YAMAHA TENERE 700 (2019 - on) Review

We waited a long time for the arrival of the Yamaha Ténéré 700, but in it’s first two day test in Spain it lived up to expectations, and continued to do so when we took it around the MCN250 test route in October 2019.

• Latest news: Yamaha Ténéré 700 Extreme unveiled
• Related: Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid review
• Related: Rally Raid Yamaha Ténéré 700 revealed

Instead of following in the foot steps of the majority of manufacturers in the adventure bike class where engine size weight and electronics have continued to increase, the Ténéré comes at things from a different angle with a dry weight of 187kg (205kg wet), 72bhp and no electronic aids apart from ABS which can be switched off for off-road use.

Powered by the MT-07 engine it has 72bhp and is a fun and engaging ride with an impressive spread of power that works well both on and off-road.

• Related: How to ride a motorbike off-road

It may be a relatively simple bike, but it has clearly been well thought through, giving a package that is truly useable. It’s impressive engine, chassis and suspension negate the need for complicated electronics and rider aids. It is also very competitively priced, be it on a PCP or bought outright.

During 2019 MCN's Ben Clarke ran a Yamaha Ténéré 700 as a long-term test bike. Find out how he got on here.

2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 updates

Yamaha have updated their Ténéré 700 with some of the bling and tech from the World Raid model released in 2022.

For 2023, the standard model gets the same 5in TFT dash as the WR - in place of the more utilitarian LCD unit on previous generations.

The new dash also means that you can now hook up your smartphone for the first time on the standard Tén. That means call, text and email notifications on the bike and a range of information including ride data and fault alerts through your phone.

Also making its way from the WR to the standard bike is the three-mode switchable ABS replacing the on/off version from before. Riders can now choose between front and rear ABS, just front or none at all.

The bike also now comes pre-wired for an optional quickshifter, which has been added to the genuine accessories list.

Watch: Yamaha Ténéré video review

The KYB 43mm upside down forks give 210mm of travel and have compression and rebound damping. At the rear there is a Sachs shock with 200mm travel.

The initial impression from the front is that they are soft, but once into the stroke they are well supported giving good feedback on road. Off road it as that initial softness that inspires confidence and gives good grip.

Brakes are Brembo and they offer good power while retaining excellent feel. The initial squeeze is soft braking power, a trait that shows the off-road focus of the bike where fine control is needed for loose, dusty, low grip trails.

But the power is there and even when riding hard on road it was only necessary to use one finger on the brake. The rear is the same giving good levels of control even when wearing bulky motocross boots.

In fact, it's worth noting that on the MCN250 in October 2019, we awarded the Ténéré 700 the win when compared with the two other Yamahas on test - the MT-07 and Tracer 700 - as a road bike, completely disregarding its off-road talent.

The 689cc parallel twin motor comes from the acclaimed Yamaha MT-07 which was introduced back in 2014. It may only have 72bhp but it delivers everything is has in a fun, easy and engaging way.

There is no vibration through the handel bars and the range of power and torque is impressive allowing you to let the revs drop to as low as 2500rpm and still pull completely cleany and smoothly.

There is more than enough power to make brisk progress on any public highway especially if you rely on the torque (50 ft-lb) and character of the motor and learn to use higher gears than you would initially expect.

The way the power is delivered in conjunction to the chassis and suspension means the bike generates an impressive amount of mechanical grip and in turn gives the rider good feedback as to what the rear wheel is doing.

From an engine point of view it’s proven and reliable technology as it shares the same motor as the MT-07. It has high quality suspension and Brembo brakes and as a package has been a long time coming so expect benchmark Japanese build quality and reliability.

Our Yamaha Ténéré 700 owners' reviews show a few problems with wheel spokes corroding and poor paint finishing. Take a read before you take a testride...

Watch: Yamaha Ténéré long-term test

Priced at £8399 if ordered before the end of July 2019 or £8699 there after it is extremely competitively priced in the adventure bike class. While there are reasons why it is cheaper in terms of spec and equipment levels, it still offers excellent value for money.

