You may regret asking this.....

Nipple chroming....72p each (sounds painful doesen't it). I'll have to think about that.

I had the 660 first, following a long series of Pan Europeans and dirt bikes. I bought it to go around the world with the boss, Karen. The bike was not overly powerful but as an all round bike it was brilliant. I rode it up ski slopes and did a 830 mile non stop trip back from Monaco. In June I wa sin the Isle of Man and whupped some serious sports bikes asses, including a new Ducati 1098. The useability was incredible. It did however have one big flaw. It was not actually big enough to lug the pair of us around the world with our kitchen sink and 22 pairs of shoes (sigh).

I had never liked BMWs. Both for the crudeness and the snob factor (my opinion and I'm entitled to it) that went with them. But it was the only bike that would fit the bill size wise. So I went out and bought a new 09 GSA with all the bells and whistles (God I love being in debt) I still had the 660. Anyway, I just could not fall in love with it. It lived up to all my poor expectations, The engine was crude but powerful, this was helped by the fact that I had a low 1st gear installed, but the ABS was scary off road. Driving downhill on loose stuff made it feel like the fluid had leaked out - very scary. On top of that it was very top heavy and high, a bad combination for the intended purpose. The gearbox felt like my father in-laws tractor. The switches completely baffled me, although they were at least all on the handlebars. The screen was however, very good.

Unbeknown to me Yamaha were 3 years into building the S10 when I bought the BMW this but they had not anounced it. Had they done so, I would have waited, my faith in Yamaha has never been dented in the 38 years I have had them.

As soon as the S10 was anounced, I walked into my garage and told the BMW its days were numbered. I then rang my dealer and signed on the dotted line having never seen one. I cleaned the BMW up and put it up for sale. I was not at all sorry to see it go. It was a big pig.

I then waited and upon my return from the TT in June, the new, fully loaded S10 was ready for me. I went to the dealer on my 660 (for PX) and before I had even sat on it I changed the tyres for the nearly new TCK80s that I had taken off the BMW.

I then strapped the original tyres to the rack, fired it up and was amazed how easy the bike was to use. A bit heavier than the 660 but a lot easier to use. This bike is absolutely brilliant. The brakes are absolutely incredible. I can drive down a loose gravelly slope, grab a good handfull of front brake and the bike just stops. No drama, no pulsing, it just stops - brilliant.
The TCS in mode 2 allows the bike to be drifted like a pro. Its a peice of piss to pick up, ride slow 2 up, and manouvre in tight spaces.

Anyone of average height (I have a 29" inseam) who already has a BMW and does not have a BMW tattoo will be tempted by this bike.

In T mode, it is soft and great to ride in traffic and 2 up (no helmet bashing) and on the roads, switch to S and it takes off like a scalded cat with a strong smooth power delivery. On the dirt, the power gets scary very quickly in S.

I cannot praise this bike enough. The only critisisms so far are:
Spokes - should be stainless.
Panniers - plastic crap.
Belly plate - rear fixing inadequate
Screem (both) - inadequate and induce a lot of buffeting.

BMW need to be very scared. This bike is a very easy going, long distance, all road bike. Aside from niggly things, to the best of my knowledge, this bike has had no real failure yet.

You should by now have gleaned my opinion of the 3 bikes....He he he

As for the off road ability. The BMW may be more capable in a riding Gods hands, but for us ordinary mortals, the BMW sucks and the Yam is so much easier to use and I am sure will be the benchmarch for future all road tourers. Despite what the tossers at MCN say.
For example, I went to the Horizons Unlimited meet in Ripley. It became a standing joke among the staff there that all the bikes falling over were BMWs. :what:

Hope this answers your question. Sorry about being biased, I can at least give a proper opinion.

PS. I hope the ABS on the new 660 is the same as the S10 (likely as they have also put it on the FZ8). It will make it one awesome motorcycle.

There is one downside, BMW riders no longer wave at me :pjrmoony_1JJHDG:

EDIT: And another thing: The BMWs TCS will allow a real good wheelie and then when its alarm clock goes off, it wakes up, cuts in and slams the bike unceremoniously back on the deck. The Yam TCS works virtually all the time (unless turned off) and stops any embarrassing stupidity before it happens. It is not a wheelie monster though. The low weight stops a lot of that. It's another reason that it is so quick off the mark :-)

OGR... I read with enthusiasm your ride report through the Alps, and did my best to map out your route, but all those Col's seem to merge into one.

