Yamaha Ténéré 700
One for the serious globe-trotter
After years of Ténéré models that have lacked the purity and off-road focus that established the model as a legend in the first place, the true Ténéré is back. Shunning the trend for superbike performance coupled to long-travel suspension and enough luggage capacity to embarrass a removal van; this is a new breed. Aimed at being accessible for everyone from novice riders to experienced world travellers, it brings rideability and affordability to the class.
Drive comes courtesy of a remapped version of the MT-07’s CP2 689cc parallel-twin, but rather than being an MT on stilts, it gets its own bespoke chassis, and serious off-road sized wheels on laced rims (21in front, 18in rear), and the sort of sparse bodywork that screams ‘competition’.
That look is compounded by a quad-LED headlamp mounted behind the tall clear screen, and the all-LCD clock tower. There’s even a useful bar for bolting all your navigational needs to. The engine should be ideal on road and off it, with dedicated fuel maps for its new dual-purpose life. The tank is a relatively pokey 16 litres, but Yamaha say that’ll get you over 215 miles before running dry. Decent suspension, a sturdy bash plate, Brembo calipers, and switchable ABS (which can be disabled) all suggest it’s ready for adventure, too.
It really does look like the Ténéré is back in more than just name. We can’t wait to ride it.