Photo: Yamaha
The Tenere moniker has been around in Yamaha's stables ever since 1983, when the XT600Z Tenere was introduced as something inspired by two-wheeled Paris-Dakar racers. For all intents and purposes, it was the company's first adventure bike, one that in one way or another endures to this day.
The Tenere as we know it today was born back in 2019, when the 700 model made its big entrance. It has grown constantly ever since, and it now comprises no less than five distinct models: standard, World Rally, World Raid, Rally Edition, and Extreme. Oh, make that six, as we've just got word of the Explore variant being available for the 2024 model year.
The news comes just as the EICMA show in Milan is about to open its doors, and on the heels of the presentation for the 700 Extreme back in October. As you'd expect, the new variant is not entirely new, but an adaptation of the Tenere platform for use in longer exploration trips.
That means the engine on the bike is the same 690cc we're used to, sitting in the same frame and packing the same capabilities as before. But there are differences compared to the other bikes in the range, and they are not to be neglected.
First up, the riding position is somewhat different, and that's owed to the lower position of the seat: it is now located at 860 mm off the ground. That's a full 15 mm less than in the standard version.
To make sure the rider is more comfortable during long rides, the windscreen grew in height and width, offering in this model 50 percent more surface area.
The biggest differences can be felt in the way the bike behaves on the road or off of it: the suspension system has been thoroughly revised, front and rear. Compared to the stock Tenere, the Explore has 20 mm less wheel travel, to a total of 180 mm.
Additionally, the front and rear spring rates have been increased to provide "more confident handling when fully loaded." Speaking of loads, the bike will be offered from the get-go with a side case.
Yamaha says the new Tenere 700 Explore will become available on the European continent for the 2024 model year, but doesn't specifically say what that means. When it comes to pricing, the bike maker is completely silent and advises customers to take that problem up with its dealers.
As far as color choices are concerned, there will be only one on the table, something called Tech Camo – a sort of play between gray and black with gold and yellow accents. On top of that some dedicated graphics can be displayed to make sure everybody knows what model this is.
The news comes just as the EICMA show in Milan is about to open its doors, and on the heels of the presentation for the 700 Extreme back in October. As you'd expect, the new variant is not entirely new, but an adaptation of the Tenere platform for use in longer exploration trips.
That means the engine on the bike is the same 690cc we're used to, sitting in the same frame and packing the same capabilities as before. But there are differences compared to the other bikes in the range, and they are not to be neglected.
First up, the riding position is somewhat different, and that's owed to the lower position of the seat: it is now located at 860 mm off the ground. That's a full 15 mm less than in the standard version.
To make sure the rider is more comfortable during long rides, the windscreen grew in height and width, offering in this model 50 percent more surface area.
The biggest differences can be felt in the way the bike behaves on the road or off of it: the suspension system has been thoroughly revised, front and rear. Compared to the stock Tenere, the Explore has 20 mm less wheel travel, to a total of 180 mm.
Additionally, the front and rear spring rates have been increased to provide "more confident handling when fully loaded." Speaking of loads, the bike will be offered from the get-go with a side case.
Yamaha says the new Tenere 700 Explore will become available on the European continent for the 2024 model year, but doesn't specifically say what that means. When it comes to pricing, the bike maker is completely silent and advises customers to take that problem up with its dealers.
As far as color choices are concerned, there will be only one on the table, something called Tech Camo – a sort of play between gray and black with gold and yellow accents. On top of that some dedicated graphics can be displayed to make sure everybody knows what model this is.
Google News