Yamaha Super Ténéré Insurance

In 2010, Yamaha launched the mighty XT1200Z Super Ténéré to wide acclaim. The largest Yamaha adventure bike to ever carry the storied Ténéré name, the “Super Ten” took back the ADV throne:

“There was a time when Yamaha’s Tenere range of bikes ruled the earth, literally. As desert and dirt blasters for Paris-Dakar like competitions, the name Tenere became synonymous with adventure and off-road riding.” –MCN

For us U.S. buyers who had poorly few of the older Ténéré machines sold here, the Super Ténéré was nothing short of a revelation — a very exciting machine to have Stateside.

“The moment we threw a leg over a Yamaha Super Ténéré’s saddle, we were hooked. The parallel-Twin-powered adventure bike soon proved to be the best all-arounder in the class, even earning Best Adventure Bike honors in 2012. Thrown into multiple comparison tests, the Super T always performed well, on-road or off.” –Cycle World

The 1199cc parallel-twin puts down 110 hp through a shaft-drive and Yamaha’s chip-controlled throttle, and the pricing is comparable to other full-size ADV bikes. However, another factor you have to consider is insurance, which can be particularly expensive for any +1000cc bike — especially if you choose the wrong insurer.

Fortunately, we can help you find coverage for your Super T that fits your needs and budget.

Super Ténéré Insurance Rates

It’s common knowledge that insurance rates are based on a multitude of factors, such as rider location, age, driving record, marital status, credit score, coverage options, deductible…the list goes on. This makes it very difficult to conduct any kind of cost comparison across different riders. However, to give you some idea of what to expect, we surveyed some real Super Ténéré owners to see what they’re paying.

• Male, California, Full Coverage: $1200 / year
• Male, Texas, Full Coverage: $1200 / year
• Male, Colorado, Full Coverage: $962 / year (Progressive)
• Male, California, Full Coverage: $482 / year (Safeco)
• Male, Colorado, Full Coverage: $323 / year (Older rider)
• Male, Oklahoma, Full Coverage: $318 / year
• Male, Wisconsin, Full Coverage: $297 / year (Dairyland)
• Male, Texas, Full Coverage: $204 / year (Progressive)
• Male, Kentucky, Full Coverage: $201 / year (59 y.o. / Foremost)

As you can see, the rates for some riders could be five times higher than for others. However, the rate for any single rider could vary just as widely from one insurance company to the next. For example:

“Progressive was 4 times what Geico was for us and double on the cars, so call around and check.” -Tenerefeller, Yamaha Super Tenere Forum

Given such price differences between insurers, we recommend shopping around before securing a policy, or if you’d like to pay less than what you’re currently paying. That could mean calling a bunch of different companies, or else comparing quotes online. To start, enter your zip code below.

Super Ténéré :  Model History

As you may know, Ténéré literally means “Desert” or “Solitude” in the North African language of Tuareg, and it’s also the name of a region in the southern Sahara that proved incredibly challenging for generations of Paris Dakar Rally racers.

Yamaha won the first two Paris Dakar Rallies with the famed XT500, a single-cylinder enduro machine that remains one of our favorite vintage bikes. However, times were changing, and twin-cylinder bikes like the BMW GS began to dominate the rally.

So Yamaha went back to the drawing board to create the original XT600 Ténéré, designed specifically for off-road rallying.

“After its official release, the Ténéré not only became the natural choice of numerous Paris-Dakar racers but also the choice of many general motorcyclists who admired the adventure that the Paris-Dakar symbolized. The Ténéré was the machine that best embodied their dreams and would ignite a worldwide boom in machines styled after those competing in the Paris-Dakar. ” –Yamaha Motor

The Ténéré name became synonymous with off-road prowess, and that reputation would remain all the up through the 1990s, with Yamaha winning 9 of 19 Paris Dakar Rallies until 1998. However, Yamaha had suspended factory support of the race beginning in 1994, due to regulations that limited the use of production models, and the Ténéré reputation began to wane with heavy competition from other manufacturers.

When the XTZ1200Z Super Ténéré appeared in 2010, it announced Yamaha’s hardcore return to the ADV category, and the Super T continues to remain one of the most highly-regarded adventure bikes on the market. What’s more, the Ténéré 700, launched in 2019, has made huge waves, with many riders calling it the “unicorn” of lightweight adventure bikes.

Coverage Recommendations: Yamaha XT1200Z

If your Super Ténéré is financed, your bank or finance company will require you to carry what’s commonly known as “Full Coverage” — i.e., Liability, Collision, and Comprehensive coverage.

If you own your Super Ten outright, a Liability-only policy may be significantly cheaper…but we don’t recommend it. That’s because Liability coverage only covers your liability for damage and injury to third parties and property, not to your bike. Even pre-owned, the Super Ténéré is not a cheap motorcycle — it’s a top-caliber machine, and should be insured as such.

If you really want the lowest premiums possible, we suggest the following:

• Choose a higher deductible.
• Bundle your motorcycle insurance with your home and/or auto coverage.
• Make sure you’ve taken an MSF Basic or Advanced Rider course and reported this to your insurer.
• Make sure you couldn’t be paying less for the same coverage with a different insurer.

The last recommendation is probably the fastest, possibly most effective way to insure your ST for less. Enter your zip code to start comparing rates and policies from insurers in your area.