Motorcycle description sheet Yamaha700 Ténéré 2023 A morning of adventure

In the gravel of the driveway or under the branch of a sequoia tree, we often wonder if we've forgotten something before setting off. The 700 Ténéré recently asked itself the same question. So Yamaha looked into the matter and made a few updates to its touring machine.

Firstly, to give young bikers something to look forward to, it is now A2-compatible with a 35kW version. The manufacturer has redesigned the brake handle, replaced the obsolete 12V socket with a more universal USB one, installed LED indicators, pre-wired the bike to allow it to adopt a shifter (optional), modified the ABS.... Hang on, let's have a look. On the old Ténéré, the ABS was either active or deactivated. Now what? It has 3 modes: active on both wheels, off on both, or active only on the front wheel. Handy for drifting the rear off-road.

This is an inheritance from the “World Raid” version. The technology transfer also applies to the dashboard. The vertical tablet becomes a TFT color display with a 5-inch diagonal. The display offers a choice of two themes, for an “Explorer” ambience where engine speed is highlighted; or “Street” for everyday use. Added to this is smartphone connectivity, for recording riding data, receiving notifications, accessing internal functions and taking advantage of the Yamaha MyRide app. A whole lot of stuff that doesn't really take priority over the spirit of this XTZ descendant.

The sun casts a shadow underfoot, hugging the irregular contours of a surface that's as playful as it is trappable. The boot lands, sinking slightly at an angle into the thick golden semolina. A little further on, it ripples with a flick of the wrist over the few pebbles that have been lost by the millions.

The footprint will be swept away in a few hours by the wind, the dust, the Hesperides, while a gear is engaged to get the 700 Ténéré off the ground towards the adventures it desires.

The time has come for Yamaha to bring back a medium-displacement raider. Ever since the market was flooded with huge trail bikes, more or less capable of going off-road for paths and rocks, there have been few machines with a measured size that are really ready for raids of any kind. But manufacturers have sensed this trend, and new candidates are announcing their promises. F 850 GS or Africa Twin in their own right, 890 Adventure with the same objective, and Iwata's machine - a mid-size Ténéré with big legs and just as much ambition.

We'd let the XTZ 660 occupy this terrain for almost 10 years. Then the T7 concept kept us waiting. Until this off-road trail (pleonasm....) with a physique very close to that of the prototype. With its tall, slender build, sequoia-like face, 4-globe eyes and gazelle-like profile, the Ténéré 700 immediately sets the tone. Crossing, exploring, discovering, tempting, daring - that's what it exudes in its silhouette and technique.

We've known for some time that the MT-07's twin crossplane would be used to power this adventurous machine. However, there's no easy way to turn the roadster into an off-road machine. Only the CP2 689 cm3 engine is used, still with 74 hp but with adapted injection parameters and a specific final drive. Everything else is personal to the mid-size Ténéré. Yamaha has developed an all-new tubular steel frame for it. We needed something more suited to the moods of the landscapes we encounter. In fact, riders will benefit from a high ground clearance, with close protection provided by an aluminum shoe. The 240 mm between the ground and the rider's belly is 50 mm more than on an old XTZ 1200, and 100 mm more than on most roadsters; but it's still not up to the level of pure rally or enduro machines, all well over 300 mm.

Nor does she want to compete. It opens racing doors, nuance; it wants to cross fords; to rally Dakar, not win it. To reach its generous ground clearance, its 43 mm inverted fork slides over 210 mm. Fully adjustable, it holds a wheel already ready for expeditions, with a 21” spoked rim surrounded by a 90 mm narrow nipple tire. The shock absorber has a barely reduced travel of 200 mm. It only offers preload adjustment, but with a remote knob, more practical than the usual notched ring. At the end of the aluminum swingarm, an 18-inch wheel accommodates a 150 mm-wide tire. Braking is provided by two 282 mm front discs with 2-piston calipers; the rear disc measures 245 mm, topped by a single-piston caliper.

Cross-country capabilities come at a price. With a consequent seat height of 880 mm. That's hardly surprising for a machine of this stature; you'll have to think about it when it comes to straddling. Apart from this effort, the ergonomics are not half-measures either, with a refined seat, cladding and fuel tank to hold the machine securely, whether you're riding seated or standing up.
A slim fuel tank..... Often means small. At 16 liters, the 700 Ténéré's fuel tank isn't small, nor is it bulky, nor does it conform to the canons of big machines eager for international touring. Up to 30 liters can be found on the R 1250 GS Adventure and Ducati Multistrada 1260 Enduro. The Ténéré is not worried. In fact, it boasts a range of over 350 km.

This machine is also a real nose-thumbing at electronically-loaded trail bikes, where the number of functions is as important as weight or price. On the Yam, there are no driving modes, no satellite link, no control of everything that moves, no anti-machine or semi-active suspensions. Just a dream on board, Pulco in the canteen, and a bike that makes do with disconnectable ABS, fuel injection and a logbook-sized speedometer. For protection, a pair of handguards will avoid some of nature's surprises (branches, flying stones or snakes, suicidal insects). The bubble rises high and straight to protect head and chest, aided by two side deflectors. The support hoop also allows you to install a GPS or roadbook.

Clearly ready to tackle any terrain, it's thinking of recapturing the spirit of the fearless, no-holds-barred machines of the great rally-raid era.