When it comes to stock motorcycles, the two items that owners are most likely to change – especially those who like to pile on the miles – are the windscreen and the seat. Folks typically want windscreens that offer more protection and seats that offer more comfort. The Yamaha Ténéré 700 is no exception.
We recently published our review of the Yamaha T7, an off-road-focused adventure bike with a long, narrow dirtbike-style seat. The stock seat has two parts: a long rider portion that slopes down from the tank to a low point and then up toward the separate passenger seat. The rider and passenger seats form a uniform surface, but it’s sloped rather than flat and is narrow and firm.
The Yamaha Ténéré 700 stock seat (photo by Kevin Wing)
Yamaha Ténéré 700 saddle from Seat Concepts
The rider portion height is 34.4 inches. Yamaha makes an accessory low seat ($129.99) that reduces seat height by 0.8 inch, but the lower height is achieved by eliminating much of what is already minimal padding. Yamaha’s accessory rally seat ($219.99) is 1.6 inches taller than stock, and it has a flatter surface and thicker padding. However, both of Yamaha’s accessory seats are just as narrow as the stock seat.
Seeking more comfort, we turned to Seat Concepts, a company based in Idaho that makes replacement seats for adventure and dual-sport bikes. I’ve had a Seat Concepts saddle on my KTM 690 Enduro R for the past five years, and thanks to its extra width under my bum and more supportive foam, I can do 300-mile days without ever thinking about the seat.
For the Yamaha Ténéré 700, Seat Concepts offers 12 different saddles, including Comfort, Comfort Sport Touring, Rally, and Rally Hard Adventure models, most in Standard, Low, and Tall heights with prices ranging from $264.99 to $389.99. Like the saddle on my KTM, the Comfort models are narrow in front where the rider stands over the seat during stops but wider in the back where they sit during normal seated riding.
We opted for the Tall Comfort One-Piece model ($369.99), which is 11 inches wide (1 inch wider than stock) and 35.7 inches tall (1.25 inches taller than stock). There are three cover options, all with faux carbon-fiber sides: Sand Paper Grip Top (our choice), Semi-Grip Top, or Diamante Vinyl Top.
After using the key release to unlock and remove the stock seat, the Seat Concepts saddle clicked perfectly into place, and it has a high-quality look and feel. Even with the grippy top, moving fore and aft is easy to do when wearing riding gear or jeans. The wider seating area spreads the rider’s weight over a larger area, providing a much more comfortable place to sit, yet it isn’t so wide that it interferes with moving back and forth during stand-up riding. The foam is firm yet supportive and holds up well even after long hours in the saddle.
The Seat Concepts saddle is a great addition to the Yamaha Ténéré 700 and will serve as a comfortable perch during our long-term test.
What makes the Yamaha Ténéré 700 such a well-rounded bike is its capability on any surface. (Photos by Kevin Wing)
When the Yamaha Ténéré 700 was introduced in the summer of 2020, it was a rare bright spot during the dark time of lockdowns, masks, and toilet paper shortages. It was a new entry in the middleweight adventure bike class, slotting between Yamaha’s WR250R and 1,200cc Super Ténéré. Unlike midsized ADV models from BMW, KTM, and Triumph, Yamaha took a “less is more” approach with the Ténéré 700 – aka the T7 – eschewing electronic rider aids and other costly features and pricing it well below the competition at $9,999.
Contributing photographer Kevin Wing attended the T7’s debut in Tennessee, and he took a shine to it. “As someone who spends most of his time on lightweight dirtbikes without any electronic interventions, I felt immediately comfortable on the Ténéré 700 with its light clutch, smooth shifting, and excellent fueling,” he wrote in his test for the August 2020 issue (see Wing’s 2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700 review here).
With test rider Thad Wolff at the controls, the Yamaha Ténéré 700 easily jumps tall berms in a single bound. Few adventure bikes are as capable off-road as the tenacious T7.
When long-time contributor and dual-sport aficionado Arden Kysley got his hands on our Ténéré 700 test bike in California that same year, he added some factory luggage and other accessories and hit the road for 3,000 miles. “In my local mountains or out in the desert, the T7 has been an excellent partner for exploration, corner carving, and flat-out movin’ down the road,” he wrote in his 2021 tour test review. Kysely liked the T7 so much, he sold his 2009 BMW F 800 GS – which had 65,000 adventure-heavy miles on its odometer – and bought our test bike from Yamaha.
Consistent with the no-frills theme of the original, when Yamaha updated the Ténéré 700 for 2024, it didn’t go overboard. The monochrome LCD screen, which Wing and Kysely said required too much scrolling to access key info and was rendered useless when powdered with trail dust, has been replaced with a 5-inch color TFT display with smartphone connectivity. Like the old screen, the new one has a rally-style vertical orientation, and it now has two display modes: Explorer and Street.
Other updates include an additional ABS mode. Whereas the previous model’s ABS was only switchable between On and Off, the 2024 model also has an Off-Road mode that deactivates ABS at the rear only. To better access settings and menus on the TFT display and change ABS mode, there’s a new scroll wheel on the right switchgear. There are also sleek new LED turnsignals with clear lenses that replace homely amber “pumpkin” indicators, and the T7’s wiring harness has been updated to accept Yamaha’s plug-and-play accessory QSS quickshifter ($199.99), which allows for clutchless upshifts.
Most off-road adventures require miles of pavement to get to the trail, and the T7 is smooth, agile, and fun on curves and reasonably comfortable on the highway.
