2009 XT TENERE, with pics

[Taz]

Probably wouldn't be as good as a F800GS anyway.

[ducatijim]

[QUOTE=warewolf;1129548639]Weight, cubes & seat heights

Which explains the revamp upwards. Their market research no doubt tells them ppl want more cubes. QUOTE]

Sorry Wolfie, I can't get it-you see, there are plenty of very talented bikes already out there with more of all there atributes, so why fuck-up the 650 class? Why not either improve it( huge cost) or leave it untouched( destined to die)?
Those who crave a 940mm seat can buy a 990s, if you desire a whale, buy the fab new Yammie 10RA, or cubes? well, knock yaself out.

[clint640]

This Saturday, there's an adventure looming near Kaikoura, over 150km of previously unused access to adventure-type tracks, and the Tenere will be ridden to, on, and back from there for that outing. Another Kiwi Rider article will follow, and like the first one, it will be my honest opinions.

It's academic to me, as for the riding I do there are better bikes & I own one of em already, I know it's a bit harsh to judge a bike solely on it's spec sheet but I've helped pick up enough F650 BMW's to know what 200kg feels like & I know it ain't for me... But, I'd be interested in your opinion on whether the Tenere is in fact worth the somewhere between $5500 & $3200 more than the XT660R?

...& anybody complaining that big single adv bike technology is going nowhere but fatter & less dirt worthy should just go out & buy a new KTM690E, slap on a safari tank & a wee windscreen & you've got more power, more range & better suspension than any single cyl adv bike ever made, all for less than the cost of a Tenere & about 50kg lighter

Cheers
Clint

[Monstaman]

...& anybody complaining that big single adv bike technology is going nowhere but fatter & less dirt worthy should just go out & buy a new KTM690E, slap on a safari tank & a wee windscreen & you've got more power, more range & better suspension than any single cyl adv bike ever made, all for less than the cost of a Tenere & about 50kg lighter

Cheers
Clint

Agree with this, quite a machine and I would love one for sure.

Need to sell some of the others in the shed prior to that tho. ... anyone wonna buy a Black Ducati Hypermotard S to I can by a 690??

[Racing Dave]

about 50kg lighter

Have you actually weighed it, or merely judged it from the spec sheet? "My" Tenere was measured at 187 kg, with about 8 litres of fuel on board. Use your bathroom scales, one wheel at a time, with the non-weighing wheel blocked up to the same height, so the bike's level. Let me know the answer.

Either way, I'll report back on Kaikoura next week.

Last Friday's outing in South Canterbury/Mckenzie was 12 hours and 700 km on mixed terrain, but mainly shingle and seal, and was a pleasure. 22km/litre.

[tri boy]

Will be very interested in your views Dave. Give it a good work out/thrashing, and even slam it to the ground for us. i want to know how they stand up to muppets like me dropping them in wheel tracks etc.
Also interested in the fuelling side of them, as I am a neanderthal that doesn't trust injection.
Cheers.

[thepom]

The good thing about dave and I value his opinion highly is that he does the miles .....and miles......and miles to give you that opinion of the machine he is on and does not need the magazine job to supplement his wage so I think it is a pretty unbiased opinion......

[drbandit]

Yeah interesting.. Honda XLV700 Specs on net =dry weight 214kg..
Other sites give Kerb weight =214kg? (must include fluids??)
Whatever heavy is heavy.. A DR650 at 150kg is still ... HEAVY..to pick up..

[clint640]

Have you actually weighed it, or merely judged it from the spec sheet? .

Interesting that the Tenere came in 10kg LIGHTER than the spec! That'd have to be a first wouldn't it?

To tell the truth I haven't weighed ithe 640, but I can get access to some calibrated industrial scales to weigh the whole thing at once so I'll give it a go. I seem to remember Warewolf weighed his 640 Adv & it came out pretty much the same as the spec so I'm guessing my 640 Enduro won't be far off either - KTM list wet without fuel weights.

