YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 Touring Motorcycle

The Japanese factory has updated the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere for 2015 with one additional variation XT1200ZE on top of the WorldCrosser tune up kit in order to match the hard competition. The factory has made their homework and established few areas to improve with reasonable effort. The former SuperTenere was already very good and there was no need for an entirely new model. These improvements may seem small, but they are clearly steps forward from riding point of view and the new YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 challenges the category leader BMW R1200GS 2015 even harder. The new SuperTenere is more versatile and interesting allroad touring enduro than ever before.

The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is a genuine and well made allroad touring enduro in every way and the factory has a lot of experience from desert rallies, offroad racing and touring which makes SuperTenere so competitive. Depending on tyres in question, the SuperTenere can take you far away of the tarmac roads and back. The center of gravity is relative low which makes the SuperTenere surprisingly agile at slow speed and on loose surfaces. It is capable of carrying a load of two with the luggage providing comfortable touring and practical performance. Functional ergonomics, a distinctive parallel twin with controlled riding features and fully adjustable suspension system translates easily to enjoyable allroad touring. The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is also a great every day bike.

YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 Improvements

The improved YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 has increased the performance of the parallel twin engine with 2HP / 3Nm. by developing the air intake, revising the camshaft & pistons and changing a new exhaust system. Better riding comfort and sharper engine performance has been generated with a clutch damper and by refining the traction control TCS and throttle response YCC-T. The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 instrumentation is fully digitalized. There is no traditional tachometer gauge anymore and the instrument holder includes a wide GPS navigator support bar which is so simple and good thinking from the factory.

From the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 ergonomic and visual point of view there are some changes both at the front and the back end of the bike. The SuperTenere windscreen is redesigned providing much better aerodynamics and rider protection which is essential factor in touring. The windscreen can be also quick adjusted with simple thump screws and a 4 position slider mechanism which keeps things simple and practical. The passenger seat is thinner and includes a strap. The passenger grab handles are gone and available as optional extra. Below the twin headlights there is an additional cover to cut the dirty air flow going into the cockpit. The SuperTenere handlebar bridge and triple clamp is reintegrated with the fork and reduces vibrations from the twin engine, but also generates a more upright riding posture. The SuperTenere has also a new pair of mirrors and an aluminium side stand too. The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is on top 4kgs (8.8lbs.) lighter than the previous generation. Therefore the basic Z model is good for adventure touring riders that are looking for some challenge, would like to gear up the bike more than what is necessary and mostly riding solo.

YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 Considerations

From a demanding adventure touring point of view, the key YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 draw backs are the moderate ground clearance, the average size fuel tank, the absence of low octane fuel settings and the 19 inch front wheel size. For long LEGs in the outback the SuperTenere requires additional fuel canisters like most of the competitors and in the most remote places on earth, the quality of the fuel is still compromised and low octane settings would be appreciated. Frequent riding on loose surfaces such as sand, mud, gravel and dirt roads, require a 21 inch front wheel to keep the front end calm and in course. Unfortunately the change of the front tyre confuses the traction control TCS and it must be taken off, but the 19 inch front wheel is clearly inappropriate for demanding riding surfaces. Even though the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is one of the lightest big allroad touring enduros, the most challenging routes should be left for more aggressive and lighter adventure touring enduros such as the KTM 690 Enduro R.

YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 Features

The nature of the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 parallel twin engine fits very well for touring. It is quite narrow, placed relative low and generates more than an adequate performance. Therefore riding aid such as the traction and throttle control systems come every now and then handy. Especially when wet or muddy, the rider can really appreciate such safety features. The SuperTenere traction control system TCS has 3 modes, default, sport and off which are sufficient for most of the riders. The traction control reads both wheels and smoothens the over throttling and therefore the change of tyre size requires taking the TCS off. The first DEFAULT mode restricts efficiently slipping at all conditions and is therefore generally appropriate for touring. The SPORT mode allows a reasonable amount of wheel spin without slipping too much and the OFF mode provides the smallest TCS involvement. Most experienced adventure riders prefer to take riding aid off and be fully in charge of everything which makes riding in one way more simple, but also saves a little bit weight.

 
In addition the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 has so called D mode with 2 engine mapping and throttling modes, town and sport. The TOWN -mode makes riding more flexible and comfortable in the city traffic. The SPORT mode provides optimal power delivery and top performance for open road conditions. The D mode switch is at the right hand side and it can be used at all times. The key features of the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 are:

YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 Instrumentation

The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 has a modern and fully digital instrumentation panel with multifunction LCD display. On top of that the engineers included a GPS navigator support in the windscreen frame which is so simple and ideally placed that how come this is not a basic features since ever. The key features of the SuperTenere LCD display are:

YAMAHA XT1200ZE SuperTenere 2015 Urban Touring Motorcycle

The YAMAHA XT1200ZE SuperTenere 2015 is a factory equipped urban touring motorcycle version of the basic model. Riding comfort has been increased with an electronic suspension control system which offers 12 basic and 84 preload & damping performance settings. Since the SuperTenere is ride by wire throttled, finally the cruise control came available and is a standard feature of the ZE model. The SuperTenere cruise control has simple basic features with SET, RESUME, ACCELERATE and DECELERATE functions. The ZE model has also LED indicators, a rear top case support, thicker passenger seat, passenger grab handles, right side fairing below the seat and the center stand as standard features. These accessories make the YAMAHA XT1200ZE SuperTenere 2015 fully fueled 265kgs or 584.2lbs. heavy which is 8kgs (17.6lbs.) more than the basic Z model and reduce the payload down to 205kgs or 452lbs. Therefore the ZE model is ideal for touring riders with a passenger and less ambition for challenging routes.