We had been testing a 2023 T7 for several months – that’s the bike you see on the cover and in the action shots, ridden by our capable contributor Thad Wolff – when Yamaha hosted a one-day launch for the 2024 model in December. I rode our 2023 test bike down to Yamaha’s SoCal headquarters, swapped it for a 2024 fitted with a quickshifter, and racked up a few hundred more on- and off-road miles.
The CP2 689cc parallel-Twin is a lively engine. New for 2024 is a plug-and-play accessory quickshifter.
Modular Motor
Sending power via chain to the T7’s rear wheel is Yamaha’s CP2 689cc parallel-Twin, the same compact engine also found in the MT-07 naked bike, YZF-R7 sportbike, and – in highly modified form – MT-07 DT racebike that’s used in American Flat Track. For T7 duty, the engine gets a dedicated airbox, cooling system, ECU settings, and exhaust system.
With a 48% front/52% rear weight bias and a 452-lb curb weight, the T7 lofts its front wheel with ease.
The Twin’s 270-degree crankshaft provides more evenly spaced power pulses than a 180-degree crank. It also produces a torquey feel and a lively exhaust note yet runs smoothly throughout the rev range. Fueling is spot-on, and power delivery is linear, reaching a peak of 63 hp at 9,000 rpm and 43 lb-ft of torque at 6,500 rpm at the rear wheel, as measured on Jett Tuning’s dyno. There are no ride modes, selectable engine maps, or traction control; just calibrate the twist of your wrist for direct results.
Holding the T7 together is a durable steel perimeter frame with a double-braced steering head and removable lower frame rails for engine maintenance, and the steel trellis subframe is welded to the main frame. The long cast-aluminum swingarm enhances rear-wheel traction, and the distance between the axles is a lengthy 62.8 inches.
Sitting or standing on the Ténéré 700, it feels very narrow between the knees. The two-piece seat is long and slender, with a flat section that slopes down from the pillion to its lowest point directly above the footpegs and then continues up onto the tank. If the 34.4-inch seat height is too intimidating, Yamaha offers some relief with a low seat ($129.99) that reduces height by 0.8 inch and a lowering kit ($114.99) that drops seat height by another 0.7 inch, bringing the seat down to 32.9 inches.
The stock seat is tall, narrow, and firm.
For our test on the 2024 model, we opted for the accessory one-piece rally seat ($219.99), which has cover material that’s less grippy than the stock seat and a flatter surface that makes it easier to slide fore and aft when riding over uneven terrain. By eliminating the lower dished section, the rally seat has thicker foam and sits at a lofty 36 inches.
The new color TFT dash has two display modes and smartphone connectivity to Yamaha’s Y-Connect app. (Photo by Joseph Agustin)
Yamaha Ténéré 700: Perfect for Roads Less Traveled
The popularity of adventure bikes is largely due to their versatility. The Ténéré 700 can go just about anywhere and do just about anything, and it’s aimed at riders who place a high importance on off-road capability. Its 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels are better for rolling over technical terrain and accommodate a wider variety of knobby tires than the 19-inch/17-inch wheels found on many adventure bikes.
Ténéré, meaning “desert” in the Tuareg language, refers to a vast, dune-filled Saharan plain that was a grueling stage in the Paris-Dakar Rally, which Yamaha won in 1979 and 1980.
The T7’s Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires have a 70/30 on/off-road bias, and they work quite well in the dirt yet also provide decent grip on pavement without being noisy at highway speeds. The T7 also has tube-type spoked rims, which are light and will take a beating, but they make flat repairs a more involved process than with tubeless tires.
Furthering the Ténéré 700’s off-road prowess is fully adjustable long-travel KYB suspension, which has good damping and soaks up big hits and dips like a champ. During the off-road portion of our photoshoot, Thad Wolff said he felt comfortable right away, allowing him to slide, jump, and wheelie the T7 like a big dirtbike. During my off-road ride through the mountains of Cleveland National Forest, I had fun jumping the T7 off water bars and lofting the front wheel over small gullies on the trail, maneuvers that were made easier by the bike’s 48% front/52% rear weight bias and 9.4-inch ground clearance. I appreciate the new Off-Road ABS mode because it provides more confidence in the front on sketchy, loose terrain while allowing rear-wheel skids or slides. The T7’s 452-lb curb weight is comparable to other bikes in its class. Though it’s light for a streetbike, its weight needs to be respected when riding off-road.
The big “pumpkin” turnsignals have been replaced in 2024 with clear-lens LED indicators.
But when the trail ride is done, and you’ve got miles of slab ahead of you – like the 100 miles of pavement on my route home after the press launch – the Ténéré 700 adapts like a chameleon to the new environment. Its rally-style windscreen is small but does a good job of managing airflow. The engine runs smoothly at highway speeds, and the 4.2-gallon tank was good for more than 200 miles at the 49-mpg average we recorded during our test, which included some aggressive throttle twisting. On the downside, there is no cruise control, and the stock seat leaves much to be desired for the long haul. If the taller (and thicker) rally seat isn’t a viable option, there are aftermarket saddles from companies like Seat Concepts.
A new Off-Road ABS mode deactivates anti-lock braking at the rear only. Blue anodized spoked rims look trick but require tubes.
On twisty pavement, the Ténéré 700 handles with confidence without any untoward turning resistance from the 21-inch front wheel. Its torquey Twin, moderate weight, wide handlebar, and narrow tires help the T7 rail through curves like an overgrown supermoto, and its brakes shed speed competently if not impressively.
