With the first of the eagerly anticipated Ténéré 700s rolling out for the U.S. market, Yamaha Motor Corporation is making a Rally Edition available in Europe this summer.
Yamaha’s middleweight adventure bike features a high torque 689-cc four-stroke CP2 engine that cranks out an honest 72 horsepower. The optimized transmission is designed to hit the sweet spot of power and control and, like all adventure bikes worthy of their spokes, the Ténéré is equally capable on the tarmac and the dirt.
Between the long-travel suspension, remotely adjustable rear shock, and slim body styling, the Ténéré is a guaranteed good time off road. Plus, there’s nothing to get you through the gnarly stuff like a 21-inch front wheel, in my opinion.
Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 Rally Edition. | Yamaha
One of my biggest considerations is how well a bike can handle a proper tip over (in case that tells you anything about how I ride). I always want my motorbike to be able to hit the ground with a swift rebound back onto the trail. At 450 pounds wet, the Ténéré is a reasonable weight for re-righting after dumping it in the dirt.
Of course, adding aftermarket crash bars is a must. But the Rally package on the Ténéré includes a proper skid plate, lightweight radiator protector, and chain guard. And, with MSRPs starting at $9,999, you can certainly trash two of them before hitting the price point of a new BMW GS.
The throwback color scheme of the Rally Edition reminds us that the Ténéré is a direct descendant of Yamaha’s Paris-Dakar dominating XT. The original Ténéré was unleashed on the world in 1983 with the same colors and Yamaha has been a key player in the world of adventure motorcycling ever since.
Header photo credit: Yamaha Motor Corporation
Motorcycle Industry News by Eva Rupert. Follow Eva @augusteva.