I am a BMW owner (1150RT) of a few years (2nd BMW). I love the idiosyncrasies of the Boxer engine, but I truly loathe the fiscal raping ownership brings with it.

Briefly owned an elderly XT600 1VJ before it was stolen, and have been trying to find its replacement.

I test rode the XT660z Tenere, and wasnt sure if it was an improvement over the original... ergonomically.
I cant bring myself to sell my BMW either.
The Super10 looks to have solved this issue, just got to get to grips with the price tag.

As for your travelling issues with the 22 shoes, can I suggest a soft top Landrover, very much like riding a bike. The noise, the braking, the wind and grit in your face, almost no protection...

Those cols were fantastic. I'd recommend that to anyone, the views are to die for...

As for the 22 pairs of shoes, she is gradually coming round to my way of thinking but it is a painful journey.
As far as the landrover is concerned, I'm with you on that, spent 1/2 a year doing that in Kenya whilst in the Army. On top of that the boss keeps suggesting it for when we chase the wildlife in the rift valley and the Okavango delta. She seems to think my S10 would loose in a fight against a wilderbeast !

Interesting read here http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=595933 Waspworks taking the bike apart

Mike, have you posted this on the wrong thread ?
I can't see the connection !

Ray

Edit...cheers mate

Oh yes i have......sorry my mistake. Deleted the post

New FARKLE's = Fancy Accessory Realy Kool Likely Expensive
 

I have decided to add some bits to my Super Tenere:

A side stand extender from Touratch: �26
http://www.touratech.com/shops/008/i...603-0_I_01.JPG

A mudguard extender from Powerbronze: �25
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/k...udguardpic.jpg

A screen adjuster from MotorradGarage in Australia (Waspworks): �115
http://www.motorradgarage.com.au/catalog/images/3.jpg

A much stronger bash plate from SW-Motech: �191 (190 Euro)
http://shop.sw-motech.com/cosmoshop/...4629-31244.jpg

And finally a GPS mount, also from SW-Motech: �40 (45 Euro)
http://shop.sw-motech.com/cosmoshop/...3857-31244.jpg

�397 plus a bit of postage...FFS don't tell SWAMBO.

One annoying thing. �9 to send the screen adjuster from Australia, and �8 to send a 6" long peice of plastic from Sussex. Rip off Britain...din't ya just love it.
Incidentally, regarding the SW-Motech stuff. The company will not send from Germany and only from their UK dealers, thats OK till you realise that their exchange rate is 1 to 1.
Grrrrrrrrr

I'll post some piccys when they arrive....just gotta keep them out of the bosses sight, once fitted, she'll never notice. he he

I forgot to update after the above bits were added. The Touratch sidestand foot was useless and I binned it in favour of a simple welded plate over the top of the existing. It is not pretty but it works well. I also beefed up the crash bars to protect the rad and my legs for when SWAMBO and I fall off.
I posted this pic previously on ADV. It was taken whilst skiing in Italy in Feb. I got some funny looks riding it around the ski resort :001:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/k...dventuring.jpg

I have to say, I am more than happy with the bike now. It is fairly crash proof and it cruises very well with no buffeting.
Downside is that it has cost me a small fortune but it will probably be my last bike so it's worth it in my opinion.

Another warranty claim.
 

After Yamaha supplied a new set of spokes without question (not that I used them) I have had to make another claim.

Whilst in Rome, Italy, one of the buttons on the dash, the one that restets the trip meter, stopped working. I phoned my dealer in the UK for advise and he told me to pop onto any dealer in Europe and they will sort it.

I looked up a small dealer in Rome and popped in and showed the mechanic the problem.

He asked for the service manual which I did not have so I gave him the log book. He photocopied it and said he would call me in couple of days. 2 days later he phoned me and said that a new set of clocks was in and to come in and get it fitted. After I checked the part number as the UK models have miles and kms on them, I went in fitted it myself in 10 minutes.

Bravo Yamaha. Warranty agreed and foreign part supplied in under 48 hours. I was very impressed.

Great addons and interesting reading. Yamaha I thought were very good with the warranty when i needed anything doing.