As you can gather from my 'newbie' post, I picked-up a low mileage Tenere last week and rode it from my native North East to my second home on the Mosel in Germany on Wednesday and Thursday. Here's a few thoughts that might be of interest, that also raises a few questions that some of you might help answer:
- Overall, I'm very impressed with the bike. For me, it has a supremely comfortable riding position and what seems to be the right balance of ingredients for my primary intended use - maybe 85% road trips and local runs with 15% easy trail type off roading.
- Engine is typical big single but seems a lot more refined than my old '96 Ten660, with an impressive, immediate response on the throttle and a comfortable indicated 75 - 85 cruising speed. Managed to do the whole trip of 275 miles on one, full tank.
- The handbook suggests that the speedo can be toggled through mph/kph (which would be useful for me living in two countries) by holding down the 'select' button for two seconds ..... it didn't work for me as when I held it down it just jumped straight to the clock change function. Any thoughts?
- Used DFDS ferry from Newcastle to Ijmuiden (Amsterdam) and it's really easy to tie down with ratchet straps (supplied). I used the front tow hook to tether the front, pulling the left side slightly first, to keep it tilted to the side stand, then the right, gradually pulling each down. Then the rear using the pannier rails. Finally (being ultra cautious by nature) ran one over the middle of the seat (protected) and tied-off the front brake using excess strap. It was in my opinion, immovable, and the easiest bike I've tied-down (and I've done lots!)
- I used the Yamaha panniers that came with the bike, a Colemans marine bag and a newly-purchased Heine Gericke Tuareg Enduro tank bag. The bike settles quite a bit with the luggage on, even though only part filled. I can only forsee height difficulties when off-road and caught-out by sudden camber or drops (I'm 5'10''). The HG Tuareg tank bag is highly recommended. I looked at both the Givi and Kappa tank bags as well, as I wanted one that took a sat nav (I double up with my car Tom Tom One), but they were a lot smaller and almost the same price. The Tuareg seemed much better value. It has some lovely features, like zips that then press stud together to stop flapping about and opening; magnets that are in easily accessable pockets so you can simply remove them for plastic tanks; very well-designed fastening straps with leather-protected fastners that I imagine could be made to fit any enduro-styled bike.
- The suspension seemed really good to me. I come from a sports/race background and like mine firm. The Tenere did not disappoint. Haven't yet tried it off road of course.
- The weather was horrible - typical filthy November muc and rain with mist and low visibility. I thought the protection from the small screen was nothing short of miraculous. Unlike most, I found it very easy to slide back onto any part of the rear portion of the seat or to stand, allowing options of fully seated, semi standing or standing up completely.
- I panicked a bit near Spa (beautiful roads normally by the way, when the weather is better) as I think it started to fuel a bit erratically - or maybe there was some electrical trickery going on - resulting in a feeling of semi-lurching or missing, similar to what I've experienced on carbbed bikes hunting for fuel through blocked jet. Maybe I've been reading to many threads here on the REG/Rec issue!???
- Still think the pannier locks are pants (and these are warranty-replaced ones), and that they are not that easy to use - especially taking on and off) but they do offer a fair amount of space and lok watertight. I also seem to have a slightly tricky ignition barrel, whereby the key sometimes has to be twiddled-with to get the ignition on. Is this common?
- The bike like this is definately susceptible to side winds (Holland has lots of open fields by the roads) and can be quite badly affected - so beware.

I already think it's a tremendous bike, a bit of a do-it-all, looks great (especially in this white with red and black speedblock colour) and I'm really looking forward to getting to know it better. I'll be asking a lot of it over the coming year, including a 4,000 mile trip through Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Greece mainland and Islands, as well as being a bike (along with my DL1000 V Strom) for running my bike tours business in Germany and Scotland - maybe sometimes with bigger, quicker bikes. I'll be adding various bits over the next few months (including a fair bit of stuff from OTR who are in Trier, just 25 miles from me) and will report back with my thoughts and findings.

I't be lovely to get some feedback from people who have one and are maybe doing similar things.

Hi Loopydog and welcome to the fold. Pleased you are having a good experience with your new baby. Make sure the connector block on the top of the reg/ rectifier is fully home and you shouldn't have any problems.
To change from MPH to KPH press and hold both buttons, THEN turn on the ignition, release the buttons and the display will flash then settle down to display kph or mph as required.
Hope this helps.
PS I'm the one that has had a crap experience with the reg / rectifier and least weeekend I thoroughly hammered it up in the Dales in horrible weather. Now the new loom is on all seems well.

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If I'm not working, I'll be

Welcome Loopydog! Glad you like the bike already - I'm sure you'll love it even more once you get a few more miles on it - it's a fantastic machine!

