Some cool Yamaha Tenere images:
Yamaha Tenere
Image by ~FreeBirD®~
Ride Review : I spent few hours looking for a real practical review of the bike considering where I live and ride. I ride in City and touring on the weekends for long distances. Is this bike meant for big cities – how practical it is on all the points that one needs to look at it for reality purpose.
Spending nearly 1hour on the bike – I was ready to account it for its performance and how practical this bike is. I personally love the tall bikes but I am talking about 660cc Single cylinder oil cooled 48bhp which means, easy crusing till the speed of 70-90mph for long hours.
Fill it, forget it and enjoy the ride. Old Mantra of enjoying the pleasure is all here with you for a price tag for £5800(apprx.) plus easy maintainence and built in a good quality.
Doing some cruising speeds on it is fine – touching about 100mph(160kmph) you can feel the engine almost reaching the end of its powerline. I was able to crunch the throttle to get to the 172kmph(105mph) and then it felt, Its the end at that point.
If you live in UK, chances are – you would not use this bike to its true pottential, it is absolutely impossible. You would not be able to really feel that excitement if you hit the motorways with this single cylinder peppy machine. Overtaking on the motorways at speed of 80mph it feels like – you dont have enough to pull out and complete your manoeuver.
On the other hand, the bike handles well looking for a rough tarmac to test its best pottential which you will never find in the city roads. Cruising around the town can be nice.
The speedometer comes with the settings for kmph and mph to be adjusted according to where you ride UK or mainland EU. Practically this bike is made for those who want to travel light, enjoy the rough roads and bumps without feeling them. Bike is so light and weight distributed so well that picking the bike feels so easy compared to the likes of its bigger versions. For the money factor I would keep this sweet, you are not going to use those1200engine for your city rides, riding on motorways and cruising in any different way than on this Tenere. Reliability wise, I would say its a best bike for anyone who dreams of Beemers, Triumphs and Ducatis. No one beats the Japanese in their reliability when it comes to making motorcycles. Beemers are hole drillers in your pocket from the time you buy it till the end of its life. After seeing all those big 1200s and riding on them – it feels your power is more for showoff unless you are really doing a round the world trip which I can bet this bike will do as well. Keep the engine oil, tyre pressure and brake pads in check you will not be asking for any expensive service on these sweet Yammies.
Charlie Boorman was sponsored for rides which most of you will not be. Oh, ofcourse riding Ducati Multristrada on European trough is nothing that you cant do like a sponsored ride for one of the XBHP owner.
Now, my final verdict
Built – 9.5/10
Engine smoothness – 9/10 considering single cyclinder
Practicality in city – 6/10
Will I buy this bike –
Considering my past travel experiences – I would say yes, but knowing that I live in UK and mostly can go to EU for riding long distances, and will not be using this bike for Europe. I would say you will miss the punch of being on a fast bike when the roads demands you to ride in a way that you can use the full pottential of the bike.
Feel free to ask me any questions you feel for the bike from first hand experience of being on the tall bike.
So, my options switch back to Yamaha Fazer FZ6 S2.
Bike courtesy : West London Yamaha.