Well, I’ve clocked up 3000 miles since I picked my Super Ten up on 1st. August including nearly 2000 miles on a trip across Holland to Germany and Poland.
Some observations are probably called for, so let me begin with first impressions and I’ll use my old Versys 1000 Gen 1 bike for comparison.
The switchgear on the Yamaha look and feel far better quality than those on my Versys. The digital clocks and onboard trip computer are nice and easy to read, although I do prefer the traditional rev counter on the Versys rather than the trend for a digital bar type. The cruise control is something I never would have thought that I would need or use, but when traffic conditions allow on motorways, it proved very welcome especially as I have a disability with my right hand.
Comfort wise, the Yamaha has more legroom which has been a boon as I am 6’2” and even with the seat on the lowest of two settings, Amy knees are not so acutely bent. The Yamaha has better suspension than my Gen 1 Versys had, it is more plush and better controlled. I have no experience of the Gen 2 Versys to make a comparison with.
On handling and steering, as I said, the Yamaha has better suspension in my opinion and initially, I found myself turning tighter than the Versys. I felt the Versys tended to run slightly wide by comparison.
On my recent European trip, my Versys tended to give 50-52mpg over a similar run where the Yamaha recorded 54mpg on this occasion. Which brings us to the motors. The Yamaha has 2 settings, T and S, which stand for Touring and Sport. There is a noticeable difference between the two, S giving a very brisk throttle response whereas T is lovely for just ambling along or 2-up work as it gives a nice, smooth, leisurely feel to the throttle. Both modes are said to give the same ultimate power. You all know the modes on the Versys and although I tried both, I used the full-power option all of the time. The Yamaha is a 270 degree parallel twin which gives it a similar feel to a 90 degree V twin so it has a bit of character and you always know that you are riding a twin. The Versys of course is an in-line 4 and, in my humble opinion, has The Very Best Motor ever built into a motorcycle bar none.
This little review makes it look as if the Yamaha is superior to the Versys, but I don’t see it that way. As a motorcycle for my purposes, there really is very little between them and if my motorcycling experience with the Yamaha turns sour, then I shall be beating a path to buy another Versys.
One final observation: although I used the Versys 1000 as a kind of benchmark to compare the Super Ten with, the bike the Yamaha most reminds me of is my old R1150GS, the bike I said I would never sell until all the powder coating started to fall off! The Super Ten feels a lot like my memory of the my old GS and that’s no bad thing.
Some observations are probably called for, so let me begin with first impressions and I’ll use my old Versys 1000 Gen 1 bike for comparison.
The switchgear on the Yamaha look and feel far better quality than those on my Versys. The digital clocks and onboard trip computer are nice and easy to read, although I do prefer the traditional rev counter on the Versys rather than the trend for a digital bar type. The cruise control is something I never would have thought that I would need or use, but when traffic conditions allow on motorways, it proved very welcome especially as I have a disability with my right hand.
Comfort wise, the Yamaha has more legroom which has been a boon as I am 6’2” and even with the seat on the lowest of two settings, Amy knees are not so acutely bent. The Yamaha has better suspension than my Gen 1 Versys had, it is more plush and better controlled. I have no experience of the Gen 2 Versys to make a comparison with.
On handling and steering, as I said, the Yamaha has better suspension in my opinion and initially, I found myself turning tighter than the Versys. I felt the Versys tended to run slightly wide by comparison.
On my recent European trip, my Versys tended to give 50-52mpg over a similar run where the Yamaha recorded 54mpg on this occasion. Which brings us to the motors. The Yamaha has 2 settings, T and S, which stand for Touring and Sport. There is a noticeable difference between the two, S giving a very brisk throttle response whereas T is lovely for just ambling along or 2-up work as it gives a nice, smooth, leisurely feel to the throttle. Both modes are said to give the same ultimate power. You all know the modes on the Versys and although I tried both, I used the full-power option all of the time. The Yamaha is a 270 degree parallel twin which gives it a similar feel to a 90 degree V twin so it has a bit of character and you always know that you are riding a twin. The Versys of course is an in-line 4 and, in my humble opinion, has The Very Best Motor ever built into a motorcycle bar none.
This little review makes it look as if the Yamaha is superior to the Versys, but I don’t see it that way. As a motorcycle for my purposes, there really is very little between them and if my motorcycling experience with the Yamaha turns sour, then I shall be beating a path to buy another Versys.
One final observation: although I used the Versys 1000 as a kind of benchmark to compare the Super Ten with, the bike the Yamaha most reminds me of is my old R1150GS, the bike I said I would never sell until all the powder coating started to fall off! The Super Ten feels a lot like my memory of the my old GS and that’s no bad thing.