Only seems like yesterday when I picked up my new shiny Yamaha Super Tenere from my local dealer.OK it was January 2019 but there are times when it feels a lot longer. I did a hell of a lot of research before I bought this bike I wanted something that had no chain, as far as I'm concerned there is absolutely no need for any motorbike to have chain in this day and age it's another consumable that I just don't want or need to have to worry about on a long trip. That narrowed the search down a lot. Honda, BMW or American belt drive, I have already owned three Harley's and a Gold Wing, nothing wrong with any of them only some of the roads around where I live in Spain are not what you would call A1 so it had to be an adventure bike the BMW's are great machines but utterly soulless and characterless, I wanted a bike that would talk to me that would feel part of me.
Ooh brand new
I came across a mention of the S10 on a BMW forum so I went looking for information on a bike that has sort of stayed under the radar a bit, I read about it's legendary reliability and how loyal and enthusiastic S10 owners are so, after a lot of debate with my wife I made up my mind and bough the electronic suspension model, which here in Spain is a fair bit more expensive than it is in the UK . In fact all motorised vehicles are more expensive here in Spain than the UK
This was not love at first sight in fact I thought the bike was a bit on the ugly side but after a few short rides around the local area I soon became more confident on her and found that for a big girl she was rather nimble, after her first service I added a bigger windscreen, handlebar risers, fender extender and a rear hugger, I wired up the Sat Nav and another double auxiliary 12 volt outlet and the optimate battery charger fly lead and then added some extra lights, not that she need them I just liked the look! these hung off the crash bars that I fitted. I actually dropped the bike twice in 3 weeks thankfully both times I was at a standstill and no damage was done but just in case the bars had to go on.
A few longer rides took place as time went on, I had planned to ride the bike back to the UK to race my dragster at Santa Pod and then ride home again afterwards, July came around and I set off across the Pyrenees and stopping at Pau then on to "Belonga Mick" a biker friendly B&B just north of Limoges, then following day off to the Channel tunnel and back in the UK. Where I stayed for four days, raced my car and then returned home the same way I went. The bike was well loaded but still returned over 55mpg which I was really impressed with, after nearly a 2800 mile return trip I had really started to like this bike apart from the bloody seat I was in agony so that was changed for a Touratech model.
Getting "blinged" out in the garage
At Belonga Mick
Me dong my thing at the "Pod"
And in the last few months I have ridden all over these parts of Spain and one longer trip to Consuegra to look at he Windmills made famous in the Don Quixote book, a round trip of nearly 500 miles and on that trip the bike returned 61.2 mpg...incredible.
Don Quixote Country
Last month I rode to the Valencian round of Moto GP and back three times for the three days I had tickets for and staked up another 300 miles, and so here we are at Christmas I have now covered 8870km (5511 miles) I have ridden on motorways A roads and Campo roads (rough sometimes gravel roads here in Spain) and even ridden through a quarry! I have not yet ridden her really off road but then do I want to damage an expensive machine?? we will see
I have been to some incredible places on this bike I have done more miles this year on two wheels than I have ever done on any other bike that I have owned, and even though at the beginning when I said it wasn't love at first sight it has turned out to be a slow burn I now wouldn't swap this incredible bike for any other machine this really is a keeper it does everything I want and does it well.
Somewhere in the Pyrenees
Time for another ride on the S10
I am now looking forward to more trips in 2020, Portugal or Italy or maybe even further afield I haven't made my mind up yet, but I will definitely be riding back to the UK this year along with a trip to the Tenere gathering in France. Have a great Christmas and New Year and here's looking forward to a brilliant riding year in 2020.
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