Yamaha has added some serious upgrades to the basic Ténéré 700.

The Ténéré 700 is a bike admired by most avid Adventure riders for its minimal tech, off-road versatility and lightweight build. In fact, since its release date in 2019, the T7 alone has captured 20 per cent of the mid-size Adventure touring market. That’s a big slice of the pie when you look at other manufacturers; most offering two or more models within the segment that collectively haven’t captured as much of the demographic as Yamaha has.

The T7 was released at a perfect time in my mind, the year that Kawasaki announced its beloved KLR 650 would be no more (later re-released). Riders that were steadfast in minimal tech, looking for a bike that was simple to work on, got the job done and wasn’t obscenely costly were momentarily left with no options. Yamaha stepped in with the introduction of the Ténéré 700, which, without surprise, caught on like wildfire.

When I first rode the standard T7, I had mixed feelings about it. I enjoyed the look and design, the engine and transmission, and the easy-to-use ABS on/off switch. However, I firmly believe that shorter riders feel hindered on the bike because of its tall, narrow profile, which creates a high centre of gravity. I understood why so many people were steadfast on it, but I was convinced it would never be the bike for me. Then Yamaha announced the Ténéré 700 World Raid edition. I impatiently watched the unveiling at the Vancouver motorcycle show; I was unsure whether it would be superior to the standard T7 in any way other than long-distance capacity.

FIRST WORLD RAID RIDE

I had arrived in Idaho with numerous other journalists to get the first chance to ride the all-new Ténéré 700 World Raid; we would be riding at Tamarack Resort for three days, testing the bike through all types of terrain. We even got a bonus tough single-track ride … this was due to me missing a turn and leading most of our group on a wild ride that proved just how capable the World Raid is.

The T7 World Raid is built on the same platform as the standard T7, with the same chassis and the same CP2 parallel-twin engine offering 73.4 horsepower and 50 lb-ft of torque. The transmission paired with the 689-cc engine offers low-end grunt for slower riding while delivering adequate power at speed and passing on the highway. 

It’s a well-known engine at this point, debuting in the MT-07 in 2014. The engine itself has a linear power curve, creating steady and reliable power for riders, and has proven its reliability over the years.

T7 WORLD RAID VS STANDARD T7

There are three main differences on the World Raid compared to the standard model: two that make it an easy choice to upgrade to the World Raid model, and a third that might turn some of you completely off of this…