In delivering over 250 upgrades to the Tenere, Yamaha has ignored the cafe critics, focusing instead on feedback from riders who live for the dirt, not the decor
In 1983, Yamaha started a worldwide love affair with a motorcycle called the Tenere. The first model was heavily based on the legendary XT600 with not much more than a huge fuel tank to distinguish it from its standard XT cousin. Tenere means desert region and it is here, in the form of the Paris to Dakar race, that it paved its way to cementing its future, achieving many podiums and somewhat of a cult following.
Bikes that succeed in the most gruelling test of reliability will sell themselves and fast became a popular choice for global adventure. Over the years the Tenere has evolved into many variants, with the most exciting model in recent years being the 2019 release, when Yamaha delivered a heavy blow to the adventure bike market. The T7 quickly set the world alight, receiving high praise for retaining its somewhat simple approach while maintaining legendary reliability at a very good price.
It’s a rapidly moving segment of the market and as we fast-forward to the present almost every manufacturer produces a model it claims is an adventure-ready steed. The 2019-2024 T7 received very few updates – but, as with any new model, there’s always room for improvement. I spent a too-short amount of time on a mate’s Tenere a couple of years ago and thought it was pretty good overall. So I was very excited to be given chance to ride the vastly revised 2025 T7 at a two-day media launch not far from my home on the NSW Central Coast, around the lower Hunter and Watagan area.
Yamaha Australia Marketing Manager Sean Goldhawk was on hand for the launch, and delivered a very comprehensive presentation highlighting the 2025 updates and improvements. Towards the end of the speech he said something that stuck with me: “You talked. We listened.”
He was referring, of course, to Tenere owners all over the world and their pointed criticisms of the previous generation’s T7. He went on to describe how important it is to follow the many forums and social media posts out there to help gain valuable info, as well as real-world feedback, to help R&D teams make sure each new model is better than the last. So is it? Let’s find out.
BUSH READY
The ride started and finished at the headquarters of RideADV, just north of Mangrove Mountain. These guys operate expansive tours and expert coaching sessions and were our track guides for the two days. Owner/operator Greg Yager and his team all ride Teneres themselves and have amassed over 600,000km on their fleet bikes without a single mechanical failure – and let me tell you, they ride them hard and fast.
They are a great bunch of blokes and led us over a variety of terrain specifically mapped out to give us a taste of what the bike is capable of. All three colour variants were on hand to trial – Icon Blue, Sky Blue and Frozen Titanium. I picked the Frozen Titanium, which I thought looked great. All bikes were fitted with Dunlop 606 tyres as our ride was going to 80 per cent dirt. Apart from that they were stock standard.
HEART OF THE BEAST
The CP2 engine that powers the Tenere can be found in many other bikes in Yamaha’s range, and for good reason; it’s an absolute gem. The 689cc parallel twin pumps out just shy of 54.5kW (73hp0, which doesn’t sound like much when compared to say a KTM 1290 Super Adventure or Ducati Multistrada, both of which punch out over 160hp. When compared to a KTM 890/HuskyNorden, it’s still well behind on a spec sheet as well in terms of power – but does the Tenere have enough grunt?
My word, it does. It’s actually hard to believe we call a 700cc bike small nowadays but realistically in the adventure bike market it is, and every cubic centimetre of displacement does its best to convince you of its willingness. It fires up and settles into an idle with an exhaust note that’s audible enough, but with the well-supressed rumble that is a trademark of parallel twins. Many of the RideADV fleet bikes had Arrow slip-on mufflers and they sounded really good. It’s one of the smoothest engines out there, with basically no mechanical noise, and as you click into gear and ride off for the first time it feels beautifully refined. Rolling along at 110km/h in top gear returns just 4100rpm on the tacho and it feels relaxed and effortless at freeway speeds.
The jewel in this crown is the torque. From very low rpm it pulls cleanly with no hesitation – and on our ride we went up some technical hills that would be better suited to an enduro bike. But the T7 just goes about its business and gets you to the top. Combined with a six-speed gearbox with ratios that are nicely spaced, and a super light clutch with a lovely feel, technical trails can be tackled with relative ease. The Tenere can also be fitted with an optional quickshifter – but I wouldn’t bother if I were to buy one as it’s faultless as is.
Many high-horsepower bikes I’ve ridden can be a handful in situations like this as they break traction and dance all over the place, so what the Tenere may lack on paper in terms of outright power it more than makes up for in excellent tractability and seamless transition from the ride-by-wire throttle to the back wheel. Perhaps the only time I may have wished for more power is a scenario I was imagining in which I was overtaking a fleet of Bobs and Marges on a country road with 100m caravans. The T7 will do it for sure – but will require a bit more planning from the throttle hand and gearbox than some of the heavy-hitting almost hyperbikes I mentioned earlier. Especially if you have a pillion and/or lots of luggage.
There are two modes programmed into the fuelling system, Sport and Explorer, with the latter delivering a slightly softer feel to the power. In fact, some riders on the test actually preferred this mode. The T7 also features traction control that can turned off, allowing for more fun on the dirt.
RIDE REFINED
Adventure bikes are destined for long days both on the tar and far off of it as owners chase distant horizons. Waypoints set, fuel up and go. The Tenere has been refined to make those big riding days even more enjoyable. Small things like the clutch casing have been altered, because apparently the boots of some riders used to rub against it, creating a feeling of it wanting to push your right leg off the footpeg. The footpegs themselves are now a huge rally style, which offer great grip and feel.
