EASY RIDER

One thought that’s persisted through our time on the Ténéré is that it’s tough to dislike it. You can (and we do) dislike certain aspects of the bike, but overall it’s not a hard thing to enjoy the 1200. That may sound a tad disparaging, but we’re basing this on a bike that’s for all intents and purposes outdated and undercooked in comparison to the competition. It’s also testament to just how well the Japanese can put a motorcycle together that it should last and still have some relevancy so long after its release date — and with very little changed in that time. The Europeans don’t seem to do this so well.

GOT THROUGH UNSCATHED

In our time on the Ténéré we rode long and short, hardtop and dirt. We cruised