New Yamaha Ténéré 700 & T7 Rally 2025 Unveiled

Despite increasing competition, the Ténéré 700 remains the best-selling bike in its class, and now a new generation of the Ténéré 700 is coming in 2025, building on the legacy of the Ténéré legend. Yamaha is using the necessary engine overhaul for the Euro 5+ emissions standard to upgrade the T7 with a higher-quality chassis, optimized ergonomics, modern electronics, and targeted improvements. In addition to the new standard version of the Ténéré 700, there is a variant with a lower seat height and shorter suspension travel. On the other hand, the new Ténéré 700 Rally offers high-quality features for demanding off-road enthusiasts.

The new Ténéré is still unmistakably recognizable as such, with little change to its iconic silhouette featuring a high, "rally-style" front and compact rear. Compared to the previous model, the fuel tank has been moved further forward. The upper part of the 16-liter tank now also sits lower. These changes are intended to contribute to a more balanced weight distribution and better all-round handling, which should also somewhat alleviate the often-criticized top-heavy weight distribution of the Ténéré. The middle section of the Ténéré 700 for the year 2025 has been designed so that clean contact surfaces lie between the legs and the motorcycle when sitting and standing, and additionally accommodates the new saddle. The new one-piece, rally-inspired seat is long and narrow, offering more freedom of movement while riding compared to the previous two-piece design.

The new headlight design consists of four individual LED light units housed in an aluminum frame, very much in the style of modern rally racing machines. The new, color-matched handguards not only emphasize the off-road capability of the Ténéré 700 but also offer protection against flying gravel, bushes, and wind. With the design update, there are also new color schemes. For the models with standard and lower seat height, there is a choice between "Frozen Titanium" and Yamaha's classic "Icon Blue" – a variation of the classic paintwork that has adorned the YZ motocross and WR enduros since 1996.

The universally popular 690cc parallel-twin engine from Yamaha receives an update for the new Ténéré 700 with the introduction of YCC-T (Yamaha Chip Controlled-Throttle), an electronically controlled throttle valve that, for the first time on the CP2 platform, enables two switchable engine mappings. The engine now meets the Euro 5+ standard but is said to have retained its beloved, grunty character. The ingredients remain the same: the 270-degree crankshaft continues to provide the heartbeat of this award-winning engine, but with the introduction of YCC-T, there is now the possibility to choose between two mappings with different characteristics: Sport and Explorer, with the latter offering a smoother power delivery. The mode switch is done by pressing a button on the right switch unit, allowing the desired control over throttle response. Another innovation compared to earlier Ténéré 700 models is the air intake duct, which is now shorter and contributes to a fatter torque curve in the lower rev range.

A series of additional mechanical improvements have been implemented based on customer feedback and practical experiences with the Ténéré. For instance, the position of the clutch actuation has been moved 35° clockwise further forward, and a smooth protective cover has been added, as previously, pants or the leg would often get caught here. With the newly positioned clutch actuation point and the protective cover, the leg should not be hindered whether sitting or standing. Other optimizations include revised transmission components for smoother gear changes. The number of convex and concave teeth in the gears has been increased from five to six between the first and third gear to reduce shocks, while the claw angle in gears four to six has been changed to reduce play when twisting the throttle.

With the ride-by-wire system, modern assistance systems can now be easily implemented on the Ténéré for the first time. The new T7 models come equipped with two riding modes, traction control, and a three-stage ABS. The new electronics are controlled and read via a 6.3-inch TFT display. The vertically oriented screen offers easy smartphone connectivity to display a variety of functions, including call and message notifications, as well as music and turn-by-turn navigation through the MyRide app. The TFT display can show information such as speed, RPM, navigation, fuel gauge, ambient temperature, and gear indicator in two different layouts. The "Street" layout presents the information in a classic style, dominated by the digital visualization of an analog speedometer, while the "Explorer" layout is designed to be easily readable during off-road riding, positioning the most important information at the top and center of the field of view. The switch units have also been revised, so there's no more fiddling with the clunky rotary wheel. Instead, there's a 5-way control button at the left handlebar end. Another small but fine addition is the standard USB-C port with a waterproof cover on the right side of the cockpit.