[trustme]

...& anybody complaining that big single adv bike technology is going nowhere but fatter & less dirt worthy should just go out & buy a new KTM690E, slap on a safari tank & a wee windscreen & you've got more power, more range & better suspension than any single cyl adv bike ever made, all for less than the cost of a Tenere & about 50kg lighter

Cheers
Clint

I'm reading all this with interest as both bikes are on my short list, They both seem to retail for similar dollars & I suspect they will both need similar dollars thrown at them , the safari tank for the KTM will be the thick end of $1000, money that you may well have to spend on the Yams suspension. Yam seems slightly more road /touring/ long distance focussed. KTM is more performance focused but long term reliability makes me nervous.Swings & round abouts
Decisions,decisions.

[warewolf]

...& anybody complaining that big single adv bike technology is going nowhere but fatter & less dirt worthy should just go out & buy a new KTM690E

Those Euros never did follow the rules! I think of it as a big dirt bike, rather than an adventure bike.

Warewolf weighed his 640 Adv & it came out pretty much the same as the spec so I'm guessing my 640 Enduro won't be far off either - KTM list wet without fuel weights.

Yes, came in exactly on the spec at 158kg half-dry. Your 640E felt noticeably lighter (spec is 12-ish kg less) and the 690E lighter again... with more grunt... and better suspension... and... and... and...

[Racing Dave]

...and even slam it to the ground for us. i want to know how they stand up to muppets like me dropping them in wheel tracks etc.
Also interested in the fuelling side of them, as I am a neanderthal that doesn't trust injection.
Cheers.

Hopefully, I won't report on its ability to slam into the ground, but I have fitted hand guards in case. There is wet clay where we're going...

The injection on XT's up to 2008 had an annoying slight surge when ridden at constant, and very small, throttle openings, such as when commuting, but the 2009 XT660R and the Tenere (both of which I've ridden many miles, on and off road) are smooth and crisp at all revs and throttle openings.

If the fuel and air filters are kept clean, I can't think of any reason they'd be less reliable, or more maintenance intensive, than a similar road bike, and they seem perfectly satisfactory.

I own two injected bikes (BMW and Montesa) and have had no issues with either.

Cheers,
Dave B

[ducatijim]

The good thing about dave and I value his opinion highly is that he does the miles .....and miles......and miles to give you that opinion of the machine he is on and does not need the magazine job to supplement his wage so I think it is a pretty unbiased opinion......

Thats all nice and good! However, the magazine will not want its 'suppliers' upset so there will be a 'company line' that will be followed.
And remember also, these guys, scribes and company CEO's, all know each other well, NZ is a very small m/c community-they all ride together on occasions, do 'releases together and prolly go to each others BBQ's....so there is a degree of 'mateship' between the them all I am sure.
And the Kiwi way; don't diss a mate!

Call me a cynic, others have.

[ducatijim]

[QUOTE=clint640;1129551174]Interesting that the Tenere came in 10kg LIGHTER than the spec! That'd have to be a first wouldn't it?
QUOTE]

+1..............

[trustme]

Thats all nice and good! However, the magazine will not want its 'suppliers' upset so there will be a 'company line' that will be followed.
And remember also, these guys, scribes and company CEO's, all know each other well, NZ is a very small m/c community-they all ride together on occasions, do 'releases together and prolly go to each others BBQ's....so there is a degree of 'mateship' between the them all I am sure.
And the Kiwi way; don't diss a mate!

Call me a cynic, others have.

Totally off topic but , I am bloody sure the mags don't talk to each other.I am aware of 1 importer who only wanted to pay for 1 journo to go on an overseas junket & he could write for both mags. His kind offer was politely declined. There aren't too many dunger bikes out there these days, the reviews reflect the quality of whats on offer & yes, the serious faults do get pointed out.The mags don't set out to bag bikes but to tell you what a bikes strong points are & what they are good at.