Yamaha Ténéré 700 Explore: First Look

The Yamaha Ténéré 700 Explore takes Yamaha’s Dakar-bred adventure platform and softens it for riders chasing horizons instead of stages — lower seat height, longer-haul ergonomics, and proper touring hardware fitted from the factory. It’s the touring-focused branch of the T7 family, and the most accessible Ténéré yet.

The Yamaha Ténéré 700 Explore runs the same 689cc CP2 parallel twin as the standard T7, on a chassis tuned for riders who measure the year in border crossings rather than enduro stages. The lineage is intact — the four-time Dakar-winning XT600 Ténéré of the 1980s — but the brief is different. Comfort over capability, distance over difficulty.

Yamaha’s strategy here is straightforward. The standard T7 keeps its off-road bias, the World Raid handles the rally-distance end, and the Explore covers everyone in between who wants a touring-ready adventure bike straight off the showroom floor.

Yamaha Ténéré 700 Explore: A Chassis Tuned for Distance

Three numbers define the change. KYB suspension travel drops by 20mm at both ends — 190mm forks, 180mm shock — and spring rates step up to keep the bike planted with a full load. Seat height comes down 15mm to 860mm. The result is a Ténéré that’s easier to flat-foot at lights and easier to live with two-up.

A taller, wider screen — 50% more surface area than the standard T7’s — handles the wind-protection brief on the Yamaha Ténéré 700 Explore. The remotely adjustable rear shock lets riders dial preload from the bike’s flank without tools, a small detail that pays off when fully loaded.

Yamaha Ténéré 700 Explore: Long-Distance Hardware Fitted Standard

Side case stays come standard on the Yamaha Ténéré 700 Explore — fitted from the factory to accept soft panniers or hard aluminum cases from the Yamaha Adventure accessories range. A quickshifter is standard too, smoothing upshifts through the CP2’s torque curve — the same drivetrain refinement that defines Yamaha’s Tracer 9 GT touring family.

One colour, one purpose: Tech Kamo with dedicated Explore graphics. The Yamaha Ténéré 700 Explore goes on sale in Europe in 2024. North American availability has not been announced.

About The Author

Allan Lane

Philadelphia born and bred, Allan Lane is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of digital magazines. He launched his first publication, SportBikes Inc Magazine in 2010, followed by dosage MAGAZINE in 2019. Recently, Allan launched his third online publication, Club For Man. As a journalist, Allan covers fashion, lifestyle, culture, art, and motorcycles.

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