New look, tweaked engine and improved tech
Yamaha revamped its Ténéré 700 a year ago – adding ride-by-wire throttles, revised styling and more electronic gizmos – and for 2026 the more rally-inspired Ténéré 700 World Raid gets the same improvements.
The ride-by-wire is part of a set of changes introduced to meet the latest-generation European emissions rules, Euro 5+, but have the happy side effect of allowing the adoption of modern tech including multiple riding modes and, in concert with a six-axis inertial measurement unit, cornering traction control, slide control and cornering ABS.
The bare numbers are unchanged, with power peaking at 54kW and 9000rpm, and torque at 68Nm and 6500rpm, but thanks to the electronic throttles and a redesigned intake there’s more low-end pull than before. Those riding modes are ‘Sport’ and ‘Explore’, each with their own throttle maps to change the feel of the bike’s responses, and the six-speed transmission has been tweaked with revised dogs to improve the shift quality, while the clutch cover is reshaped so it no longer interferes with the rider’s right leg, addressing a criticism of the previous design.
The World Raid has always been the tougher, longer-distance version of the Ténéré 700, and that remains the case for 2026. The longer-travel suspension, with 230mm of movement at the front and 220mm at the rear, is made beefier still for 2026, with 46mm KYB upside-down forks instead of the previous 43mm versions. They’re adjustable for preload, while the piggyback KYB monoshock has 5mm more stroke than its predecessor, has both preload and damping adjustment, and sits on a revised linkage. Weight is unchanged at 220kg.
The Brembo brakes are the same as before, but with the addition of cornering ABS, and are switchable with three modes allowing the rear ABS to be switched off, or the ABS system to be deactivated entirely, for off road use.
Like the previous World Raid, the 2026 model features dual fuel tanks with a 23-litre total capacity, 7 litres more than the standard Ténéré’s single tank can manage, providing over 500km of range. The aluminium tanks keep the weight low, and for the new model are redesigned, along with the seat, to make it easier to ride the bike seated or standing. Cruise control is standard to help take some of the strain over long distances, another beneficial side effect of that ride-by-wire system.
Styling changes include a new screen and the same four-lamp headlight setup that debuted on the 2025 Ténéré 700.
On board, there’s a big, 6.3-inch TFT with three modes. Street gives a conventional display similar to the standard Ténéré 700, ‘Explorer’ is aimed at offroad riding, and ‘Raid’ mimics the road books used in rallye raids, with dual trip computers controlled by the bar-mounted joystick to keep a close eye on your progress. Of course, there’s all the phone connectivity you’d expect in a bike like this, plus Google-based turn-by-turn navigation via Yamaha’s companion app.
There’s no word on pricing yet, and it’s likely to be a few months before the 2026 Ténéré 700 World Raid reaches dealers.
