Looking for an adventure bike that’s both affordable and capable of handling rough terrain? Look no further than the 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700. In this article Paul will take a deep dive into what makes this midsize motorcycle so special, from its powerful engine to its off-road capabilities and more.
2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 Design and Features
The 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 is an extremely versatile and capable adventure motorcycle that has quickly become a favourite across the adventure motorcycle community. With its narrow steel frame, powerful twin cylinder engine and fully adjustable suspension, the Ténéré 700 is designed to tackle a wide range of terrains and environments.
Some of the important design features are as follows:
Aesthetics
Front End: The bike’s front end features large, asymmetrical quad- LED headlights with a protective shield that gives it an aggressive and imposing look. Continuing this aggressive look, the slim fuel tank on Ténéré is muscular and angular in to a narrow body and the rally inspired upper fairing emphasizes its dirt-road capabilities.
Wheels: Unlike some so called Adventure bikes that feature cast alloy wheels the Ténéré uses durable spoked wheels which feature a rugged and utilitarian design with black rims and stainless steel spokes that add to its aesthetic.
Exhaust: The Ténéré 700 has a high-mounted 2-into-1 exhaust system with a muffler design that gives it a distinctive and sporty look yet is kept up high for dirt riding purposes.
Dashboard: The 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 features a 5” colour TFT dashboard that provides the rider with a range of information about the bike’s status and performance including speed, revs, gear indicator, odometer, trip meter, temperature gauge, fuel gauge, clock, estimated fuel range, as well as average and instant fuel consumption.
The dashboard is easy to read, even in bright sunlight, and can be customized to display different information depending on the rider’s preferences. It also connects with the MyRide app so text messages and call alerts are displayed on the screen. Reversing the communication with the MyRide app you can monitor all the important details of the Ténéré from a smartphone.
Riding Position: The 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 is designed with comfort and convenience in mind, with an upright and relaxed riding position that is well-suited for long-distance touring and dirt track adventures.
Handlebars: The bike features a wide and tall taper aluminum handlebar that is positioned higher than the seat, providing a relaxed and natural grip that reduces rider fatigue.
Foot Pegs: The Ténéré 700 has large and wide foot pegs that are positioned slightly forward, allowing the rider to comfortably stand and shift body weight forward when riding on the dirt.
Seat: The bike’s flat seat is narrow at the front and wider towards the rear, providing the rider with ample support and comfort. It also has a ribbed texture that helps to keep the rider in place during more aggressive riding.
Windscreen: The Yamaha Ténéré 700 has an adjustable windscreen that can be easily raised or lowered to provide optimal wind protection for the rider.
Controls: The bike’s controls are positioned within easy reach, including the handlebar-mounted switches, adjustable clutch lever, and adjustable brake lever.
Suspension: The 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700’s suspension is a big part of what makes the Ténéré so comfortable to rider. Designed to absorb everything you could find over a variety of terrain, the rear shock has adjustable preload and rebound damping to tailor the ride to the rider’s preferences.
Engine and Performance
The Ténéré uses the proven Yamaha MT-07 engine, a lightweight and compact liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, 689 cc DOHC inline-twin cylinder smooth counterbalanced motor that delivers strong and responsive power across the rev range.
Here are some of the compact powerplant features:
Compact Stacked Transmission:
The crankshaft and gearbox are in a triangular position which makes the unit shorter and optimizes engine placement.
Power and Torque:
Ténéré 700’s twin cylinder engine produces a maximum power output of 73.4 horsepower at 8,750 RPM and a peak torque of 49.4 lb-ft at 6,500 RPM, providing tractable and controllable power, with a flat torque curve that ensures ample low-and mid-range power.
The smooth power delivery comes from the result of Yamaha shifting the engine’s cylinder bores slightly forward, towards the exhaust side. This offset cylinder design reduces piston to cylinder wall friction, for enhanced reliability, more power and improved fuel economy, making it superior to bikes with single cylinder motors and those with a standard two cylinder engine.
Fuel Injection:
Electronic fuel injection settings have been calibrated to deliver a balance between rapid and exciting power delivery for aggressive dirt riding and a smooth, linear delivery for on road riding and improved fuel efficiency.
Transmission:
The engine is paired with a 6-speed compact stacked transmission that is optimized for adventure riding and features a slipper clutch.
