Yamaha Super Tenere vs BMW 1200GS: The Verdict

First comparison test from a French motorcycle website:
http://www.moto-station.com/article8575-bmw-r1200gs-vs-yamaha-xt1200z-explication-au-sommet.html
If you can't read French, skip to the end of the article to see the final grade. They grade both bikes. The GS is still on top. BMW have had many years to develop and refine their bike so it's no surprise the GS wins.

Interesting results. I'm sure it will generate good conversations here from the arm-chair experts.

If the ST ever comes to the States and is priced lower than a GSA then the ST will win in sales. Every article I have read has said that the only reason they would take the GS over the ST is because the GS is cheaper, other than that it is a draw.

BMW is finally facing some well thought out, distinctly different offerings, from Ducati and Yamaha. The rather conservative XT1200Z, doesn't appear conceived to leapfrog the boxer's overall competence, but merely to offer a more conventional alternative to BMW's GS1200, while relying on the premise and allure of Japanese reliability.

It's all good !

996DL

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.moto-station.com%2Farticle8575-bmw-r1200gs-vs-yamaha-xt1200z-explication-au-sommet.html

Plzz noooo.!!!

Well the most important bit..

The BMW (Blue) seems to have a bit of an asthma attack at around 5000RPM?


Is that BMW traction control?

BMW 27Kmh / 1000 RPM
YAMAHA 30Kmh /1000RPM

So the YAMAHA has dead flat torque between 90K/h and 180Km/h hmmmm.

I can see my license disappearing very quickly.

Well hopefully the YAMAHA team read these test reports and do some small mods every year from the feedback and don't "do a Strom"
and just change colours.

Cheers
Graham

Anyone ridden both and want to post up their thoughts?

Wasp rode a GSA before he ran out and Bought the S10. He thought it was worth spending his money on.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=595933

And a few others I can't remember right now from the AUS and UK.

Cheers
Graham

Actually i don't doubt that the BMW comes out on top in that test. As said they've had a while to get the GS thing sorted out, and well lets face it, when you say "BMW" everyone immediatly thinks "reliability"

Also, in Europe the S10 pricing seems to be very high. Over here we can buy an S10 for $3000 AUD cheaper than the base model R1200GS (no ABS ESA etc etc) so the numbers stack up for us. Also theres the service issue, my closest Yamaha dealer is less than a kilometer away and Yamaha dealers are plentiful throughout the outback whereas my closest BMW dealer is about 900km's away.

I do think that BMW will reduce the price of the GS soon as the S10 will be eating into their market share. Also, in the end, for those of you that find it an issue, you may want to consider re sale value. The BMW will always hold its value pretty well, i predict that the Yamaha however will drop in value like most Jap bikes do.
Just my 2 cents worth.

Nah, the Magazine gets a bigger Budget to promote the GS, don't forget how Chauvinistic Europeans are also...

So, read the whole article, to find they even copied the stupid Varadero remarks several times in unvchanged fashion in the "Test" and dare to say the Tenere carries his weight *high*.


So i can only conclude they havent ridden it

If you ride the S10 the verry first thing you notion is its planted solid dependable stability from the start, whereas a GS has the silly inclination, to topple over manouvring at walking pace turning around, have seen quite a lot of beemers been dropped parking the beast

Huh?

If I look in GSpot, i foremost think "recall" and lousy warrenty handling. And strangely reliability issues which are still occurring since the *first* GS in 93, dropping gears, leaking Mainseals electrical gremlins etc.

It is a real fine bike to ride, i've done over 600kk in the 12 years i have her now, but reliability is not the first thing that comes to mind...

It let me left stranded in the middle of Paris, Near Brussels, somewhere in the middle of Spain, and wont mention all the numerous broken clutchcables because one can ride without, but that clutch lever sure is one of it's lesser but still very annoying design flaws .

The S10 will defintely be more reliable


BMW only Brings Me Worry and Break My Wallet

Nope is a design flaw, every GS if 11xx, 12xx and i presume coming up 13xx has it, it gives the sensation of a very powerfull bike, it gives a punch at 4700.

That's one of the silly "complaints" you read in Magazines with sportbikerider testers, they think a Tenere is slow, because its so linear...
Even more silly in this test, they accuse the S10 of a hole around 4000, because it is so linear they actually miss the gain after the dip of the GS

Look at the Torque curvem, how on earth could you ever feel a dip ???

Oooohhhh!!!!

There the cat is out of the bag...
Reading the last page we see why the GS won...

The Tenere compies with the French HP limitation, but the GS blatently disregards the rule, FOUL PLAY !




But this weekend i get mine (YEEEEESSSS) so i will do some Roll ons with the GS clubbers of our Province, and get you guys some real life data soon, then side by side is the only way to konw for sure.

Verry funny to see they need the speedo lag as a major point to dismiss the Tenere.

Says it all in my eyes; "damn we cant't find a serious flaw, lets look for something!"

Looking forward to it RBBB


Cheers
Graham

Regardless of outcome the S10 is solid competition for the BMW and will be good for everyone in the long run!
Maybe it will spark BMW engineers to figure out how to make a reliable FD!!

Bought a 2010 GSA with 1900 miles on it 2 weeks ago. I put 1000 miles on it the first week, I was in love. (PS this is my 14th GS, 27th BMW and my 63rd bike). I took a short trip down to Atlanta from Knoxville Tn. Final drive started leaking at 2900 miles, got it fixed in Atlanta at the last min before the dealer closed for the next 2 days. I would have been stuck, AND PISSED. They got me in and out in 30 min.no problem just the outer seal. Jumped on the bike and hammered out 500 mile. Go to my garage 4 days later and the final drive is covered in oil. Its been at my local dealer for 5 days. I am sure this problem is now fixed and I hope the new owner has no more problems, Bike is SOLD and I am going to pick up a new Tenere. BMW has let me down one to many times, this is not my first final drive issue and the dealer net work is way to small. Looking forward to a Yamaha problem free mount and 20k valve adjustments.

Go and look over here http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php

There are a couple of things to keep an eye on. Not a big deal but just things to check, so you don't end up with little preventable annoyances.

Cheers
Graham

Both these bikes are getting some more competition with the impending launch of the Triumph Tiger1200 Explorer. Should be an interesting fight. And if my Triumph experience of complete reliability is anything to go by it'll beat them both at everything.

And, before anyone also includes the Versys1000 and the Crosstourer. I don't consider them in the same class as they don't have a 19" front wheel so are not intended to venture onto dirt roads at all.

Several of my friends have the GS. I have ridden the GS and was impressed with
the ride and handling. I admit I've always had a soft spot for Japanese imports.
I worked at a shop that sold both BMW and Honda/Yamaha.

I bought the Tenere. So far I've really enjoyed it. Probably been a little more
aggressive off road than I should have been. Bent both wheels. I don't blame
Yamaha and can't wait to get the wheels back from Woody's to do it again.

It was a combination of many little reasons I went with the Yamaha. Dependability
being tops. I can't think of a single failure I've had on my Yamahas. My Strom too.

Dependabilty is important to me. I buy the things to ride, not to worry about.