re-flash would scratch a certain itch, but I'm not sure I really need to endlessly chase some fantasy of the perfect single bike. I'm happy with what my Tenere does for me. I'm happy with what my DR does for me a different mindset of riding. If there is something missing between those two bikes I'm currently thinking maybe I should add a bike that fills that void rather than trying to force the Tenere into it. Or maybe I just leave that void empty. I don't think it's necessarily a good thing to get everything you want in life. There's value to desiring something that just never comes your way.

 

[jbrown]

There's no way I can ride any bike I've ever had to it's capabilities (well, OK, maybe that Wren minibike I got mail order when I was 10), but that doesn't mean more power wouldn't allow me to pass a car more easily, or get to the next corner more quickly. You don't have to be in the top 10% to get some benefit from more power. You should, of course, have the self control to avoid overcooking your lunch. But that applies to almost any bike. You can be an idiot with just a little horsepower, it's just easier with more power.

As to the question at hand, I don't think Yamaha will likely make any big power improvements in the near term. I think the target audience is mostly beyond needing more power than the other guy. The sport bikes get the development budget for out HP-ing the competition, not the easy going get you to the end of the world and back bikes.

 

[squarebore]

I love this bike as it is the best I have ever owned and I don't need/want more power but to answer the OP, I reckon yamaha will either increase the HP or discontinue the bike In the next 2-3 years. They are a business and if they are not competing they will make a change.

 

[Ramseybella]

Buy something that will feed your need, I think KTM falls in that category more Balls than you will ever need and if you have deeper pockets than most, have at the BMW. ::024::

All needling aside answer your question is NO they have tapped this big bike for HP.
I never looked at this bike as a peg scrapping knee dragging fast acceleration 10 car passing machine.
I looked at it for what it is, a truly dependable Dual sport that gets me places in dirt.

 

[scott123007]

Buy something that will feed your need, I think KTM falls in that category more Balls than you will ever need and if you have deeper pockets than most, have at the BMW. ::024::

All needling aside answer your question is NO they have tapped this big bike for HP.
I never looked at this bike as a peg scrapping knee dragging fast acceleration 10 car passing machine.
I looked at it for what it is, a truly dependable as long as you replace your cam chain tensioner Dual sport that gets me places in dirt.

Here, fixt it for ya

 

[Ramseybella]

Thanks I'm glad you found one faulty part.
You forgot headlamp harness, fuel pump O-ring, and rear differential O-ring, couple guys had throttle body issues one had a clutch spring come unglued!! ::008::
Let me ask you this, did the CCT leave you stranded without any warning, did it cost you an arm and a leg to replace did you have to hunt down a repair shop that could replace it?
Nothing is perfect but from what I have been reading and experiencing with my Tenere it still stands, it is damn dependable..
Now back to the subject shall we or go riding! ::003::

 

[EricV]

Just read thru the 3 pages so far in this thread. Like others, I've owned a FJR before and concurrently with the S10, and sold the FJR. I sold my '04 FJR with 162k on it, more for other reasons like wanting to have more flexibility in the road choices and to stop taking the FJR places I probably shouldn't be, like dirt trails and dry river bed crossings. It was my rally bike and I wasn't afraid to take it where ever the bonus might be.

Sure, I miss the turbine like power delivery of the FJR's inline four. But I really like the power and roll off compression braking of the S10 too. Not that I braked much before unless I was coming to a stop, but I really like what the S10 offers. And sometimes when I double down shift the S10 for a two lane road pass, yeah, I miss the FJR. And that electrically adjustable wind screen, (more than I thought I would).

But, to the OP, if you're really worried about the power to get up a hill two up and fully loaded, stop worrying. You know it does just fine at nearly any speed you want to within reason on a public road. If, however, your thoughts run like this: (sorry Dirt Dad)

I'm sure I could get my needed adrenaline fix from an FJR

then keep the FJR or buy the KTM and accept the issues that come with it.

The S10, and frankly, any other twin, will never have that same smooth punch that the FJR has. And looking at the history of the FJR, I think we can forget about any significant power increase, ever, for the Super Tenere. They never increased the power in a big way on the FJR in 15 years, I seriously doubt Yamaha will on the Super Tenere.

 

[Ramseybella]

I like speed and horse power we all do, we have been conditioned to it since little kids all them car commercials over the years pounded into our brains 0 to 60 in a blink of an eye.
I have had fun with it but in the long run your always looking for a cop, dreading sand in the corners never have enough time or break power when some critter jumps out of the bushes.
After my crash on my Tiger I managed to buy the Ten within one month got back on and realized, this bike is sort of lame on the HP.
But after realizing what i intended to use it for I was glad it has what it has, dug myself out of a sand trap first week!
My friend has a kawasaki concours 1000 he has always bitched that i ride like an old man since I bought this bike, always crying his bike runs more efficient at higher speeds Go Faster Dude!! :'(
I tell him go on I will catch up and when I arrive you will be to damn tired to go for another 200+ miles FOOL!! ;D
Things started to change when he dropped his steed trying to get up forestry roads a few times with that Kobe Cow of his, breaking something or getting hurt every damn time.
Now he want's a duel sport.

I try to point out the Tortoise and the Hair theory your only going to gain 30 to 45 minutes to your destination, but in return for all that speed you will be loosing an ASS load of gas mileage and be totally fatigued at the end of the day..

 

[copb8]

This has been a great thread with really thoughtful answers. So I'll address a few of the comments.

To make myself clear, I don't intend to just jump on a KTM or anything else for that matter. My intention is to sell my FJR and live with my S10 to see how I like it having it as my only street bike. I fully expect to REALLY like it otherwise I'd already be doing something. BTW, my S10 has already been chipped anda new exhaust added so it's not bone stock.

Regarding riding 10/10th of the BIKES capabilities, almost no one here can do it and even if you can no one here SHOULD try and do it on a street. That said, riding 10/10th isn't the only reason to like more horse power. More horsepower allows you to pass more easily (regardless of your riding skills) and could let you cruise at a higher speeds with less RPMs. I cruise very typically in the 90+mph range here and I'm not alone. That's comfortable with a ladened FJR but works the S10 much harder and kills mileage.

In the end I can guarantee you that if Yamaha came out with 15 to 20 more hp for 2016 model not a sole here would complain about it and we'd have endless posts about how wonderful the new found punch is on the '16 and how everyone with 12s to 15s should upgrade immediately.

 

[Dogdaze]

This has been a great thread with really thoughtful answers. So I'll address a few of the comments.

Regarding riding 10/10th of the BIKES capabilities, almost no one here can do it and even if you can no one here SHOULD try and do it on a street. That said, riding 10/10th isn't the only reason to like more horse power. More horsepower allows you to pass more easily (regardless of your riding skills) and could let you cruise at a higher speeds with less RPMs. I cruise very typically in the 90+mph range here and I'm not alone. That's comfortable with a ladened FJR but works the S10 much harder and kills mileage.

Here's where I'll agree with you. I owned a VZR1800r for a short while. It had 125bhp but compare that with the S10 in regards weight, it had less bhp/kg. However, it also had 125 ft/lbs and when I went to overtake, I kind of did it without a thought and all I can say is; WOW! Before I knew it the offending vehicle was barely a blip in the mirror. So yes, I get it. But overall, I can choose to ride the S10 differently where it is always in the 'powerband'.