261 kl

Have we a photo without the pannier hiding the exhaust,,,, It's lkook's a tad on the very large side

it should be a good big sit up straight road bike....and that's about it, at 261 kl before you put your luggage on it you wont want to be dropping that off road

ps I use a low guard on my XR400,it is to help cool air get to the motor .!

Yes mate, 260+ kgs!! ... it sure seems designed to be a cheap competitor to the Moto Guzzi Stelvio, Ducati MultiStrada, Honda Varadero type of pure road "adventure style" bike. Yet another huge "adventure" bike that cant really be taken off road ... Like we need another of those on the market. Wish someone would bother making a 150 kg single to do the job.

I am also changing my X-Challenge to a low fender for the next long ride too - same reason.

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Are you sure it is a `cheap` alternative? Do we know prices yet?

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This old world keeps spinning round, it`s a wonder tall trees ain`t laying down.

I've heard whispers of £12-13k,which would be suicidal !

Andy

Hardly surprising, really.

Most members on HUBB are like-minded so it's easy to forget that what we value as qualities in a bike are way down the list for the majority of the potential customers that Yamaha hope to sell their bike to.

Sad but true: the needs of an overlander are of little consequence to the big bike companies: the relatively recent releases of the Tenere, and 800GS are fortunate in that they seem to meet many of our criteria. The DL650 was definately a road-bike that happens to be capable off-road: I doubt Suzuki had overlanding or any serious off-roading in mind: we were lucky!!

I think we need to get used to the idea that every new Dual Sport bike that comes out will not have dirt on the mind, and we will keep having to tweek our bike of choice to meet our needs.

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

EXcellent comments. It's true, we are virtually invisible in the market, even with the Ewan & Charlie hype, when it comes down to it, they are still building mainly a bike with an image, not a bike to really performs off road. Not that it's not capable, just does not seem to have been the #1 priority for Yamaha.

Still, at least Yamaha long ago learned how to build a reliable shaft drive and transmission, something BMW still struggle with even today. Any looked at the torque output of this monster? Huge, yet only 80 HP.

But as a comfy, two up tourer for easy dirt roads the Tenere' 12 will hit the spot for many. And like BMW and Harley, Yamaha will sell millions in aftermarket add on's, doo-dads for the bike. They are simply riding BMW's coat tails on this one. (can't blame them)

Quite true about the Wee Strom. Total accident. Never intended for off road. But Suzuki build some of the lightest bikes in the world, and simple and reliable as well. (just not pretty!)

Most ADV types in the US are hoping Yamaha will jump into this Adventure thing with both feet. The first thing we want is a revised 660 Tenere' single. New, lighter, more modern motor, knock off about 30 lbs. min. and then bring it to the USA. Very nice bike. Strong, cool looking, just too heavy for serious off road use. (even though many do it anyway)

hey Mickey, I think you can give up on Yamaha mate ... they seem to be building adventure bikes to consume maximum amounts of steel. If they were serious about his Adventure thing, the bikes would be much much much lighter. The Tenere is the heaviest single cylinder bike on the market, and probably the heaviest single ever built. And now this fat piece of super tenere lard ... it must be the heaviest adventure bike of any description ever brought to market, in the entire history of mankind. If Caterpillar built an adventure bike, it would be lighter than this! The only fit purpose for this "thing" on dirt roads will be to put a slick on the back and give it to road construction gangs as a backup dirt roller.

So two records for Yamaha and their assorted Teneres on their return to this Adventure thing ... records for weight!

If they wanted to be both serious and go into an empty segment of the market, they should work on making a 135 kg, 30 litre capacity adventure version of the WR 450 .... looking something like this: (note, this bike in the pic has a fuel capacity of an incredible 35 litres, and weighs 126 kgs)

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Well, I think the ST1200 is a damn fine piece of engineering and I'm gonna buy one as soon as it's been out for about a year and the first release gremlins are sorted - really, I think it's terrific.

It would be nice to see the manufacturers building an off the peg travel bike but actually, I really enjoy turning a non overlanding bike into an overlander !

Yeah its expensive and a pain at times.. But there's something nice about riding something you have adapted and built yourself !!

It's a bit of an A-Team thing !!

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I thought the F650 Dakars held that honor? A F650 Dakar with no luggage weighs in at around 425 lbs. (193 kgs.) wet. The 660 Tenere' claims to be
403 lbs. (183 kgs.) Dry., probably about 440 lbs. full of fuel. So the BMW is lighter, but not by much.

