Would you go round the world on the new Tenere ?
 

The million $ question is would you ride one around the world? We are doing a trip next year that this profile.

Total distance 20,000 miles

• good tar roads - 40% planed cruise speed 70 mph
• bad tar roads - 20% planed cruise speed 40 mph
• on good graded/gravel roads - 15%
• off-road tracks/trails - 15%

The primary concern is the bike needs to be able to do the worst bits but also spend all day cruising on tar roads. Longest day 300 miles.

The competition for bikes is the GS800 (expensive), Dakar 650 (Heavy)

Bottom line is if the Tenere cruised as well as the Dakar, but was lighter, or felt lighter offroad and at 2K cheaper than the GS800 it looks like a competitor.

Any thoughts from anyone.

Several people have been round the world on Honda 90s.

Any bike can do a round the world trip and this has been proven as alot of people have taken Honda's Cub 50 around the world with no problems at all. Why you would want to do it on that bike i dont know.

My opinions on the bikes are

GS800, expensive for the bike, then you have to pay over the odds for extras which just means less money to spend on the travelling part which is the part you are suppose to enjoy the most. New bike meaning you have to buy new or newly new also no other extras apart from BMW's at the moment so your kind of cornered on that. New bike so hasnt been proven as of yet in long term use. Plus side you have a twin cylinder which will cruise alot easier and the engine should be less stressed therefore less chance of going wrong.

The Dakar: A good bike in its own right and has been proven well on these types of trips but ive heard alot of storys about electrical problems going wrong or massive engine faults happening in the middle of no where. Very rare the massive problems i know but i wouldnt like to be stuck in no mans land with a bike that will not go. On the plus side you can buy them second hand and alot are moded up with the kit like panniers, topbox,screen etc that you would need for touring also if problems do arise second hand parts should be able to be bought cheaper than new ones.

The new tenere: Looks nice should be able to handle most/all of what you throw at it, but its a new bike and waiting lists are high at the moment, + being new its on the expensive side of things (i call expensive anything more than a tenner, i am a student). Not alot of choice at the moment on the side of extras for the bike as its new + the yamaha extras do seem quite highly priced like the GS800's. Plus side its been designed purely with your type of trip in mind, semi built in crash protectors and others.

XT660R. If you modded an old XT660R up with a offtheroad large 28ltr fuel tank it would be very near to the tenere but at near half the price at a guess. Its been proven by many people to be able to do this trip, its been about so parts are easy to find, massive range of extras to choice from etc etc. Down side is it needs moded up and the price of the offtheroad tank being about 900E or so is quiet steep, some find the vibes at 70mph+ annoying, short screen not good for touring anda few others.

Also depending on what you count as being bad off roading? When loaded up a bike can only do a certain amount off roading, and in the end there is always a limit. So choice your route around what you think the bike can take not the bike around the routes. I know this can be hard when you have never been in a country but you know what i mean.

Choice is yours, i would say try each out on a demo ride and see how you get on if you can get a demo ride. :icon_thumright:

Hey - lets do it!
 

Max

Maybe we can get a discount on two XTR big tanks? I reckon the XTR is the ultimate round the world tool. My legs ain't long enough for a XTZ anyway - and there won't be many around till 2009. I might be dead by then, due to my Dan Walsh / Oliver Reed lifestyle. And my age. Let's get moddin' dude!

Eagle

Eagle747

If you havent read yet my africa trip i was planning with my brother has sort of fallen through so at the moment i can do with the tank that i have. Maybe a few litres more would be nice but the offtheroad one is hugely expensive and at the moment im a student so no money to spend.

Im now planning a europe trip and will mostly all be on sealed/tarmac roads because at the moment my friend hasnt passed his test or got a bigger bike so he might be on a road bike for all i know therefore petrol stations shouldnt be a struggle.

Sorry but im sure someone else will be looking for one soon as these bikes are getting used more often for round the world trip, africa trips, etc. :occasion17:.. not too sure if they will even give you a discount but always worth a try, i wonder do they do student discount??:laughing8:

The XT series has a long and impressive lineage of motorcycles which have the ability and the reliability to accomplish this type of adventure. I would gladly welcome the ability to do such a trip! I may be an amateur in the eyes of most but I can read between the lines historically. Yamaha has the history and the ability, they just have to follow thru and provide the machines.
\
TC:happy7:

I think either of them would do the job. Mechanically I'd say that all the three bikes will endure the trip without too much trouble.

