800 GS OR 660 Tenere

[Loutre]

Originally Posted by docsherlock

I've got a Tenere and recently test rode the F800GS.

Honestly, if I had my choice again, I'd get the F8.

The Tenere is a great bike and I love riding it, but the F8 is in a different league entirely - for the better.

Get the F8.

now this one is usefull, from an actual Tenere owner!

[JRP]

Originally Posted by mustardfj40

How's the DR650 vs F650GS Twin?

150 cc's different

[990]

We all think we are going to do more gravel than we actually end up doing..... And when I passed some 660's on my way too and back from the Whale Rally this weekend, I would have to be with a guys on singles because I would never keep up to my mates. The 660 will just bore you to death on the open road and limits who you can ride with. The 660 is also dangerous when car drivers get the "Stirling Moss syndrome" which is common in SA whereby as soon as you try overtake them they put foot, and on the 800 you can just blast passed them.

[RadoR6]

They are both great bikes but........if you want to ride within cell. network coverage get GS800, if you want to go further get Tenere.I've got bikes from both brands,GS800 and R6.An R6 in the last 6 years didn't cost me a penny extra on the top of regular servicing.GS800 in 2 years had replaced rocker cover gasket and now Iam on the third water pump,at 9000mls replaced at my own cost wheel bearings (2 of 5 had a play),replaced OEM chain with DID plus a few more things.Even if the bike is "sorted" now I can just wonder what might be next.

[macrae85]

Easy,the Tenere.The thread should be Rotax v Yamaha,do you want reliability or
a motor replacement half way through a trip(BMW GS800)? One crap engine in
that bike,just read the disasters on here with that engine.A Triumph motor in a
BMW would be a great bike,one's got a flawed motor,the other a flawed frame.

[grndzr0]

Originally Posted by macrae85

Easy,the Tenere.The thread should be Rotax v Yamaha,do you want reliability or
a motor replacement half way through a trip(BMW GS800)? One crap engine in
that bike,just read the disasters on here with that engine.A Triumph motor in a
BMW would be a great bike,one's got a flawed motor,the other a flawed frame.

Yep one blown motor after another....

[Snowy]

Originally Posted by macrae85

Easy,the Tenere.The thread should be Rotax v Yamaha,do you want reliability or
a motor replacement half way through a trip(BMW GS800)? One crap engine in
that bike,just read the disasters on here with that engine.A Triumph motor in a
BMW would be a great bike,one's got a flawed motor,the other a flawed frame.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.



Disasters? OMG Best I run down and trade in on a Triumph or a Yamaha then.....

[GB]

Originally Posted by docsherlock

I've got a Tenere and recently test rode the F800GS.

Honestly, if I had my choice again, I'd get the F8.

The Tenere is a great bike and I love riding it, but the F8 is in a different league entirely - for the better.

Get the F8.

The Tenere 660 is not sold in Canada, how did you get one?

[casperghst42]

Originally Posted by macrae85

Easy,the Tenere.The thread should be Rotax v Yamaha,do you want reliability or
a motor replacement half way through a trip(BMW GS800)? One crap engine in
that bike,just read the disasters on here with that engine.A Triumph motor in a
BMW would be a great bike,one's got a flawed motor,the other a flawed frame.

Hummm, don't know how the 800 is, but I got to know the 1050 quite closely and that was not a "perfect" beast.


Casper

[docsherlock]

Originally Posted by GB

The Tenere 660 is not sold in Canada, how did you get one?

I bought one from a dealer in Europe where I spend a reasonable amount of time.

[NZ Adventure]

I am a Tenere owner and I do a lot of Adventure rides, including previously owned many BMW's. I have ridden the F800, 1200GSA, KTM 950 & 990 Adventure and the Triumph Tiger XC 800. I have also previously owned an R1150GS Adventure and I would compare the Tenere 660 more to that (surprising I know). The riding position is similar, the handling and feel of the bike is similar and the power delivery again IMO is similar.

The ride on the Tenere 660 is great, the weight distribution is fantastic and on the move hard to believe it's weight. And the off road handling is also fantastic. The bikes compared here come down to user requirements, rider size, experience and their own capabilities. IMO the F800 is targeted more towards road going riders than the all out adventure rider (however it is more than capable to do both). In my experience owners of the F800 tend not to tackle what you would on a Tenere...why? The Tenere has better ground clearance than the BMW, the weight feels better when stood on the pegs and tackling some slower lumpier trails.

