Cycle Torque Jan/Feb 2017

Yamaha
Super Ténéré
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
cycletorque.com.au JAN/FEB 2017 I 46
to get away from me, usually under provocation
from my throttle hand. Off is preferred for normal
off-road riding and any kind of sand.
There is a huge difference between the two drive
modes, which is good because so many bikes
have different maps that seem to feel quite similar.
The T mode has a much mellower hit and overall
smoother throttle response while the S mode
is punchier and has a quicker response. While
I preferred S mode in most situations because
of its quick response, the T mode made some
sketchy descents easier since the throttle was
less responsive. As you could imagine the 1199cc,
parallel twin made mince meat of whatever you
chuck at it and having these electronic aids made
life a lot easier when I got into sticky situations.
As much as the ST is promoted as being for offroad
riding, if you’re thinking about getting one
to use on off-camber, sloppy single track through
tight bush then think again… But to be fair no
adventure-style bike can do that with ease no
matter how dirt-orientated they are. The ST is
happiest and fun on not-too-rocky trails, mellow
two-track and fire trails. We stepped outside the
bike’s comfort zone a few times, trying sand and
rocky fire trails. On a trail or enduro bike, the proper
way to get over the rocks is to keep momentum
up and sort of ‘float’ over the rocks but with a
bike weighing around 250kg and softish style
suspension there is no float… You can always take
the slower, technical approach but don’t get caught
on a shitty uphill trail is all I can say.
So what’s it like on the road? ‘Bloody good’ is
the answer… Just by looking at it you know the
bike will excel at long distance touring. It is well
equipped for the job, it’s what it is designed to do.
But despite the adventure tyres, the size of the
thing, and the less than sporty steering, you can
ride the ST quite quick on the road. Tight twisting
roads won’t bother it, nor do the lumps and bumps
of our back-roads. It has ‘only’ 112 horsepower but it
has plenty of torque and revels in lower revs rather
than revving the crap out of it. It has a 270-degree
crankshaft so it’s supposed to sound and feel like a
V-twin. It does to a degree but not overtly so…
The brakes impressed me too, with dual, fourpiston
calipers grabbing decent sized discs on
the front. The rear single caliper is great in the
bush, while not needed so much on the tar. ABS is
standard, as is the Unified Brake System (UBS) that
balances the braking effort yet gives you the option
of separating the brakes for traditional function on
the fly.
Who wants one?
Every time I rode this bike it had me wondering…
Who would buy one? It is made to cover massive
distances on both highways and dirt which is
basically my definition of adventure riding. Load
it with camping gear, forget the map, and just see
where those dirt roads you’ve always wanted to
explore take you.
Once you get over the mindset of having a 1200cc
motor between your legs and that you’re not going
to be popping over tree stumps or rocks with ease,
you can appreciate that with some patience and
the proper speed, the Super Ténéré can get you
SPECIFICATIONS:
2016 YAMAHA XT1200ZE SUPER TÉNÉRÉ
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel-twin
CAPACITY: 1199cc
TRANSMISSION: Six-speed
DRIVE TYPE: Shaft
FUEL CAPACITY: 23L
FRAME: Steel tube backbone
SEAT HEIGHT: 845mm
WEIGHT: 265kg Wet
FRONT SUSPENSION: Telescopic forks 190mm
travel, electronic adjustment
REAR SUSPENSION: Swingarm 190mm
travel, electronic adjustment
BRAKES: F: dual 310mm disc, with ABS and
unified braking system; R: Single 282mm
disc with ABS and unified braking system
TYRES: F: 110/80-19; R: 150/70-17
PRICE: $21,999 +ORC
CALL FOR A QUOTE
1800 24 34 64
through those short sections of sketchiness so you
can enjoy those long sections of comfort.
I wouldn’t be in a rush to ride it in the Finke Desert
Race but I’d love to ride it there and back, and at
around 22K it’s a lot cheaper than most of the Euro
options. n
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