There are more than 250 changes on this bike from the last model. From the moment I hopped on it I felt comfortable. The sitting position is extremely good, and the seat – which is also different to the outgoing model – was very comfortable. I normally get a sore bum when riding a new bike and it takes a couple of days to get acclimatised, but no such discomfort was encountered on the T7. The screen is a good height and doesn’t obscure vision. It does a pretty good job of keeping the wind out of your face at higher speeds. At 180cm tall and 89kg the standing position was probably the best I have encountered on any adventure bike. It honestly just feels like a big enduro bike, and for me I wouldn’t change a thing. I did catch my left heel on the little tab that you kick the sidestand out with a couple of times, but that was truly my only criticism of the overall ergonomics. It offers such a neutral feel that encourages aggressive offroad riding or is equally as good just cruising along.
The 21/18-inch wheel and tyre combo provides outstanding offroad performance and felt great on sealed roads as well, even with the 80 per cent dirt-biased Dunlop fitted. We didn’t do any night riding but the new LED headlight looks the part and will no doubt be better on those unplanned late outback trips where dodging wildlife can be a treacherous part of the game. The 16-litre fuel tank now sits farther down in the frame to lower the centre of gravity, improving handling characteristics.
BRAKES AND SUSPENSION
One major element that owners of previous generation T7s were often unhappy about was the suspension. It wasn’t terrible – but certainly could have been better. As I mentioned earlier, Yamaha takes criticism very seriously from riders that push their bikes to the limit, not criticise sitting at a cafe. We aren’t just talking a spring rate or two here; they have basically revised the whole fork and shock set-up. They’ve developed suspension upgrades to the 2025 model that will no longer warrant any complaints in my opinion – either when ridden within and probably beyond its intended purpose.
In short, it’s brilliant. From fast tar roads to technical single tracks and big erosion mound jumps, the T7 exceeded my expectations on all fronts. Not once over two days of riding did it do anything I thought it shouldn’t have. Other riders on the test who had ridden the last model were blown away by just how much better it was. Now fully adjustable, including preload on the front fork, the KYB componentry left nothing to be desired. In fact, it’s now so good that some of the staff from RideADV said it’s better than their heavily modified previous-gen T7s.
And that’s just the front; the rear shock was every bit as good. High praise indeed, considering how hard these blokes ride – heavily laden on some of the roughest tracks in Australia and the world.
The Brembo brakes were superb, providing all the power and feel you could ask for. The anti-lock system can be turned off to allow sliding but when left on they were very good as well and I never had a problem bringing the wet weight of 206kg plus me onboard to a rapid predictable stop.
JUST ENOUGH TECH
The new 6.3-inch TFT dash is a welcome addition, providing all the info you need and can also be linked to Google Maps for turn-by-turn navigation. It’s easy to read and the interface has a couple of different layouts to suit your personal preference. A small joystick on the left-hand switch block makes it easy to scroll through the menu.
One drawback, initially, was the indicator switch – and I wasn’t alone in this. Easy to turn on but frustrating to turn off; it was funny following other riders after a corner was made as most of us looked like a semi driver doing that thank you flash they do when you let them in. We all got used to it by the end of day two.
What has made the T7 appealing to riders is its simplicity, and that remains. I think there is just the right amount of tech to bring it up to speed with its competitors. More tech can mean more problems; just ask some other manufacturers. But Yamaha, to an extent, has kept it relatively simple, true to the roots of those first Teneres.
SAME SAME, BUT VERY DIFFERENT
While from a distance it looks very similar to the last model, it is vastly different. Get up close and you will see changes everywhere.
This is a ride that I, like so many others, would jump on and ride around Australia or the world tomorrow. There are also hundreds of genuine or aftermarket options to customise your T7. That rock-solid proven reliability is a huge tick for me.
Spending two days on the Tenere made me realise why it’s the top-selling adventure bike in Australia. Sometimes less is more and there is no better example of this than the T7. Less tech but enough, less price than direct class competitors, less power but more than enough. And it’s a great-looking bike in any of the three colours.
The T7 has a cult following for a reason. And although you don’t see that many around urban areas, get out in the bush and off the beaten track and you will come across plenty, with a rider likely to have a big smile on their face.
✅ PROS – Grunty, tractable engine, brilliant new suspension and all-day comfort. A true adventure standout
❌ CONS – Fiddly indicator switch, only moderate power for those (admittedly rare) overtakes
The Competition
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Type Liquid-cooled, 690cc, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valve, twin-cylinder
Displacement 689.0cc
Bore & stroke 80mm x 68.6mm
Compression ratio 11.5 : 1
Lubrication Wet sump
Fuel delivery Fuel injection
Transmission Constant-mesh 6-speed
Final drive Chain
Fuel capacity 16L
CHASSIS
Frame type Double cradle steel tube
Suspension Front Upside down telescopic fork, 210mm travel
Rear Swingarm (link suspension), 200mm travel
Brakes
Front: Hydraulic dual discs, 282mm, ABS
Rear: Hydraulic single disc, 245mm, ABS
Tyres
Front: 90/90 R21 M/C 54V
Rear: 150/70 R18 M/C 70V
DIMENSIONS
L&W&H 2370mm, 935mm, 1455mm
Seat height 875mm
Wheelbase 1595mm
Ground clearance 240mm
Wet weight 208kg
BUSINESS END
Warranty 30 days (limited factory warranty)
Price $21,299 ride away
Contact www.yamaha-motor.com.au
