2021 Tenere 700: 3 year Review

 2021 Yamaha Tenere 700 3 year Review

The T7 has really impressed me with it's overall competence, quality, refinement, fun factor &  endearing synergy & cache. It has a big dirt bike feel while also being very road friendly with a jack of all trades, master of none capability that I really enjoy & appreciate.  Aside from its height & high center of gravity the T7 is confidence inspiring off-road & easy to ride with it's ample, linear, torque rich power & very good traction compliments of frame, swingarm & output shaft geometry optimized to push the rear tire down on acceleration. Every design has compromises & Yamaha chose to infuse traction prowess by placing the motor high in the frame to the detriment of lower center of gravity & seat height. 

What is striking is the diverse & broad appeal the T7 garners ranging from actual dual sport use to gravel/dirt road adventures to commuting to touring to Iron Butt length travels...it is the personification of an 'all rounder'. It's not perfect in oem trim (few bikes are) or the perfect bike for everyone (shorter riders take note), but like a chameleon it can morph into whatever you need it to be with the right tweaks & set-up...& therein lies that magic elixir that Yamaha sweated 4 years of development over...the ability to be good at most things, very good at some things & at worst mid-pack on a few. The CP-2 motor, first introduced in the MT-07 in 2014,  has earned an envious reliability record & is a jewel with refined, real world useable, yet entertaining power. Yamaha has created a runaway sales success with the Tenere 700 that re-enforces how versatile Adventure genre motorcycles can be by adeptly straddling off-road & road prowess while setting a new standard to emulate in the middle weight ADV genre. 

My ownership since Aug 2020 has been what I would consider Yamaha & Tenere 700 typical, in that I have had no significant issues over the past 3 years except for the rear shock rebound adjuster threads stripping (likely user error, the manual specifies caution & restrictions on range of adjustment) & never had to wait long for Yamaha parts. My ownership history, tweaks & upgrades are documented elsewhere in this blog...you can search via the magnifying glass symbol near the top right of the blog page. 

Pro

• competitive pricing & value
• versatile & capable all around performer  with good off-road prowess
• attractive Dakar inspired styling, big dirt bike feel, narrow
• a back to basics concept devoid of the myriad of electronic nannies except for ABS that can be completely turned off with a button
• competitive middle weight twin cylinder adventure bike genre mass & bulk
• a refined CP-2 parallel twin 690cc motor derived from Yamaha's MT-07 bikes that produces ample, predictable, linear & torque rich power
• frame, swingarm & output shaft geometry optimized to push the rear tire down on acceleration aiding traction
• fully adjustable adequate suspension
• rising rate rear shock linkage - compatible with lowering links
• good ergos/rider triangle including standing - bar risers can be rotated 180 degrees for improved off-road dynamics
• conspicuous lighting with always on dual low beam headlights + dual high beams
• front turn lights with running light function (Canadian Bike, other markets may differ)
• switchable ABS front & rear
• uses regular 87 RON fuel
• decent fuel range of 320 km (198 miles) to 380 km (236 miles) / 20 km/L (47 us mpg) to 24 km/l (56 us mpg) typical mileage
• 18" / 21" tire combo
• monochromatic Rally inspired instrument cluster with good visibility/readability & enough basic info via bar toggle or dash button
• oem accessory bar
• oem 15/46  3.067 gearing good for off-road/technical riding
• valve check/adjustment every 42,000 km or 26,600 miles
• Yamaha reliability, quality, extensive dealer network/parts availability & value

