2025 Yamaha Ténéré 700 (T7)
Photos: Scott Hoffman, Donnie Bales, Trevor Hunter
Improving the Adventure Workhorse
It’s not a dirt bike per se. It’s not a street bike. And it’s not an official dual-sport bike, yet it dabbles in all genres. The Yamaha Ténéré 700 has been a workhorse in the midsize adventure bike category for years. For 2025, Yamaha took this tried-and-true platform and made a slew of updates to improve the already proven. Yamaha has noted the Ténéré alone has 30% market share in the 651cc-900cc adventure bike category.
Now be aware this is coming from a rider who has only flirted with the true world of adventure bikes over the years. Adventure bike riding can really open new doors and experiences aboard a motorcycle, especially when your knees are shot from riding motocross—LOL. Despite a few videos on YouTube that make it look way too easy, riding aggressive enduro trails on an adventure bike is not what I call fun, yet it’s possible if you have insane skill. In reality, most riders are amazed how well an adventure bike can tackle meandering single and two track that are not super tight or steep. We recently took the new Yamaha Ténéré 700 to an Adventure Rally event and had a blast riding purpose-designed routes for two days in the Colorado mountains. Most seasoned single-cylinder riders are pretty amazed how capable and fun an adventure bike can be once they get used to the feel. In most cases they act and react like a standard off-road bike.
What’s New:
Over the years Yamaha has made slight updates to the Ténéré, but for 2025 the list is pretty long. From riding the older model a few years back, what stuck out first was the bike’s ergonomics. The rider triangle is much improved. A lot of this is due to the wider and longer footpegs and a fuel tank that is slightly lower, forward, and slimmer in the knee area. The right-side clutch cover and clutch cable arm has been relocated and allows more room for your boot. This alone allows the rider to find a much-improved (dirt bike) standing rider position that feels more comfortable. In the past, aftermarket pegs were almost a must-have.
The electronics, display, and handlebar controls have also been updated. A joystick on the left handlebar helps jump from modes and the display can be linked (Yamaha Y-Connect App) to a smartphone for calls and navigation. The display is now 6.3″ with several screens and features. One of the cool features is the ability to turn off/on ABS (depending on how you configure it) with one button on the dash. Three modes are available, including an option for traction control to be turned off. On the dash there is a USB-C port to plug in a GPS or phone, if needed.
Also, now the throttle is cableless, meaning fly by wire or what Yamaha calls Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle. This seems to be the wave of the future, yet part of the reason is for emissions. This way the computer ultimately controls the rate of the throttle opening and position to keep the engine running as clean as possible. This does create smooth and efficient power but can limit quick bursts of power because even if the rider twists the throttle wide open very quick, the computer controls the rate and opening in certain conditions. We felt the 2025 Ténéré performs as well (if not maybe a little smoother) down low compared to the older version we rode a little while back. Fuel mapping and the intake tract have also been updated for initial throttle responsiveness.
Suspension while riding off-road is often the arbiter of how aggressive you can ride an adventure bike and also a good way to keep a rider in check. The Ténéré has been known for softer suspension off-road and this is another area addressed and updated for 2025. The rear shock stroke was increased by 7mm with a new linkage, yet the travel remains the same at 7.87″. Settings on both ends have been improved and the fork now has a spring pre-load adjuster with 15mm of range. Fork travel is still the same at 8.27″.
Other Updates:
– Transmission gear dogs increased for smoother feel
– Side stand switch placement and new switch cover
– Exhaust silencer mounting bracket has been strengthened for more durability in the event of a tip over
– Sleeker tank shroud for rider feel and airflow management
– New square compact headlights with a wider lighting pattern
– Updated handguards
– 20 accessories available direct from Yamaha such as quick shift, heated grips, taller and lower seats, lowering links, bags, crash protection, and skid plate to name a few
On the Road and Trail:
One of the first standout features on the 2025 Yamaha Ténéré is the price-to- performance/fun/reliability factor. For a fully capable midsized adventure bike, you can’t beat the price at $10,999. And for 2025, the value has only gotten better with the updates.
