Nick packs a swag, ice cold beers, a few snags and heads on a 1500km trip to Bike Territory, Narrabri, for the ultimate adventure weekend on the Yamaha Tenere 700... Photos: HMC & NW

If you’re a regular reader of my somewhat sporadic yet hopefully entertaining bike reviews, you’d know that I’m a fan of a bike that is capable. I want a bike that can do what it says it can do and do more than I’m capable of asking from it, the Tenere 700 has proven to be just that…

Nick went bush for a short holiday on the Tenere 700, hading out to Bike Territory in Rocky Creek, NSW.

The Yamaha Tenere is a bike that’s been on my radar for nearly a decade. I was lucky enough to have an extended run on the WR250 Tenere custom build that was our BikeReview Long Termer for a year back in 2019. So when I got the call to pick up a 2025 model Tenere 700 from RideADV‘s Greg Yager up the road from me at Somersby, NSW, I was out there instantly to grab the beast…

Read our other Adventure Bike reviews here…

I put a few Ks on the 2025 model and certainly didn’t let it have an easy run. I managed to squeeze in one serious ride out to meet a good mate at the famous Bike Territory in Rocky Creek, NSW. With a good 1200km and 11 hours on the road, and probably that much again on the dirt out in the beautiful Mt Kaputar and Nandewar mountain ranges; I’ll give you a bit of a rundown on what I think. We’ll backtrack through the three-day adventure ride, cover on-road performance, and what it’s like in the dirt, sand, mud, and single trails. I’ll say it now; I don’t think your wallet will like what I have to say…

Nick covered a couple of thousand kilometres on tar and dirt on the Tenere 700 and could hardly fault it.

For 2025, the T7 comes in with the tried and tested CP2 powerplant, cranking out 54.5kW. However, it’s now running Yamaha’s Chip Controlled Throttle (in other words, Ride-by-Wire), and a shorter and improved air intake, which allows you to switch between two throttle maps, Sport and Explorer, on the go showing an overall improvement in throttle responsiveness (apparently). More on this later.

Read about the 2026 Yamaha Tenere World Raid edition here...

This year’s model is also slightly sleeker and is just that much closer to a dirtbike. The tank height sits lower and further forward, which improves that tall centre of gravity. The forks are now fully adjustable with 15mm of preload, and at the rear, despite the same travel, has a new linkage that allows for a longer stroke within the shock body.

There’s a nice big new TFT display up front that you navigate by new and beefy switchgear, and a big ABS/TC button to switch between tarmac and dirt modes quickly and easily. They’ve also moved the clutch linkage further forward and inwards to stop it rubbing on your shin, and it now comes factory with some big chunky rally footpegs. For 2025, the T7 comes in three colours: Icon Blue (classic Yamaha, and our test bike), Frozen Titanium (my personal favourite), and Sky Blue.

“This year’s model is also slightly sleeker and is just that much closer to a dirtbike.”

Day 1. Road. 584km to Bike Territory, Narrabri

From my joint on the Central Coast, NSW, it was just under a 600km ride. Our Carpuride was mounted up top on the factory crossbar mount for nav on maps (you can use the free Yamaha MyRide app) but I had loaded maps due to knowing I would lose signal – and this had me scheduled through Muswellbrook and Gunnedah and into town by about midday.

 

 

I hit the road around 6am and was packed very light. I consider myself a bit of an avid hiker, so I am used to cramming a few days’ worth of stuff into a backpack. As you can see, there’s plenty of room on the one-piece seat for a decent-size rucksack, small tent and a bumbag. The T7 2025’s luggage mounts didn’t quite suit my regular luggage straps, but a few loops fashioned out of the trusty paracord meant my gear was safe and secure.

A 6am start had Nick heading from the Central Coast all packed and ready for the camping trip.

