2015–2017 · Adventure · Buyer's Guide
Ready To Leave Tomorrow
The World Crosser is the travel-ready build of the Super Ténéré. A 1199 cc parallel twin makes 112 hp and 86 lb-ft, and the 270-degree crank gives it a big-single beat without the roughness that usually comes with one. Drive goes to the rear wheel through a shaft, so chain care drops out of the trip plan entirely. Electronic suspension, ABS, traction control and ride modes are standard, along with cruise control, heated grips, an adjustable screen, adjustable seat height and a center stand. Factory crash bars and fog lights finish it as a finished long-haul machine rather than a starting point.
It rides smaller than 575 lb wet suggests, because the weight sits low and settles the moment the bike is rolling. The suspension takes broken pavement, washboard and gravel at travel pace without beating you up, and the drivetrain is built to keep turning up: service it on schedule and the miles stack quietly. This is for riders who cover distance, load heavy, and want the bike to be the least interesting part of the day. The honest limit: 7.5 in of travel front and rear is touring-grade, not enduro-grade, and the 33.3 in seat asks for a confident foot down.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 112 hp (82 kW) @ 7,250 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 86 lb-ft (117 Nm) @ 6,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1199 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Shaft |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front tire | 110/80-19 |
| Rear tire | 150/70-17 |
| Wheelbase | 60.6 in (1540 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 8.1 in (205 mm) |
| Front travel | 7.5 in (190 mm) |
| Rear travel | 7.5 in (190 mm) |
| Seat height | 33.3 in (845 mm) |
| Wet weight | 575 lb (261 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.1 gal (23 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
Swing a leg over and it reads tall and wide before it reads heavy. The bars are broad and close, the pegs sit under you rather than behind, and the tank is thick enough that you feel it standing on the pegs but never wrestle it seated. At real road pace the twin sends a low, steady pulse through the seat and footpegs, more heartbeat than buzz, and it stays that way for hours without going numb in your hands. Air comes off the screen cleanly at the low setting; raise it and the wind noise drops to conversation level. The grips warm through in a couple of minutes on a cold start. The 6.1 gal tank is the part you notice least, which is exactly the point: it just quietly stretches the day out.
Shift cam segment stopper recall (2015 models)
Certain 2015 Super Ténéré and Super Ténéré ES motorcycles were recalled for a defective shift cam segment stopper, which could cause improper gear engagement or gear loss. Dealers replaced the part free of charge.
Where this Yamaha XT 1200 ZE Super Ténéré World Crosser pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the XT 1200 ZE Super Ténéré World Crosser is actually built for.
If a good weekend means 300 miles of Blue Ridge or coast road, this works. It is not the sharpest thing in tight corners, but it holds a pace all day and gets you there still fresh.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
This is your bike. Loaded, two-up, weather turning on a high pass, it stays composed, and the 6.1 gal tank keeps you off the gas station's schedule and on your own.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
Strong on graded BDR miles, range and load logistics. Less strong once the route turns rocky and tight, so size the bike to your worst section, not your average day.
Made for AZBDR — Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route · California BDR South · COBDR — Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Yamaha XT 1200 ZE Super Ténéré World Crosser. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