Fuel Efficiency:
Boasting excellent fuel economy, the Yamaha Ténéré 700’s fuel efficient engine has a fuel range extending up to 215 miles on a single fuel tank.
Suspension
Front Suspension: The 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 features a 43 mm inverted fork front suspension with adjustable compression and rebound damping. The suspension provides 210 mm (8.3 inches) of travel, which helps to absorb bumps and rough terrain.
Rear Suspension: The bike is equipped with a linkage type rear shock with a single shock absorber. The rear suspension is also adjustable, with compression and rebound damping adjustment. It provides 200 mm (7.9 inches) of travel, which helps to provide a smooth ride over rough terrain.
Adjustable Preload: The bike’s suspension system also allows for preload adjustment, which enables the rider to adjust the amount of sag in the suspension based on their weight and riding style.
Brakes
Front Brake: The bike features dual 282 mm hydraulic disc brakes in the front, which are equipped with 4-piston calipers. This provides powerful and responsive braking performance, even in wet or slippery conditions.
Rear Brake: The bike features a single 245 mm hydraulic disc brake in the rear, which is equipped with a single-piston caliper. This provides sufficient rear braking performance to complement the front brakes.
ABS: The 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 is equipped with a 3 mode switchable ABS system to prevent wheel lock ups that can be turned on or off by the rider, depending on the riding conditions. Mode 1 is the ABS fully one both wheels, Mode 2 turns the ABS off on the rear wheel and Mode turns the system off completely.
Handling and Ride Quality
The 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 is designed with handling and agility in mind, with features that make it well-suited for both on and off-road riding. Here are some of its key handling qualities:
Lightweight and Agile: The bike’s lightweight and compact design, with a wet weight of 204 kg making it nimble and easy to handle in a variety of off-road riding situations.
The narrow body of the Ténéré allows maximum rider agility when needing to shift their body weight to maintain precise steering on road and trail conditions.
Off-Road Capable: The Ténéré 700 is designed with dirt riding in mind. With long-travel suspension, high ground clearance and dirt ready spoked wheels that make it well-suited for exploring rugged terrain.
Adjustable Suspension: The bike’s suspension is adjustable, with both front and rear suspension offering adjustable compression and rebound damping, allowing the rider to tailor the bike’s handling to their riding style and conditions both on and off-road.
Low Center of Gravity: The bike’s low engine placement in the frame provides a low centre of gravity that enhances stability and handling and boost rider confidence.
Performance
Many riders and reviewers have praised the 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700’s performance, noting that it is a highly capable and reliable adventure motorcycle that is well-suited for exploration and adventure that excels in a variety of off-road environments, including dirt, gravel, rocks, and sand.
Its lightweight chassis, advanced suspension system, and ground clearance make it easy to navigate rough terrain, while its powerful liquid-cooled engine provides the ideal power delivery with plenty of low and mid-speed torque to tackle steep inclines and technical obstacles yet low fuel consumption makes long distance travel easy.
When equipped with aggressive pure enduro tires the Ténéré floats across all terrain giving the rider exceptional confidence wherever they end up.
The 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 is currently considered by many to not only be one of the best middle weight adventure bikes, but one of the best adventure motorcycles across the market, period, especially for exploration.
While the 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 is a highly capable adventure motorcycle with many impressive features, there are some extremely minor shortcomings that some owners have noted:
Wind Protection: Some riders have found that the Ténéré 700’s wind protection could be improved, particularly at higher speeds on the highway.
Stock Seat: The stock seat on the Ténéré 700 has been criticized by some riders for being too firm, which could make longer rides less comfortable.
Limited Electronics: While the Ténéré 700 does come equipped with some electronics, riders have noted that it lacks certain features found on other adventure motorcycles, such as traction control, cruise control and heated grips.
Seat Height: Many shorter legged riders don’t get on with the tall and flat seat giving them less confidence when on the dirt.
These are all extremely picky shortfalls and do not detract significantly from the 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700’s overall performance and capabilities as an adventure motorcycle.
