More range, more equipment, optimized chassis: With the new Ténéré 700 World Raid, Yamaha is now rolling out the third version of the coveted mid-range adventure bike. The World Raid can do everything a little better than its two siblings – and above all longer.
This much is clear: The “T7” World Raid is serious about its off-road ambitions. 230 millimeters of travel at the front, 220 mm at the rear – that’s 20 mm more than the Ténéré 700 and Ténéré 700 Rally Edition. The World Raid thus offers exactly as much suspension travel as the likewise brand new Ducati Desert X, the direct, albeit more powerful and more expensive competitor from Borgo Panigale (110 hp, from 15,990 euros). Only the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE is more long-legged than this new product duo with its 250 mm suspension travel at the front and rear.
The extra-wide off-road footrests with removable rubber look like a stirrup. Off-road boots find the best grip on them. The side stand is easy to fold in and out. The seat height is an impressive 890 millimeters. On the World Raid, any surface is 15 millimeters further away than on the Ténéré siblings. The ground clearance is an impressive 255 mm.
The narrow, flat Rallye seat pleases with its pleasant firmness. She seats two and tapers up the wide double tank. The two-piece pad ends just below the two (!) tank filler necks of the World Raid. Charming effect: you can put your elbows comfortably soft here on longer journeys if you make yourself comfortable behind the windshield in order to unwind a bit with the cruise control.
make track
Keyword making distance: That is one of the strengths of the new Ténéré. The two fuel tanks have a capacity of 23 liters, which are quite expansive but perfectly balanced to form the tank. The division into two reduces fuel sloshing, according to Yamaha. This should ensure more peace and quiet when cornering and optimize weight distribution. With an official consumption of 4.3 liters per 100 kilometers, the double tank theoretically enables a range of over 500 kilometers. Our test consumption on the approximately 340-kilometer route – almost half of it off-road – was 4.8 liters. That’s still 480 kilometers without a refueling stop. Enough, then, to traverse desert stages without breaking a sweat for fear of lack of fuel.
The engine is an old friend. The CP2-christened Crossplain in-line twin cylinder works one-to-one throughout Yamaha’s mid-range. MT-07, Tracer 7, XSR700, R7 and Ténéré – all midsize models use the great 73 hp engine with the characteristic 270 degree crankshaft. Yamaha has already equipped more than 221,000 motorcycles with it. Direct throttle response, powerful acceleration, high revving ability, linear torque curve, plus in this case the robust adventure sound – this two-cylinder simply makes you happy, even if it has to move 16 kilograms more weight here.
At 220 kilograms, the Ténéré 700 World Raid is by far the heaviest CP2 machine. The MT-07 weighs a whopping 184 kg, the R7 and XSR700 weigh 188 kg, the Ténéré 204 kg, the Tracer 7 GT 210 kg. Doesn’t matter. The pounds are well distributed, the more chassis technology and tank volume – plus seven liters compared to the Ténéré – takes its toll primarily on paper.
The famous new chassis of the World Raid should bring tears to the eyes of Ténéré drivers: It is reserved for this model, retrofitting is not possible. Means: If you want to enjoy the World Raid comfort, you have to exchange. Sorry and honestly: The Globetrotter variant rides so much better than its siblings that you could almost think you are dealing with a completely different bike.
The front KYB fork (43 mm) and the rear, via a linkage system, KYB shock absorber – both fully adjustable (travel, rebound and compression stages) – do a fantastic job. The World Raid glides over bumps and mogul slopes with the imperturbability of a hovercraft. Even disc patients arrive smiling, I bet. Asphalt, gravel, gravel, stony passages – the World Raid performs brilliantly on any surface and gives the driver a very safe, confident feeling. The mounted Pirelli Scorpion Rally tires also play a part in this. And of course the 21-inch front wheel, which is standard on the Ténéré.