One thing that springs to mind though, is the fuel capacity. In my oppinion, both BMW's have too low fuel capacity to be regarded as traveling bikes. They both have a 16l tank which is simply too little for a traveling bike. It's fine for for the western world where filling stations are on every corner. But if you go into the more "rural" areas, you will need to figure out how to carry extra fuel. Jerry cans will only take you so far, besides being inconvenient to handle and strap to the bike (takes up space). I know that you can get an extra large tank for the 650 at touratech.com. But that costs 1600 Euros! Also I've been told that you need a engineering degree to install it. I met a guy who spent almost three months getting it to work properly. And then only through major modifications that weren't in the "kit" (I don't have details). So on top of the 1600 Euros, he spent quite a bit of money going back and forth to a mechanic, whom he also had to pay for his time. But if you're willing to spend the money and the time, then you get a 39l fuel capacity on your bike.

I am unaware of any extra large tanks being made for the 800. But if the price for the bike itself is an issue to you, then I don't think it's even worth looking into, since it is bound to raise the total cost even more.

On a sidenote let me say that even with the 22l fuel capacity of the XTZ, I recommend a 5-10l jerrycan on top of that.

There is also the issue of spares that you need to consider. You will need to buy catalyst free cans for your bike (depending on un-leaded petrol availability on your route). Do some research regarding how much a set of catalyst free cans will cost for the BMW's as opposed to the XTZ. Along with all the other spareparts you will need to buy for your trip. There might be a big difference in the cost there too.

I personally have the R with a 26l extra large fueltank from OTR fitted. As opposed to the trouble and price of the GS Dakar tank from touratech.com, I payed 900 Euros for mine and fitted it in less than an afternoon. And it worked from day one (bar some minor adjustments). I drove through Africa (Denmark to Capetown, western route) on it, without missing a step. Seeing as the engine and much of the "technology" on the XTZ is the same as on the R, chosing between the three bikes you mention, would be easy for me :). But it does you credit to do some research before jumping the gun on what might be THE most important investment of your trip.

But as I said in the beginning: EITHER of those bikes will get you through the trip. There is much to be said about chosing the bike you feel comfortable with. If bike "A" just gives you a good feel and puts your mind at rest, then go for it. The money you spend on "peace of mind" can never be regarded as expensive.

Best regards

Torsten

Good reply,

I test rode the both of them and would recommend the tenere, better tank range, price and wind protection and last but not least, a proven engine.

As for the catalic converter, am I right in saying that if you used leaded fuel, only the effectiveness of the catalisator would be affected? I mean, there is no use is buying other cans, because it won't affect the driving.

The lead content in leaded petrol can leave a residue on the working surfaces of the converter, reducing its effectiveness over time. I think the occasional tankful wouldn't do much harm; but prolonged use would certainly wreck it! Having said that where do you find leaded petrol these days.
In Britain only a few licensed garages can sell it and only vintage/classic vehicle enthusiasts would want to buy it.

I'm not sure about its availability in the rest of the world but I believe all of the developed nations are lead free now.

In Africa, apart from Morocco, Namiba, Botswana and Southafrica, leaded fuel is the only thing available. On a RTW trip, catalyst free cans is a must.

Using leaded fuel will because of the heat and residue of the fuel, burn your catalysts untill they stop working. That the catalysts stop working is only a problem to the invironmental buffs. But theroretically the can will eventually clog up and stop you in your tracks. Not a situation you'd want for on any bike.

The lambda probe (I'm asuming that the Tenere has one) will take damage and eventually stop working. I disconnected mine for testing purposes (I have an '07 R), and the increase in fuelconsumption is hardly noticable. Maybe 1 km or so per liter fuel. You can remove it if you like and blindhole it. In my case, I just left it in, and worried about replacing it when I got back from my trip.

Best regards

Torsten

A couple of Belgians just arrived in Japan with 2 tenere's and 2 AT's!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26668640@N03/

Guys,
Just stumbled on this thread and I might be able to give some feedback. Tomorrow (Wednesday 27th August 2008) I'm hitting the road for a pan european trip, 24 countries and approx 9000miles. It's going to be good and reasonable roads I believe, maybe Romania will have something to throw into the mix, but I'll be keeping an online blog going too.

Anyway, when I return at the end of sepember I should be well placed to report on how the bike behaves - if you want to keep up : www.smokingtailpipes.com

I'd say the new Tenere sounds perfect for the sort of trip you are planning Scottnet - in fact I'd spend the time between now and then hunting out a few more unsurfaced roads as part of your route?!

I'm taking mine to the US later this year (in about a month actually... sheeeet, better get packing!) and plan to cover a lot of ground with it... Western desert States this year, then head south and east on it in the early spring...

