Extra is commonly extra, or so the mantra goes. So, why cease at 10 when you’ll be able to crank it to 11? Why accept medium when you’ll be able to supersize?
Effectively, here is one purpose why not. Having flown over the handlebars of a 1,200cc journey bike within the California desert, I’m dwelling proof {that a} full ship can grow to be a nasty concept faster than you’ll be able to say concussion. Particularly in relation to the free, gravelly, nasty stuff, typically you desire a motorbike that’s leaner ‘n meaner than it’s fats and fleet.
The 2024 Yamaha Ténéré 700 is a direct contradiction to the Platonic splendid of bigger-is-better. This middleweight journey bike slots below the 1,200cc Tremendous Ténéré ES and runs $10,799—a strong $5,500 lower than its massive bore brother. Whereas it lacks bells and whistles, like digital suspension and driving modes (and boasts one solitary digital assist: anti-lock brakes), it counters with an more and more uncommon concentrate on simplicity.
Joseph Agustin
Easy however Tremendous Stable
Traditionally, the Ténéré 700 (launched to North American markets manner again in 2020) has been about as Luddite as journey bikes get. This yr’s Ten-Seven makes incremental adjustments to maintain up with Joneses just like the Honda Transalp ($9,999), Kawasaki KLR 650 ABS ($7,199), and Suzuki V-Strom 650 ($9,199). Updates embrace a brand new 5-inch TFT coloration show that makes the outdated monochrome display screen look Byzantine as compared, incorporating smartphone connectivity that shows incoming calls or texts (although textual content content material isn’t displayed on the display screen). A brand new ABS system with an off-road setting and an enormous “ABS ON” button makes it simple to reactivate the system when the path ends. An up to date switchgear management wheel has been added to manage the menu system, and an adjunct quickshifter is offered for an additional $200.
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I traversed a jagged off-road path in Southern California with the latest Yamaha to see if 700cc actually was sufficient, and—spoiler alert—no handlebars have been pole vaulted within the making of this overview. Clad in an Aether Draft Mesh jacket cloaking a Dainese airbag vest I hoped to not deploy this time, I climbed aboard the Yammie and peered throughout a refreshingly minimalist view over the handlebars, with a naked minimal of switchgear at both grip. Whereas the tall-ish saddle sits 34.4 inches above floor, the plush 8.3-inch entrance and seven.9-inch rear suspension journey makes it a tad simpler to the touch tarmac when sitting. I’m 5’11” with a 32-inch inseam, and located I may attain the balls of my ft to the bottom pretty simply. The colour display screen could be configured with a traditional depiction of a spherical tachometer, or a techier bar graph model. The excellent news is that the show is shiny and contrasty in direct daylight. The less-than-ideal half is that the tachometer is a tad laggy when rapidly revving to the 9,000 rpm redline.
Joseph Agustin
The bike comes outfitted with off-road-friendly fundamentals, like 21-inch entrance and 18-inch rear Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires, hand guards, and a tapered aluminum handlebar. Equipment embrace an engine-protecting skidplate, a radiator guard, and a one-piece rally seat with flatter padding, that may arrange the Ténéré for extra rugged responsibility. Apparently, the Ténéré’s so-called CP2 engine incorporates a 270-degree firing order, which produces even pulses of energy that mimic the constant tug of a single-cylinder engine.
Gentle, Nimble, and Highly effective
My mindset whereas journeying over the 25 miles of rough-and-tumble path was targeted on one easy purpose: preserving the rubber facet down and never repeating the top damage from my final off-road journey. Benefit No. 1: The Tenere 700 is over 100 kilos lighter than the massive boy I took a tumble on, which interprets to reassuringly responsive dynamics within the dust. Steering effort feels feather mild, making it simple to barter the massive entrance wheel over sketchy surfaces. There was nonetheless some incremental slipping and some uh-oh moments as I rode by way of free gravel and cool-to-the-touch rocks. However with much less mass and inertia to handle, the lighter setup makes it simpler to vary route rapidly when the situations demand it, utilizing reflexes to salvage grip when wanted. The aforementioned energy supply comes on sturdy at low rpms, usually making it much less essential to downshift and enabling the facility to drag by way of like a billy goat. The engine energy by no means feels peaky or irascible, sustaining a way of tractability when pulling by way of low friction surfaces.
For any individual like me who wasn’t raised on the dust, profitable off-road driving—a.okay.a., not toppling over or face planting right into a mountain—requires a bit of additional care. I rapidly discovered to understand the forgiveness of the lighter platform, and the parallel-twin engine’s predictable energy supply. Placing out a comparatively modest quantity of grunt makes the thought of traction management kind of irrelevant; traction management is correct there in your wrist. Although there’s a smidge of snatchiness at barely open throttle, energy is simple to modulate whereas revving by way of every gear. When ABS is switched off by way of the on-screen menu (or the rear ABS is disabled), the brakes could be clenched simply sufficient to decelerate the bike with a slide right here and there, however no annoying intervention.
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Joseph Agustin
I felt fairly good about preserving the bike upright by way of quite a lot of difficult bits on the path. From there, I proceeded onward to some hours of freeway driving. With a comparatively upright view of the highway forward and respectable wind safety from the small windscreen, the Ténéré proved itself a succesful commuter on L.A. freeways.
Whereas it’s no tremendous bike, there’s nonetheless sufficient energy to go aggressively, and comfy sufficient ergonomics to make lengthy stretches within the saddle doable. Although the seat isn’t as plush as some touring and sport touring bikes, the setup is well-suited to the bike’s supposed goal as a dual-purpose machine with off-road capabilities. My solely gripes of observe have been the unavailability of cruise management and the shortage of heated grips. These two options may go a great distance in the direction of justifying the Ténéré 700 as a jack-of-all-trades motorbike prepared for severe long-haul driving.
Twin-Function Pushed
Highly effective sufficient, versatile sufficient, and trustworthy with out showing dowdy, the 2024 Yamaha Ténéré 700’s steadiness of simplicity and restraint helps it obtain its dual-purpose mission. Bikes like this make it simple to neglect the haters and ditch the hype, feeling safe in driving extra of a candy spot than an exclamation mark. Aided by strong fundamentals and incremental enhancements, Yamaha’s newest punches above its weight to ship the driving expertise you by no means knew you wanted.
Specs
Engine: Liquid-cooled DOHC 4-stroke; 8 valvesDisplacement: 689ccWeight: 452 kilos (moist)Seat Top: 34.4 inches