When it comes to test bikes, I’m promiscuous. As a Rider staffer, I’ve tested hundreds of motorcycles over the past 16 years. But when it comes to personal bikes, I’m a serial monogamist. Soon after getting hired, I started borrowing former EIC Mark Tuttle’s Kawasaki KLR650, which is the bike I cut my off-road teeth on. After lots of cajoling, Mark finally sold me the KLR, and the bike and I enjoyed several faithful, adventurous years together. Eventually, having grown tired of the KLR’s finicky carburetor and lack of power, I got the seven-year itch. I sold it and bought our lighter, more powerful 2017 KTM 690 Enduro R test bike. It’s fantastic off-road, but its vibration and lack of comfort on the road get old quick.
So here I am, at a crossroads, wondering what to do next and seriously considering the new Ténéré 700 for my own garage. Thad Wolff also really likes the Ténéré 700, especially its price, simplicity, and capability, and he could see himself owning one, though he’d like to make a few modifications to improve its comfort and touring ability. I agree on all counts, and Arden Kysely’s 2021 tour test and his long-term reviews of the T7 cover some useful upgrades. Arden now has nearly 17,000 trouble-free miles on his T7, and he’s a satisfied owner – an endorsement that further stokes my desire for the T7. To help me decide, I’ll keep our test bike for as long as possible, tailor it to my needs, and report on the experience. Stay tuned.
The following Yamaha Ténéré 700 adventure story about a trip to beat the winter blues in France came from a new contributor, Jean-François Muguet, and appeared in the July issue of Rider, our second Adventure Issue. – Ed.
After being cold and wet in France, it was hard to believe we’d enjoy such good weather and conditions in January. That’s one of the many cool things about Spain’s Bardenas Reales Natural Park.
At some point, all motorcyclists must admit that winter sucks. Especially here in France. You can dress warmly and put on raingear to stay dry, but the roads will still be soaked, dirty, cold, and slippery. Not the best season for a road trip.
Fed up with yet another bleak winter, I called my friend Robin. He’s a great friend to have. He knows all the roads of the Basque Country and northern Spain, and he owns Rental Motorcycle Biarritz, just south of the coastal resort town in southwestern France. Biarritz is the home of Wheels & Waves, the annual festival that celebrates motorcycles, surfing, skateboarding, music, and art. But W&W is in June, at beach time, which was six months away.
Robin and I have known each other for a long time, and we both needed to get away from crowded places, preferably on motorcycles. We would be joined by another friend, Eric, and our busy schedules afforded us just three days, so we couldn’t go far. Robin suggested a trip to Bardenas Reales Natural Park, a desert badlands area in Navarre, an autonomous region in northern Spain.
We just rode and rode. Almost no speaking, just enjoying.
Since we’d be riding off-road, Robin’s rental fleet gave us two options: the Royal Enfield Himalayan or the Yamaha Ténéré 700. We would be logging road miles to get to Bardenas, including small, curvy roads through the Pyrenees, so we opted for the larger, twin-cylinder T7.
We got an early start from RMB headquarters on a gray, rainy day. It was foggy and beautiful in the Pyrenees, the mountain chain separating Spain from France, dividing the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe. We made our way south to Pamplona, the city known for the Running of the Bulls during the Feast of San Fermín. The sun decided to come out and warm us a little bit, right in time for us to hit the dirt.
Declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, Bardenas Reales is beautiful.
It was time to press the button to turn off the T7’s ABS, and it would stay off for a long time. After starting our day cold and wet, we welcomed the warm, dry, dusty conditions. We began on trails that were easy and wide, sometimes rocky, sometimes with ruts, but nothing too challenging. We floated through hills and among sandy dunes, and the landscape opened more and more.
Near Pamplona, the landscape opened up as we climbed into the hills.
We’d been riding for hours, and our stomachs started making strange noises, so we left the trails and found a restaurant. We were in Spain, so everything was closed until 2 p.m. because of siesta. But the good news is, once the restaurants open, you can have a starter, a main course, dessert, wine, and coffee for about $12. Some might think it’s unwise to ride dirtbikes after a big meal, but we needed our strength for the rest of our trip.
Bienvenida a Las Bardenas
We continued our ride and entered a huge valley. From the plateau we were on, it looked like the ground had been torn apart. Welcome to Bardenas Reales. It was incredible, tremendous – all ocher, white, and yellow. It was late afternoon, and the sun was sinking low. Time for a picture, then many pictures. We parked the T7s in the grass, which was actually thyme. Each step we took shook the thyme and released a fragrant aroma to our noses.
Robin treated Bardenas Reales Natural Park like his own personal playground.
From the cliff where we stood, we could see for miles. This incredible scenery was cut in two by a serpentine trail, and it was all ours. Our goal was to ride the trail and get to Tudela, where we would spend the night. For the next hour and a half, we chased the sunset through the desert, the yellow and white canyons, sandstone cliffs, and rocks slowly turning orange and then red. It was gorgeous – pure pleasure for the eyes and pure happiness for our hearts.
Riding with friends at sunset in a big, empty desert. That’s the kind of stuff we live for, isn’t it?
It was getting dark, and fatigue was setting in as we finally reached a paved road. The lights of the city got closer as we approached Tudela. We had ridden 170 miles, but the day passed so quickly. Checking into the hotel, we looked at each other and realized we were filthy. We were dirty and tired but happy like little kids, which made the receptionist laugh. We needed a shower and dinner.
Bardenas Reales is particularly beautiful in late-afternoon light.
Ride, Eat, Sleep, Repeat
Our route through the desert offered glorious, endless views.
Day 2 started off slow as we were a little sore from the previous day. This ride would be about 125 miles, with 90% on dirt trails. The sun was shining, but it was still a bit cold in the morning. The first few miles of trail got our blood flowing and warmed us quickly, and we had splendid views of snowy mountains.