Despite the 689cc twin cranking out only 54.5kW, it’s more than enough to properly get ahead and merge safely onto the freeway. It’s just such a smooth, quiet, responsive and reliable little powerplant with that beautiful parallel twin exhaust note. At 110km/h it was revving at just over 4000rpm. Our test model came in with the optional quick-shifter, which was flawless clicking through the nicely spaced six-speed box. I think it’s just the smooth, linear torque that I love about this little powerplant so much-there’s no surprises, even from low rpm it just chugs up the rev range smoothly and cleanly.

The rally style screen is not particularly large and I see quite regularly that owners swap this out almost instantly with a taller adventure screen. At 194cm I am well accustomed to wind-buffeting and I regularly complain about it in most of my reviews. To be perfectly honest, it wasn’t too bad on the Tenere even up at higher speeds. Manageable enough that I could sit quite comfortably on the freeway and still hear my music in the helmet. Now, what I would have loved from Yamaha was the addition of cruise control, considering the bike is now RbW.

“Despite the 689cc twin cranking out only 54.5kW, it’s more than enough to properly get ahead and merge safely onto the freeway.”

Out of Muswellbrook, the road opens up into these beautiful long sweeping corners that really let me test what the T7 could do at pace. I had the bike sitting comfortably at speed through the bends and the stability was impressive for such a tall adventure bike with a seat height of 875mm. The new suspension setup keeps everything planted, no wallowing or vagueness through the mid-corner that I’m often used to on these mega dirtbikes.

When you need to scrub speed before tighter turns, the front brakes are more than adequate…

The KYB inverted forks up front with 210mm travel and the shock with an equally impressive 200mm travel work brilliantly together. Yamaha have nailed the pairing here. The front-end has enough support to dive into corners with confidence, while the rear linkage keeps the back end tracking exactly where you want it with a newfound progression. It’s that perfect marriage of both ends working in harmony that gives you the confidence to really push it through the corners.

“It’s that perfect marriage of both ends working in harmony that gives you the confidence to really push it”…

When you need to scrub speed before tighter turns, the front brakes are more than adequate. The dual 282mm discs aren’t quite at the level of some of the European competition, but dropping from 120km/h down to 60km/h for the tighter stuff, they had plenty of bite and feel. Progressive power, good initial grab and I never felt like I was running out of brake. There was no brake fade.

The rear brake boasts a single 245mm disc and is more spongy than I’d have liked, even in chunky enduro boots. There’s a bit too much pedal throw before you get any real bite. A lot of riders prefer this so they can slam the pedal, I know my brother Jeff runs huge rubber bands on his rear brake pedal, or bleeds air into the system, but I like feel and bite.

“The rear brake boasts a single 245mm disc and is more spongy than I’d have liked, even in chunky enduro boots.”

I’ll be honest, I got absolutely shafted on fuel economy on this leg. Filled up at a servo early AM and I reckon the fuel was dodgy as the T7 only managed about 200km from the tank before the light came on. That meant it was averaging 6.7L/100km, which is worse than my SUV. Normally you’d expect closer to 300km from the 16-litre tank on a highway run like this, so something was definitely off.

Whether it was bad fuel or just the way I was riding it hard through the hills, either way, it meant an unplanned fuel stop. That being said, with me atop at 100kg, 40-oddkg of gear and a full tank, the little CP2 is hauling near 370kg (wet weight 208kg). So maybe that isn’t too bad. It’s revving too at 100 – 110km/h. A long-range fuel tank would be a neat addition though. RideADV recommended the Safari Tank (25L), might be worth a look. Otherwise, a 2L soft fuel bladder could be good. Things improved over the test, the bike averaged 5L/100km over the month or so.

Coming into the tighter, more technical sections, this thing transforms. Despite the knobbies, Dunlop Rally Raids to be precise, you can genuinely throw it around like a supermoto. The new suspension is super tight and brilliantly set up. It reminded me so much of my old supermoto bike. That same flickable, confidence-inspiring feel where you’re pointing it at the exit and it goes where you look.