Reports I've read claim excellent handling off road for the Tenere' and I know you've seen Jmo's reports. So it may be heavy but in stock form I'd say it's more sorted than the Dakar or current G650 BMW single.

I think you're being a bit hard on Yamaha. Yamaha can build any bike they choose. In this case they see the market for the Tenere' 1200 as folks who won't likely being doing much off road at all, but want that image and most of all want a comfy Torque monster that looks the part and can cruise the highway at 100 mph, two up. In any case, it's no heavier than either the early 1100GS or 1150GS, which are 70 lbs. heavier than the R1200GS.

I agree with you. It would be nice if they did a nice Enduro bike based on the WR450, not a $50,000 Dakar racer as pictured, but an upgraded WR250R, perhaps with a "Dakar" package offered?
I hope you don't expect two wheel drive?

[/quote]

Lets all forget buying off the peg new travel bikes. It's never going to happen. It hasnt really existed since the 90's has it ?? The Africa Twin, dommy, transalp and R100's dissapeared years ago in any real travel format.

I was playing with the idea of starting a business specializing in off the peg overland bikes. Basically buying a load of low milage or well maintained "base package" bikes and doing all the relevant servicing and prep work for people who can't be bothered or don't have the knowledge.

Just the basics such as a bigger tank, bash plate, luggage frames, touring screens, footpegs, fitted for spares etc.

Then I realised the market is sooooo small and that real travellers are usually very penny pinching and involved, that I would be lucky to even make my money back let alone taking even a small profit for my time.

My point being, these big expensive "Adventure" bike arn't aimed at travellers at all. They are aimed at men who just want to look at one in their garage and dream or fantasise that they arn't locked to their 9-5, 2.4 children , morgage and car payment life !!

I used to work for a large chain of Motorcycle dealerships as a salesman.. I have dealt with hundreds of such people !! It's a skill you need in bike sales... To play to a mans dreams ! Be it to rekindle their youth or whatever....

That's not a bad thing, everyone is allowed a dream of escapism !

I don't know why I let myself get worked up about it all...

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

177 kgs dry the Dakar, and 175kgs for the smaller wheeled 650GS

2005 BMW F 650 GS Dakar specifications and pictures

They are fat, but not as fat as the Tenere. I would say the Dakar has a much more sorted engine. Neither the Tenere nor the Dakar have great suspension, but I would point out that many Dakars have gone round the world with stock suspension and loaded up. Doesnt mean they handle well, sure. But at least they have a track record.

Jen's Tenere is a bad example for illustrating the quality of Tenere suspension. There is nothing stock about her suspension at all. On the front she has aftermarket triple clamps, a KTM front wheel, and WP forks. The entire front end has been replaced. At the back she has an aftermarket shock, spring and wheel. Of the entire suspension, front and back, only the swingarm is a Yamaha part.

Compared to the Dakar, which has been around since 2001, the Tenere is heavier, taller, makes less power, uses more fuel. Quite literally, its 10 years out of date.


How much is a WR450 in the US? 7,000? Maybe it would cost another $1000 - $1500 if you made an adventure version in the factory. Its mostly plastic tanks and panels. Detune the engine a touch, slightly different suspension and a better seat and subframe. A Dakar bike is only $50,000 because everything has to be custom made. Make plastic panels and tanks in the factory and they are practically free.

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Suzuki almost does: DR650SE weighs about 165kg, but I think that might be dry. Pity you can't buy it in Europe any more. They are still selling here in NZ for about 4300 Euro.

Mine has done over 190k now, first clutch and cam chain, little maintenance. But, now...

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

Lesson of the thread is...............

Start filling your garages with DR650's, DRZ400's, old Teneres, Africa Twins etc etc

Keep them running, keep them nice and they will be gold dust in 20 years time when someone wants to take a bike around a world without a IT technician, a sidecar full of Maplin/Radioshack spares and a laptop.

It won't be long before Grant has to add a section on "Places to recharge your bike on the road"

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

My DRZ400(E) weighs in at 146.5 "fuelled & tooled"
That’s "Trail Ready" with full tool packs on back and front; spanners, spare levers, inner-tube, pump, tyre levers, pruning saw(W.T.F.?) etc, etc and 11.2 litres of fuel.

Add another 20kg with the 28lt tank fitted and filled.

Minimalist luggage and loaded at 30kg

Then another 110 odd kg for me suited and booted and you've got 300kg struggling to stay gripped on a diesel-slicked, wet road on knobblies !!!

I'd love a DR650 but good ones in the UK are like Rocking-Horse Poo