Con

• tall + high center of gravity
• non-adjustable wind screen, noise/buffeting
• uncomfortable rider & passenger seat
• there a better 2 up bikes
• monochromatic dash with limited menu customization - no connectivity, new colour TFT display not available for Canada & USA markets (as of 2023 models)
• suspension components performance envelope limited
• under sprung rear shock for riders over 77 kg or 170 lbs
• fuel capacity only 16 litres, located high on the bike
• rear brake lacks feel & prone to accelerated pad wear (different pads improve feel, Camel ADV 'The Fix"  addresses the oem brake lever design issues well & improves feel/performance)
• oem muffler location too wide & low - prone to mount bending pushing muffler into the swingarm  + necessitates wider than optimal luggage rack on the right side
• oem muffler mount welded vs bolt on
• valve adjustment/spark plug replacement is labour intensive requiring tank & body panel removal
• oem 15/46 3.067 gearing lower than optimal for non-technical riding - 16/46 2.875 (-6.7%) gearing or 15/44 2.933 (-4.5%) a better match for the motor for everyday riding imho (see blog post here)
• plastic hand guards
• wheels have unsealed spokes in center of rim - unable to run without tubes unless modified/changed
• the chrome finish on the spokes tend to tarnish quickly
• center stand not included
• no cruise control option

Quirks

The T7, like most bikes, has a number of quirks:

• if the key is not fully seated in the on position (between the off & on detents) the bike will turn over but not start (see blog post here)
• the speedometer reads approximately 10% high  vs my phone gps i.e. an indicated 110 kph = 100 kph  or indicated 66 mph = 60 mph. The oem odometer is more accurate at +1 to 2% vs my phone gps 
• the T7 fuel gauge uses 6 bars & is non-linear (i.e. not the same amount of kms/miles for each of the bars to turn off...the 6th bar that indicates full does not disappear until ridden approximately 130/140 km or 80/87 miles...reserve is indicated when the 1st bar starts to blink & the trip meter changes to a reserve trip meter that starts at zero & counts up + the onboard computer display for average km/l or mpg under calculates by 1-2 km/l vs actual...see blog post here for more details
• the rider seat requires removing 2 allen bolts (after unlocking & removing the passenger seat, an allen key is located at the back of the rider seat) to access the air filter, battery, fuses & OBDll plug...there is a simple solution that eliminates the need to remove the allen bolts, but does require use of the passenger seat to hold it in place...see my blog post here
• the shifter will not shift into 1st gear if adjusted much below the top of the foot peg, caused by the shifter arm hitting the footpeg casting/stop...see my blog post here
• the headlight, windshield mount, instrument panel & accessory bar bounce noticeably on rough surfaces...several fixes are available including the Camel Anti-Bobblehead Brackets that mount in 3 places stiffening the entire assembly (the instrument panel remains isolated from vibration via rubber mounts)...see my blog post here
• the headlight adjuster knobs require many turns to change headlight position
• the side stand spring is not strong enough to prevent side stand bounce on rough roads & possibly lowering enough to catch on things or activate the side stand switch killing the motor...local springs shops may have a stiffer correctly sized spring or use Camel's Heavy Duty Side Stand Spring...see my blog post here
• many of us have discovered after removing the front wheel that the T7 floating right fork does not center on the brake rotor allowing the caliper to contact the rotor in it's static position, even after all fork alignment techniques have been used. One option is to push the fork inwards enough to center the rotor on the caliper, but may cause binding of the fork or shim the brake caliper with narrow washers...see my blog post here
• every motor has a characteristic sound & the CP-2, along with other Yamaha motors that utilize a similar cam chain tensioner design, has an rpm dependent wine/whir that may vary in volume/prominence from model to model but is consistent & normal for this motor...see my blog post here
• the upper & lower chain roller guides near the front sprocket use non-sealed basic bushings & tend to get noisy...regular cleaning & grease on the bushings or switching to roller guides with sealed bearings helps
• the oem pumpkin turn lights bounce like a bobble-head & can pop out of their mount
• the bar mounted toggle on the throttle side switch cluster for selecting dash menus is positioned far from the grip making it difficult to operate without sliding or removing your hand from the throttle

Initial Ride Review  & Ergonomics (2020)

My initial ride review can be read elsewhere on this blog here where I cover ergonomics in detail. It is interesting how perspectives change...the T7 seemed so light, narrow & flickable vs my 2014 Super Tenere 1200 ES, being 60kg or 130lb lighter (as per Yamaha), but because of a high center of gravity the T7 now seems heavy relative to other bikes that have their motor & fuel mounted lower.

