Ever since Yamaha introduced the T7 Concept at EICMA it’s been a matter of when, not if the middleweight adventure bike would go to production. Now that a teaser has dropped, all but confirming the now named Ténéré 700 World Raid, it’s a case of why isn’t this already on the road?
Since we’re still in the teaser phase, there aren’t any official specs, nor has Yamaha even confirmed the bike would go to production. But with the Yamaha firing up this hype train so close to Intermot and EICMA 2018, it’s safe to assume we’ll see an official announcement sooner rather than later. The rising wave of middleweight ADVs, dual sports and enduros is primed for another entry, and the Ténéré 700 is the lighter, hyper-aggressive option a lot of riders have been clamoring for. Yamaha would be stupid not to build this bike.
The Japanese brand already has the 1199cc Super Ténéré adventure bike in its stable, but the Ténéré 700 is less part of the long-haul touring bike category and more focused on the dirt. With that said, it’s still built for long rides. The bike’s style and design are pulled directly from Yamaha’s rally-raid endurance racing bikes — the ones you see tackling Dakar.
It’s the type of bike the adventure riding community has been pleading for, for quite some time now — not a big cushy adventure-tourer, but not a high-strung enduro. Bikes like the Ténéré 700 and the upcoming KTM 790 Adventure R will be the Goldilocks option. We’re keeping an ear to the ground and with one eye on this year’s big motorcycle shows for any new info, but it’s safe to assume 2019 will be a big year for adventure motorcycles.