The 68 Newton meters of torque push the 220 kg machine effortlessly. The CP2 gives you the feeling of being in control at all times. Direct throttle response, wonderfully light-footed, perfect standing position – there’s really a lot going on here. And all without any electronic frills. As with the mid-size companions, Yamaha leaves it here with the mandatory ABS as the only electronic helper. The driver has to take care of everything else. Motor modes or traction control are not on board. No quick shifter either. There is an 18-way adjustable steering damper from Öhlins, which brings additional calm and stability to the front wheel and should enable better control, especially off-road.
No technical frills
Fully activated (mode 1), rear off (mode 2), front and rear off (mode 3) – these are the three options that the driver has with the ABS, but only when stationary. The menu for this is typical for Yamaha via a Scroll wheel controlled on the right of the handlebar. Unfortunately, too much dust does not do the filigree part so well: During our test drives, some colleagues made an honest effort to adjust the ABS setting depending on the surface. However, the required “confirmation” by pressing the scroll wheel led to a jump to the next menu item more than once instead of the desired action. This works much better with other Yamaha models like the new XSR 900. Nevertheless: A splash of WD 40 should solve the problem.
The brakes do their job extremely well and reliably in every driving situation. At the front, the World Raid also has a hydraulic double disc brake with a disc diameter of 282 mm, as usual, and a 245 mm single disc takes care of the rear wheel on all Ténéré. Shifting is great fun: up and down, the six gears engage precisely and quickly. The new five-inch TFT color display is also impressive. It stands upright like ‘real’ competition machines and is linked to the bike’s Communication Control Unit (CCU). This allows it to communicate with Yamaha’s free My Ride app. The driver is informed about incoming text messages and calls, can track and share routes, calculate fuel consumption and much more.
There are three different displays to choose from. The ‘Explorer’ screen layout features a modern, digital design that displays all of the motorcycle’s key operating data in an easy-to-read format. The “Street” screen features a tachometer as a circular instrument and evokes the traditional look of the analogue era. “Raid” is inspired by a road book from rallying. Two countdown tripmeters show the driver the distance to the next waypoint. On the right side of the cockpit is a USB port as a power supply for navigation systems or mobile devices.
The design of the bike is clearly inspired by rallying. In addition to the double tank and chassis, the World Raid innovations include the windshield that is 15 millimeters higher with side deflectors that protrude further, small LED turn signals, a three-part aluminum engine protection and the radiator grille. Every third Ténéré should come onto the streets in this version in the future. Yamaha assumes the model mix is 35 percent for the World Raid, 25 percent for the Rally Edition and 40 percent for the T7. The Japanese want to sell more than 20,000 units this year. The largest EU market last year was Italy (18.7 percent), ahead of Germany (16.0 percent) and France (14.3 percent). Since the Ténéré was introduced in 2019, sales of adventure bikes with displacements of 600 to 900 cc have more than doubled – from 19,000 units in 2018 to 52,000 in 2021. The Ténéré accounts for more than 30,000 of these.
As the equal successor to the legendary XT 600 Ténéré from the 1980s, the new Yamaha primarily appeals to rally/enduro riders, globetrotters and commuters. The successful concept of high-torque in-line two-cylinder, low weight, high reliability and cool adventure design is increasingly being copied. The fan community, especially the Ténéré, should continue to grow with the World Raid. Yamaha is requesting 12,874 euros in Icon Blue or Midnight Black for its bike of unlimited possibilities. This makes it 500 euros more expensive than the Rally Edition and 2100 euros more than the Ténéré 700. As an extra, there are three equipment packages (Enduro, Adventure, Explorer) and lots of refined add-on parts. (Ralf Bielefeldt, cen)
Daten Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid
Drivetrain: R2, 4-stroke, 689cc, chain, 6 speed
Power: 54 kW / 73 hp at 9000 rpm
Max. torque: 68 Nm at 6500 rpm
Top speed: 186 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: not specified
Tank capacity: 23 liters
Seat height: 890mm
Weight: 220 kg (ready to drive)
Standard consumption: 4.3 l/100 km
CO2 emissions: 100 g/km
Test consumption: 4.8 l/100 km
Tires: 90/90-21 (front), 150/70-18 (rear)
Price: 12,874 euros (+ NK depending on dealer)