Notchy Shifting During Break-in

While my bike was never bad from the get go, others have reported notchy or difficult shifting with their new bikes, mine improved with miles & after the break-in period & 1st oil change...which seems consistent with what most experience. There have also been reports on the forums that shifting improved after lowering the oil level to the middle of the sight glass from at or above the top & regularly greasing the shift lever pivot shaft (requires removal of the entire foot peg mount assembly). Using higher quality oil, like full synthetic triple ester, facilitates best performance & extends the oil service life before break down starts to deteriorate shifting. 

On/Off Throttle Response/Jerkiness

Much of this is caused by the bike's deceleration map that shuts off fuel vs ramping it down when the throttle is transitioned from on to off, particularly at low speeds in lower gears, but can be mitigated by adjusting the throttle cable slack to almost none vs the oem setting. Other mitigating factors are noted below but may also include finessed throttle/clutch/shifting technique & gradual improvement after break-in & more mileage...aftermarket throttle cams with slower response curve are also an option. I originally planned on an ecu flash, but the bike has quite acceptable fueling & progressed to a state of smoothness/refinement after doing the following adjustments & changes that my motivation has waned substantially:

• throttle body synch
• throttle cable play adjusted to almost zero
• correct chain & clutch adjustment
• taller gearing (I found that a 16 tooth rubber coated front sprocket vs the oem 15 tooth compliments the CP-2 motor better for most riding providing a more relaxed demeanor & smoothing out throttle inputs)
• Guglatech Ultra 4 Air filter (can be used dry or oiled - also have the FunnelWebFilter main filter) + a FunnelWebFilter pre-filter (one that replaces the snorkel & one that fits in the oem snorkel) for off-road use (filters capable of higher air velocity than the oem filter usually add refinement to throttle input...this was my experience with my S10 when switching to a UniFilter)
• shorten the internal portion of the air box snorkel 15 mm or 0.6" (as per UniFilter to promote more even distribution of air within the filter)
• Camel 1 Finger Clutch Mod set in the middle hole provides a wider range of clutch engagement

Suspension

The oem suspension, despite having full adjustability & being adequate for average riding, is spec'd to a price point & can benefit from upgrades depending on your preferences, use & rider weight/loads (which can be said for many bikes). It tends to be on the harsh side for sharp edged & big hits & reaches it's limits when pushed hard & with heavier loads. The rebound/compression adjusters are most effective in the middle of the range, but limited in effectiveness & the pre-load has good adjustment range. 

The oem rear 71.4 Nm spring is rated for 65-70 kg or 143-154 lb riders (as per Rally Raid) & could not provide correct sag for my 99 kg or 220 lb rider/gear weight despite maximum preload...I settled on Rally Raid's 90 Nm rear spring after trying their 95 Nm & had SuspensionWerx rebuild the oem KYB shock which netted noticeable improvements. The correct spring & sag transformed the feel & handling making the front slightly plusher & balancing out the front & rear & imho is the single most beneficial & cost effective suspension upgrade for T7 riders heavier than the oem spring rating. The oem 6.1 Nm fork springs are better matched to the bike & rider weights heavier than the eom rear spring rating & may only need spacers and/or adjustable preload caps to obtain correct sag depending on rider weight, loads & type of riding .

OEM Spring Rates, Rally Raid Springs, Sag Measurements, Suspension Settings & Weights can be viewed elsewhere on this blog here.

OEM KYB Rear Shock Rebuild by SuspensionWerx - Rally Raid 90 & 95 Nm Rear Spring - Info on Differences Between Rally Raid & K-Tech Shock Springs & Relationship to T700 Hydraulic Preload Adjustment (HPA) & Load Compensation can be viewed elsewhere on this blog here.

Rally Raid T7 Adventure 35mm Open Cartridge Fork Kit (5.6 & 6.0 Nm Springs) can be viewed elsewhere on this blog here.

