About.com
if you're seeking a comfortable, capable long distance adventure tourer that's ready for the occasional trail diversion, the Yamaha Super Tenere hits the nail on the head with its attractive price point and all-around capabilities.
Ultimate Motorcycling
Truly, the Super Ténéré tempted me to leave my demanding world behind for a few months. After hemming and hawing, I decide against living a Second Life and return to my current, hectic existence-I know the option is there, and did I mention, I like choices.
The 2012 Yamaha Super Ténéré is absolute wrist-twisting fun. I am still astonished by the fact that a fully capable, fully functional, go-anywhere-with anything-for-any-period-of-time, Japanese adventure machine has been produced. Is this the bike to begin a new reign of dominance in the Adventure touring market? Potentially yes, as it has definitely made an indelible impression on me.
Motorcycle-USA.com
Yamaha is a welcome addition to the AT market, and the Super Tenere is a solid first effort. There was a lot of concern when the ST was first unveiled that it would be too expensive. Yamaha has done the buying public a huge favor by keeping the MSRP low while including so many base-model features such as spoked wheels, ABS, adjustable traction control, fly-by-wire throttle, adjustable suspension and shaft drive. The engine is a rugged performer and the drivetrain is practically flawless. If Yamaha can shave of some of the excess poundage or at least reposition it lower in the chassis, virtually all of its shortcomings will be partially remedied. Off-road handling and braking will be more impressive and a better power-to-weight ratio will make the engine seem more robust as well. This is a lot of bike for the money, and the Super Tenere gives adventure riders another new and excellent option.
Eastern Dirt
I didn’t want the ride to end for so many reasons. The Super Tenere had taken me back to why I became a motorcyclist; the friends, the camaraderie and thrill of experiencing a new landscape from the saddle. It had seduced me into lusting for the open road and instilled me with a desire to find places to explore where the tarmac ends (I’m working on a trip to Labrador as I type). It just works so well for such a wide variety of applications and does so without the ego boast of being better, lighter or faster than another brand. Sure people will want to compare it to the BMW as did I, but in my mind the Super Tenere is no competition at all. It’s just a welcome addition to the segment of the motorcycle market that’s got it right, and it definitely lives up to the hype.
MotorcycleDaily.com
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I don’t recall being as comfortable blasting down Southern California freeways at elevated speeds as I was aboard the Super Ténéré. That long travel suspension, all that leg room, and decent wind protection (with little or no head buffeting for me at 5′10″ tall) was a fantastic combination. The fact that I had the instant torque of a big twin made it all the more enjoyable.
The Super Ténéré squarely belongs in this evolving class of Adventure Tourer motorcycles. With competitors like the big BMW R1200GS, the Super Ténéré is another street bike without an excuse to be uncomfortably hunched over, or in any other riding position that compromises control, comfort or visibility on the street. The huge gas tank provides reasonable range (six gallons at roughly 40 mpg), and the chassis is made to order for carrying a passenger and luggage. There are plenty of good bikes in this category these days, but the purchaser of a Super Ténéré will not ride home from his dealer unhappy. Indeed, the Super Ténéré is a great bike not only for Adventure Touring enthusiasts, but virtually any fan of sport tourers who wants a bit more versatility and, dare we say, even more comfort from his mount.
CycleWorld
By unanimous vote, we call the Yamaha Super Ténéré the best of the three when the overarching concern is a traditional adventure/touring compromise. If your dirt/street ratio will be no more than, oh, 30/70, the Yamaha will do the job and do it extremely well. Reports Conner, “I was rather surprised by the Super Ténéré when the dust settled. It really proved to be the jack of all trades; it is a really good streetbike with many features that touring riders are looking for.”
Close your eyes and pick a point on the map, and the Yamaha Super Ténéré will take you there in comfort, with enough off-highway competence to keep you from spending the night in places you’d rather not be.
Motorcyclist
Big, sneaky-fast, comfortable and surprisingly capable on- and off-road, Yamaha’s transcontinental uber-tourer has the right stuff to give its most obvious competition something new to worry about. Especially for $13,900. Bolt up a few necessary accessories and it’s still a deal. After inhaling a variety pack of Arizona real estate between Prescott and Mormon Lake, the big Yamaha proved it can play this game with the best of ‘em.
Sport Ride
As far as on-highway touring performance, the Yamaha is top-notch in that respect. Wind protection from the adjustable windscreen was decent, and the standard hand guards will surely help protect your fingers in colder climates (as will the optional heated hand grips available from Yamaha’s accessory division). The seat was perfectly shaped and padded for the editorial derriere, with no issues whatsoever after hours of highway droning; it’s also adjustable for height, with a good 25mm difference achieved just by switching the rubber brackets underneath (and an even lower and narrow accessory seat is available).
