LAUNCH TEST – 2020 YAMAHA TéNéRé 700 - JUST BIKES

LAUNCH TEST – 2020 Yamaha Ténéré 700

Words: Gareth Jones

Photos: iKapture, courtesy of Yamaha Motor Australia

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 those 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 has brought with it a new wave of excitement to the adventure bike market.

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

What is it?

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

The Ténéré 700 is a clean-slate design, 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, as well as those wanting a more road-biased package with features that make touring a breeze.

Essentially, Yamaha has 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 doesn’t have a genuine purpose. Weight and dimensions have been carefully considered during the development process, too.

The easy-riding nature of the Tenere 700 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 the Ténéré 700’s success is Yamaha’s proven, bulletproof CP2 parallel-twin engine; the same unit used in the hugely popular MT-07 naked bike. This 689cc twin is a real workhorse, offering amazing rideability across the entire rev range - a unique characteristic in 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. There’s also a new airbox, revised exhaust system and enhanced cooling to suit off-road use. For the Australian and NZ market, the Ténéré 700 also comes standard with an oiled foam air filter, replacing the factory-fitted paper filter - this is to suit Australia’s drier, dustier conditions. Other handy features include a 12V power outlet, GPS mounting bracket, and removable rubber inserts for the footrests.

How does it ride?

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

The big winner for me is the chassis. Its nimbleness is paired with an 870mm seat height; both major contributors to the Ténéré 700’s overall balance. If you’re a little vertically challenged, Yamaha offers a low seat and lowering linkage option, dropping the seat height to 863mm and 845mm respectively. If you’re 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 launch ride being off the road, the nimble chassis and choice of seat heights were big talking points. The ease with which the Ténéré 700 turned and always felt sure-footed on loose surfaces 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 must have been a challenging feat for the engineers, and one worthy of the accolades heading their 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 disengaged 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 they have in this new machine not to load it up with tech bells and whistles. This no-frills approach is all about simplicity and putting the ‘feeling’ back into the hands of the rider - something that has been lacking in adventure bikes (and arguably many other modern road bikes, too) in recent years.

Housing the updated CP2 engine is an all-new, lightweight chassis, unique to the Tenere 700 and 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, 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 to the rear wheel.

Given this bike’s price point, the factory suspension setup represents excellent value and adds to the refinement. 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 forks are adjustable for compression and rebound, and the rear monoshock has adjustable preload via a remote knob. Both ends respond well to change.

Braking duties are handled by Brembo calipers that deliver excellent feel on loose surfaces - 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 bike’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. One of the big surprises was just how well the new Ténéré handles on the Pirelli Scorpion rubber which is predominantly a knobby tyre. Fast road sections and then straight into rocky single trails were a breeze. Standard fitment tyres for Australian-delivered Ténéré 700s are Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs, which have a slightly more road-biased knobby pattern.

Worth the Wait

The Ténéré 700 is another leap forward for Yamaha’s flagship adventure range. Eager customers have patiently – very patiently! - waited for the Ténéré 700 to grace Australian shores and I can 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 single trails - the new Ténéré 700 can do it all. It’s a true all-round middleweight beast with a strong off-road focus.

Interview: Takushiro Shiraishi - Ténéré 700 project leader

Q) Can you name some of the challenges you encountered during testing and development of the Ténéré 700 while creating a truly global market?

A) The most difficult point was the target setting; trying to find the ratio between on and off-road capability. For example, in Europe most of the customers are using the bike for commuting, however in Australia and NZ it’s more a case of 50/50 on and off-road. We felt the dream of the customer was a bike that looked different so that target was set to focus on a more off-road machine. The balance between off road stability and on road agility was also very difficult to achieve.

Q) At a time when multiple riding modes, traction control and other control technologies are major selling points, the new Ténéré has nothing but switchable ABS. What was your thinking behind that decision?

A) This was another difficult job. We needed to take the fundamental values of the bike and ask why you would own this bike? The main target was to have fun and generate emotion in the rider. These kind of gadgets are just an addition, like a skin. We also believe the true off road rider prefers simplicity and this kind of simplicity adds to reliability and also reduces cost.

Q) How important was the AUS/NZ market in terms of product development of the new Ténéré 700?

A) The AUS and NZ market is very important to us. Not from a volume of sales point, but from a culture. Many riders start their adventure and off-road based riding here in Australia, so input from the Australian market was critical in the development of the new T7.

Q) Are there any plans for a more off-road oriented version of the Ténéré 700?

A) I am sorry, I cannot reply to this. It’s a very confidential issue, but also a very interesting question.