Handling

Once you become accustomed to a 21" front wheel it is amazing how competent the T7 is on pavement, even with aggressive knobbies like Motoz's Dual Venture TL front & Adventure or Rallz rear...off-road is where it comes into it's element & Yamaha's engineering & development focus shine being so much more confidence inspiring on gravel/dirt than my S10....at the risk of repeating myself correct sag & spring rate really benefits this bike, but will raise the rear height 😀

Wind Management

Form won out over function with the Dakar inspired styling, particularly in terms of buffeting & noise with the low, narrow, mostly vertical & forward non-adjustable windscreen position.  For dirt centric riders it's not so much of an issue, but road use & taller riders will struggle the most & there are a host of aftermarket options, ranging from cutting down the oem windscreen to larger touring biased screens. The T7 benefits from improved laminar flow up the inside of the windscreen, taller, wider, better shaped, adjustable windscreens, add-on adjustable spoilers & improved side spill over protection. I have spent considerable time experimenting & tweaking my set-up resulting in a very adjustable combo with much improved wind management & reduced noise/buffeting that allows me to keep my visor up & see over the windscreen...full details can be viewed elsewhere on my blog here. FYI: The oem rubber M5 well nuts for the windscreen & side deflectors deform & deteriorate over time/use & can be sourced on Amazon for a fraction of the oem replacement cost...see my blog here 

Seat

Suffice it to say that many riders opt to replace or modify the oem seats. I opted for the Seat Concepts Sport Touring standard height rider seat & am very pleased with it for comfort, accommodating standing & moving around easily. My full review can be viewed elsewhere on my blog here.

 Factory Grease on Bearings, Shock Linkage, Swing Arm & Associated Bolts

There has been some on-line chatter about the amount of factory bearing grease & dry bolt surfaces, so I inspected my shock linkage after the 1st year to find that it was well greased, but the bolt surfaces were dry & had minor corrosion. It may be advisable to coat the bolt shafts with high quality water proof grease as it is an easy service to do, particularly if you pressure wash your bike, routinely ride in wet/muddy conditions, do water crossings or managed to submerse your bike. FYI: Swingarm frame plugs help keep water & contaminates from collecting in the recessed bolt holes & keep an eye on the steering head nut on top of the upper triple clamp which some have reported to loosen...mine was tight on my 2021 Canadian bike from the Japan Factory.

Rear Brake Pedal Feel/Performance & Pad Wear 

The oem rear brake tends to lack fee, have a somewhat spongy response & there have been reports of accelerated pad wear (which may be a result of improperly adjusted lever, binding lever bushing (mine did this even with the entire assembly off the bike in a vice), unintentionally resting foot on the lever while riding & sticking calipers. Cory at Camel ADV tried many prototypes investigating how to improve on the oem operation & design while developing their patented 'The Fix' brake lever resulting in much improved feel & performance...highly recommended...see blog post here

Fork Guards Susceptible to Breaking Off at Lower Fork Bolt During Crash/Tip Over

The fork guards are hard, non-flexible plastic & susceptible to breaking off at the bottom fork bolt during crashes/tip overs. 3 solutions exist...never crash or fall over 😎, replace the oem metal screws with plastic ones that should sheer off before the fork guard plastic reaches it breaking point & Camel's T7 Fork Guard Protectors which not only strengthen that area minimizing potential damage but serve as a repair if already broken.

Blue Loctite & Dialectric Grease are your Friend

Use of blue loctite on most bolts & dialectric grease on electrical connections is highly recommended.

ABS Body Panel Bolt Tabs for the U-Nuts can Snap Off Easily

The T7 ABS body panels bolt mounting tabs that hold the U-nuts in place are not designed to withstand much torque or stress & can snap off easily if misaligned and/or over tightened (loctite not recommended). 

Loosen & Retorque Wheel Axle Bolts ASAP

The T7 has a reputation for difficult to remove axle bolts when new, particularly the rear. It is advisable to do this at home when you have access to proper leverage tools vs road side with your tool kit. FYI: The oem rear Pirelli tire may need a lot of persuasion to get off the rim.

OEM Muffler Tail Pipe Assembly is Removable via 4 Bolts (Canadian & USA Models, not sure if applicable in other markets)

The oem tail pipe assembly unbolts & can be removed which permitted switching it for a larger diameter tail pipe custom assembly that improved sound a little & flowed slightly better. 

