YAMAHA TENERE 700

The wait is finally over. The Yamaha Ténéré 700 is probably one of the most anticipated bikes to come out of the Yamaha factory in quite some time. Yamaha teased us with what appeared to be a production-ready model three years ago and every model year came and went without show. We were starting to wonder if it would ever show up on the showroom floor. Well folks, the day is finally here, and it was worth the wait. The middle-weight class has been gaining a lot of attention over the last three years and is likely to be the most popular segment for years to come.

- Dan DiMaio

Yamaha has a rich history in rally racing which goes back to the mid ’70s. The Ténéré 700 has reaped the rewards from all that racing history and Yamaha packaged it into a lightweight go-anywhere adventure motorcycle that doesn’t break the bank.

ENGINE/PERFORMANCE

Yamaha has always been known for their reliable, low-maintenance four-stroke engines and the Ténéré follows this same engineering discipline. First valve check isn’t until 24,000 miles. The Ténéré uses the new Cross-Plane 2 Cylinder (CP2) engine which was pioneered back in 1996 with the production TRX850 and they continue to use this technology in multiple models of their line-up.

The super-compact, low-vibration CP2 engine features a bore and stroke of 80 x 68.6mm with an 11.5:1 compression ratio that produces ultra-smooth and torquey power output. Even though the engine is basically the MT-07, the Ténéré 700 has its specific ECU settings, exhaust system, air box, cooling system, and final gear ratio of 46/15 that allows the engine to work perfectly in both on- and off-road situations.

This engine is a blast to ride, with more than enough power and torque on tap to suit almost any rider. Riding offroad, you can ride a high gear if you feel like getting lazy. Just roll on the throttle and it builds power as you keep rolling on more. I know some of you horsepower heads will think that the numbers on paper won’t satisfy you. But, trust me, the Ténéré 700 has more than enough to power to wheelie offroad and blast light-to light racing with your buddies.