We have been waiting a very long time for the Yamaha Ténéré 700, with the machine first debuting as a concept in 2016. A no-show at the 2017 EICMA show, the Yamaha T7 concept instead went on a worldwide promotional tour.
So, surely we thought that the 2018 EICMA show would announce the Yamaha Ténéré 700 as ready to go…yes and no. The Yamaha Ténéré 700 is finally coming as a production motorcycle…but not quite yet.
Expected as a Fall 2019 model in Europe, off-roaders eager for a middleweight adventure-touring bike will have to wait another year. If you happen to live on this side of the pond however, we have even worse news for you.
The Yamaha Ténéré 700 will be a 2021 model year machine in the USA, debuting in the second-half of 2020, making this perhaps the most disappointing new model release at the Milan trade show.
While Yamaha takes its sweet time bringing the Yamaha Ténéré 700 to market, we at least have some technical specs to chew over. As you would expect, the 689cc parallel-twin motor comes from the MT-07 platform, as such it makes 72hp (54kW), with 50 lbs•ft (68 Nm) of torque.
In its European trim, the 2020 Yamaha Ténéré 700 will tip the scales at 450 lbs (205kg) when a full 4.2 gallons (16 liters) of fuel is onboard, though wet weight specs for the USA are still “TBD” from Yamaha Motor USA.
Outifitted with a 21″ front wheel and an 18″ rear wheel, the Yamaha Ténéré 700 looks the part for the ADV segment, especially for those looking to go off-road. The seat height is set at 34.6 inches, with there being 9.5″ of ground clearance on the machine (unladen).
That ground clearance comes from the 8.3″ of travel on the fully adjustable 43mm front forks, along with the 7.9″ of travel on the linkage-type rear shock, which has preload and rebound adjustability.
The LCD dash is laid out like a rally guide book, and the production machine will keep the very fetching four LED headlight.
The early indication is that the 2020/2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700 will be a strong ADV offering, once it arrives. However, one has to wonder if Yamaha’s delay in getting this bike to market is going to affect its reception.
With the Austrian’s debuting the potent KTM 790 Adventure R at EICMA this year as well, and surely other brands possibly entering the space over the next year or two, the Ténéré 700 runs the risk of being dead on arrival.
The proof will be in the pudding of course, and we have yet to see pricing information, which could be a huge factor in pitching this bike to picky adventure-touring customers. As we are fond of saying, time will tell.
Source: Yamaha Motor USA
As always, Asphalt & Rubber will be covering all the new bikes debuting at EICMA this year. Be sure to follow our coverage for the most recent news and photos.
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