Jacko
Grey Hound
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2006
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- Denver, Colorado
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Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré launch report
Background
It’s quite ironic that Yamaha, the very people who started the adventure bike niche with the XT500 in 1978, seemed to have lost the plot for the last few years. But then, they’re not alone in having ignored one of the fastest growing bike segments in the world – neither Kawasaki, Suzuki or Honda, have really come up with serious adventure biking offers. For a while, at least, it seemed as if it were only the German-speaking manufacturers who “got” the fact that there are many people around the world who liked bikes that were able to provide transport both on and off tar.
At face value it seems as if the Nips decided to stick to their usual strategy of playing it safe and rather go for big numbers. This explains bikes like Yamaha’s TDM parallel twins, Honda’s Varadero and Suzuki’s V-Strom – bikes that offered you the comfort and riding position of big dual-purpose bikes, but who were essentially street-tourers with comfortable seating positions. From a Japanese perspective this makes sense, because most big adventure bikes sold in Europe and the US never see any dirt roads and are instead bought for their comfort. So why bother spending millions on R&D to try and develop something maybe 10% of the market would want?
The good news is that it seems as if at least some manufacturers in the Land of the Rising Sun have realised that they should go back to building what they did years ago – good, honest dual-purpose bikes with just enough technology to make ownership a pleasure, but not too much technology and plastic panels.
South African adventure bike lovers have been drooling over the prospect of the latest incarnation of Yamaha’s famous Ténéré for almost two years. There is a very simple explanation for this: The Italian factory where the bike is built has a limited output. So guess which market got preference? A cynic might also add that if it wasn’t for the economic meltdown they would still have concentrated only on European markets...
Enough of the conspiracy theories, ladies and gentlemen, I bring you the spanking-new (well, in SA at least) Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré, recently launched in the Harrismith area where members of the local media had to opportunity to sample them over surprisingly challenging terrain.
The Ténéré’s distinctive fairing and windscreen. It provides surprisingly good wind protection.
Looks
How many other bikes where so well known over the internet before their launch? I also briefly sat on a demo version at the 2008 AMID show, so it looks didn’t come as a complete surprise – but the colours did.
So where are the red/white and the khaki versions? They’re yesterday’s news, because the blue/yellow, black and deep red versions are the only options for the 2009 range.
Two things catch the eye when seeing it in the flesh: Firstly, there’s the distinctive upright screen and secondly the bike looks fairly high and ready for some rough stuff – the opposite of the Honda Transalp and BMW F650GS that both look as if they’re squatting for a smoke break.
The bar above the instrumentation is perfect for mounting a GPS.
Ergonomics and equipment
Yours truly has not been blessed with a generous inseam, but I was able to tippy toe when straddling the seat. According to the specs it is 895mm, but there’s enough initial sag to bring it down to reasonable levels. Shorter women (and men) might find it slightly intimidating, but the bad news is that there’s nothing in this segment that offers a significantly lower seat height, apart from the 650GS – but that is a more urban-orientated motorcycle, courtesy of its cast wheels.
I had my handlebars turned up so I could stand comfortably and found the footpeg-to-handlebar ratio perfect. Tall riders might want to opt for handlebar risers though.
The instrumentation is very simple and consists out of a easy to read analogue rev counter and a digital speedometer, in addition to the normal idiot lights and push-button odometer. Nothing fancy pants or ground breaking like a sensor for your chakra or a chime to remind you to take your lithium. But for 99.9% of us it’s enough. There’s also a nice metal bar on top of the instrumentation that shouted: “Mount your GPS HERE!” For those who “do not like GPSs” it would be the perfect place to mount your woolly good-luck charm. Or even a Munkieeeeeee...
The windscreen doesn’t look particularly big or effective, but my strapping (please, let my bullshit myself now and then) 1.72m frame found the wind protection excellent. Tall rides might want to opt for some kind of extension.
Yamaha also offers a neat seat of plastic/aluminium panniers as an aftermarket accessory and they really look the business. How would they cope with a big fall? I honestly don’t know. Please let us know. And remember, such a post would be utterly worthless without pictures.
What also impressed was the Yamaha aftermarket bash plate and crash bars around the engine’s vulnerable bits. The thing looks capable of withstanding serious rocks and is very well made too. No doubt, oweners will also opt for wrap-around bars to protect the sides of the fairing and fuel tank. Then there’s the generous 23-litre fuel tank. If you take care you’d be able to get in excess of 400km between refills, making it a very attractive option for those who want to venture off the beaten track.