I built up an XR650R last year with a big tank, e-start, better brakes, luggage rack, rallye fairing etc. and the new Tenere has all of that right out of the box, which is why I just bought one myself!

xxx

XTR vs XTZ vs Dakar
 

My experience of riding an XTR in Africa leads me to agree largely with what Thorsten has said above. A couple of points:

There were 2 fully prepared BMW Dakar bikes on our trip. They both performed very well, but had cost around �11000 each to set up!

I haven't ridden the new Tenere, but it has the genes to do the job.
XTZ large tank; fine, but you can add 10 litres fuel capacity by strapping a �10 can on the back, or by buying petrol in bottles en route - then you can ditch the extra weight when you get to more urbanised countries.

I would probably buy an XTR with as much good quality protection kit on it as possible for about �2500 and spend the other �2000 on preparing it for the expedition. Making it comfortable for the long days and "drop-proof" in the dirt are two important issues. XTRs are easily bent back into shape if you crash.

How well do XTZs crash? What are they like to pick up when they have a full fuel tank?

Forget BMW
 

I have recently completed a trip of South America on a XT600 and although it only had its standard 15ltr fuel tank I only once used the contents of a 5ltr fuel can for the whole trip,the XT was absolutely perfect for the job,not fast but slow enough to see the world around me and brilliant off-road even loaded up.On my return I have since sold the XT and bought a BMW 800 GS,what a complete load of S--T.On paper it ticked all the right boxes but in reality its crap and I certainly would'nt take it any further than pushing distance of a BMW dealer.Right now I've got that off my chest if I had the chance to do a similar trip again it would be on a XT and more than likely the new Tenere which incidently I am thinking of getting the only issue only having a 30" inside leg seat height is a problem but I believe there are some mods available(maybe somebody could help).I have bought a stunning Africa Twin to replace the Bavarian Bollock Dropper and off to France for a few days.I hope I have helped with anybodys decision in what to get.:sign4:

You are preaching to the choir here, most of us fully agree. =)

Welcome to the forum, hope you get your hands on a Ten soon. There are lowering kits for the bike available so no worries about the seat height (if I understood correctly that you think it might be too high).

oops, i'm a newbie with a new tenere, planning to cross afrika.
What are 'catalyst free cans'?

You bought a F800GS and you don't like it at all???
you didn't make a testdrive? Or you discovered afterwards things you didn't like?
i'd like to know what makes you say the F800GS is a complete load of ****.
I bought a new tenere 3 weeks ago and last week my best friend bought a F800GS.

Kudu takes on Tenere
 

Its interesting to see that Kudu expeditions will be replacing their 650 Dakars with the new Tenere and not BMW's see [FONT='Calibri','sans-serif'] http://www.kuduexpeditions.com/expeditions12.htm [/FONT]

Without getting too technical (not for your sake, mine :) ) a catalyst is kind of a particle filter that is inserted into the cans/exhaust of all modern vehicles. This has no relevance to its performance, but is only to minimize particle polution from the exhaust. The catalyst is designed to operate on un-leaded fuel. Apparently, the exhaust from leaded fuel consumption is so hot that the catalyst will take permanent and irreversible damage from heat exposure. Also, the filter may clog up due to the lead particel exposure, and thus clog up the entire system. And ultimately stop the bike in its tracks.

The catalyst/particle filter is standard in all modern cars/bikes. But you can buy cans of the shelf, that have no catalyst. Catalyst free cans. You cannot from just looking at it, determine that it is a catalyst free can. You'll need an exhaust/gas test to do that. But you will violating enviromental standards. I doubt the earths enviromental problems will increase significantly if you as a single person decide to use catalyst free cans :).

Torsten

Regarding unleaded fuel and Africa, check this thread:

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?p=71690#post71690



Torsten

@mcthor, thank you very much for this very useful information. I've sent this link to my yamaha dealer.:hug[1]:

last week of this year my new tenere will be shipped to nigeria. From there i wanna drive to cape town.
Very exciting. first time in afrika, on my own.
Got inspired by your amazing trip. But since i have only two months in winter i start from nigeria.

i have to be back ik belgium beginning of march. I am reading your blog and would be very thankfull if you could give me more info about crossing

cameroen
gabon
congo
angola
namibie
zuid afrika

how about visa and other things?
how about a flat tire?
oh, i feel so exited.
:icon_king:

drove to the travelagency yesterday to get more information about the country's i'm crossing. I need visa for all of them except namibia and south afrika.

'ill better start a thread on horizons unlimited and keep this thread for what it's meant to: preparing the teneree for long distance.
Nigeria to south afrika is not that long. Approximate 10.000 km.