Snowy in the mountains, perfect in the valley.
The T7s were roaring along, a pleasure to ride. Robin was leading with the GPS, and Eric and I were just enjoying ourselves. The trails were easy, but we still needed to stay focused. In some places, parts of the trail had collapsed, creating holes where you wouldn’t want to put your front wheel or else you’d learn how to fly.
Robin is always happy to loft a nice wheelie for the camera.
The rest of the day was like riding through the set of a Spaghetti Western like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. There were no cowboys, but a Spanish military base was nearby. Sometimes we came across soldiers in cars or trucks or saw signs warning that areas were off-limits. But the trails were fun, and the landscape was perfect. Once again, the sunset in the desert was an incredible show. We slept well with colorful dreams.
There is a military base in the middle of the desert, so riding after dark is prohibited.
Ride to Eat, Eat to Ride
As French people, we love to eat. Oftentimes while eating a meal, we’ll talk about meals we’ve had in the past, both good and bad. It might seem strange to people from other countries, but that is what we do.
During the day, we’d found a cheap menú del día at a roadside eatery. At night in Tudela, we enjoyed going to an old-fashioned restaurant called Remigio. Locals recommended it, and it turned out to be great. Always trust the locals. Robin was a chef for many years before he started his motorcycle rental business, so he knows good food. Remigio served us traditional dishes like pig’s ear and snail stew with sausage. It was delicious, and so was the Riojà wine. Robin was like a kid in a candy store.
Robin and Eric compare notes on the Yamaha Ténéré 700, which was perfect for this trip.
Taking the Yamaha Ténéré 700 Home
Helmets on for Day 3. It was time to go back north to Biarritz. Clouds followed us for the first few miles through the desert. We stopped at the spot where you must take a picture to show the world you have been to Bardenas: Castillo de Tierra, a natural column of sandstone that rises up to the sky and was formed by millions of years of erosion.
Castillo de Terra is the most famous landmark in Bardenas Reales.
We squeezed as much trail time as we could out of our final day before finally returning to tarmac. We got back on the road near the medieval village of Olleta, continuing north to Pamplona. We summited many passes as we wound our way up and down through the Pyrenees. Before we knew it, we were back in Biarritz.
We stopped often just to enjoy the view.
The trip was fun, and Robin made it easy by providing the bikes and planning the route. He was a great traveling companion, even if he ate more than his fair share of the pig’s ears. And Eric was our third musketeer. The T7s were fantastic on the road and on dirt. And Bardenas Reales was amazing, like a lunar park for motorcycles.
There aren’t many desert areas in Europe, so this is an exotic experience for us.
Those three days passed like a colorful dream – a bubble of fresh air, sun, desert, and fun with motorcycles that provided relief from the doldrums of winter. Exactly what we were looking for. From April to November, Rental Motorcycle Biarritz rents BMW, Ducati, Indian, Royal Enfield, and Yamaha motorcycles – including the Yamaha Ténéré 700 – with prices starting at 50 euros per day. RMB can provide GPS routes as well as guided tours. For information, visit the Rental Motorcycle Biarritz website.
On the same day that Yamaha announced the all-new Tracer 9 GT+, the company also released details on an updated 2024 Ténéré 700, a bike that Yamaha says has “quickly become a favorite among adventure enthusiast around the world.”
The 2024 Ténéré 700 has a liquid-cooled 689cc inline-Twin derived from the MT-07 naked sportbike that features Yamaha’s “Crossplane Crankshaft Concept” 270-degree crank.
After 3,000 miles of mixed riding for a tour test of a 2021 Ténéré 700, our reviewer had the following to say: “In my local mountains or out in the desert, on pavement or off, the T7 has been an excellent partner for exploration, corner carving and flat-out movin’ down the road.”
The Ténéré 700 has a fully adjustable 43mm inverted fork with 8.3 inches of travel and a rear single shock with remote-adjustable preload, rebound damping, and 7.9 inches of travel. The bike rides on spoked wheels (21-inch front/18-inch rear) wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires with tubes. It has a 34.4-inch seat height, 9.4 inches of ground clearance, and a wet weight of 452 lb.
The Ténéré 700 still has dual 282mm discs up front and a single 245mm disc in the rear, but a new feature for 2024 is the addition of a new ABS mode. Instead of the previous model’s on/of ABS selection, the new model now features three-mode selectable ABS allowing riders to choose their preferred level of braking intervention. Mode 1 fully activates ABS on both front and rear wheels, Mode 2 enables ABS on front wheel only and turns ABS off for the rear wheel, and Mode 3 turns ABS off for both the front and rear wheel.
Another update is a new 5-inch color TFT display. With functionality controlled by a new scrolling dial on the right handlebar, the new display offers two different screen themes: a modern dynamic design and a more traditional look reminiscent of the analog era.
The 2024 Ténéré 700 also features Yamaha Y-Connect smartphone connectivity, which works in conjunction with the Y-Connect app to enable a direct connection between motorcycle and smartphone. Y-Connect capability for the Ténéré 700 includes the ability to receive incoming text and phone call notifications on the new TFT display and track and record key motorcycle ride data within the app, including distance covered, average fuel consumption, top speed, and more.
Additional updates include new front and rear LED turnsignals, along with prewiring for the installation of Yamaha’s accessory Quick Shifter.
The 2024 Yamaha Ténéré 700 will be available in either Team Yamaha Blue arriving to dealers in September 2023 or Shadow Gray arriving to dealers in October 2023 for $10,799 MSRP.