Another feature that I thought particularly clever was the towing point at the bottom of the triple clamps. I once witnessed one particularly clumsy attempt at towing that would’ve been hilarious had the two operators in question not only destroyed my rope, but also nearly killed the guy being towed. Although you cannot prevent stupidity, this device will go a long way to make being towed a relatively safe thing to do.
The tow point under the lower triple clamp is a clever and practical feature.
Engine
The engine is hardly news, as this fuel-injected unit is identical to that of the XT660R dual-purpose and XT660X. So if you want to know how much grunt the Ténéré has, offer your XT660R riding mate a beer and take it for a spin around the block. While the output of 35 kW at 6000 r/min and 58 Nm of torque at 5500 r/min can hardly be described as groundbreaking, it is adequate for this kind of motorcycle.
At the highest point we were half a kilometre higher above sea level than Gauteng, so it was understandable that performance wasn’t earth shattering and I once managed about 155 km/h on the dirt. At sea level you’d expect an increase of at least 18% in engine power so it didn’t really bother me.
No, the Ténéré cannot cruise at 200km/h the whole day, but yes, it would be infinitely easier to ride (and pick up!) in thick sand than, say, a pimped 1200GSA. You take your pick.
The five-speed gearbox isn’t exactly new, but I really liked the low first gear when we were crawling and going up and down some seriously loose, washed away and rock-strewn ascents and descents.
The bashplate is one of a few Yamaha aftermarket accessories available for the Ténéré.
Handling
Ah, handling. How does the saying go? “One man’s meat is another man’s poison,” eh? Let me start with the specs and things that cannot be disproved. At 1505mm the Ténéré’s wheelbase is significantly longer than the 1485mm of the 660X and the 660R. It is also a totally different frame from the others.
On paper the bike weighs it at 183kg dry, 5kg more than BMW’s 800 GS. In reality I couldn’t feel any difference. The Paoli forks and Sachs monoshock at the back would probably not get the nod for the Dakar race, but for an out-of-the-box bike I thought they handled the terrain very well, with the only real limitation being the tar-biased Michelin Sirac tyres that were close to useless on dirt.
Yamaha have opted to fit the Ténéré with a 21-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear, very much like BMW with the X-Challenge and 800GS, instead of the 18-inchers preferred by that evil Austrian manufacturer of orange bikes residing in the town of Mattighofen.
Unfortunately we didn’t have the opportunity of doing some highway riding, but the general impression was of a bike that has fairly quick steering responses without being unstable.
Enjoying some seat time in the Drakensberg.
Summary
Hats off to Yamaha for a launch ride that included going down and up the Drakensberg escarpment twice in one day. Yes, we were quite shagged afterwards, but the upside was that we go a really good idea of the Ténéré’s off-road abilities in a very short space of time. And from my limited experience I’d say that it is, at the very least, just as competent as the 800 GS in the dirt, possibly more, courtesy of its adjustable front suspension (preload only). Is it LEWENSGEVAARLIK? Dunno.
If you listen to the marketing types, you’ll know that companies always strive to come up with a product that there will be a demand for, but that no-one else is catering for. Incredibly enough this is the case with the Ténéré because it has no natural competitors at this point in time.
Both the KLR650 and Suzuki DR650 are positively agricultural compared to the Ténéré. Yes, they’re cheaper. But if you really want to save money, why not buy a bicycle? Both the KTM 640 Adventure and BMW XChallenge aren’t made anymore and, to be honest, the new 650GS is more of a commuter than anything else. Not that that is anything to be ashamed of, as it is a brilliantly built bike. Which leaves you with the 800GS. But the GS is at least R20 000 dearer when you tick the ABS and heated grip options.
The thing about this bike is that it is the only medium-sized adventure tourer with a big fuel tank out there. It’s very nice to look at and if you’re looking for something different to that owned by the propeller heads or the orange agents, then this deserves some serious consideration. - Jacko
NEWSFLASH!!
Yes, there will be a 1200 Ténéré next year. What’s more, it will be a parallel twin and ... wait for it ... it will have shaft drive. Tubeless? They couldn’t say (Japan is giving them the poker face treatment for now). It also develops “more” power than Münich’s 1200 boxer. At least, that’s according to Yamaha SA’s top man, Fred van Niekerk.
