Super Ténéré - The Pioneer
The view from the Super 10 is impressive. From the huge tank area via the braced motocross ‘bars to the stylish and clean dash – the whole area is so encased in bodywork and trim that the ‘bars and bark busters seem to emerge from a square hole in the centre. To the untrained eye, this lanky look-a-like with its front disc shrouds and fork gaiters, heavy-duty sump guards and snazzy graphics could well be the real deal. The motor fires instantly and spins with enthusiasm, the genesis inspired 5-valve head being pivotal in the excellent reputation that this 45° parallel twin enjoyed. The bike jolts forward as first gear is engaged and crunches through to second as if no clutch were being deployed. There is little improvement as the bike warms. Selecting neutral has to be carried out on the move but the rest of the up and down changes are pretty good.
The high seat and wide bars make sense on the move – the Yamaha is agile with a light front end that snakes effortlessly through traffic, though a full tank means a lot of weight up top which counteracts the hard work put into centralising mass and reducing the weight and height of the motor. It has to be said the engine is a bit of a peach. Not only is it peppy and responsive, it has a broad and linear spread of power from 3,000rpm to the 8,000rpm redline, with a noticeable surge in the last 1,000 revs.
Out of town and onto more open roads, the XTZ seems happier having its long legs stretched. Although (motor aside) there is nothing special about the running gear, it works nicely as a road package and is clearly more suited to tarmac work than anything too strenuous off-road. While there is sufficient suspension travel, the units are basic and lack adjustability for hard graft. There is enough torque to leave gear changing to a minimum though and the Ténéré is as happy surging admirably out of turns as it is at high revs. As the speed builds up, it remains a doddle to ride fast – as long as the roads are smooth and flowing. There are obvious limitations with a 21-inch front but adventure tyres are much more road friendly than they might appear.
There are only two road scenario’s that will unsettle the Tenere. At high cruising speeds of 90mph and above, the bars become light and are prone to taking on a lazy but pronounced weave thanks to the large front wheel and a huge wind-trapping frontal area. Fast riding on very tight, bumpy and undulating B roads will see the poor thing get confused and tie itself in knots. The rear shock just can’t cope with too much and slips out of sync with the front end, and the only answer is to let it settle and build up to a manageable pace again unless you are either fearless or in a terrible hurry in which case you can keep it pinned, let your body go limp and let the bike sort itself out.
As a touring bike the Super 10 is spot on. Enough wind protection to maintain a steady 80mph all day and enough fuel capacity to manage 200 miles between stops. The seat is just about wide and deep enough to keep the rider comfortable between stops and vibration is never an issue. Touring with a splash of gentle trail or unmade road is really what this bike is about. A good rider will manage to get it through all manner of off-road situations but it is handicapped by its road-biased rubber. You just can’t shift a heavy tall bike through anything soft or wet without Enduro tyres. The wooden brakes wouldn’t be a problem either but as things stand, the rider is restricted to fast stretches of fire track that will thankfully provide unlimited amusement with a fantastic motor and insufficient grip. Just weight the pegs and lean into the turn whilst providing a fistful of revs – instant Dakar hero.
With a little preparation and a few hundred quid, this fun bus will easily get you to Dakar and allow some fairly hard-core exploration en route. Braided hoses and competition pads, a decent after market rear shock and a set of proper tyres will cover the basics. Add some stylish metal luggage and a Sat-Nav and you’re starting to look good. You couldn’t accuse the Ténéré of being pretty but it certainly stands out from the crowd and has a motor-driven character that makes it a very affordable real world alternative to more recent Adventure models.
Read on for the Africa Twin
