Rider Mag GSA and Tenere

[LAF]

Rider Magazine compared the GSA and the Tenere.

Conclusion was no winner, both riders liked both bikes!

Cost was brought up. 4 valve checks on the GSA to 1 on the Tenere.

Good read and still pushing me towards the Tenere.

Worst thing brought up was the GSA been out and proven, the Tenere not so much.

 

[Scooper]

I'm really liking mine. Planning a National Parks Tour with it this year.

Last week added the needed farkles for travel.

Scoop

"04" FJR

"12" Tenere

 

[Checkswrecks]

The First Edition Tennies were sold in Australia and South Africa nearly 2 years ago, then Yamaha made changes before bringing them into the US. How much more proven are you waiting for?

 

[MCRIDER007]

I thought RIDER did a good job of comparing actual cost and weight for similarly equiped bikes but gave BMW a BIG pass on the reliability issue and routine maintenance costs. They claimed to have ridden the bikes 2,000 miles but I didn't read anything that demonstrated the bikes were actually ridden out of the parking lots, their very few riding comments could have been made after a 30 minute internet search.

 

[kevinw]

I've been pondering the Tenere vs. GSA vs. Others question for several weeks and eventually bought a GSA on Saturday.

I wanted to go down the Tenere route as my local Yamaha dealer is excellent. The Rider review seems unusual as every comparison I've ever read came down in favour of the GS apart from when comparing ASC and ABS which every review says is better on the Tenere. Trying to equip the Tenere to the same level as the GSA was also an expensive proposition and I wouldn't have been able to fit ESA which I'm quite surprised to say I used to use on the GS we had (and liked); I always thought it was a gimmick until it was available to me.

I decided in the end that a good dealer wasn't quite enough to swing it. I do have qualms about the FD and fuel pump on the GS but my understanding is these issues have been pretty much resolved on the later bikes...let's hope so! (I ought to stop reading these reviews as having just bought the GSA it's time to stop second-guessing myself.)

Kevin

 

[Checkswrecks]

I've been pondering the Tenere vs. GSA vs. Others question for several weeks and eventually bought a GSA on Saturday.

I wanted to go down the Tenere route as my local Yamaha dealer is excellent. The Rider review seems unusual as every comparison I've ever read came down in favour of the GS apart from when comparing ASC and ABS which every review says is better on the Tenere. Trying to equip the Tenere to the same level as the GSA was also an expensive proposition and I wouldn't have been able to fit ESA which I'm quite surprised to say I used to use on the GS we had (and liked); I always thought it was a gimmick until it was available to me.

I decided in the end that a good dealer wasn't quite enough to swing it. I do have qualms about the FD and fuel pump on the GS but my understanding is these issues have been pretty much resolved on the later bikes...let's hope so! (I ought to stop reading these reviews as having just bought the GSA it's time to stop second-guessing myself.)

Kevin

No sweat - It's great to have choices be so tough! We all win.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

Maintenance costs would swing me heavily in the Tenere direction, I've been around enough GS riders to know the BMW's cost alot to maintain or repair, and they really frown on you doing your own. :dribble: the choice between the two wouldn't be close. The Tenere wins! Too many GS's anyway, I'd be a little diffrent for a while!

 

[kevinw]

<snip> The Tenere wins! Too many GS's anyway, I'd be a little diffrent for a while!

If you really wanted to be different you'd buy a Mobylette!

Kevin

 

[Fred W]

Maintenance costs would swing me heavily in the Tenere direction, I've been around enough GS riders to know the BMW's cost alot to maintain or repair, and they really frown on you doing your own.

Do you suppose that Yamaha encourages you to do your own maintenance? I think not. But I sure as hell wouldn't let that stop me.

I hear this kind of concern a lot, not just about BMW bikes, but also about almost any European made bike and cars too. People are always bitching about getting screwed by BMW and SAAB auto dealerships. Having owned both marques of car over the years, I can tell you that they can be some of the most economical and reliable cars going, if you can do your own work. The difference in parts costs is minimal, and in most cases the design of the cars is more conducive to DIY service than many US or Asian makers. I know that is a large generalization, but it has seemed to be true in my experience.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Patch has done ALL his own maintenance on his GS-A, and BMW has not frowned on anything. As a matter of fact, they offered to loan him a tool he needed to get a job done.

Maintenance costs between a BMW shop and a Yamaha shop are no different. Anyone that says different is full of ****. There's a reason most of us do our own maintenance to our Yamahas.