2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 Specification
Engine: Water-cooled DOHC parallel-twin four-stroke
Capacity: 689 cc
Max Power: 73.4 bhp / 54 kW @ 8,750rpm
Max Torque: 67 Nm / 49.4 lb-ft @ 6,500 rpm
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Top Speed: 125 mph / 201 km/h
Fuel capacity: 16 L / 4.2 US Gal
Seat Height: 875 mm / 34.4 inches
Ground clearance maximum: 9.4 inches
Wet Weight: 204 kg / 449.7 lbs
Variants & Updates
The Yamaha Ténéré 700 was first launched in 2019, and since then, there have only been a few updates and improvements made to the bike:
Updated Transmission: Yamaha updated the transmission of the Ténéré 700 in 2021 to improve shifting performance and reduce noise.
Reduced Emissions: In 2021, Yamaha updated the Ténéré 700 to meet Euro 5 emissions standards. A refined fuel injection system resulted in a slight reduction in power output but creating a more fuel efficient package.
New TFT Screen: Yamaha introduced a 5” colour TFT display in 2023 complete with smartphone connectivity.
2023 Yamaha Ténéré Price
The RRP price of the 2023 Standard Yamaha Ténéré at the time of writing is £10,110 in the UK and $10,499 in the US.
Rally Edition
The RRP price of the 2023 Rally Edition Yamaha Ténéré at the time of writing is £11,410 in the UK. The Rally Edition is not available in the US.
Differences to the standard model are as follows:
Akrapovic slip on exhaust muffler.
Radiator protector
Off-road hand grips
Heavy duty skid plate
Dedicated rally seat increasing seat height to 895 mm
World Raid Edition
The RRP price of the 2023 World Raid Edition Yamaha Ténéré at the time of writing is £11,910 in the UK. The World Raid Edition is not available in the US.
Differences to the standard model are as follows:
23 L dual side mounted fuel tanks
Flat rally style seat increasing seat height to 890 mm
KYB 43 mm front forks
Ohlins adjustable steering damper
Increased torque to 68 Nm
Dirt track designed air cleaner box
Wet weight increased to 220 kg
Yamaha have also announced two further models to be added to the Ténéré 700 line up: Extreme Edition and Explore Edition. Both are due later in 2023.
Accessories and Customisation
Yamaha themselves offer over 20 accessories and changeable parts for the 2023 Ténéré 700 such as quick shifter, center stand, various guards and even a tank pad.
As well as Yamaha there are plenty of third-party companies offering even more for the 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 making it extremely customisable with the ability to be set up exactly to your own personal preferences.
Main Competitors and Comparisons
The 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 is a popular adventure bike that competes with several other bikes in its class:
BMW F 850 GS:
The BMW F 850 GS is a direct competitor to the Yamaha Ténéré 700. The BMW is more expensive than the Yamaha, but it offers more features, such as electronic suspension and a larger fuel tank. However, the Ténéré 700 is lighter and more agile, making it more suitable once you leave the tarmac.
KTM 790 Adventure:
The KTM 790 Adventure is another direct competitor to the Ténéré 700. The KTM is more powerful and has more advanced features, such as traction control and cornering ABS. However, the Ténéré 700 is more affordable and has a more comfortable riding position.
Overall, the 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 is a solid adventure bike that offers good value for its price. While it may not have as many advanced features as some of its rivals, it is lighter and more agile, making it fantastic for off the beaten track.
Conclusion
Defining the 2023 Yamaha Ténéré is actually quite simple. Most people would use the term “Jack-of-all-trades” however the 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 is more than that, as it excels across the board whatever is asked of it.
A no compromise adventure bike that really does fill you with exceptional off road confidence. If you wanted to turn up at the Dakar tomorrow, you’d need a few jerry cans strapped to the back, however there’s little doubt that Yamaha’s mid-weight do-it-all bike would finish, yes, it really is that good.
The extremely versatile powerplant at the heart of the Ténéré has been built to combine Yamaha’s legendary reliability with impressive performance and excellent fuel economy. Its fully adjustable suspension system does exactly what you want of it, and with its tough spoked wheels, it’s ready to have a go at even the most challenging off road conditions.
Is it the unicorn, the lightweight adventure bike we’ve all been waiting for? Personally I’d say it’d need to lose a bit of weight and could certainly drop a small bit of power so no, it’s not the unicorn but it’s certainly a bike you’d want to hold the reins on until it does arrive.