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CycleWorld
In fact, the electronics package is one of the coolest things about this bike, and that TC is awesome. Just at the moment when the rear end begins to step out of the comfort zone, traction control takes over to keep the bike on its intended line. This is just one part of the advanced rider-aid technology features on the Super Tenere. It’s really a techno-geek’s dream bike.
Motorcycle Consumer News
Both the fork and shock gave excellent feel and compliance both on the road and over the bumps in the off-road sections (about 50 miles total), and the longer I rode, the more comfortable I became with the machine’s off-road capability, eventually charging through some fairly rough rocky sections harder than I would have initially imagined possible without worry about damaging the wheels or tires or bottoming either end.
Backroads
Rolling back through Sedona, after a long and varied day in the saddle, I didn’t want the ride to end for so many reasons. The Super Tenere had taken me back to why I became a motorcyclist; the thrill of experiencing a new landscape from the saddle. It had seduced me into lusting for the open road and instilled me with a desire to find places to explore where the tarmac ends. It just works so well for such a wide variety of applications and does so without the ego boast of being better, lighter or faster than another brand.
Motorcycledaily.com
The bike’s suspension handled the rough stuff very well, adding to the motorcycle’s off-highway mettle. The road we stormed through that first day was riddled with embedded rocks, and the front forks ate up those sharp two to three inch jagged edges in stride, without transmitting any sudden jolts through the bars. The front end felt very stable, the traditional forks very predictable, and not overly stiff as is the case with some other adventure type bikes. This kept the ride comfortable, and the front wheel nicely planted. Out on the highway is where the bike’s ergonomics really shine. The seat is very comfortable, making long stretches without breaks easy on the body. Also, the bike is a lot narrower than it looks in photos, which allows for a natural, relaxed seating position, and good wind protection, as the rider’s legs tuck in well behind the tank and fairing. This narrowness should also come in handy for shorter riders because it makes reaching the ground easier. The height of the seat can also be adjusted, sans tools, to either 33.27” or 34.25”. At five foot ten, I’m not the tallest rider, but even with the seat in the highest position I could rest both feet firmly on the ground. All in all, the riding position is quite gentlemanly, if you will. With your back straight, arms extended forward, and knees bent lightly, a long series of 300 to 400 mile days should be a breeze.
Motorcycle-USA.com
Those not too concerned with off-road and more interested in touring will be happy to hear the Super Tenere is a very comfortable motorcycle. The riding position should fit most people but will be well suited for even the tallest of riders. The cockpit is spacious, it’s a long reach to the bars and pegs plus the seat is very comfortable. Standard hand guards will protect you from rocks, brush and provide a measure of relief from the cold as well as saving levers in case of a tip over. The front bodywork cuts a swath through the air and seems to protect the rider’s legs fairly well. We logged a couple hundred miles on the bike and in that short period of time I found it quite comfortable and more than once it crossed my mind that this was going to become a very popular adventure bike. With the dust settled and the notes combed over a few things start to become clear. First of all the Super Tenere has what it takes to be a great Adventure Touring motorcycle. The suspension and chassis are well sorted and provide an exciting ride both on and off road. The bike looks like it rolled right out of the bivouac at Dakar. The basic electronics package, including ABS, selectable drive mode and traction control systems are on par with the new Multistrada S Touring. And, like the GS, it is a capable off-road motorcycle.
Motorcycle.com
Whether on the street or in the dirt, the Ténéré’s suspension delivers action typical of its conventional design, as opposed to BMW’s interesting but oddball Telelever front end. On paved surfaces, the Yamaha’s long-travel suspenders nicely suck up bumps that would have R1 riders wincing. And it also performs competently on every dirt terrain we sampled, from blasting at 80-plus-mph on groomed dirt roads to hammering over rock-strewn canyon fireroads. Yamaha’s Super Ténéré brings a worthy foe to the adventure-touring class by virtue of its versatile set of capabilities. It’s one of the rare motorcycles that can easily knock out 500-plus miles of highway travel in a day and also allow exploration of uncharted and unpaved trails off the beaten path.
Asphaltandrubber.com
On the open road the Super Ténéré’s taller 4th, 5th, and 6th gears show greater variety in the rev/power range, which tailored well for our 200+ miles of highway touring. On the interstates of Arizona the Yamaha Super Ténéré shows its practical nature, as it leisurely sips fuel at a modest rate. About 100 miles into our trip, the fuel gauge shows only about 1/4 of the Yamaha Super Ténéré’s 6.07 gallon tank has been used. Cruising in the overdriven 6th gear, we were easily getting 60+ miles per gallon on the freeway, which means Super Ténéré owners will likely have to take a break well before the Super T needs to be refueled. This also means that the Yamaha Super Ténéré can stray far from established roads, before a would-be adventurer will have to think about refueling.
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