I say, last time I discussed money with you I was well and truly spanked. So this time I'm keeping my big mouth shut.


(but I do tend to agree with your thinking)

Hee hee - it always cost more than you think eh?

If this new bike is going to have shaft drive, traction control, ABS (linked) brakes etc etc. I can't see it being less than �9000 to be honest... it would be great to think it would be �8999, but I reckon, based on the 'market sector' competition (BMW 1200GA, KTM990A and from a tech perspective the new Ducati Multistrada), I reckon my price estimate (�9899) is close - if only for Yamaha to a make a reasonable profit?

xxx

Thing is JMo, Yamaha have announced a 20% (I believe, may be 25%) increase in their pricing, so new Tenere's are going to be �6400 now...
They've maintained it will be a 1200cc bike, so I think it will be, even though I posited early on that it would be a re-worked TDM/TRX/XTZ twin motor.
Priced at sub �10k would be nice, but it's going to be on a parallel with their FJR in terms of toys, and they are the wrong side of �10k already.
Time to just sit back and wait I think, but I do still hope it's possible to buy one without all the gizmos.

I'm not so sure Tom - nowhere has Yamaha said it will be 1200cc, only a 'large capacity parallel twin'... 1200 is only the magic number MCN have mooted (and everyone copied) because that is what BMW had to use to get more than 100bhp out of that Zeppelin engine...

However, in light of what you're saying about Yamaha prices going up across the board, then yes, there is every chance it will be over �10,000... but if it's over �11,000 - it will bomb - it has to be in the same ballpark as the GSA, 990A...?

Jx

Ah, but what if the stock SuperTen is better equiped, I am off course reffering to the 'extras' that you need to buy with BMUU (Wheels, forks, Bars, etc), or even the Touratech shopping trip - what if Yamaha put all this in the stock bike (think how good the stock Ten is) and gamble of the "this is the only money you need to pay to travel the world" line ??

All they will need is a quote from some mag saying the SuperTen is better than a GS-A, and a huge queue of GS riders (the ones with more money that sense and shiney GS's with road tyres on them) will be only to keen to 'upgrade', on the basis that 'more money=better bike'

I have gone back and checked my sources, and you are correct. I shall now go and jump from the roof to a timely death.
Can I go back to my original idea of a bigger/upgraded XTZ/TRX/TDM engine now please?

Edit to Add, GULG, I think that Yamaha are losing the 'look how good the Tenere is compared to a GS' battle with the price raising. As it is, the F800GS has better wheels, suspension, chassis components etc than the Tenere, but it was also a good chunk more money. If the Tenere goes to �6400, then it's on a par with the F650GS, and also not far off the F800GS cost wise, and then it's kit and build start to appear shabby. I wonder if the price move is in some way a deterrent to people from buying the Tenere, and instead a leader to them buying a Super Tenere?

That's an interesting point Tom - after all, the 660Z has sold well, but I wonder if the market for that sort of 'dedicated' travel bike has now reached saturation? (certainly as far as UK/Europe is concerned at least...)

It would be interesting to see some numbers regarding registrations - although that may be skewd by the fact there was limited availability in 2008, and the price rose significantly in 2009... that said, certainly most dealers have one on their floor now, and the larger dealers two or more in stock...

It may be that most 'serious' buyers have bought a 660Z now, and as you suggest - the 'oh I quite fancy an adventure bike' brigade may well be tempted by the Super Tenere if the price differential is not so extreme? Certainly pricing the 660Z against the BMW 650/800 twin is a questionable marketing ploy in my mind!

J x

ps. I still think you were right all along with the upgraded TDM engine - makes perfect sense to me...

I just can't see a 1200cc version of the TDM motor, which started life in the Superten as 750cc, ok it's gone up 150cc in the TDM900 but I'm struggling to see where the extra 300cc will came from.

Plus I don't see them producing a midrange bike that competes with the 660z..... hope I'm wrong.

Still its good marketing by Yamaha, keeps us all guessing and talking about it.

It'll be a 850/900 DOHC Triple.

It won't! It will be a parallel twin, as it says on the Yamaha website!

The capacity is still open to question though (1200cc is a red herring, or should that be rot bratwurst?!) - which is why the TDM engine is the logical (read budget) basis for the new power-plant, with a few tweaks to up the capacity to around a litre - say 990cc? (wouldn't that be a coincidence!)

xxx

It's interesting to hear the comments from ex-GS owners, because it's kind of go the reputation of being the panacea for adventure bikes (Boringman and McGregor made it so). And BMW does make some nice kit IMHO.

However, those sort of comments are making me (even more) satisfied with my choice of XT660. http://dashack.co.uk/gocmc/Smileys/classic/love4.gif