2024 Yamaha Tenere 700 in Shadow Gray.
2024 Returning Models
Along with the new 2024 Tracer 9 9 GT+ and 2024 Ténéré 700, Yamaha announced that the XT250, TW200, and Super Ténéré ES will return unchanged for 2024. The XT250 will be priced at $5,399 and the TW200 at $4,999. Pricing has not been announced for the 2024 Super Ténéré ES.
2024 Yamaha Super Ténéré ES2024 Yamaha XT2502024 Yamaha TW200
It gets dark on backcountry roads and trails. The LED Fog Light Kit by PIAA for the Yamaha Ténéré 700 helps you see what lies ahead no matter where your adventures take you.
These LED fog lamps plug into the OE wiring harness, with no cutting or splicing needed, and come with a handlebar-mounted switch.
The lamps produce 6,000 Kelvin lighting output in a 2.75-inch diameter light.
The kit requires either the Headlight Fog Light Mount ($69.99) for mounting below the headlight or the Engine Guard Fog Light Mount ($79.99), which are sold separately. The Yamaha Ténéré 700 LED Fog Light Kit is available for $507.99.
Taking a rehydration break along the Colorado River while our Yamaha Ténéré 700s waited patiently.
During the long, dark winter in Minnesota, when the ground is covered in snow and ice and our motorcycles are mothballed for months, dreaming about riding in a warm, dry place gives us hope. That’s when my friend Craig and I started planning an adventure ride out West. We sketched out a route that included a mix of backroads, parts of the Arizona and Utah Backcountry Discovery Routes, other off-road tracks, and interesting sights along the way.
In May, we flew into Phoenix and headed to EagleRider in nearby Mesa, where we were greeted by a friendly guy named Bob. After a quick paperwork checkout procedure, we packed our gear on two rented Yamaha Ténéré 700s and headed north on Interstate 17.
With temperatures in the triple digits, the frigid days of winter seemed like a distant memory, so we busted north to gain some elevation.
Even in full riding gear, we started to cool off as we rode farther north. Our bikes were unfamiliar to us, and they were stuffed to the gunwales with camping gear and other essentials. We soon grew accustomed to their added weight as we passed over the “Carefree Highway,” a 30-mile stretch of road made famous by Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot that runs between I-17 and U.S. Route 60.
I have a lot of street miles under my belt, but this was my first adventure bike trip, so I wasn’t entirely prepared for the primitive roads where the gravel feels like marbles under your wheels. However, it didn’t take long for the combination of my ancient dirtbike experience and a few unplanned rear-wheel kickouts to provide a quick education on keeping the Ténéré upright. Enthusiasm tempered with caution was the order of the day.
We took County Road 59/Bumble Bee Road off I-17 to check out the Cleator Bar and Yacht Club. The name of this welcoming 4×4 oasis run by Tina Barnhart is a bit tongue-in-cheek, as it is located hundreds of miles from open water. Barnhart is also in the vehicle delivery business to such faraway places as Africa and is active in the Global Rescue Project based in Scottsdale, Arizona, which works to end child slavery and reunite children with their families.
Boats in the Yacht Club’s “marina.”
The Cleator Bar is a must-stop location, complete with boats in the “marina” out back and a stage for live music. Interestingly, the entire town of Cleator, comprising 40 acres, a bar, a general store, a few other structures, and mineral rights, was put on the market by descendants of James P. Cleator in 2020 for $1.25 million, and it was sold at the bargain price of $956,000.
Hanging out with Tina Barnhart while we cooled off at the Cleator Bar and Yacht Club.
Our next stop was Crown King, located another 13 miles along CR 59 at an elevation of 5,771 feet. A high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended on the deteriorated roads. The Ténérés managed well, and we soon found ourselves taking a load off in the Crown King Saloon & Eatery, one of the oldest continuously operated saloons in the state. We enjoyed a cold drink and a hearty lunch, and the $5 bottle of scotch we bought there (on sale courtesy of Mother’s Day) served us well during the rest of the trip.
We were surprised to see so much green in the Bradshaw Mountains.
Like a lot of small towns in the Bradshaw Mountains of Arizona, Crown King used to be a thriving mining community. In 1904, a railroad was built to help mining operations, but due to a lack of water and high transportation costs to process the ore, it was abandoned in 1926. The old railroad bed is still used today as the main access road to Crown King.
While there, we met Chuck Hall, who is a great ambassador for the area – and a talented guitar picker to boot. He told us he’d lived there for over 30 years and recommended we check out the Senator Highway, on which he’d lost many an exhaust pipe from his old Dodge Neon. A former stagecoach route, the rutted road snakes 37 miles from Crown King to Prescott with many blind switchbacks, eroded surfaces, several water crossings, and spectacular scenery.
Craig takes a breather on part of the Utah Backcountry Discovery Route.
Hall recommended we visit Palace Station, a stage stop built in 1878 midway between Crown King and Prescott. Back in the day, the station had a bar and was a social meeting center for the miners who worked in the area.
We targeted the town of Jerome for the night. This old copper mining town earned its nickname, “Wickedest Town in the West,” during its heyday in the early 20th century. After the mining bust, the town descended into desperation, greed, and crime. It was revived in the 1960s as a tourist destination, and many of its historic buildings are now filled with restaurants, shops, and hotels. Jerome is said to be a hotbed of paranormal activity, and we stayed at the Connor Hotel, which is reportedly haunted by the “Lady in Red.” We didn’t see any ghosts, so maybe she had the night off.
Downtown Jerome, the “Wickedest Town in the West.”
