Tenere 660

What would it take to import one of these legally? Can I bring one over from Canada, tweak it somehow and get it plated and insured?

sophijo wrote:

What would it take to import one of these legally?  Can I bring one over from Canada, tweak it somehow and get it plated and insured?

Fuggedabout it.
Unless you happen to be a vehicle manufacturer, the old days of "gray market" vehicles is long gone. The vehicle needs to be certified to meet US EPA and NHTSA (safety) regs. You can't do the EPA ones on your own.

About the only way is if a foreigner brings one into the US, it can stay for a year on plates from their home country.

Every now & then one of those foreign vehicles is left behind and sold. After that first year on the foreign tags it becomes an unregister-able and expensive off-road only vehicle for whoever doesn't do their homework and buys it.

That's a shame! Would be perfect for me!

Double Fuggedabout it.
The 660 is not available in Canada. We've been asking for years but it appears they aren't bringing it.

I know where you can get one though I wouldn't do it unless you are 100% sure it's a good idea

http://www.yamaha-motor.com.mx/xt660tenere.html

.....another reason to move to Mexico!

Why would you want a Tenere? It's a pig, weighing 460lbs, with 8" non-adjustable suspension, and 17" rear wheel. A BMW F650GS is lighter with more horsepower, and the F800GS is the same weight with a lot more power and better suspension.

From the specs, a KLR 650 seems a lot closer to the Tenere, but a lot cheaper. A DR650 would be both a lot cheaper and much lighter.

A KTM 690 is at a completely different level, although much more expensive too.

I'm liking the Super Tenere and the F800 Adventure........thinking South America. MPG seems comparable. Maybe the Yamaha has the "reliability" edge? I don't know. That's what I read; but on these adventure forums there seem to be way more long-haul beemers. Maybe I should just take my WR250R? Seems like a lot of highway on a skinny seat though. 60+ mpg would be nice. Whadda you think?

sophijo wrote:

I'm liking the Super Tenere and the F800 Adventure........thinking South America. MPG seems comparable. Maybe the Yamaha has the "reliability" edge? I don't know. That's what I read; but on these adventure forums there seem to be way more long-haul beemers. Maybe I should just take my WR250R? Seems like a lot of highway on a skinny seat though. 60+ mpg would be nice. Whadda you think?

Skierd rode his WRR from DC to Death Valley and then to Fairbanks, Alaska; and is just one of many long haul WRRs. Plus, the further you go south of the border, a 250 will become more and more normal. We in north America are the ones with the skewed perception that we need big engines. Get the Seat Concepts seat kit and go.

Of course, if you like the Tenere, DCStrom wrote this, over on http://www.yamahasupertenere.com

55,000 miles in 19 months, all sorts of roads, never let me down and only basic maintenance - Oil, tires, filters, brake pads, chassis lube, 2 valve checks (but no adjustment). Two major problems, both down to rough roads and too much weight. First was the stock rear shock that lost all damping (not that surprising, replaced with an Ohlins), and a cracked frame above the right swingarm pivot (I was surprised...). Caught the crack early (so early that it took a while to determine whether it really was a crack). The repair cost me a day of downtime and $100, and has held up for 15,000 miles now.

I have friends travelling in Sth America on similar routes on GS1200's, but cities with BMW dealers always have to be factored into the calculations. They never know when they are going to need one.






Currently travelling from DC to Argentina http://tinyurl.com/EscapeFromDC
http://supertenere1200.com/

That's what I'm talking about!

I've got a 660 Tenere. IMO it's a long way from being a pig. Heavy? Yes. Strong? Yes. Fast? No, but fast enough. Good brakes, crap rear shock (Inexcusable), big tank, terrible speedo like WR-R, but a great all-roads, long-lasting bike given some maintenance. That said, it's too expensive given the low-rent suspension on the rear. There are several owners with >150,000km on theirs. Some have replaced rings etc and at least one drive side main, but in general they're tough.