Through the switchbacks across Mt Kaputar, I had the most fun I’ve had on two wheels in a very long time. The wider rally footpegs give you so much control when you’re weighting the outside ‘peg through corners and that slimmer tank profile means you can really get your knee into the tank and move your body around. For a bike with a decent physical presence, it genuinely feels like a big enduro bike rather than a heavy adventure tourer.

The fully laden Tenere 700 sucked the fuel down at almost 7L/100km on the open road, offering a range of just 200km.

The CP2 motor pulls cleanly out of second-gear corners and you’re never hunting for power or worrying about bogging down. For the entire road ride, I had it in Sport mode. While I am still not the biggest fan of ride-by-wire throttle, the choice to switch between modes is a nice addition, even if the Tenere didn’t necessarily need it. Despite this, there’s a substantial change in the bike between modes, and Explorer is incredibly mellow. In my opinion, when combined with the TC, too mellow, especially on the dirt. More on this later. In Sport mode, it’s punchy, and pops the front wheel up no dramas.

 

 

Arriving at Narrabri was a solid six hours in the saddle. Now, it’s a one-piece dirtbike-style seat and it’s quite firm, definitely firmer than your typical touring seat. But honestly, no real pain or soreness even after those 6 hours and 600km. I think the upright riding position and the ability to move around on the bike helps a lot. You’re not locked into one position. I could stand on the ‘pegs for a bit, shift forward, sit back – keeps the blood flowing. For a bike at this price point with this kind of off-road capability, the comfort is genuinely impressive.

“You’re not locked into one position. I could stand on the ‘pegs for a bit, shift forward, sit back – keeps the blood flowing”.

I rolled into town just after midday and what felt like 17 fuel stops. Things got a bit sketchy along the Oxley Highway, that fuel light was on for too long and I had zero phone signal. Luckily my bud Jack was waiting and after a quick stop off to his joint we hit the road out to Bike Territory. Bike Territory is a working cattle and sheep farm situated on about 10,000 acres of beautiful farmland known as ‘Castle Top’ surrounded by Mt Kaputar National Park. Many of you would be familiar with the place, essentially limitless tracks and trails and a place to camp, have a massive bloody fire and drink beers.

The owner, Scott (also a Tenere World Raid owner), is a legend and hooked us up with a spot with amazing views of the southern side (that’s right, there’s a north and south side split by Rocky Creek Road) and enough firewood to really get a campfire going. Luckily, my buddy brought his 450 out on the trailer, so I was treated to a few more creature comforts than I was able to carry on the back of the Tenere. These included beer and food, and water!

By the time we were set up, tent pegged and beers in the cooler I was pretty knackered. But given Jack was from Narrabri, he was itching to get his 450 out on the trails. What’s another 100km on a 600 km day? For the arvo, he’d laid out a few tight single-trail enduro loops for us (Main Track, P-Plate Hill, Labyrinth Loop and out to Horsepower Hill), as well as climbing up to the 360 Lookout, which is a bit of a famous little area within Bike Territory, and then down and out south towards the border areas. At points these trails we weren’t pushing more than 40km/h, they were tight, loose, and pretty steep and littered with gravel and big stones. I’d chucked the Tenere in Explorer mode and hit the big ABS button situated on the bottom left dash. This is a neat little addition that instantly cuts rear ABS and TC.

Now it’s certainly not a light bike but the dimensions allow you to really get a hold and balance of it in the tight single trails. In a mix between standing, seating, waddling, and pushing, I often started to forget that I was on a 200kg machine, whereas the tiny CRF ahead of me was a fair bit smaller, I wasn’t letting it get away. For such a big bike it’s actually pretty nimble and there is more front-end feel and feedback than I am generally used to on the bigger bikes. The clutch action is beautifully light and with a few small angle adjustments I was able to stand and operate with limited lower back pain. The standing position is quite nice, even for the taller rider, very dirtbike inspired.

“The standing position is quite nice, even for the taller rider, very dirtbike inspired.”

