Friday, August 12, 2011

Ride it like you Stole it

I picked up my new Yamaha Super Ténéré last Friday and on Monday afternoon the bike was ready for its first 600 mile service. I rode it like I had stolen it.
As most of you know I had put a deposit sight unseen last September and had been waiting for the bike since then.  I had a chance to see and sit on one for the first time last January at the NY Motorcycle Show.  I had not heard the engine running live, only on various Youtube videos made by Ténéré owners around the world.  I had taken a leap of faith with Yamaha.   I am very happy with my choice to purchase this wonderful machine.  It's everything I thought it was going to be and more.
I had asked the dealer to call me as soon as the Yamaha truck delivered the bike.  On Friday, July 29th they called and I dropped everything and headed to the dealer in a hurry.  The box was out back and still closed.  I opened the box myself and was finally able to see my Super Ténéré.




The dealer was closed on Monday but by Tuesday my bike was being assembled.  On Friday I left work early and headed to the dealer to pick up the bike. I heard the engine running for the first time, a big 1200cc engine that sounds like a big thumper, it was music to my ears.




Yamaha started distributing the bikes to dealers at the end of July and some owners had already received their bikes by the end of the month but most of the owners reporting they had picked up the bikes were from the south. On Saturday, August 6th, I went out for my first ride and to introduce the bike to my friends, to my amazement I ran into another owner near the meeting place with a blue Ténéré.  Later in the day while riding in Pennsylvania we ran into another owner, this time a black one just like mine.





I will be writing a full report soon but in the mean time here's a video made by my brother when I rode to meet the group at the Brass Ring Cafe in Hopewell NJ.





First Ride

21 comments:

  1. Fantastci, was wondering whenyou were getting it. I thought you were getting a blue one, not that it matters. Great bike and many great travel blogs to come!

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  2. Congrats! Finally you got what you were waiting for. Wishing you adventures galore.

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  3. Good stuff! A fantastic bike to be sure. Now where's my lottery ticket...

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  4. Dear George:

    What a stunningly beautiful motorcycle! It makes you look like you're 17! Good luck with this machine... And I hope you break the million mile mark on it.

    Fondest regards,
    Jack/reep
    Twisted Roads

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  5. @Roger @Bob @Sonja @Andrew
    Thanks everyone, it was long coming but it's finally here. Yea, Roger, I had ordered a black first, then changed to blue then got a black, long story, will explain on next post.

    @Jack
    Yea, it's beautiful but I don't think it can make me "look" like 17, maybe "feel" like I'm 17, but the aches and pains tell otherwise.
    I will definitely try for the million mark though, as long as these old bones hold ;-)

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  6. Hey George, the months of waiting are finally over and you have your new bike! Oh, how frustrating that wait must have been and the with the dealer having the bike on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and then being closed on Monday, the pain of waiting was dragged out just that little bit longer! I smiled when I read you then put 600 miles on the bike over the weekend. Have a great time with the bike – you certainly looked the part on what is no doubt a superb machine.

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  7. "Look, there's a blue one coming!"
    You sound so excited, like a kid with a new Schwinn on his birthday. Congratulations, the bike looks great; wishing you many happy miles and adventures to come.

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  8. @Gary
    Yea, I then waited till the next Friday to pick it up. I skipped work on Monday and went riding, difficult though to keep it under 4K rpm for the first 600 miles ;-)

    @Bradley
    I was like a kid with a new toy, you absolutely right. I had changed my original order to a blue but the dealer screwed up, I am happy I got the black, I was surprised when I saw the blue one on my first ride :-)

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  9. I love a happy ending...sob

    Of course, it IS a Yamaha says and FJR owner!

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  10. @Dan
    We all know Yamaha makes the best bikes :-)

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  11. What a great day, great fun, great bike!! Enjoy George!!

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  12. @Eve
    Thanks for reading, lots of adventures coming up, I hope.

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  13. Dear George:

    Everyone wants a blue bike at one time in their life. But what is blue? There are a hundred shades of blue, while the best in my opinion is the "Orient Blue" used on Beemers in 2004.

    But the color black makes a true statement and provides a tangible link between the rider and the bike. I used to think my next bike was going to be "Orient Blue," but I know it will be as black as an attorney's soul.

    Good luck on your black bike. What plans do you have for bags and other gear?

    Fondest regards,
    Jack/reep
    Twisted Roads

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  14. I'm delighted to hear the waiting is over.

    I'm even more delighted to find out that the bike seems to be all you hoped it would be.

    Ride on and share lots of adventures.

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  15. @Jack
    I agree, black is the color and as the saying goes "black goes with everything".
    I'm looking at Twisted Throttle panniers, I like their Trax boxes, obviously their are going to be black too. For protection I'm going with Altrider. Both companies were in Bloomsburg.

    @Circle Blue
    Thank you, adventures are already being planned.

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  16. Oh YEA!!!! I'm so excited for you and just want to jump up and down squealing with happiness! So happy it arrived and you are loving it!

    -Lori

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  17. George,

    Really good looking machine. I had my heart set on a BMW12000 adventure, but this bike would do damned fine instead. If you get the chance, take it to the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming - that would be the perfect place. Lots of beautiful scenery, twisties and good speed on the way in, then, all kinds of backroads to travel once you're there. They're gravel, though, so you might not want pure road tires. I was just there a month ago, and I wish I had your bike.

    It also sounds a bit like the Jetson's car. (Or like my f650gs) Who makes the motor, is it a Yamaha motor?) Looks like you'll be able to drive to the moon and back now if you want.

    Brady
    Behind Bars - Motorcycles and Life
    http://www.behindbarsmotorcycle.com/

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  18. @Lori
    Thank you. Did I sound overly happy when I saw the other blue one? ha ha, yea, I have been jumping up and down too, now the fun starts with the add-ons, need to get it ready for winter.

    @Brady
    Thanks. You will save a few bucks over the BMW, specially when it comes to service afterwards. I passed the Bighorn Mountains last year, beautiful, I wish I had the time to go back to Wyoming.

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  19. George nice bike!!!

    Looks like you got the black one I originally ordered.....:)

    But I gotta tell you the blue really is starting to grow on me....

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  20. @RMochoa3
    Thank you.
    I had originally ordered a black one so I got the one that was picked at the factory for me ;-)
    The dealer forgot to change to the blue I later ordered. They are both good looking.
    I'm going to check your blog now :-)

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