Why does the Yamaha Super Tenere not get the reviews of KTM & BMW Adventure?

When I purchased the Tenere I was seriously considering the BMW, the high maintenance and the final drive bullshit had me skeptical of the BMW, fuel pump problems were not thrilling either. The KTM had it's own problems as well which made it lose it's appeal.

Then I narrowed it down on parts availability and service, even the Tenere will break at some point, and what would parts availability be? A few days at best has been my experience. Both the Euro bikes are the typical weeks out on parts delivery, free lunch and coffee does not make up for downtime, be it extra maintenance or waiting for your parts.

So that pretty much was it, but there still was a low miles BMW for a good price which kind of made up for the extra costs, at least for awhile. I debated but stopped and took the Yami for a ride. Having not seen one in person it was stunning, up close, but so is the BMW. The kind salesman asked if I wanted to ride, and after a 3.5 hour drive you can bet your ass I wanted a ride.

He fired it up and the acropovic delivered a nice rumble, I smiled that is always a good start.

It was rainy and 40 degrees, there was no logical reason to ride, but I did, throttle response was perfect, nice low end real world grunt which made my HOG buddies drool. It handled nice and bagged to have the pegs screaming in protest as sparks lit up the evening air.
I rode to the end of e pavement and without a moments breath launched onto the dirt road ahead, it soaked up the bumps with ease and it's low center of Gravity made it seem lighter than the true DS in the garage.
I continued to tear it up and smashed thru some mud, TC came on preventing a real thrill, I stopped turned it off and off I went again, painting the fence posts brown as I went by.
Like everything good the dirt and mud came to an end and I was back on e Tarmac, the cold rain penetrated my LeVis and made me shiver, I thought of my wife in my nice warm idling truck and gave the Tenere some onion, it launched to 120 plenty quickly, the adrenaline warming my body.

I rode onto the parking lot grinning ear to ear, trying to think of a reason to not write a check.

I really did not have a reason, it performed to the expectations I wanted.

I made arrangements and the dealer would deliver half of the 3 and a half hour distance three days later.

I have no regrets, although tea and crumpets would have been nice, he did offer me a value meal at Wendy's. ::025::

I am good with my decision. What I am not good with is the Bias against the blue and the thought that because of that bias someday possibly making the Tenere drift from the market place infuriates me, that is not right.

People deserve honest real world journalism, they are not getting it. The bias keeps other companies pumping out bikes at a level not deserved to a naive public that ends up finding his hard earned cash milked from his pocket.

Nonsense.

So that my friend is why I take the stand I do, not because the Tenere is e best, but because it is e most realistic blue collar ride for the guy who wants to ride, and have the money to ride.