YAMAHA XT1200Z Super Tenere 2015 WorldCrosser

The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 WorldCrosser is not another model. The WorldCrosser is a factory tune up kit which includes an exclusive carbon body panels such as the main frame protectors, USD fork tube protectors, an aluminium rear brake caliber protector, a drive shaft shield, a skid plate, an engine guard, WorldCrosser -sticker kit and tank protection pads, but the Ackrapovic exhaust and a pair of fog lights in the images are optional extra and therefore the WorldCrosser kit is more or less hyping. I would rather equip the basic YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 model for serious allroad adventure touring with TOURATECH protectors and accessory, but I recommend to consider taking from the factory accessory list a taller touring windscreen with the side deflectors.

YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 Equipment Accessory

The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 allows to adjust few ergonomic factors such as the seat and the windscreen. The rider seat can be placed at 845 or 870 mm. height. With an accessory seat the lowest position would be 810 mm. and the seat is also more narrow allowing better ground access for shorter riders. Further adjustments can be done by changing the foot pegs and installing a handlebar riser. The standard foot pegs are designed mainly for urban touring. Therefore I would recommend to change them into wider offroad pegs with better grip and support. For the tallest riders, YAMAHA provides an accessory touring windshield and side deflectors.

The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 standard foot pegs and the foot brake lever can be changed to adjustable offroad parts at least by TOURATECH which would improve the ergonomics even further. Those who want to take the SuperTenere to the limits, could change the front wheel to a 21 inch EXCEL rim, but note that the TCS disagrees with that.

YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 Comparison

Compared to the BMW R1200GS 2015, the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is 19kgs (41.9lbs.) heavier, offers 13HP / 8Nm. less engine performance, but 3L (0.79USgal./ 0.66UKgal.) more fuel capacity, 20W more alternator performance and 1kg (2.2lbs.) more payload. From the equipment point of view, the SuperTenere offers on top hand guards, traction control, throttle response modes and cross spoked rims as standard features, but no engine guard. Although the standard BMW guard is very moderate. From the ergonomics point of view, they are both quite similar and offer possibilities for shorter riders too. The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is slightly less sporty, versatile and advanced from the technology point of view, but offers comfortable allroad touring on versatile surfaces. The BMW R1200GS 2015 is more sporty from nature, more versatile to tune up and provides slightly better ergonomics.

VS KTM 1190 Adventure 2015

Compared to the KTM1190 Adventure 2015, the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is 27kgs (59.5lbs) heavier, offers 15kgs (33.1lbs) less payload capacity, 36HP less engine performance, but offers the simplicity of a shaft drive, the same fuel and 150W more alternator capacity. From the equipment point of view, they both have same size cross spoked rims and electronic riding aid features, but the KTM traction control MTC is more advanced and the onboard computer more comprehensive. From the riding point of view, the KTM1190 Adventure 2015 is a lot sportier and due to better handling, the KTM is more advanced for adventurous allroad touring, but requires a little bit more maintenance during the trip in terms of the chain drive. The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is a comfortable allroad touring enduro for slightly less demanding conditions, but simplifies the maintenance with the drive shaft.

VS KTM 1190 Adventure R 2015

Compared to the KTM 1190 Adventure R 2015, the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is 22kgs (48.5lbs) heavier, offers 10kgs (22lbs) less payload capacity and 36HP less engine performance, but offers the advantages of the shaft drive, the same fuel and 150W more alternator capacity. From the equipment point of view, the SuperTenere offers no crash bars like the KTM, but with the WorldCrosser kit they are similar. From the riding ergonomics point of view the SuperTenere offers better wind coverage. Both windscreens can be quick adjusted. The nature of the KTM1190 Adventure R 2015 is a lot sportier and due to bigger wheels and superb offroad handling, the KTM is the strongest alternative for challenging adventure touring. The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is more comfortable and traditional allroad touring enduro for reasonable conditions.

VS TRIUMPH Tiger 1200 Explorer 2015

Compared to the basic TRIUMPH Tiger 1200 Explorer 2015 model, the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 offers 3L (0.79USgal./ 0.66UKgal.) more fuel capacity and is 2kgs (4.4lbs.) lighter, but offers 9kgs (19.8lbs) less payload capacity, 25HP less engine and 350W less alternator performance. From the equipment point of view, the standard TRIUMPH has a cruise control and no hand guards. The SuperTenere has cross spoked rims as standard which translates to wider spectrum of roads and better comfort features. From the ergonomics point of view, the standard TRIUMPH offers 8 mm. lower rider seat height and the handlebar with 20 mm adjustment. Both can be equipped with lower factory seats. Clearly the TRIUMPH Tiger 1200 Explorer 2015 is more sporty from nature and designed for urban touring due to the cast aluminium wheels. The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is a more versatile and allroad capable touring enduro.

VS HONDA VFR1200X CrossTourer 2015

Compared to the basic HONDA VFR1200X CrossTourer 2015, the YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is 18kgs (39.7lbs) lighter, offers 1,5L (0.4USgal./ 0.33UKgal.) more fuel capacity, but 17HP and 9Nm. less engine performance. They seem quite similar on paper. They both use the shaft drive, have similar cross spoked rims the same size, include traction control and onboard computer as standard features. The HONDA offers more modest wind coverage and the windscreen can be placed in 2 positions with tools only which is quite old school arrangement. The SuperTenere two piece seat is adjustable, but the HONDA single peace seat is not which limits the basic ergonomics even more. The HONDA VFR1200X CrossTourer 2015 is a very basic urban touring enduro and a practical everyday bike with one of the finest engine performance. The YAMAHA XT1200Z SuperTenere 2015 is more comfortable, more versatile and more agile allroad touring enduro with a promise of an adventure.

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