The CP2 powerplant was perfect for tractoring up some of the steep rocky sections and I reckon I stalled it two or three times the entire arvo, no starting problems and despite the tall seat height I was still able to catch it before dropping it when I began to wash out or lose the front. The Dunlop Rally Raids were a real nice addition to our test bike and performed beautifully in the tight slow stuff.

No spills on the first day, despite being wrecked physically and ready for a campfire and 12 beers. The bashplate, however, got a decent workout, I was tired, and you start to make mistakes. Definitely saved my arse there a few times. Unfortunately, it seems as though there’s a few electronic modules towards the bottom, especially the kickstand safety switch, that I imagine would take a serious beating over time. Might be worth considering if you’re tackling the rocky stuff. Again, I struggled a little with rear brake feel, and initially it was a bit more of an on/off switch but I gradually started to understand where the bite points were, just more difficult than I’d have liked. By sunset, I was pushing 800km and 12 hours. The beers were calling…

Day 2. Dirt. 45km to town and Kangaroos…

After a solid snooze and with a surprisingly light hangover, we cooked a mean feed and were aiming to explore the northern, faster, sandier side. Unfortunately, the 450 stopped us in our tracks and wouldn’t start no matter what we tried, so it was a serious bummer. Luckily, my buddy’s dad, the Narrabri man himself, Ron Campbell, saved our arses and had his cruiser and adventure trailer ready to roll from his last trip out to Bike Territory. So not only now did we have a few small spare bikes, a Tenere, we also had a 1000cc quad to roll around on.

“The faster, flowing sandy dirt trails around 50 to 60km/h is where the 2025 T7 really came alive”…

We’d flagged a few trails over the northern side we wanted to hit early before the heat kicked in. The northern end of the property had a sweet mixture of super steep and tight grassy single trail and some nice sandy forest runs. The faster, flowing sandy dirt trails around 50 to 60km/h is where the 2025 T7 really came alive and for the first time I felt like I had a bit of a leg up over Jack on the 250. I started the day off in Explorer mode but found myself coming unstuck, particularly when traction control was dialled up.

As you know, coming up hard and fast to a washed-out section or a log you want to be able to pop the front up with a bit of power. But with the TC on and the dialled-down engine settings in this mode I found myself struggling to get the front up. It seems like between the lower power output and the traction system, it basically cuts any and all power to the rear and nothing happens. After a quick switch over to the Sport mode and no rear TC, I was able to utilise the CP2 power more effectively.

Again, while it’s certainly no little bike, I found myself chucking it around as though I was on the little 250. The lower centre of gravity made it fairly comfortable to stand and lay over in the berms. Even on the little grassy motocross tracks that were definitely built for kids, I was able to get it cranked over pretty well in the big, deep berms. Obviously in the sandier sections you start to feel the weight a bit, but it’s one of the nicer handling adventure bikes I’ve had the pleasure of riding.

Unfortunately I managed to lay it down once and that was in the bloody river rocks. The brush guard didn’t survive on the left-hand side and I reckon they should have at least some sturdier frames running through them, it was a very slow-speed crash. I’d also have expected some measure of crash bar on the side tank fairings. They stick out a fair way and seem to be the first thing to touch the ground. I managed to scratch off a bit of the clear, but might be worth investigating to see if there’s some bars that would protect this.

 

 

The front and rear suspension pairing really shines-over the washboard stuff and even the odd fallen tree, it soaks it up no dramas because both ends are working together, not fighting each other. The bike just stays composed and planted underneath you. There wasn’t anything I came across at all that day where I was starting to worry I might be coming in a bit too hot. It’s this kind of suspension composure that makes you feel like a bloody hero, even when you’re probably riding a bit over your head. Overall, it’s a confidence-inspiring bike with enough torque and suspension give to allow you to soak up whatever you’ve pointed it at and tractor out with no problem at all.

By mid-arvo I was properly knackered and the sun wasn’t far off passing the Mt Kaputar peaks. I stupidly decided I’d do a run into town, a good 45km each way, to grab a new slab of beer and some snags for dinner and brekky. The run in was no dramas, but come sundown it was witching hour and Australia’s entire population of kangaroos had hopped over to the main road. The improved LED front headlights did a decent job at projecting a beam far enough for me to slow down when I could see some movement on the sides of the road.