Me and one of my best friends have bought a new tenere and a F800GS last month and have been comparing last saturday.
We sticked to our conclusion based on personal needs:
The tenere is the better bike if planned long trips outside paved roads and eventually a RTW tour, the BMW is the better bike for daily use on tarmac and highway. Although the bmw can handle a RTW tour and the tenere can handle tarmac.
so @scottnet, your focus is on a RTW tour. If you have to choose between these two bikes, the choice is obvious.

http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/7...rkleindvk3.jpg
more pics here: http://picasaweb.google.com/bonimacx/MotoVanJanEnBoni#

Few years ago i saw 2 bmw's 650GS with touratech tank in laos. 39 liters means a big range. More pics here: http://picasaweb.google.com/bonimacx...0GSSeenInLaos#
I don't think Touratech will be able to do the same for the F800GS.
The F800GS's front is just to wide. The hughe radiator for cooling the two cylinders makes it impossible.
Have a look at the F650GS front with touratech tanks and the F800GS without touratech tanks:

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/5...00frontaj9.jpg

If BMW would create a F800GS Adventure version with hugh integrated tank, that would be the ultimate. A 1200GS adventure light version.

But finally, whatever you buy for a RTW tour, whatever "style" it is, will probably do fine. Take a look here: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tripplan/bike

There was a test in a Swedish magazine where they compared the 800GS and the Ten to find who they want to go into the wild with. The Tenere won. I made a post about it here:

http://www.xt660.com/showpost.php?p=61997&postcount=1

Also want to add about the weight: A friend of mine bought a brand new 800GS and put it on the scale. BMW lies about the dry weight of the 800GS, it is actually 20kg's more then they say.

this is hard to believe.
the tenere's official dry weight is 183kg, the F800GS official dry weight is 185kg.
According to your friend that would be 205kg...
You're sure his bike was not filled up with fuel?

I'm 100% sure about this. Would be fun if someone did the same with the Ten. =)

My 1200gs felt substantially heavier than the tenere full tank vs full tank even the specs said it is only 10kg difference.

Dont forget some manufacturers dry weights dont inclue engine oil, fork oil, tyres, petrol, battery, and a few others. Some even go as far as taking the brake pads off.

I think all manufacturers should quote fully wet weighs, ie full tank of petrol etc etc

I did this some time ago.

It was about 205 Wet with 85 miles of fuel used (about 6 litres or 4.5kg) and a main stand and a TomTom (manual states 208).
So adding the fuel back in and taking the stand off (about 2kg) we are back to what the manual states, 208kg.

The stated dry weight is 183, which probably low when you consider petrol is about 75% as heavy as water and for a 22 litre tank, thats about 17kg, then add on 3 litres of oil, about another 3 kg, Thats about 20kg total.

Add that to the 183kg advertised dry weight and we have 203kg.

Thats only a 5kg discrepancy. This may be accounted for as the early show models had Yamaha Akroprovic exhausts on, not the huge car type exhaust that are on the production models.

Ray

Interesting. The 5kg could be accounted for by the coolant, break fluid and battery that's always subtracted in the manufacturers dry weight figures. Looks like Yamaha's numbers are pretty honest then.

Very interesting ---
 

Thanks guys for this very interesting thread :045:

I've been keen on the Tenere since it first appeared on the scene but when I was in the UK last year there were none to be found. I couldn't even get one in Italy. Now I'm sure I can pick one up in the next few weeks but it has been suggested to me by one who's views I respect that a modded 660R might be a better bike.

Decisions - decisions ????

If I still had a workshop and a permanent address I might go down the modded 660R route just for the lower seat height but from what I have read on this forum every owner seems pleased with their new Tenere. She looks the biz straight out the crate - comes with most of the good bits fitted and seat height shouldn't really be a prob for my 33ins inside leg.

Head scratching over - I will follow my heart and go for the Tenere ---

Jeez there's even a choice of colours ---

decisions - decisions ---

It looks good in black --- but maybe a Scotsman should go for the blue --- I remember when life was so-o simple ---

givit :typing[1]:

Ya won't regret it! It's a hell of a bike, but so is the XT/R. But imho the Tenere is better suited for long distance travel, right out of the crate. It's all a matter of choice. Good luck and ENJOY, greetz, Hans.

Hi!

So what do you think about this concerning RTW ??? - http://www.flickr.com/photos/2666864...7607011158913/ (see the original photo)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/...850411693c.jpg

Any other posts about this?

ps. I'm new here. So hello everyone!!! :ytiller:

Looking at the spindle area it look as it its split and sheared something around where the spacer would sit!! not too sure

It just looks like someone has put grey duct tape over the bearing seal to stop the dust going in when working on the floor

I was scared that this part is broken. I can see the silver tape now. Thanks! F650 had some serious problems with front wheels so I was wondering....