With a long day of off-roading ahead, we left Jerome and headed north toward the Grand Canyon on a series of unpaved national forest roads. We wound our way around the contours of Woodchute Mountain, crossed the Verde River, and ascended to the Colorado Plateau at more than 6,000 feet. We could see the volcanic San Francisco Peaks rising above the plateau to the east.
We crossed Interstate 40 near Williams, and after a few miles on State Route 64, we turned onto a national forest road to take an unpaved “back door” route into Grand Canyon National Park. We hooked up with Route 64 again where it’s known as East Rim Drive and enjoyed scenic views from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim.
Craig (on left) and me at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon – a million miles away from our home in Minnesota.
After leaving the park, we connected with U.S. Route 89 and refueled at Cameron, where the highway crosses the Little Colorado River. At Bitter Springs, U.S. 89 splits to the east toward Page, but we continued north on U.S. Route 89A, crossing the Colorado River at Marble Canyon via the Navajo Bridge and following 89A west into an area known as the Arizona Strip. We rode with the majestic Vermilion Cliffs to our right, crossed House Rock Valley, and then climbed out of the desert and into the evergreens of the Kaibab Plateau.
The Navajo Bridge crosses the Colorado River at Marble Canyon, and in the background is Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.
We stopped at Jacob Lake, a small crossroads that sits at 7,925 feet, and it was noticeably cooler at the higher elevation. Known as the gateway to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Jacob Lake has a gas station and a hotel with a restaurant and gift shop. The town was named after Jacob Hamblin, an early Mormon pioneer who was shown the location in the mid-1800s by the Kaibab band of Southern Paiutes. And according to the hotel staff, the lake is more of a pond.
Jacob Lake, Arizona, is near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
We continued west through Fredonia and crossed into Utah near Kanab, known locally as “Little Hollywood” because of its rich history in filmmaking – most notably Westerns, with more than 100 movies and television shows being filmed there.
Thus far we had stayed at motels, so we weren’t exactly roughing it. We decided we needed to get some use out of the camping gear we’d been lugging around. After riding through Zion National Park, where we were blown away by the majesty of the cliff faces and rock formations, we traversed the Dixie National Forest through Duck Creek Village to Hatch, where we found suitable dispersed camping.
Utah State Route 9 winds through incomparable scenery in Zion National Park.
It had been about 20 years since my last camping experience. I narrowly avoided putting an eye out with the tent poles, and after the camp was set and the fire built, it felt good to relax with that $5 bottle of scotch. It was a clear night, and the 7,000-foot elevation yielded cool temperatures. With the fire all but gone, it was time to turn in for the night. I live in Minnesota and am no stranger to the cold, but I clocked 19 degrees overnight in that campsite and don’t think I have ever been so happy to see the sun start to rise. Note to self: Next time bring a sleeping bag rated below 30 degrees.
Around the campfire, we sampled the $5 bottle of scotch we bought at the Crown King Saloon. To paraphrase Mark Twain, the coldest night I ever spent camping was during May in Utah.
Once packed up, we put Hatch in the rear view and were soon heading east on Utah’s stunning State Route 12, known as one of the most scenic highways in the nation. We visited Bryce Canyon National Park and its many rock spires and hoodoos and rode through the vastness of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
At Boulder, we left the pavement and took the Burr Trail, a well-known backcountry route that passes through Capitol Reef National Park on its way to the Bullfrog Basin in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The trail was named for John Burr, a cattle rancher who developed the route to move his cattle between winter and summer ranges. The country was nearly impassable then and continues to be challenging to this day, with RVs and trailers “not recommended.” Southern Utah is one amazing vista after another, and this stretch featured outstanding scenery as well as many switchbacks on loose gravel that kept us on our toes.
Switchbacks and elevation changes as far as the eye can see on the Burr Trail in Utah.
Throughout the trip, we’d been battered by winds that were contributing to fire restrictions in Arizona and Utah. At this point, the wind was howling, with 50-mph gusts giving us a good sand blasting. After a quick stop in Bullfrog, we headed north on State Route 276 and then south on State Route 95 to Hite Crossing over the Colorado River.
We had violated our “never pass gas” top-off policy in Bullfrog, expecting to find a place to refuel in Fry Canyon. Given the time of year and possibly other reasons unknown, the gas pumps were closed in Fry, so we pushed on through some gorgeous country that might’ve been easier to appreciate if we weren’t worried about our dwindling fuel.
At one point, we pulled over to assess the situation. Craig had been smart enough to fill his reserve bottle, which he poured into his tank. My bike was still showing a couple bars of fuel left. I tip my cap to the Yamaha Ténéré 700. Even though my fuel gauge was blinking “empty” and both of us were expecting the pullover of shame, we made it all the way to Blanding. The Arch Canyon Inn was a welcome stop, but being informed that it’s a dry town put the “bland” in Blanding.
Travelers in a strange land. Parts of Utah felt like being on another planet.
Leaving Blanding and getting on the Utah BDR was like visiting another planet. The Butler and Comb washes, the Moki Dugway, and Valley of the Gods were some of our favorite parts of this trip. With all the distinct rock formations, it was a challenge to stay focused on the trail and not get distracted by the scenery. In most cases, one blown turn can mean disaster, but the rewards are more than worth the risks. Again, caution saved the day.
The southern terminus of the Utah BDR is in the town of Mexican Hat, which I assumed was named after a mountain resembling a sombrero. Turns out, it is a distinctive disc-shaped rock about 60 feet in diameter that’s perched atop a smaller base at the top of a mesa. I’ll always remember it as the site of my first involuntary dismount from the Yamaha during a charge up a softer-than-expected mound of sand.