“Speaking of journeys – if you’re up for it, get out to Bike Territory. There aren’t too many places around nowadays you can still do this type of thing.”

But after counting 20 roos and three pigs within a 15-minute ride I was cruising at about 50km/h and was wishing for some decent spotties. There were a few serious swerves and near-misses but the Tenere was nimble enough to keep me upright. It’s also nimble enough to do this with a case of beer strapped down on the seat. I made it back, eyes watering and freezing my ass off as Jack was just getting ready to bring the cruiser out to search for me. After a few laughs, it was beer time…

Day 3. Road. 584km to Home and Conclusion

After packing up the gear I had a good 7 hours to reflect on how the Tenere treated me over the course of the adventure. Arguably, there’s nothing I’d change for the price. At under $22K rideaway you’re getting an insanely capable bike that can likely do far, far more than what us mortals are capable of asking of it. But here’s the kicker-and this is what makes the 2025 model such a standout-all those bits and pieces that owners of previous generation T7s have been upgrading straight out of the dealership are now coming factory.

The rally footpegs, the fully adjustable front suspension, the improved linkage out back, the RbW with selectable maps, that big TFT display, the beefier switchgear – this is all stuff you used to have to bolt on and pay extra for. Yamaha have actually listened and they’ve delivered a bike that’s properly sorted from the factory.

In general, you’re getting a bike that you’d comfortably take across the state, or across the bloody country if you felt like it, that’s simple enough for you to work on by the side of the road if that ever came to be, but is hardy enough and confidence-inspiring enough to get you out on that journey in the first place. It’s the closest thing you’ll get to a dirtbike that can also do just about everything else. For the money, it’s an absolute sh#tload of bang for your buck.

Speaking of journeys – if you’re up for it, get out to Bike Territory. There aren’t too many places around nowadays you can still do this type of thing. Grab your mates and head out for a few days of riding, fires and drinks. It’s one of the better riding destinations I’ve ever been to, globally, and honestly, this trip reminded me why I got into bikes in the first place.

2025 Yamaha Tenere 700 Specifications

yamaha-motor.com.au

Price: $21,399 rideaway
Colours: Icon Blue (tested), Frozen Titanium, Sky Blue
Warranty: Two-years unlimited km
Claimed Power: 54kW[72hp]@9000rpm
Claimed Torque: 68Nm[43ft-lbs]@6500rpm
Wet Weight: 208kg
Claimed Fuel Consumption: 4.3L/100km
Measure Fuel Consumption: 5L/100km average
Fuel capacity: 16L
Fuel Range: +300km

Engine: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, inline-twin, four-stroke, four-valve, 80 x 68.6mm bore x stroke, 689cc, 11.5:1 compression, lightweight one-piece two-into-one exhaust Gearbox: Six speed Clutch: Wet, multiple disc

Chassis: Tubular steel twin cradle
Rake: 27° Trail: 104mm
Suspension: 43mm KYB forks, fully adjustable, 210mm travel (f), Fully adjustable KYB rising-rate shock, 200mm travel (r) Brakes: 282mm rotor(s) (f), twin-piston Brembo calipers and conventional master-cylinder, 245mm rotor (r), single-piston Brembo caliper Wheels & Tyres: Spoked alloy wheels with Dunlop  Rally Raid (fitted to our test bike) 90/90 – 21in (f), 150/70 – 18in (r)

Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 1595mm
Seat height: 875mm
Ground clearance: 240mm
Overall width: 935mm
Overall Length: 2370mm
Overall height: 1455mm

Instruments & Electronics: 5in TFT Dash, YCC-T, Ride Modes, Switchable ABS.

Editor’s Note: If you are reading this article on any website other than BikeReview.com.au, please report it to BikeReview via our contact page, as it has been stolen or re-published without authority.

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