And if you want to do Adventure riding two up then trust me you are missing out on a lot of fun and rightly so you don't need a Tenere . So get the BMW F800 tourer if you want to ride with a pillion on an "Adventure Ride". The Tenere is designed for more adventure riding, gravel, mud, woods or creating trails. It is a heavy bike for a single and lightening it up is not going to make any significant return on your investment. I ride with TKC 80's and I enjoy the handling and grip they provide although they don't last long. I have always ridden with these tyres on my BMW's and I like the large 21" front on the Tenere as it gives great response and confidence over some of the Gnarly stuff.

So in summary if you want to tour with 2 people (be honest will you really go off road and have a proper adventure with 2 people on one bike?...eh NO!!!) so buy the BMW if you can afford it. If you want something that has proper off road pedigree and will go further into the deep (WR450 type pedigree) and has been designed to take you over more terrain and cheap to buy and maintain then the Tenere is the one to get. The Tenere is tall, I am 6ft 2" and 100kg and I still struggle to throw my leg over it. :-)

Both bikes are good and effective but the most important part of my recommendation is that it will come down to what you want to do with the bike. Both are capable and the top speed (if important to you) of the Tenere is 170+kph ...not shabby. But I want to see the scenery and not have it go past me in a haze

[itsatdm]

We do not get it here in the US. Frankly I do not see the love. A decent bike. Heavy for a thumper. A big gas tank. Something we could duplicate easily with some aftermarket parts on a KLR or Dr.

Other than than the fact a single hooks up better than a twin, I do not see that much improvement over A f800gs and it will run away on the straight bits.

Look at the specs, it does not have more suspension travel or ground clearance.

For all the problem posts, count how many f800gs have them vs how many are talking about it.

I would love to see it come to the US. What would happen is exactly what occured when Kawasaki brought the KLX650 here next to a KLR. A much better bike, but no one would pay the extra $1.000.

[NZ Adventure]

I have looked at the specs and I have ridden them both....but if you don't get them in the US then it does make it difficult for you to make a comparison if you have never ridden a Tenere. I wouldn't believe all the marketing crap you read in comparisons. Ride them and see what fits the purpose you intend...a lot of people complain about not getting them in the US and that is a shame because a truly great machine. But so is the F800GS but for me I don't mind dropping a $10k bike on its side than a $20k one.

There is also a few videos on YouTube of people who have taken the time to prove the ground clearance and watch the F800 get stuck in the ruts. But I don't recall it being said the Tenere was the better bike, they are very different and each is better depending on what you want to do with it. But I also think fair to say that if you want a bike for a straight line comparison then I would not buy either. Buying an Adventure bike for straight line performance is like buying a Harley to go around bends quickly...it ain't gonna do it well! - Unless I throw a lot of mods I am sure I can make any bike similar to another.

However you may be slightly biased on this as you possibly work for BMW or a dealer selling them (your signature on your comments shows your allegiance )

Also people should have a look at a very good video from Touratech US who put a paddle tyre on an F800GS and put it through the paces...very cool!!

[itsatdm]

You caught me. That is the last sentence of an email from BMWNA, when I told them what I thought of their suspension.



If you think your bike is best for you, why should I care, just ride it.

My other bike is a modded KLX680cc. A better comparison to your Tenere. I still bought the F800. I was surprised how much overlap between my 2 bikes except at the extremes. I could get by with one, but I do not have too, so I didn't

[Ducksbane]

The Tenere is a nice looking bike. I have'nt ridden one but I have a XChallenge as well as my 800, which has similar power to the Tenere, but has more suspension travel and is about 30Kg lighter. I've had the 800 for quite a while now and have modified a lot of things to get it the way I like it and now I have a big problem with the bloody thing.

I think I should probably get a bigger bike to go with the XChallenge like a Multstrada or a Tiger Explorer, but I like the thing so much I haven't been able to bring myself to get rid of it. The XChallenge is better off road because it is 40Kg lighter and has better suspension (especially since I put modified Husqvarna 610 cartridges in the forks ... the 800 got the old XC cartridges ... huge improvement). The XC is very smooth for a single and is quite pleasant on the road, and it's really fun on a very twisty road ... but ... The 800 is heaps better on the road. It's got twice the power, it's smoother, it has heaps of torque and great throttle response (read the thread on throttle response if you buy one). If I was only going to have one bike to do everything I don't think there is a better one than the F800GS (with approprate mods), and yes I have ridden an 800XC Tiger.

So I guess it comes down to what is more important ... road or off road, pillion or no pillion, smaller or larger cost. From my point of view if you are going to do a lot of two up or ride on the bitumen a lot there is only one choice out of the two.