NY Motorcycle show

The day I had been waiting for a long time finally arrived, I had hardly slept the night before.  I had been eagerly awaiting the New York International Motorcycle show, it would be the first time I would have a chance to touch, sit on it and feel how the bike would fit me, I am talking about the highly anticipated showing of the 2012 Yamaha Super Ténéré.  I had placed a deposit sight unseen last September after Yamaha made the announcement that it would bring the bike to the USA.  I had spent the past few months reading discussions about it on various forums and reading reviews from magazines since the bike has been available from the beginning of last year around the world.  I had invited my brother and dad to accompany me to New York City.

They arrive at my house at 9.30am and after a brief chat and a cup of coffee, off we were to NYC, an hour and a half by car and train.  Fifteen minutes into the trip it dawned on me I had left the tickets at home, what with all the excitement I had left them on top of the kitchen counter.  A quick turn around and fifteen minutes later I was home to the surprise of my wife.  A minute later I was back on the road on the way to Newark to catch the train into the city.  The Newark train station is very old and mostly falling apart but it's the quickest way to get into the city.

We hop on the Path Train and twenty minutes later we arrive at the end of the line, 33rd Street and 6th Avenue (Avenue of the Americas).  It was very cold, about 18 degrees F (-7.7 C) when we got to the city and for those that have never been to NYC, let me tell you, the tall buildings create freezing canyons when the wind is blowing.  The wind will make it feel at least 10 degrees colder, in other words, it was ridiculously COLD.

We walk the six blocks to the Javits Center stopping for brunch along the way and to warm ourselves with a cup of coffee.  The Javits Center has over 675,000 square feet (62,700 m²) of exhibit space and it's an amazing structure of glass and concrete.  We get there and notice there's the motorcycle show on the bottom floor and a boat show on the upper floor.

Two of my favorites - Concours 1400 and Vulcan 1700 Voyager

I always get amazed at the custom bikes, the ingenuity, man hours and money that goes into these bikes is truly amazing but I can't imagine riding these bikes any longer than a few blocks or to the nearest show area.  There were quite a few on display and these are some of the most amazing I saw.

Next it was the Kawasaki booth to see the new 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R.  I have a soft spot for sport bikes and the Ninja would be at the top of the list if I was on the market for one, the other would be the Yamaha YZF-R1.

Next I headed to the Yamaha booth to see my future bike, I was on pins and needles in anticipation and then there it was, a beautiful "Impact Blue" model.  After agonizing over the color, I had picked a "Raven" but I also like the metallic blue used on the "Impact Blue" model.  My biggest concern was the height of the bike but after sitting on it I was so happy I could almost flat foot both feet with the seat on the highest position.  I then sat on the other floor model which had the seat in the lower position and this time I was able to flat foot both feet, what a relief.  The second bike also had the aluminum panniers, tank bag, aluminum skid plate and engine guard.

The Super Ténéré is all I was expecting and more, now I have four more agonizing months of waiting for the bike to arrive, first deliveries are projected for May.

Time to start making the list of accessories I will need, pull out the maps and start planning some adventures.

2012 Yamaha Super Ténéré in Raven

Key Features:

• The Super Ténéré is built for adventure, with an all-new, exceptionally compact 1199cc parallel twin with a unique 270° crank for excellent torque and traction. Engine mass is kept low for excellent handling. Narrow 2-cylinder inline engine is slim and compact for carving tight lines in twisty mountain roads.
• Wide-ratio 6-speed transmission has the right gear, whether on the open highway or off-road.
• Twin downdraft fuel injection with YCC-TTM (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) delivers optimum throttle control and acceleration. 2-position “D-Mode” (Drive Mode) throttle-response mapping for rider preference.
• Traction control lets the rider get on the gas with more confidence. It regulates ignition timing and fuel injection based on wheel spin. Three modes available to match rider preference, including off.
• Super Ténéré has both an Antilock Braking System (ABS) and Unified Braking System. With the Unified Braking System, squeezing the front brake alone also provides some rear-wheel braking; pressing the rear brake first overrides the Unififed Braking System for traditional separate front and rear braking action.
• Whether riding across town or crossing a continent, rider comfort and convenience are important. Super Ténéré delivers, with an adjustable seat height and windshield, tunable front and rear suspension, low-maintenance shaft drive, and more.
• Special spoked wheels carry tubeless tires.
• Multi-function carrier system on back is ready for luggage and touring accessories.

Engine:

• The all-new 1199cc parallel twin liquid-cooled engine features a unique 270° crank for superior traction because both pistons fire so closely together. It’s almost like having a big-bore thumper without the uncomfortable vibration.
• Compact engine design uses a dry-sump oil supply inside the crankcase, and side-mounted radiator for surprising narrowness.
• 8-valve cylinder head optimizes the fuel charge for spirited performance. The cylinder head cover is ultra-lightweight magnesium to help centralize mass.
• A two-axis primary balancer smoothes out engine vibration for all-day riding comfort.
• Forged aluminum pistons and carburized connecting rods for durability and performance.
• Downdraft twin bore fuel injection system with 12-hole injectors is tuned for off-road adventures, and is equally at home on long stretches of open highway.
• Proven YCC-T fly-by-wire technology is matched to an all-new traction control system, which regulates ignition timing and fuel injection volume based on rear wheel spin. Three rider-selected modes are available to match conditions and the rider’s preference.
• Yamaha D-Mode has two settings: “T-mode” for Touring and general riding, giving a softer response; “S-mode” for Sport riding when the rider wants the most performance possible.
• Wide-ratio 6-speed transmission has gear ratios optimized for everything from slow dirt roads to higher speed sport riding.
• The low-maintenance shaft drive is clean and reliable with a compact rear axle gear case thanks to its hypoid gear design.