Background
It’s quite ironic that Yamaha, the very people who started the adventure bike niche with the XT500 in 1978, seemed to have lost the plot for the last few years. But then, they’re not alone in having ignored one of the fastest growing bike segments in the world – neither Kawasaki, Suzuki or Honda, have really come up with serious adventure biking offers. For a while, at least, it seemed as if it were only the German-speaking manufacturers who “got” the fact that there are many people around the world who liked bikes that were able to provide transport both on and off tar.
At face value it seems as if the Nips decided to stick to their usual strategy of playing it safe and rather go for big numbers. This explains bikes like Yamaha’s TDM parallel twins, Honda’s Varadero and Suzuki’s V-Strom – bikes that offered you the comfort and riding position of big dual-purpose bikes, but who were essentially street-tourers with comfortable seating positions. From a Japanese perspective this makes sense, because most big adventure bikes sold in Europe and the US never see any dirt roads and are instead bought for their comfort. So why bother spending millions on R&D to try and develop something maybe 10% of the market would want?
The good news is that it seems as if at least some manufacturers in the Land of the Rising Sun have realised that they should go back to building what they did years ago – good, honest dual-purpose bikes with just enough technology to make ownership a pleasure, but not too much technology and plastic panels.
South African adventure bike lovers have been drooling over the prospect of the latest incarnation of Yamaha’s famous Ténéré for almost two years. There is a very simple explanation for this: The Italian factory where the bike is built has a limited output. So guess which market got preference? A cynic might also add that if it wasn’t for the economic meltdown they would still have concentrated only on European markets...
Enough of the conspiracy theories, ladies and gentlemen, I bring you the spanking-new (well, in SA at least) Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré, recently launched in the Harrismith area where members of the local media had to opportunity to sample them over surprisingly challenging terrain.
The Ténéré’s distinctive fairing and windscreen. It provides surprisingly good wind protection.
Looks
How many other bikes where so well known over the internet before their launch? I also briefly sat on a demo version at the 2008 AMID show, so it looks didn’t come as a complete surprise – but the colours did.
So where are the red/white and the khaki versions? They’re yesterday’s news, because the blue/yellow, black and deep red versions are the only options for the 2009 range.
Two things catch the eye when seeing it in the flesh: Firstly, there’s the distinctive upright screen and secondly the bike looks fairly high and ready for some rough stuff – the opposite of the Honda Transalp and BMW F650GS that both look as if they’re squatting for a smoke break.
The bar above the instrumentation is perfect for mounting a GPS.
Ergonomics and equipment
Yours truly has not been blessed with a generous inseam, but I was able to tippy toe when straddling the seat. According to the specs it is 895mm, but there’s enough initial sag to bring it down to reasonable levels. Shorter women (and men) might find it slightly intimidating, but the bad news is that there’s nothing in this segment that offers a significantly lower seat height, apart from the 650GS – but that is a more urban-orientated motorcycle, courtesy of its cast wheels.
I had my handlebars turned up so I could stand comfortably and found the footpeg-to-handlebar ratio perfect. Tall riders might want to opt for handlebar risers though.
The instrumentation is very simple and consists out of a easy to read analogue rev counter and a digital speedometer, in addition to the normal idiot lights and push-button odometer. Nothing fancy pants or ground breaking like a sensor for your chakra or a chime to remind you to take your lithium. But for 99.9% of us it’s enough. There’s also a nice metal bar on top of the instrumentation that shouted: “Mount your GPS HERE!” For those who “do not like GPSs” it would be the perfect place to mount your woolly good-luck charm. Or even a Munkieeeeeee...
The windscreen doesn’t look particularly big or effective, but my strapping (please, let my bullshit myself now and then) 1.72m frame found the wind protection excellent. Tall rides might want to opt for some kind of extension.
Yamaha also offers a neat seat of plastic/aluminium panniers as an aftermarket accessory and they really look the business. How would they cope with a big fall? I honestly don’t know. Please let us know. And remember, such a post would be utterly worthless without pictures.
What also impressed was the Yamaha aftermarket bash plate and crash bars around the engine’s vulnerable bits. The thing looks capable of withstanding serious rocks and is very well made too. No doubt, oweners will also opt for wrap-around bars to protect the sides of the fairing and fuel tank. Then there’s the generous 23-litre fuel tank. If you take care you’d be able to get in excess of 400km between refills, making it a very attractive option for those who want to venture off the beaten track.
