Yamaha Motor New Zealand has confirmed the expected arrival of the highly anticipated World Raid version of the top-selling Tenere 700, with the first examples expected to arrive in early 2023.
Pricing of the new Tenere 700 variant is yet to be confirmed, but due to the number of upgrades and extra technology involved expect a substantial price hike over the base Tenere 700's $17,899.
Flipping the script on the original Tenere 700 premise, the Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid builds on the highly successful platform by adding more technology, rider protection and a longer fuel range thanks to twin fuel tanks.
Yamaha says the World Raid, as its name seems to imply, is designed to have a greater range than any Tenere that has come before it, and that seems to not only extend to the fuel range but also the versatility of the bike as well.
Those huge fuel tanks now boast a capacity of 23-litres, up 7-litres on the 16-litre tank offered by the original T7. This should put range somewhere in the area of 500km – more than enough for even the hardiest adventurers.
Yamaha says that the way the new fuel tanks are mounted – now in a rally-style side mount position with the twin tanks hanging low to the sides of the engine – will help the Tenere maintain a low centre of gravity despite the added weight of the additional fuel. Additionally, the new layout means that the highest point on the new twin side-mounted tanks is lower than the top of the tank on the Ténéré 700, reducing the height difference between the tank and seat to give a flatter profile for increased rider mobility and easier weight shifting off-road.
The engine itself remains the same, however, Yamaha has tweaked things to help improve on the already well-sorted powertrain. The main change is the airbox has been revised with a forward-facing intake duct that is designed to prevent ingress of dust and debris thrown up by the rear wheel.
Protection for the engine now comes from a new three-piece aluminium engine guard and a new radiator grille to ensure durability.
In perhaps the biggest departure from the base Tenere 700, Yamaha has pumped the World Raid full of the latest technology including a full-colour 5-inch TFT display with phone connectivity built-in.
While the original T7 was simple as can be with just a switchable ABS button on the dash, the World Raid has a three-mode ABS system. Mode 1 is fully on, with both wheels benefitting from ABS as required legally while riding on public roads. Mode 2 and 3 have been introduced for off-road riding. Switching to Mode 2 sees the ABS on the front wheel on, rear-wheel off, and Yamaha says this is the recommended mode for terrain such as gravel tracks, where low levels of grip are likely to be experienced. Mode 3 sees the ABS fully off, suitable for experienced riders who want to enjoy pure off-road riding.
In terms of chassis development, the World Raid gains an Öhlins steering damper with 18 different damping settings while the suspension has been upgraded at both ends to suit the heavier World Raid 700.
Up the front are new 43 mm KYB front forks offering 230 mm of wheel travel – 20 mm more than the Tenere 700. The new forks are equipped with a spring preload adjuster, in addition to the rebound and compression damping adjusters and air bleeding screw already featured on the Tenere 700, enabling the rider to set the suspension to suit different terrain and loads.
At the rear is a revised linkage design with a piggyback type shock absorber with a longer stroke. The rear suspension’s damping characteristics, spring rate and linkage ratios have all been optimised in order to give a comfortable ride on the road together with the ability to take some hard hits during off-road exploration. For consistent damping performance, the new shock features an aluminium body for good heat dissipation, while the separate piggyback type oil reservoir prevents cavitation – and like the forks, the new shock gives 20mm more wheel travel, and is fully adjustable for spring preload, as well as compression and rebound damping.
Visually the new Tenere World Raid is a bit bigger, with a 15 mm taller screen with easy-to-remove side deflectors, while lighting now includes LED indicators as original equipment. The front panels surrounding the radiator and the interior panel around the cockpit area are manufactured from a tough fibreglass composite material.
Finally, the World Raid also gets larger rally footpegs to help give the rider more control and comfort while standing up on the pegs and looking like a hard-core adventurer.
It is a big update on the Tenere 700 platform, but will surely see Yamaha take a further bite out of the tech-heavy European competition that continues to flood the market.
Bring on 2023!