After years of new liter bike models, it seems that manufacturers are starting to shift back to middleweight adventure bikes. New models with power plants in the 650-850cc range are coming. At the EICMA Motor show in Milan, Italy, Yamaha finally revealed the much-awaited Ténéré 700 with ‘almost’ complete specs and release dates.
The Ténéré 700 World Raid was developed from the T7 prototype. Their “World Raid” took up two years of testing and refinement, bringing the T7 to the harshest environs the world has to offer. Yamaha says that the new Ténéré 700 “is ready and able to take on anything an adventure rider can throw at it.”
Yamaha didn’t wander too far from what works and used the same CP2 (crossplane, parallel twin) 689cc engine that is currently installed with the XSR 700 and MT 07. It is mounted on an all-new, double-cradle tubular steel frame that was designed for both lightness and strength.
The 43mm front upside-down forks have 210mm travel and the rear has a rally-style link suspension with remote adjuster and 200mm travel. The Wheelbase is 1590mm and ground clearance of 240mm – that’s about the size of a ruler – which allows the new Tenere 700 to tackle terrain previously unheard of when it comes to adventure bikes. Stopping power is controlled by a dual 282mm discs for the front and single 245mm disc for the rear, both with switchable ABS.
The cockpit will feature a rally-inspired LCD screen with provisions for aftermarket GPS and mobile phone mounts.
What’s missing? Yamaha is yet to release the Ténéré 700’s price and especially the wet weight – a detail that is so important to many adventure riders across the globe, and could be the difference between being able to pull the bike off a sand pit by yourself or having to call a friend.
The global release date for the Ténéré 700 will be in the second half of 2019. Below are the full specifications.
Engine – 689cc, 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, 270-degree parallel twin
Bore x Stroke – 80 x 68.6 mm
Compression Ratio – 11.5:1
Lubrication – Wet sump
Clutch – Wet, multi-plate
Induction – EFI, 4-valves per cylinder, DOHC
Gearbox – Six speed
Drive – Chain
Frame – Double cradle, steel tube chassis
Forks – 43mm, adjustable, inverted – 210 mm travel
Shock – Single shock, adjustable, 200 mm travel
Brakes – Twin 282 mm (F), 245 mm (R) (Switchable ABS)
Tyres – 90/90-21 (F), 150/70-18 (R)
L x W x H – 2365 x 915 x 1455 mm
Seat Height – 880 mm
Wheelbase – 1590 mm
Minimum Ground Clearance – 240 mm
Fuel Tank – 16 Litres
Colors – Ceramic Ice, Competition White and Power Black
