Tenere power
 

H Everyone

Please help, im really interested in the xtz660 tenere but im worried about the power ive just had a 2008 fz1 but i wont more of a off roader/tourer. I know its nothing like the fz1 but does the tenere have plenty of go for 50bhp?

Thanks for any comments, please go easy on me its my 1st post. Andy

Of course we will go easy on your first post. hello and welcome first.

In short the stock Tenere power is more than fine for off road or road use. The only time the power will be an issue is if you are fully loaded for a RTW tour and are 2 up on it. Other than that fully loaded 1 up is fine.

Cheers mate i will book a test ride when i can.

:coolsmiley:

Tony is right. The Ten has more than enough power to have loads of fun. But I have ridden a full power FZ1 a couple of times and that is just in a totally different league.

So don't go out and buy one without a serious test ride.

cheers for the reply i will definatley book a test ride this week.

the tenere is capable on the road, but you will get left for dead by relatively average cars even if you gun it and you're never going to do more than 85mph. If that bothers you, it won't be the bike for you.

Either you live in a very affluent area and thus have a funny idea of what the "average" car is, or you haven't figured out how far the throttle turns yet. :D

It won't be as quick as an FZ1, obviously, but it will perfectly happily cruise on the motorway at 85, and just about get into three figures.

I've loaded mine up like this...

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...925_n.jpg?dl=1

...and ridden to Spain with no problems, even on the bits of Autoroute we did. However as others have mentioned, it's probably *either* luggage *or* pillion (or go slowly and enjoy the view).

As has been said, you need a good test ride because it will be different. Some people don't seem to be able to get on with anything with less than 100bhp. Personally, although I've ridden a few, I've not yet felt the need to own anything with more than 60bhp.

Alright fella.
I bought my Ten after selling my Hayabusa. I didn't have a test ride, and the first time I rode it I thought WTF have I done?! I knew what to expect form big singles with regards to performance and power delivery, but it was the ergos of the bike that I didn't gel with. My first tweak was to fit a taller screen to try and deal wit the buffeting, next was the seat.
I still have mine two years and 21,000 miles later, but it's not perfect. It's a good commuter, it's great fun on the lanes I like to ride on, it'll get you where you want to go whatever the weather.
BUT
It's not so good if you want to ride at 80mph two up with luggage, if you want to ride on Motorways, or if you're expecting something that will tackle serious off road.
If you want to do those things, then there are probably better bikes out there for you.
If those things happen seldom, then the Ten might well work for you.

A true 85mph is 6k rpm. The bike will not appreciate cruising at those levels let alone the abuse your body will take from the buffeting...even with a taller screen. What gearing did you run to get into 3 figures? Or are you talking speedo indicated rather than actual?

Having done 20k miles on mine in 8 months mostly on the motorway...I feel confident I got everything from it that it could give. It was perfect cutting through city traffic and felt light and lithe on the lanes or twisties....but it is merely capable on the motorway and not a cruiser.

Mine does 160kph (~100mph) on the GPS. Original gearing. I do have a stage2 DNA filter and the Kev mod, but found that those mainly affected low and mid range. Original top speed was not much different.

It is true though that keeping it at that speed does feel like abuse and above 140kph (~85mph) you need to time overtakes well since it looses its punch in acceleration at those speeds.

But I have done some pretty long trips with full luggage on varied roads, including motorways and found it perfectly capable of handling that. Buffeting was sorted with a Heinz Garlick handle bar bag and a screen spoiler.

it must have been my 17st weight that prevented mine getting to a GPS 100mph :086: although top speed wasn't a goal for me. Mine had stage 3 dna, stage 3 kev fuel mod and stainless zorst.

Its a state of mind mate - like others I came from a 'big bike' background - the latest being a CB1300.
To me if you are thinking along the lines of the tenere perhaps you are moving away from that 'white line fever' approach to biking. If your mind now tells you that that is no longer what you are looking for out of a bike and its time to see other things around you rather than black tarmac, the back of the cars you are approaching and on coming traffic alone the xt is a great bike. Enough power 90% of the time and great fun on and off tarmac.
Ever gone for a tarmac ride and then seen a track and thought, s**t I'd love to have a look up there but couldn't because you would have ended up on yer arse? If so you couldn't do much better than an XT.
For me top speed aint an issue, I like to see where I am not just the brake lights on the car infront.

I'd go with the 90% statement. My comments were based on motorway riding when, typically, accelerating from 50mph when a lane opens etc. I haven't ridden a bike that was so much fun at low speeds before though...so it's a balance.