I can certainly recommend OTR (even if other haven't in the past) - I have one or two bits from them already... (ahem), including their aluminium sump guard and it works very well, while not being too clunky looking like some others... don't be concerned about the potential lack of water-pump coverage - it's a myth - and of course their sump-guard is the only one that has been 'Dakar-tested' and there were no problems, other than the odd ding...

Jenny xx

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"Where we're going, we don't need roads..."

JennyDakar.com

Thanks for sharing yor thoughts about the new bike and I hope you enjoy it.

This is what I think of mine:

I really like the styling and everything is in the right place. The large tank is well moulded into the bike and the extra buffers on the tank and lower is a great idea. The screen is fine and does a good job although I didnt expect it to be like a Goldwing. Lights setup is very nice although why we can thave both bulbs on when switching to high beam seems a bit daft.

The dash layout is great with lots of little extra handy functions although a temp gauge would have been nice. Seat wise its fine for me and as comfortable as any other bike I have had including the GS. Sure there are mild vibrations but its a single and I dont mind it at all. In fact Ive ridden some twins and inline fours which are alot worse. Fuel economy is quite good and the engine easy to work on. A clutch for the GS for example is a major job and expensive.

It handles well and has plenty of grunt when needed. The standard boxes fit nicely leaving it narrow enough to still filter plus look like panniers for the bike.

If someone offered me my money back and another �1k would I sell it? Defiantely NO as I think its a superb bike in fact the best Ive had. Every tme I ride it I enjoy the journey.

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Previous bikes:TS50 - RD125LC - XT250 - ZXR750L3 - BMW 650 Funduro - BMW 1100GS - XT660Z Tenere

Thanks for that everyone. The MPH/KPH now sorted. Took the Ten out for its first ride without panniers and other luggage today, using the twisty back roads round where we live. Very impressed. It handles well enough (remember I'm from sportsbikes) but, more importantly, it delivers a lot of smiles-for-miles. The lovely, comfortable and high seat height, together with the slower speeds, means I'm seeing things I've not seen before and feeling very relaxed about it. It also has the advantage of letting me go up and down the tiny, poorly-surfaced or dirt vineyard roads, where I wouldn't take the Strom!

Looking forward to more riding and winter prep for longer trips next year. I'll try to post some pics of it here in the Mosel valley as soon as I've managed to suss paying my fee. By the way, lovely and dry, sunny and 18c here today.

Any comments and tips greatly appreciated, thanks.

Well, thats sealed it!!!!

I want a Tenere!
Just passed my test a few month back, tested a few bikes including a kwak er6n and xt660x 205 plate, which put massive smile on me face!

Was going to test a bmw 650gs this week, but heck with it, I am now sold on the Tenere......let the search begin!!!!

Oh, And this forum is fantastic!

Screen as you say is pretty good, especially in bad weather. Deflects enough wind/wet while not being so tall you have to try to look through it. I had a loan TDM 900 while getting my 24k mile surface and was amazed an how much muck I got on my visor. That and how uncomfortable the wind blast was over 85mph (I can do over 100 indicated on the Ten without and noticable wind blast)

For the ignition barrel get a can of chain lube with one of those straw things you put on the nozzle and squirt a small amount into the barrel. It's what my dealer does (bike lives outside) and it fixes the problem pretty well. I do the same for the lock on my yamaha top-box in the lock.

Certainly you feel the winds on the Tenere but the wide bars help you controll it much better. I used to think the Ten was pretty bad (it's my first bike mind) but again when on the TDM900 recently it seemed to be buffeted even more and trying to controling the bike with the narrow bars made life unpleasent in exposed places. Even with the higher winds we've had recently I'm glad to be back on the Ten.

I nearly got a 650GS when I was looking for the Tenere. It was a close call for me but the Tenere being cheaper made the difference. Servicing costs (dealer) are MUCH better as well of course.

It took me a while to get to the Ten (first bike after direct access) and it is tall and I did wonder for a while if the 650GS would have been easier to start with having a lower centre of gravity. My commuting is mostly motorway so perhaps took me longer to get used to than it might otherwise but now at the end of my first year and 24k miles I really am convinced I got the right bike. It's great fun, very flexible, enough power to be fun but still safe, confident in the wet and just all round brilliant. I'm taking it with me to Guernsey in a months time (max speed 35) and have to say it's the bit I'm currently MOST looking forward to in the move. No need for ear plugs, slow riding with lots of twists and granite walls to reflect the exhaust sounds back to you, just can't wait

I would advise against using chain lube or other oils or WD40-like stuff. They all work short-term, but due to their stickiness, in the long term they tend to attract and collect crud.
In my experience, by far the best product to ensure smooth operation of the ignition barrel is graphite powder.

You can get them in small vials like this: http://www.walkerlocksmiths.co.uk/ex...raphite-powder

Or you could even just grind some pencil leads for refillable pencils yourself.

HI,

Thanks for a great review.
Are you still happy with the bine and would you recommend it for a cape town to Cairo trip with 2 people ?

regards
Marius