The new traction control of the Ténéré has two settings: on and off, and can be deactivated via the menu in the TFT display, while a large button on the side of the display is used to control the ABS settings. For the ABS, Mode 1 is the default setting, activating the anti-lock system on both wheels in accordance with legal requirements for public road traffic, while Mode 2 deactivates the ABS only at the rear. Mode 3 disables the ABS entirely, giving riders full braking control for maximum control on loose surfaces. These modes can be selected via the menu in the TFT display. If you want to completely deactivate the systems, you can simply do so by long-pressing the ABS button on the side of the TFT display.

The suspension of the Ténéré has also been revised. The upside-down forks are designed to be more robust, featuring reinforced 43 mm tubes and a travel of 210 mm at the front wheel (190 mm for the low seat height version). The fork is now fully adjustable. Compression and rebound damping can be finely tuned by turning the screws at both ends of the fork, while the preload can be adjusted by 15 mm via an easily accessible adjuster on the fork leg. Yamaha's design team has also developed new triple clamps, featuring a lower clamp made of forged aluminum and a crown made of cast aluminum to provide additional strength. With the new suspension components, the Ténéré 700 2025 achieves a ground clearance of 240 mm (225 mm for the low seat height version).

At the rear, a new setup for the shock absorber has been developed to provide smooth and stable riding performance on both road and off-road. It combines a completely new design of the rear linkage with a revised rear shock that offers easy adjustability of preload, compression, and rebound damping. The new progressive linkage was developed based on feedback from Yamaha's Rally Raid program and increases the suspension travel while maintaining the 200 mm travel of the previous Ténéré 700 (180 mm for the low seat height version). The main body of the shock absorber is made of aluminum for improved heat dissipation. This is combined with a separate reservoir that keeps the oil cool and pressurized to prevent air bubbles from forming when the shock is fully extended. The remote adjustment of the shock absorber has been designed so that changes can be made quickly and without tools, while a large rubber buffer provides additional damping under extreme riding conditions.

The foundation of the Ténéré 700 continues to be a double cradle steel frame, connected to an aluminum swingarm manufactured using gravity casting. The main frame, constructed from high-strength steel tubing, is so robust that thinner materials can be used to keep the overall weight of the machine as low as possible. The seat height of the Ténéré 700 remains at 875 mm (860 mm for the low seat version), which is quite high, but its narrow waist is intended to make it as accessible as possible. The ergonomic riding triangle stays true to the popular model of the first generation. However, Yamaha has certainly considered the experiences of the large Ténéré community and made the chassis of the T7 more robust, addressing any weaknesses. For example, on the 2025 Ténéré, mounting points for accessories and luggage have been reinforced, the side stand switch has been revised, and the silencer bracket has been improved. Additionally, the new Ténéré now comes standard with the wider foot pegs from the T7 World Raid.

The rally version sharpens the T7 concept and offers higher-quality components for those who want to experience tougher adventures and rough terrain with their Ténéré. Inspired by the legendary Yamaha motorcycles of the Dakar winners of the 1980s, the all-blue fairing is complemented by gold-colored rims and features the speed block design that was used on Yamaha's factory racing machines at the time. The Ténéré 700 Rally now has more ground clearance, longer suspension travel, and thus provides even better control off-road.

Based on Yamaha's hardcore Ténéré 700 Extreme, the Rally receives a high-quality, fully adjustable KYB fork. With reinforced tubes and a special coating to reduce stiction, the fork travel is increased by 20 mm compared to the standard version, achieving a front wheel travel of 230 mm. A similar increase in the rear shock travel contributes to a ground clearance of 255 mm. The Ténéré 700 Rally also features a robust 4 mm aluminum skid plate and a one-piece rally seat. The saddle of the Ténéré 700 Rally is thicker than the standard saddle and features a soft surface made of two materials with an embossed rally logo. It is designed to provide additional comfort while sitting and has a seat height of 910 mm. Additionally, there are 228 g lighter titanium footpegs with a wider, serrated contact surface, and an exclusive, roadbook-inspired raid layout for the TFT display, which omits many of the information important for road riding and instead prioritizes travel-related information.

The new Ténéré 700, the version with a lower seat height, and the 35 kW version will be available in two color variants: Icon Blue and Frozen Titanium. The Ténéré 700 and the 35 kW version are expected to be available from March 2025 at Austrian Yamaha dealers. The Ténéré 700 Low and the Rally are expected to be available from April 2025. The new Ténéré 700 Rally and its 35 kW version will be offered in the color Sky Blue. These will be the prices for the new Ténéré models in 2025:

• Ténéré 700 / Ténéré 35 kW: € 12,299
• Ténéré Low: € 12,299
• Ténéré Rally: € 13,699