Your comments make a lot more sense in the context of doing what would be 30k a year on the motorway - knowing that I'm not surprised you're changing.

I apologise in advance for the simplistic way I sum up the xt's power:

I used to rate a bikes power by the number of cars you could zip past with a 'flick' of the throttle, ie:

CB1300 - a 4 car bike.
Triumph Tiger 955i - a 3 car bike
Bonnie - a 2 car bike

and so on.

The XT i would say is a 1 car bike.

cheers guys this is a big help. I have booked my test ride for this weekend so i will let you all know.

not being funny, but how big are you guys i frequenty take the bike over a tone although not by a lot and thats with my work gear.

thing to do is enjoy the TRIP and places you see whilst RIDING the bike.
get to destination in a flash and i'm borred once arrive & always just want to get riding in the morning again.

just enjoy..........

OK, alot of what has been said is subjective, here are some facts;

In 2008 I took my brand new Tenere 8000+ miles through Europe, from the UK to the Arctic, to Greece to Portugal an home again, in 19 days (and with 2 days off in Praha) - Speed of the bike has been mentioned, you work out the average speed over nearly three weeks. Riding every day, covering distance.....

Last year I (and 3 others on Tenere's) rode to Portugal, and covered 800++ miles over dirt roads, on the same bike that I used in Europe in 2008..... The rider gave up before the bike did....

For two years running, a Tenere, run by members of this forum has completed the Heroes Legend Rally, all of it (despite KTM & BMW have lots of problems) from the UK to Dakar, every single mile.

so, if you want a bike that will give you a buzz like the FZ1, forget it. If you want a bike that will take you over anything, with a smile then you are looking in the right place.

The FZ1 is a 4 cyclinder power house, the Tenere is a single cyclinder fun box. you will have the same smile at 50/60 mph as the fz1 gives you at 90/100 mph - It's your license, you decide.

However, the Tenere isn't for everyone, you have to be a special kind of rider, with the right attitude and outlook on life......... Are you that rider ?



:icon_king:

Power&speed ain't a topic for me....my Tenere does everything I want a bike to do and havin' a ball doin' it!! It's an allround allroad bike, with which I feel comfortable where ever I ride, is it long stretches of highway, twisty backroads or in the mountains, gravelroads or green lanes and even offroad...it takes me everywhere. I like the thumper and its character, power enuff for me to do what I do. And speed...if I want speed, I'll get a roadrocket...but I never will. I really dig this bike and although I looked at some other bikes(Triumph Scrambler or the new 800XC), I'll stick to my trusty XT660Z Tenere, for sure!
Greetz, Hans.

:smilies0349: well said mate, I'm riding the Z all over Egypt and it goes were ever you want it to.
Cheers Lahami

Powers a debatable subject as it depends what you need it for. I travelled a lot on my 1100GS all over Europe and liked the bike. It had a lot of grunt but the cost of fuel and mpg was alarming. One of the trips I ran between 90-100mph most of the way back from the Stelvio and it cost a fortune.

A friend said “What did you see” which I replied not a lot as it was a blur and tiring. On the Tenere same trip I cruised 70-80 max and took in the sights low costs and brilliant Tenere ride. Which would I do it on again? The Tenere for sure.

It’s a great all-rounder for touring (ask Chris Scott), adventurer and cruising machine. Plenty of power when needed and you have more chance of enjoying the ride in comfort whilst keeping your license. I don’t find it underpowered at all and after having rocket machines so glad I took up adventure bikes!

Everyone to there own but it a well proven machine and like a swiss army knife

If you go out to buy a fast car and buy a Land Rover you dont compare it to a BMW M3

I took the tenere out on sunday for a half day test ride at my local dealer. i loved it and the power wasnt really a issue i obviously could tell the differene between my fz1 but with the style of bike that it is it didnt bother me. i did 150 miles and 3 miles off road ive never really done of road before so i was a bit scared off dropping the bike with my 500 deposit for the test ride but it felt good so i carried on. the bike had leovince exhausts on and a power commander not really sure what difference this makes but it sounded good.

Thanks for the comments it payed off, im going to buy one soon as i find a good deal.

I think this whole power thing is just a frame of mind. Don't need oodles of power to have fun.

Thats true i was worried about it but had no issues. i never went past 70 though :laughing9:

Yahoo, another one has seen the light, spread the gospel, brother!!