Another feature that I thought particularly clever was the towing point at the bottom of the triple clamps. I once witnessed one particularly clumsy attempt at towing that would’ve been hilarious had the two operators in question not only destroyed my rope, but also nearly killed the guy being towed. Although you cannot prevent stupidity, this device will go a long way to make being towed a relatively safe thing to do.
The tow point under the lower triple clamp is a clever and practical feature.
Engine
The engine is hardly news, as this fuel-injected unit is identical to that of the XT660R dual-purpose and XT660X. So if you want to know how much grunt the Ténéré has, offer your XT660R riding mate a beer and take it for a spin around the block. While the output of 35 kW at 6000 r/min and 58 Nm of torque at 5500 r/min can hardly be described as groundbreaking, it is adequate for this kind of motorcycle.
At the highest point we were half a kilometre higher above sea level than Gauteng, so it was understandable that performance wasn’t earth shattering and I once managed about 155 km/h on the dirt. At sea level you’d expect an increase of at least 18% in engine power so it didn’t really bother me.
No, the Ténéré cannot cruise at 200km/h the whole day, but yes, it would be infinitely easier to ride (and pick up!) in thick sand than, say, a pimped 1200GSA. You take your pick.
The five-speed gearbox isn’t exactly new, but I really liked the low first gear when we were crawling and going up and down some seriously loose, washed away and rock-strewn ascents and descents.
The bashplate is one of a few Yamaha aftermarket accessories available for the Ténéré.
Handling
Ah, handling. How does the saying go? “One man’s meat is another man’s poison,” eh? Let me start with the specs and things that cannot be disproved. At 1505mm the Ténéré’s wheelbase is significantly longer than the 1485mm of the 660X and the 660R. It is also a totally different frame from the others.
On paper the bike weighs it at 183kg dry, 5kg more than BMW’s 800 GS. In reality I couldn’t feel any difference. The Paoli forks and Sachs monoshock at the back would probably not get the nod for the Dakar race, but for an out-of-the-box bike I thought they handled the terrain very well, with the only real limitation being the tar-biased Michelin Sirac tyres that were close to useless on dirt.
Yamaha have opted to fit the Ténéré with a 21-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear, very much like BMW with the X-Challenge and 800GS, instead of the 18-inchers preferred by that evil Austrian manufacturer of orange bikes residing in the town of Mattighofen.
Unfortunately we didn’t have the opportunity of doing some highway riding, but the general impression was of a bike that has fairly quick steering responses without being unstable.
Enjoying some seat time in the Drakensberg.
Summary
Hats off to Yamaha for a launch ride that included going down and up the Drakensberg escarpment twice in one day. Yes, we were quite shagged afterwards, but the upside was that we go a really good idea of the Ténéré’s off-road abilities in a very short space of time. And from my limited experience I’d say that it is, at the very least, just as competent as the 800 GS in the dirt, possibly more, courtesy of its adjustable front suspension (preload only). Is it LEWENSGEVAARLIK? Dunno.
If you listen to the marketing types, you’ll know that companies always strive to come up with a product that there will be a demand for, but that no-one else is catering for. Incredibly enough this is the case with the Ténéré because it has no natural competitors at this point in time.
Both the KLR650 and Suzuki DR650 are positively agricultural compared to the Ténéré. Yes, they’re cheaper. But if you really want to save money, why not buy a bicycle? Both the KTM 640 Adventure and BMW XChallenge aren’t made anymore and, to be honest, the new 650GS is more of a commuter than anything else. Not that that is anything to be ashamed of, as it is a brilliantly built bike. Which leaves you with the 800GS. But the GS is at least R20 000 dearer when you tick the ABS and heated grip options.
The thing about this bike is that it is the only medium-sized adventure tourer with a big fuel tank out there. It’s very nice to look at and if you’re looking for something different to that owned by the propeller heads or the orange agents, then this deserves some serious consideration. - Jacko
NEWSFLASH!!
Yes, there will be a 1200 Ténéré next year. What’s more, it will be a parallel twin and ... wait for it ... it will have shaft drive. Tubeless? They couldn’t say (Japan is giving them the poker face treatment for now). It also develops “more” power than Münich’s 1200 boxer. At least, that’s according to Yamaha SA’s top man, Fred van Niekerk.
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