Side Stand Safety Switch Bypass

The T7 incorporates a 2 part ignition circuit cut-off system. A clutch switch prevents the bike from starting when in gear, unless the clutch lever is pulled in & a side stand switch prevents the bike from being ridden when the side stand is down. A damaged or faulty side stand switch will cause the bike not to run when in gear regardless of the side stand position, or if the side stand bounces low enough to activate it the switch will kill the motor while riding, so some opt to bypass it. The switch is located behind the side stand mount & exposed with the oem Yamaha skid plate & many aftermarket skid plates...AXP is one of the few that offer protection. It is integrated into the back of the side stand pivot & is susceptible to damage or being impacted by water & muck whereby the signal may be broken. Fortunately it is a simple design that can be easily bypassed on the trail if damaged or faulty by splicing the 2 wires together. A more elegant & pre-emptive solution is to wire in a bypass adapter plug at the oem wiring harness connector located behind the left front body panel & the radiator cowl...just be aware that once that switch is bypassed the bike can be ridden with the side stand down.

OEM Accessory Plug has 2 Amp Fuse! 

Be advised that the oem accessory plug has a 2 amp fuse that is not compatible with higher amperage accessories like electric tire pumps, heated clothing or air horns (typically 10+ amps) & while the wiring & circuit may be capable of higher current it may not be advisable to replace the oem fuse  with one above 3-4 amps. It is preferable to wire high current accessories directly to the battery with a fused wiring harness or better yet to a fuse block or electronic distribution center.

Location of OEM Switched Connectors for Accessory Lighting & Heated Grips

There are 2 each oem switched 3 wire (10 amp - 1 ground, 2 switched power) & oem switched 2 wire (2 amp - the left side is wired to the oem accessory outlet circuit) connectors for auxiliary lighting, heated grips or other electrical accessories located behind each of the Tenere 700 front body panels. Prewired power harnesses, splitters or individual connectors to match the 3 position oem Sumitomo .090 waterproof MT style connectors or the 2 position .090 unsealed MT connectors for 16 to 20 AWG sized wire can be sourced online from several retailers like Eastern Beaver, ebay & AliExpress.

Air Filter, Exhaust & ECU Flash Tuning

The oem paper air filter performs the functions it was designed for well enough until dirty, but is expensive, not reusable & outperformed by some aftermarket options, so many opt for reusable oiled air filters & pre-filters like Uni Fliter (oem fitment in Australia), FunnelWebFilters, Twin Air & Guglatech. Cotton based filters, like K&N, DNA & BMC, are not recommended for dusty or extreme conditions because of poor filtration performance of smaller particulates. See my air filter blog post here.

The oem muffler is a baffled multi-chamber design with internal spark arrestor that actually flows reasonably well, but is heavy, fugly & epa tuned for sanitized loudness & sound quality that has spawned a healthy aftermarket of low & high mount designs using the oem exhaust hanger &  designs that completely relocate the mid-pipe & muffler higher & tucked in close to the frame & body panels. The catalytic converter, which is integrated into the oem header (under the engine on Euro 4 bikes 2019-2022/23 depending on market & in front of the motor on Euro 5 2023/24+ bikes depending on market), is the most restrictive exhaust component & generates very high temperatures, so some opt to replace the header with a cat free design. Note that most decat headers are not homologated & sold only for off-road/race use. See my exhaust blog post here & MIVV Dakar post here. 

If seeking the most refined fueling & power delivery, cooler running & healthier motor an ecu flash tuned for your particular set-up provides the greatest benefit, whereby the majority of the improvement will be in the low/mid range and part-throttle vs large gains at WOT. An alternative is 'piggyback' plug-n-play fuel controllers, but are limited in capability compared to flashes + may cost more & the most basic dongles that substitute the oem temperature sensor's signal with one that tricks the ecu into thinking the ambient temperature is lower than actual resulting in richer fuel delivery. A tech article explaining the differences between an ecu flash & 'piggyback' controllers can be viewed here. The T7 does not have throttle restrictions like many throttle by wire bikes. 

