TBM - Tenere v Transalp
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SkyGod
What Tyre pressure you running
TBM is my porn 
Having just read the article I think the main reason for them choosing the Transalp was for the engines capability on the road. It's obvious a twin will be better on the road than a single but as far as offroad ability goes the Tenere looked the better bet by far. However both bikes did have a few compromises.
It does beg the question when are KTM going to fit a 650 twin in their chassis along with a decent size petrol tank? If only the 650GS was a bit more of a looker
.
I don't have a Tenere, Transalp or KTM by the way but I am looking for a twin cylinder dual sport bike that can do a road trip to Spain or Morocco and then be capable offroad. Anybody any ideas?
It does beg the question when are KTM going to fit a 650 twin in their chassis along with a decent size petrol tank? If only the 650GS was a bit more of a looker
.I don't have a Tenere, Transalp or KTM by the way but I am looking for a twin cylinder dual sport bike that can do a road trip to Spain or Morocco and then be capable offroad. Anybody any ideas?
Dave Ett
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richie
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Er, have you heard of the F800GS?:
Thats what I was thinking.... Secondly I really don't see what all the fuss is about the new Tenere, its just a style thing, probably not a lot better than my 9 year old dommie which I paid a grand for...
Nowt wrong with transalps either...
Met a Spanish lad in south India last year on a KTM 640 Adventure made it all the way with only a strip down of the carb... I'd go for one of those if I wanted a single at silly money....
Dave Ett
Registered user
It's 60kg heavier than the 800GS....
Don't get all wrapped up about how much a bike weighs, it's not the only consideration eg.
AT: many thousands of pound cheaper, much more reliable, more robust etc etc....oh but of course it's heavier
Dave Ett
Registered user
The expense thing I can absolutely understand - we are all doing this hobby with 'disposable' cash. However, from everything I've read weight is your enemy off road.
I'm heading to Morocco in three weeks, so will find out for myself!
Unless you can chuck your off-roader in a van and drive it to the difficult stuff, going off road will always be a compromise. I'd rather be taking a TTR250 to be honest, but I wouldn't wanna ride the thing 1000 miles to get there!
60kg is a helluva lot of luggage...
I'd also question the reliability thing. Any second hand bike is only as reliable as all it's previous owners, and there are some right dogs out there. Can you still buy a new Africa Twin?
The 800GS has had it's share of recalls, but these aside I've not heard of many other problems with it. Fit good chain & sprockets/tyres/crashbars and go. The one I have did 8500 miles to Cape town earlier this year and aside from a burned out clutch was faultless (and the owner confesses it was his own lack of skill which did for it).
I'm heading to Morocco in three weeks, so will find out for myself!
Unless you can chuck your off-roader in a van and drive it to the difficult stuff, going off road will always be a compromise. I'd rather be taking a TTR250 to be honest, but I wouldn't wanna ride the thing 1000 miles to get there!
60kg is a helluva lot of luggage...
I'd also question the reliability thing. Any second hand bike is only as reliable as all it's previous owners, and there are some right dogs out there. Can you still buy a new Africa Twin?
The 800GS has had it's share of recalls, but these aside I've not heard of many other problems with it. Fit good chain & sprockets/tyres/crashbars and go. The one I have did 8500 miles to Cape town earlier this year and aside from a burned out clutch was faultless (and the owner confesses it was his own lack of skill which did for it).
You can buy a mint low mileage AT for well under £3000, mine had done 10,000 when I bought it last year but was only answering a question through my own experience of them and they have after all, been there/everywhere and done it
It not just about the perfect bike though
It not just about the perfect bike though
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TBM
I thought the TBM test was really interesting on a lot of levels
First off there has been loads of talk recently about the death of magazines as t'internet takes over and Timolgras Mongolian RR is a perfect example.
But (as a photographer and motorcyclist) I thought TBM had done a pretty damn good job with their test and produced a good quality item - great pictures, printed on good quality paper and an interesting read. Hell I even parted with my own money to buy a copy
But I have to agree with the sentiment of the test - for me the new Tenere just does not stir the soul in the way a motorcycle should. To me, my bike is just a toy and I don't commute on it or anything like that. So it needs to shout out to me from the garage "Oi, lets go out ! Now" And the new Tenere never really did. I sold mine on here to fund an extension but for less than half the cost of a s/h Tenere I got one of the very first Teneres (1983) and the bike just oozes style and has that almost indefinable thing, charisma. It just doffs along beautifully like a big thumper should and I did 150 miles yesterday into Wales for no other reason than it was sunny. 30 litre tank, nice and light, great looks, my 7 year old son could fix it, 18 inch rear, it's all good.
The new Tenere seems to be a victim of modernity, rather than a beneficiary. Built to a budget by accountants, all style over substance, and an emmission consious
confused engine that was very nearly strangled at birth by catalytics and other modern stuff I could live without.
In the Teneres favour, they are cheap. Secondhand ones don't sell for much over £4k very easily and I know people have done great things on them. For sure they are reliable and as a modern Jap bike, they are very much a bike you can hop on and off, "turn the key and go" sort of thing.
They seem to be a "ride and forget" sort of bike and perhaps that is both its strength and undoing.
I can see why a similar V-twin sort of bike might stir the soul a little more
I thought the TBM test was really interesting on a lot of levels
First off there has been loads of talk recently about the death of magazines as t'internet takes over and Timolgras Mongolian RR is a perfect example.
But (as a photographer and motorcyclist) I thought TBM had done a pretty damn good job with their test and produced a good quality item - great pictures, printed on good quality paper and an interesting read. Hell I even parted with my own money to buy a copy
But I have to agree with the sentiment of the test - for me the new Tenere just does not stir the soul in the way a motorcycle should. To me, my bike is just a toy and I don't commute on it or anything like that. So it needs to shout out to me from the garage "Oi, lets go out ! Now" And the new Tenere never really did. I sold mine on here to fund an extension but for less than half the cost of a s/h Tenere I got one of the very first Teneres (1983) and the bike just oozes style and has that almost indefinable thing, charisma. It just doffs along beautifully like a big thumper should and I did 150 miles yesterday into Wales for no other reason than it was sunny. 30 litre tank, nice and light, great looks, my 7 year old son could fix it, 18 inch rear, it's all good.
The new Tenere seems to be a victim of modernity, rather than a beneficiary. Built to a budget by accountants, all style over substance, and an emmission consious
confused engine that was very nearly strangled at birth by catalytics and other modern stuff I could live without. In the Teneres favour, they are cheap. Secondhand ones don't sell for much over £4k very easily and I know people have done great things on them. For sure they are reliable and as a modern Jap bike, they are very much a bike you can hop on and off, "turn the key and go" sort of thing.
They seem to be a "ride and forget" sort of bike and perhaps that is both its strength and undoing.
I can see why a similar V-twin sort of bike might stir the soul a little more
Trippy
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Dave Ett
Registered user
The extra half a ton doesn't appear to make a difference here
I note the backup truck in the top left of the picture though...
I note the backup truck in the top left of the picture though...
Yes although nothing to do with us, it was the same river in Morocco that the 800 foundered in
vilguy
Registered user
XTZ750 - £500 will get you one that runs, spend another 3 or 4 hundred quid sorting it, and you have yourself a go anywhere bike that will keep its value, be ok offroad, be ok onroad, go to morocco, drop it.. who cares.. its cost you £7k less than a 800 gs, 7K buys a hell of alot of petrol.
Dave Ett
Registered user
Can't argue with that. I hear a good mod is to fit a TDM900 engine?
The blue ones looked the best!
The blue ones looked the best!
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