TENERE 700 MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION

Mid-sized adventure bikes have quickly become the go-to machine for the on and off-road adventure rider, offering a phenomenal balance of performance and agility which inspires confidence in riders keen to ride in the dirt without the burden of excessive size or weight.

After what felt like an eternity of sneak peeks, revisions and candid images, the Ténéré 700 has arrived, and with it, brought a new wave of excitement to the adventure market.

With the pre-sales of the new bike exceeding supply, the Ténéré 700 has already attracted a cult following and looks set to be the must-have bike 2020.

What is it?

The Ténéré 700 is Yamaha’s newest entry into the mid-capacity adventure scene, replacing the single-cylinder Ténéré 660. It heralds the arrival of the Japanese manufacturers most off-road focussed adventure bike yet.

The Ténéré 700 is a clean-slate design from Yamaha, and while on the surface it appears to be a rally-bred machine, Yamaha has found a way to build a bike that will appeal to riders wanting an off-road enduro machine, and those wanting a more road-bias package with features that make touring a breeze.

Yamaha has effectively built a 700cc Dakar bike using simplicity and good old-fashioned quality engineering to produce an exceptional package. It’s hard to spot anything on the Ténéré 700 that shouldn’t be there, or does not have a genuine purpose.

Weight and dimensions have been carefully considered during the development process. The easy-riding nature instils a feeling of confidence when tackling everything from a road-based commute through to hard-core off-road trails. It’s a genuine all-purpose bike that does exactly what it should do.

What it’s got

The key to Ténéré 700’s success is the proven and bulletproof CP2 parallel-twin engine, the same unit used in the hugely popular MT-07 naked bike. The 689cc twin-cylinder is a real workhorse, offering amazing rideability across the entire rev range - a unique characteristic to any machine.

While Its power isn’t mind-blowing, the 54kW (72hp) it delivers is ample, and at no time during the multi-day press launch did it leave me wanting more, especially in the off-road sections.

For its Ténéré 700 application, the fuel injection mapping and final drive ratios of the CP2 engine have been modified; along with a new airbox, revised exhaust system and enhanced cooling to suit off-road use. For Australian and NZ models, the Ténéré 700 also comes standard with an oiled foam air filter, replacing the factory-fitted paper filter.

This is to suit Australia’s harsher and dustier conditions. Other handy features include a 12V power outlet, GPS mounting bracket, and removable rubber inserts for the footrest.

How does it ride?

During the road stages of the Australasian media launch, the 16L fuel cell was good enough for just under 400km, a little less for off-road use. Interestingly, the fuel light illuminates at 250km meaning you ride the next 100km looking at a low-fuel warning light.

The big winner for me is the chassis. Its nimbleness is paired with an 870mm seat height, both major contributors to the overall balance of the bike. If you’re a little vertically challenged, Yamaha offers a low seat and lowering linkage option, lowering the seat height to 863mm and 845mm respectively.

If you’re a little taller than the average Joe, a one-piece Rally seat is also available which increases the seat height to 890mm.

With more than 60 per cent of the 1500km ride being off the road, the nibble chassis and choice of seat heights were big talking points. The ease with which the bikes turns and always being able to feel sure-footed made for easy riding.

Better yet, these handling characteristics translated over to the road sections as well, retaining a sharp and light feel at the bars. It’s must have been a challenging feat for the engineers, and one worthy of the accolades heading it way.

During the development process, Yamaha refined the bike’s handling and power characteristics through clever engineering and mechanical refinement. The new Ténéré doesn’t feature complicated electronics, the only option is switchable ABS which can be disengagement by the short press of a button while stationary.

In an age where electronics are becoming a primary concern, it’s a big statement from Yamaha in the confidence it has in this new machine.

Its no-frills approach is all about simplicity and putting the feeling back into the hands of the rider, something that has been lacking in recent years.

Housing the updated CP2 engine is an all-new lightweight chassis, purpose-built for adventure riding. Weighing in at just 17.8kg it uses the engine as a stressed member and features a double-braced headstock and removable downtubes.

It’s this frame that is responsible for much of the handling prowess of the new model, most notably the high level of grip which is generated by the excellent distribution of weight, and its ability to deliver the excellent linear power delivery to the rear wheel.

Given its price point, the factory suspension setup represents excellent value and adds to the refinement of the bike.

To have a successful rally-based adventure bike, it is important to create a multi-platform machine capable of long days on the road, yet compliant enough to veer off the road and into the bush at a moment’s notice. The KYB suspension setup is firm enough for the road yet soft enough to handle even the most severe of corrugations.

The fork legs are adjustable for compression and rebound, and the shock has adjustable preload via a remote preload knob. Both ends respond well to change.

Braking duties are handled by Brembo callipers that deliver excellent feel on the loose surface, important when ABS is disengaged, and more than ample stopping power on the road.

The Australasian launch of the Ténéré 700 couldn’t have been a better test of the T7’s capabilities. The road sections were undulating and exciting while the dirt sections were a mix of technical, rough and open, allowing the true colours of the bike to shine through.

One of the big surprises was just how well it handles on the Pirelli Scorpion Rally rubber which Is predominantly a knobby tyre. Fast road sections and then straight into rocky single trails were a breeze. Standard fitment tyres are Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres which have a slightly more road-biased knobby pattern.

The Ténéré 700 is another leap forward for Yamaha’s flagship adventure range. Eager customers have patiently waited for the Ténéré 700 to grace the Australian shores and I can now confirm that the wait has been worth it.

The Ténéré 700 has hit the ground running with the kind of quality and refinement we were all hoping for. The whole package feels typically Yamaha with attention focussed on creating a great product that is fun to ride.

It doesn’t matter if you want to lane split through city traffic, ride across the Nullarbor or squeeze through the single trails - the new Ténéré 700 can do it all. It’s a true all-round middleweight beast with a strong off-road focus.