Changes in just air filter & muffler do not require a flash as they usually do not alter fueling beyond the parameters of the oem ecu programming, however, a flash is recommended for correcting fuel & ignition mapping issues related to epa tuning, particularly with removal of the airbox snorkel, catalytic converter or significant alterations to the intake system & motor internals. Note that modification/removal of oem emissions equipment, catalytic converter & ecu flashes will violate emission laws in most jurisdictions.

Most ecu flashes are tuned for 91 RON premium fuel ((but can be tuned for any octane fuel within the constraints of the motor & associated components design/operational parameters), adjust fuel, ignition & throttle by wire maps (including IAP vs RPM and TPS v RPM tables), deceleration cut-off & back pressure, lower radiator fan on/off temperature settings & a few other parameters depending on the bike. Not all ecu flash tunes or tuners are the same despite many using the same software, so do your due diligence, see this link for a very comprehensive video on this topic by 2WheelDynoWorks (Seattle, USA) who are extremely experienced tuners, particularly with the CP2 motor...they have also posted lots of good info in the Vendor section on the Yamaha Tenere 700 Forum here.

Final Thoughts

Most other ADV bikes offer more features, some higher performance & better components, others are more suited to a particular type of riding, but few can match the T7s broad duality & range of off-road/road prowess, overall capability, price point, reliability & owner experience. The twin cylinder mid sized ADV segment gets more crowded every year with bikes predominantly evolved from street bikes...the T7 is one of the newer breeds designed from concept with a dedicated platform specifically for this market segment. Here's a sampling of some of the competition:

• If imitation is the best form of flattery then Aprilia's Tuareg 660 leads the clone wars with a similar focus more feature laden bike that bests the T7 in several specifications, but lacks Yamaha's reputation & dealer network, at least in Canada & the USA. 
• KTMs 790/890 series is the undisputed Ready to Race king in this segment with a lower center of gravity compliments of it's dual low slung fuel cells & model specific class leading suspension & components, but demands much faith/patience of it's customers because of on-going reliability/quality control issues.  
• BMW F series continue to evolve & improve, increasing in weight & cost...I owned 2 BMWs during the past decade & upon receipt of the 4th recall for the same electrical part that rendered my last one a paper weight on multiple occasions it became a bridge too far....hasta la vista baby😎 
• Triumph's 800/900 series continue to widen their capabilities, move upscale & compete with the premium boys on price, features & performance, but do it with their renowned triple that loves an open road.  
• Suzuki's new V-Strom 800DE is an entire new platform & departure from their venerable V-twins with a modern parallel twin that emulates Yamaha's CP-2 motor but with more displacement & power, fairly well spec'd & performing suspension & 21/17" tire combo that may get overlooked unless ridden that echoes a Goldilock's theme of not too much of this, not too little of that, just right mid-sized ADV bikes favoured by the Japanese.
• Many of us were hoping for Honda to properly revise their venerable CB500X into a lighter, more off-road biased ADV warrior, but instead opted for an Africa Twin sibling with their new Transalp 750, which looks promising, emulating a lighter Africa Twin with similar power/weight ratio...Honda has targeted the Transalp for maximum sales saturation as a more well rounded street biased adventure/touring bike than the T7 & should have a hit on their hands....perhaps at the expense of Africa Twin sales.

If a middle weight twin cylinder ADV genre bike that's in it's element off-road is your tool of choice & provided you are comfortable with it's SUV like reach to the ground & high center of gravity, the T7 should be on your short list...not because of class leading specs, features or performance, but because it just flat works, it's overall competence most everywhere & reputation for reliabilty...it somehow manages to be greater than the sum of its parts...particularly with correct sag & spring rates for your weight & riding. 

Time will tell, but based on having ridden 60+ motorcycles since the late 1970s, the T7 has a similar synergy & may possess similar enduring qualities as the iconic KTM 990 Adventure series (2006-13) that keeps that bike relevant & rewarding to ride to this day....& imho, ought to make the T7 a bike that holds it's value well & make for a fun & satisfying long term ownership.