In October 2019 MCN took the Ténéré around the infamous MCN250 test route alongside fellow Yamahas, the MT-07 and the Tracer 700. The Ténéré had the best fuel economy, returning 54.5mpg, and once the 16-litre tank was factored in, also accounting for the highest range of the three, at 191 miles.

At time of publication, you could get a Ténéré 700 for £99 a month on a PCP deal over 36 months.

Price is a long way from the only thing the Ténéré 700 has going for it, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that it’s £2800 cheaper than a KTM 890 Adventure and £2555 cheaper than the cheapest off road Triumph Tiger 900 (the 850 Sport has cast wheels so it doesn’t count).

You do admittedly get a lot less bike with the Yamaha - there's no traction control, rider modes or clever off-road ABS to be found - but many would argue the Ténéré is better for it.

Given that it is priced at £8699, which is over £3k cheaper than a KTM 790 Adventure R compromises have been made to achieve this price point. While the hardware is high quality, there are no electronic aids on the Ténéré – so no different maps, traction control, quick shifter or auto blipper. The dash is basic, one colour and hard to read in dust or direct sunlight.

• Related: Rally Raid Yamaha Ténéré 700 revealed

The switches on the Ténéré are fairly similar to Yamaha has been using since the '90s, but it all works well.

The suspension is soft and underdamped and heavier riders in particular might want to consider a tougher spring on the rear shock at least or potentially a more involved suspension upgrade.

K-tech Yamaha Ténéré 700

Riding this very special Yamaha Ténéré 700 as re-worked by British suspension gurus K-tech is like watching the digital remaster of an old film. Indiana Jones still outruns that big rock, cracks his whip and complains about snakes but the experience is brighter, richer and clearer. In the same way, the K-tech T7 is still unmistakably a Ténéré - it’s just that bit better.

Just like with the film, the difference is more pronounced when you go back to the original version, the one you didn’t used to think there was anything wrong with. While each upgrade is an improvement in its own right - and can be felt individually - the overall effect is something a little bit more special. So, what has changed in order to achieve this?

The biggest gripe for many Ténéré 700 owners is with the suspension and, as K-tech are a suspension brand, this is where they started. New piston kits have been fitted in the fork and shock to vastly improve damping and they’ve been filled with higher-quality suspension oil.

The settling effect on the bike is incredible and eliminates the pogoing sensation you get with the stock equipment. The parts for this upgrade cost just over £400.

Next, K-tech turned to another UK firm, Dynojet, to address the fuelling. The parallel-twin CP2 engine can surge a little when you initially tap the throttle and also judders under load at low revs (a common situation when you are riding off road).

These rough edges were taken care of using Dynojet’s Power Vision module to flash the ECU (costing £430). The result is a smoother but also more immediate throttle response and power delivery that pulls without hesitation from almost no revs at all.

If you’ve been keeping up with MCN’s updates on our long-term test Ténéré, you’ll know that I’ve been searching for the perfect rubber for the type of riding I do (mostly on road but occasional muddy green lanes).

I’ve been to both ends of the tyre spectrum and not found the ideal middle ground… until now. The K-tech T7 is fitted with Bridgestone Battlax AX41 tyres and they’ve handled everything from wet mud to Tarmac brilliantly. Expect to pay about £200 for a pair of these beauties.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the standard Ténéré, just as I love the old, grainy version of Raiders of the Lost Ark. All the K-tech version does is show just how good the bike is capable of being with a few nips and tucks. A great example is that while taking pictures for this feature, our photographer asked me to spin the rear through some mud for an arty shot.

Try as I might, the combination of improved fuelling, the rear shock sitting where it should in the stroke and the Bridgestone rear tyre meant that however much throttle I gave it the bike just gripped and accelerated through without drama.

So, why would you spend £970 plus labour over and above the cost of the T7 instead of just buying a KTM 790 Adventure, which is better equipped, in the first place? Well, one of the Yamaha’s selling points is that it is basic.

It offers a stripped-back riding experience you don’t often get with modern bikes and the upgrades K-tech have chosen do nothing to dilute that. Sure, the KTM is better equipped and the release of the new 890 means there are some great deals to be had on one, but with lean-sensitive ABS, riding modes and a TFT dash, it is actually a very different animal to the Yamaha and I would argue, no better for it.