testride new Tenere

[dallastx]

Today I did a testride with the new Tenere and I must say I was impressed! It runs smooth, good handling in corners, bad roads and roadbumps. Shifting goes smoothly, injection-mapping is o.k., seating-position is comfortable(only one minor complaint: it's fixed position, one can't move backwards, due to the height difference of the passenger place). The springs front and back are up to onroad riding conditions(I didn't ride offroad, but it probably will do alright too!). Tank(22lt) is good for 460km. At high speed there's a little turbelence round my helmet, due to the high windscreen and my height(1.93m), not disturbing. All in all: a very good bike, more allround, compared to my XT600E. I even started negotiatons with my Yamaha-dealer to trade my two XT's for the new Tenere(white/red)! Greetz,Hans.

P.s.: one little thing: they fitted a plug in the dash to connect a GPS, which was not in the pre-production models. Here in Holland Yamaha Netherlands sold the whole 2008 stock to the dealers, so if the dealers sold them all, you'll have to wait 'till next year.

[Flyingdoctor]

Thanks for that. We don't get the XTZ here in the UK for a few weeks yet but I'm keen to get a test ride on one. My main concern is the seat height, I can manage an XT660 no problem but 895mm sounds very tall. Hopefully they've sorted the fueling problems of the XT660 by now and your report is encouraging but "OK" doesn't sound like you thought it was that good. It's difficult to get used to the on-off feel of EFI but you do get used to it after a while. What did it feel like held on a constant throttle?. The 22 litre tank and the legendary fuel economy of the engine should give some amazing touring ranges in the region of 300+ miles.

My dealer is only getting a few this year and I think they'll go quickly so I may wait until March next year before I trade my Tiger.

[dallastx]

No, really, the injection was flawless, it runs smoothly from 2500rpm onwards. No problems what so ever, no on/off like the older XT660R/X, that's solved, due to other mapping. As for the seat height: as said I'm 1.93m and had no problems, could place my feet flat on the ground. The highest speed I reached(on the highway!) was 150km, but run it only for short time, but felt comfortable. Greetz, Hans.

[Flyingdoctor]

Thanks Dallas. I look forward to testing it myself soon.

[dallastx]

Traded my two XT's for a new XT660Z Tenere, which is underway to my Yamaha dealer, probably next week. I ordered the white/red version, along with an original alu bashplate and centrestand. I'm excited and can't hardly wait 'till it arrives! Greetz, Hans.

[stuxtttr]

Enjoy youre Tenere, over here in the UK they seem to be selling out b4 they are in the shops, so chances of a Test ride are pretty slim. TBM may issue has a great article on the new Tenere and it seems you are looking at fuel of about 300 km mixed terrain riding on that tanks which seems good to me. Also a shorty the seat height looks good if the one at the NEC was anything to go by.

Check the panniers though the ones at the show were already broken and the bike had never turned a wheel. It might be worth getting some Mules or similar.

[dallastx]

My new Tenere has arrived, delivery will be next friday(due to the not yet arrived alu bashplate and centre stand, both original Yamaha). My dealer had three Tenere's ordered(one of each colour) and they were sold even before they hit the showroom floor!! He back-ordered five more Tenere's, delivery in june and august. That's going well!! XT rules once again! Today there was a Yamaha Experience event staged at my dealership: testrides, catwalk clothing show, parts presentation, mechanics battle, foods&drinks, allwell organised by the Yamaha importer. Besides some other Yamaha models, they had two Tenere's to ride. Greetz, Hans.