At the southern terminus of the Utah BDR in Mexican Hat. Behind me is the town’s namesake rock and below me is softer-than-expected sand.
The area around Mexican Hat borders the northern section of the Navajo Nation into Monument Valley. This area is considered the sacred heart of Navajo country, and you can’t help but marvel at how iconic the straight-line stretch of road is as it leads into the horizon, framed with towering sandstone rock formations. Hiking in the park is highly restricted, with only one path that can be hiked without a guide. Monument Valley Trail Park had been previously closed after a movie crew was caught filming without a permit. It is now reopened at a reduced occupancy limit, but no motorcycles are permitted on the 17-mile loop due to deep sand dunes in the area.
Dispersed camping near Hatch, Utah.
Back in Arizona, we cruised paved highways to Flagstaff and then down into Sedona. Determined to camp at a lower (read: warmer) elevation, we found the Lo Lo Mai Springs Outdoor Resort. Lo lo mai is a Hopi Indian word that represents a greeting with many meanings, similar to the Hawaiian aloha. It also means “beautiful,” which the owners of Lo Lo Mai Springs say is where the resort’s name originated. The area borders spring-fed Oak Creek, which is a valuable and rare natural water source in this part of Arizona. The campground had some welcome amenities and was a lot warmer than the prior camping stop.
Monument Valley.
We spent our last day exploring some of the Arizona BDR tracks in the Coconino National Forest near Sedona and Flagstaff. With time running out, we finally hopped on State Route 87 and burned the final miles to Scottsdale, where the town was alive with nightlife.
Returning the bikes was bittersweet. Bob welcomed us back, relieved that the Ténérés had only a layer of dust and a bit less rubber on their tires after 1,591 on- and off-road miles. As we grabbed an Uber to the airport, I could not help but realize the vast additional riding world that adventure motorcycling opens up. Soon after getting home, I put one of my streetbikes up for sale, and an adventure bike could be in my future.
The Adventure Side Guards are made from durable powdercoated and e-coated steel and are designed to stand up to the most extreme abuse. The guards are part of National Cycle’s line of Extreme Adventure Gear (XAG) and offer off-road protection essential for adventure bikes.
They are also ideal for mounting supplemental lighting, adventure luggage, or your favorite bolt-on gadgets. Installation is simple and takes approximately 30-45 minutes.
The P4201 Adventure Side Guards are available in Black for $330.95.
When I look at protecting a motorcycle for multi-surface touring, my first priority is the soft aluminum underbelly, better known as the crankcase. Difficult to field repair and expensive to replace (over $1,400 from one online source), those intricate castings are the inner sanctum for the motor and tranny. Like most OEM skid plates, the Yamaha Ténéré 700’s 2mm-thick aluminum stock unit is adequate for mellow dirt-road travel, but it doesn’t provide enough protection against the serious rock impacts that can occur when the road deteriorates. For something more substantial, I turned to AltRider for its 4mm-thick aluminum plate, which is TIG welded by hand in the USA.
It attaches to the same four mounting points as the stock piece with the included stainless-steel hardware, and to four rearward frame bolts, unitizing the undercarriage. AltRider’s compact design keeps the plate close to the engine to prevent rocks and debris from collecting; protects the header pipes, oil filter, and sidestand switch; and is vented in key areas to shed heat. The oil sight glass is still visible, just a tad harder to see.
To complete the armor package, I also sourced AltRider’s Linkage Guard, a 6mm high-density polyethylene piece that bolts to the tail of the plate. Riding just below the T7’s exposed rear suspension joints, the flexible guard helps the bike slide over obstacles while limiting impacts to vulnerable suspension components.
The skid plate installation video on AltRider’s website was a helpful guide during installation, to the point of showing how to keep the forward spacers in place with a dab of grease while lining up the screw holes. My 700 has the OEM centerstand fitted, which complicates matters somewhat, because the stand’s thick bracket shares the frame attachment points used by the rear of the plate. Having some visuals would have been helpful for aligning everything and getting the bolts threaded, but perseverance and some colorful language carried the day.
Testing began in the wilds of Nevada, with clunks and clanks ringing out from below as the T7 conquered rocky climbs and roadways-turned-creek beds. The extra-thick metal and stout welded structure gave me the confidence to plow through or smack aside anything in my path –good thing, since at times there was no option but to slam on ahead. The abuse continued into California, where the back way into Bodie State Historic Park dished up more rocks and rubble. Damage assessment: zero, to either bike or plate (not counting scratches), and no small rocks left rattling around between the crankcase and its armor.
Consider me satisfied. The skid plate runs $383.97, or $405.97 with the guard, in either powdercoated black or clear-finished silver.
Contributor Arden Kysely liked the Ténéré 700 so much, he bought our test bike from Yamaha. (Photos by the author)
Our long-term Yamaha Ténéré 700, which I now own, has clocked over 9,000 miles. It would have more than 10,000 if heat, smoke, fires, and a toasted rear tire outside of Tonopah, Nevada, hadn’t conspired to shorten my summer ride. Mammoth Cycle Works (mammothcycleworks.com), the closest shop with a replacement tire, had me back on the road quickly after a slow ride from Tonopah on the compromised skin (pro tip: call ahead).
Otherwise, the bike has been ideal for my kind of riding – comfortable on the highway, a hoot in the twisties, and capable off the pavement, whether sitting or standing, and no matter the surface. Fully adjustable suspension and the CP2 motor’s steady power delivery facilitate riding slow, riding fast, or just cruising.
The wide, well-padded Sargent seat has greatly improved riding comfort.