The Ténéré might not be as powerful as some of the lighter machines out there but for a 700cc parallel twin, it gets up and goes. Yes, there are times we wish it might be a little faster on the pavement (simply for the fun factor) but that’s not a deal breaker. In the dirt it has nice bottom-end grunt, smooth delivery, and keeps pulling if you want to ride a little more aggressive. The electronic throttle felt pretty connected to the rider and it never seemed to be an issue. Just make sure to turn off traction control as soon as you hit the dirt. The difference is instantly noticeable. There is no off-road traction control setting, only your throttle hand. Yet with the smooth delivery of the power, we never had an issue with out-of-control wheel spin. Shifting is solid but still a little more notchy if you come right off a single-cylinder machine. However, spend a little time on the bike and you never notice it. The cable-driven clutch, for this rider, took a little while to get used to with regard to the engagement point and when riding slower than first gear. It can be a little quick to grab until you get used to the feel and how it engages. Again, minor observations.
The brakes are solid and for the most part we kept front ABS on (rear ABS off), even in the dirt. If we had a full knobby up front we may have rode with front ABS off in more conditions, due to having a better grab or bite feel while riding.
The upgrades to the tank and pegs give the Ténéré more of a dirt-bike feel on the trails, aside from the tank area feeling a little wide, but this is just part of every adventure bike if you want to carry enough fuel. The Ténéré does feel its weight up high when going really slow or at stops but as soon as you get going, that sensation instantly goes away and it feels like it belongs in the dirt. Because of our rider’s height, (6’1″) we opted for the Yamaha Accessory Rally seat right from the get-go, just over 1.5″ taller. The taller seat gives the Ténéré more of a dirt-bike triangle and improved ergos over the stock seat, especially when riding in the sitting position. Yamaha also offers a shorter seat for those who might need it.
The Ténéré has a comfortable feel in both the sitting and standing position. Yet for this rider in the dirt, the Ténéré felt the best standing—especially in corners both fast and especially slow. In the dirt, the bike just feels better or the rider felt more in control when their full weight is down on the pegs and not on the seat.
We had a blast on the previous Ténéré but the suspension gave us a reality check really quick when the fork went clank in the dirt early on. When riding a 450-pound motorcycle, even if it feels like a dirt bike, it has to be respected. The suspension was soft for those looking for that aggressive adventure. For 2025 the settings have been updated front and rear. The ’25 still feels plush and gives a very comfortable ride but you can feel the settings have been improved for sure. The fork has more holdup and takes on more aggressive terrain without bottoming all over the place. It’s for sure improved but you can still find its limits if you have off-road experience. The bike feels balanced and more suited for most off-road conditions and we took the bike through some pretty gnarly rocky sections. Just checking your speeds and not slamming into stuff is the key. It didn’t take more than 50 miles to dial in the capabilities of the bike. Is the suspension perfect? Maybe not, but for sure it’s an improvement over the older model and plenty capable.
Tires make a big difference on adventure bikes yet it really depends on what you plan to do with your ride. More aggressive adventure bike knobbies can be sketchy on the pavement and more round tires can be sketchy in the dirt. The stock Pirellis on the Ténéré are a 60/40 combo and work pretty well overall. We swapped out the stock tires for Dunlop Trailmax Raid, more of a 40/60 tire. They worked well overall but when the rain hit, and being a dirt-bike person, we wish we sacrificed a little more pavement performance for a full knobby up front like the D606 and D908RR out back. If you ride a lot of dirt on your adventure bike, more aggressive tires can make a difference. It’s a real tradeoff.
Overall:
After spending hundreds and hundreds of miles on the updated 2025 Yamaha Ténéré, it really gave me the bug to want to do it again or make adventure riding part of my routine. Jumping from the older model to the 2025, the updates to the ergonomics, improved display, and easy-to-navigate buttons and menu, power delivery, and suspension settings have for sure elevated this motorcycle up a level. And like we mentioned above, the price value of this motorcycle is amazing.
