Personal details of Tenere riders

[Andy M]

I just paid my annual installament of the old bike tax and have decided to leave this cash extraction scheme. The Bonneville is to go 

I fancy a Tenere (new XT660 type thing). However, I do occasionally carry a pillion. So, does anyone out there with a 29-inch inside leg do this or will I struggle? Do I need to be talking lowered bikes at the dealers?

Is XT660.com the main place riders of such beasts hang out?

This plan does of course involve me actually owning a Thumper again 

Cheers

Andy

[trophydave]

Hasn't SteveD got one of these?

[guest868]

What's your average riding speed?
I find with a pillion the Ten is ok on lanes and the like, but a real chore on A roads and M-ways.
You can get lowering links, but to be honest the OE shock is shite and will sag like hell anyway.
Just wondering what you expect to save by changing bikes? Fuel economy varies between 46mpg (pillion) and 59mpg (70 mph sedate plodding) and I don't think the Bonnie is a thirsty beast?

[steveD]

Hi Andy, as Tom says the original shock sags quite quickly. I started with a lowering link and have now replaced the original link with max preload. But then I do carry a lot of gear!

Should get mid 50's to high 60's mpg.
Will cruise at 75 all day long but you will have to use the gearbox for motorway stuff with a pillion.

Seek us out on XT660.com, there are loads of owners that have actually done round world trips on these beasts.

We are having an XT660.com meet up in the Lakes in a couple of weeks time, that's the place to see these bikes in their numbers and have a talk to owners. Come and camp over.
You are more than welcome to have a go on mine.

Cheers SteveD

[Andy M]

Thanks Guys.

The Bonneville is simply getting old. 8 years of daily use, 2 Elefant rallys, various other trips and it's falling to bits. I'm fed up of spending the weekends getting it ready for Monday rather than riding it. Great as it's been it's time to get back to something where you just put the key in and go. MPG wise it does 45 in normal use, 55 on a decent run. I used to get over 75 mpg from a carbed F650 (which is plan B in the "new" G form if the Ten doesn't fit, even though the thought of walking back into a BMW dealer is dreadful!) and not that much worse with an XT600E. The F650 was the better pillion bike. I could ride the XT two up but the new Tenere is 10mm taller still. Plan C which solves the pillion issue is a Scrambler but with FI there is no way to get enough fuel on board, plus it's over priced and not really suitable for small roads.

Pillion wise the longest trip in the last two years has been 40 miles each way. If I can get to the end of the street without the beast falling on me it's mission accomplished on that score. We have the outfit for real 2+2 up trips.

See you over at XT660.com

Cheers

Andy

[tj63]

The Tenere is substantially taller than the G650GS.  I'm 5' 9" and can't get near the Ten unless it's on the sidestand.  If I remember, this is how SteveD gets on his.  I can get on and off the GS easily.

The G650GS is a cracking bike in my opinion, and it looks great too. It also returns 70+ MPG.


Trevor

[squirrelciv]

For my 2p worth, you could do a lot worse than a DL650. Cheep, plenty of poke and well comfy for you and a pillion. You can load em up like the per-verbal pack horse and the V-twin motor just gets on with it. I'm getting 60+ mpg at 80mph (motorway) and can eek that out to just under 70mph if I plod along around 70mph. New ones are a little taller than the original, but nowt to high really.

Love mine to bits. Best all-rounder I've ever owned.

Just a thought.

[guest868]

Where are you based Andy? I've gone the other way with my Ten and had the OE seat refoamed with an extra inch of padding in it, and a set of 40mm raising links. I also fitted a Nitron race shock at 10k miles after the OE one died.
I would also recommend the Wee Strom. I think they are a cracking bike.

[Andy M]

Thanks Pat, I hadn't thought of the V-strom. Looks a bit pretty to be hacked about mud tracks but I think I'll go take a look.

I had two F650's one from 1995-7 and another 1999-2003. They are actually how I came to be hanging about with certain multicylindricaly challenged saddo's and their petrol stoves  . As Trevor says lovely bike and does everything well. I have a mental blockage though. The dealers are simply useless scumbags and during both previous periods left me high and dry when awful bits of Rotax monkey metal dropped to bits. I was treated to such joys as being told to only buy bulbs at the dealers (actually a short in the loom) and the five day 700 mile oddessy required to get the exhaust to actually seal after the ****wits took it off to do the valves. In 2003 I had a little walk across a rather warm bit of Morocco courtesy of the water pump followed by scrapping the bike as the head had warped. Amongst the swearing on that day I swore I would never ever buy a new BMW. I hope I'm wrong but a Chinese made Rotax specified by BMW and warrantied by those ***** in Bracknel scares me stupid. I'm swapping because I want to ride not fiddle and calls to BMW's warranty bunker count as fiddling. I know which Yamaha dealer I'll buy from if the Tenere fits, they replaced both wheels on the XT600E off their own bat at the 4000 mile service because they found one loose spoke. If the Ten doesn't fit and the V-strom is too pretty I'll have to venture into the snake pit and go be insulted by some suited slimeball who'll try and sell me 2-tons of Can-bused twin and a clown suit, but I'm avoiding that for now. Sorry if this grates, I really hope I'm raining only on my parade.

I'm in Leeds BTW.

Thanks for the input

Andy

[guest868]

No bother, if you were closer (S.Wales) then you would be welcome to have tried mine.
I've got to say that as a reliable lump it is pretty good. Faults, and it has them but they are minimal, are;
Cush drive rubbers get eaten at a stupid rate. I went through 3 OE sets whilst still under warranty (2 years, 18k miles for me) and the bike will feel jerky when they go.
Reg/Rect connector plug. There have been some instances of the earth pin not being sat right in the block, shorting and then the unit dying. Pre-emptive maintenance is simple; pull apart, clean with contact cleaner, pack with dielectric grease and push back together firmly until it clicks home. Did mine in the very early stages and have had no bother in almost 27,000 miles.
Spokes, they rust, deal with it.
Shock, it sags and is pretty poor. Nitron do a good quality replacement and will do a spring suited to your weight.
Chain and sprockets. Front sprocket gets eaten faster than the rear, doesn't matter what brand. I don't rate the OE chain, but others do.

[squirrelciv]

Andy mate, don't let the strom's looks fool you. Those who own them and take them off road reckon they can handle it ok. There are a few clips on youtube if your bored. Must be honest, I've never been tempted myself, but then again, I'm rubbish off-road (not too good on it either) and my strom is the first ever new bike I've owned. Sad though it might be, I'm a bit precious about her

[guest295]

You probably won't like riding the Tenere: It's too tall and clumsy for most purposes. But I do agree that BMW bikes should be avoided because they are just not good enough. Honda make a bunch of V-twins (Dakar etc) that don't fall apart.

[Andy M]

I had a brief go on a Transalp while paying the old bike tax (Honda place is closest to work). Didn't seem to really want to set the world on fire but competant enough and well priced.

I used to be indecisive, now I'm not sure 

 

Wavy Mavis of Leeds

[johnr]

thats the thing with hondas, they might well be dull, but theyre relaibly dull for an awful awful long time. theres nothing really exciting about waiting for a warranty claim anyhow!!

[002]

BMW electrics are far too bloody weird,and the servicing schedule and plugging into computers is a pain in the arse.


I do like the TranSlap,very good bike.
But I think the DL650 is much better.

Recentley had a go on a friends Triumph 800 Tiger........I DID like that !
And lower seats and longer dog bones available !


Jethro