In an era of complex machines, the Ténéré’s single ride mode – manual – is the same one I grew up with. Traction control is throttle and clutch, the latter holding up to abuse on technical climbs and digging out after stalling in sand. The T7’s absence of electronic aids has led to comparisons with the KLR650 (a great bike of which I’ve owned two), but the Yamaha’s horsepower advantage takes ADV riding to a higher level.
All the upgrades I’ve reported previously in our tour test of the T7 and Part 1 of the long-term review are working as expected, though one crash bar moved an inch closer to the bodywork after I dropped the bike in my garage. The Barkbusters have already each saved a lever, and the Pivot Pegz delivered zero slip, even in the rare wet conditions I’ve encountered.
The AltRider skid plate provides robust protection for the undercarriage.
In addition to the Touratech soft luggage on the back, I added a Nelson-Rigg Trails End Adventure Tank Bag ($119.95; nelsonrigg.com).
An AltRider Skid Plate with Linkage Guard ($405.97; altrider.com) replaced the lightweight OEM unit before my Nevada trip for better protection, and the Sargent World Performance Seat ($359.95; sargentcycle.com) I wish I’d had for that ride is now in place, making a huge comfort improvement over the stock unit. Ditto the Kaoko Throttle Lock ($129.99; kaoko.com); a cramped right hand is a thing of the past now that I can safely release my grip.
Other than switchable ABS, the T7 is a mostly analog machine. In lieu of cruise control, we installed a Kaoko throttle lock.
My biggest gripe is range. In mixed riding, the T7 ekes out 200-plus miles per 4.2-gallon tankful, which is marginal when exploring the empty spaces of the West. On a recent 650-mile backroads ride to the Mojave Desert, it returned 52 mpg. I’m dithering between an auxiliary tank and Giant Loop’s much lighter Armadillo fuel bag to extend its range. The robust OEM kickstand is a blessing, but its foot lever sticks out dangerously far, something a welder will soon be addressing for me.
Maintenance has been routine and simple to perform: changing the oil and filter, checking the air filter, and caring for the chain. Moving parts and cables are lubed, fasteners, bearings, and fluid levels get checked. The valves won’t need attention for another 17,000 miles.
We’ve transformed the T7 into a full-on, go-anywhere adventure-touring machine.
Looking ahead, I see more fuel capacity, a Scotts steering stabilizer, AltRider crash bars (battle proven on my former BMW F 800 GS), and an oiled-foam air filter. A tail tidy would help clean up the rear, and I may lower the bike a smidge, since my legs aren’t getting any longer. It’s a safe bet the T7 is a bike I’ll be enjoying for many years to come – likely with more improvements along the way.
The 2022 Yamaha Ténéré 700 began arriving in dealerships in January. Its MSRP has increased by $300 to $10,299, and there are two new color options: Team Yamaha Blue and Raven.
The Italian-designed, Chinese-made Moto Morini X-Cape 650 will soon be in Europe – and bargain pricing promises to follow hard on the heels of the October release date.
Moto Morini has been making cars in Italy for over a hundred years, with the brand experiencing a rebirth after the company was purchased by Zhongneng Motors.
This bike still showcases elements of the Moto Morini brand, the most notable being the rather sharp features of the X-Cape’s head, similar to that of the eagle present on Moto Morini’s crest.
The middleweight bike features a 649cc parallel-twin engine sporting a sparse 60 horsepower – hardly anything special, especially considering that the engine itself is being considered ‘the budget approach for the company’, being Zhejiang Chunfeng-sourced and sporting a Bosch EFI system.
Pair that with Euro 5 compliancy, and we’ve got a package similar to what we find in the Kawasaki Versys 650…not the hyped-up niceties of its more mature (and admittedly more fun) competition, the Yamaha Ténéré 700.
2021 Moto Morini X-Cape Adventure Motorbike in Smoky Anthracite
Other perks of the X-Cape include a full-color TFT display, the ability to connect via Bluetooth, and a built-in pressure monitoring system for the bespoked tyres, as well as three color options: Red Passion, Smoky Anthracite, and Carrara White.
2021 Moto Morini X-Cape Adventure Motorbike in Carrara White
Here’s a more detailed list of the specs available in today’s model:
GENERAL MEASURES:
Length x width x height: 2190x905x1390 Wheelbase: 1470 mm
Dry weight: 213 kg
Seat height: 820mm/845mm
Fuel tank: 18L
Ground clearance: 175mm
CHASSIS:
Steel: trellis
Swingarm: alluminium
BRAKING SYSTEM:
Front brake: 298mm double discs, floating caliper, 2 pistons
Rear brake: 255mm single disc, 2 pistons
ABS: BOSCH ABS 9.1 Mb (switchable ABS)
RIMS:
Tubeless Spoked rims
TYRES:
Front tyre: 110/80-19M/C
Rear tyre: 150/70-17M/C
ENGINE:
Engine type: L 2, 4 Strokes
Engine capacity: 649 cc
Bore x stroke: 83mm x 60mm
Compression: 11.3:1
Max torque: 56Nm/7000rpm
Max power: 44kW/60CV/8250rpm
Injection system: BOSCH EFI injection system Max speed: 175 Km/h
Cooling system: liquid
Fuel distribution: DOHC twin-cylinders 8 valves Emission: euro 5
The Standard model of the Moto Morini X-Cape will hit European showroom floors for the pretty sum of €7,290, or around $8,600 USD. The Italian company will also have ready a restricted variant, available to A2 license holders.
Sticking to the asphalt and want a better bang for buck? No problem – there will be a street-focused variant, complete with alloy wheels for just over €7,000, or $8,366 USD.
