Tenere 700: 2026 Vancouver Motorcycle Show Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid Reveal

 2026 Vancouver Motorcycle Show Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid Reveal

Yamaha had a surprise reveal of the 1st Tenere 700 World Raid availability in Canada at this year's motorcycle show at 5 pm Friday Jan 16 with an attractive Redline White colour scheme to accompany the Midnight Black model. It has not been verified if North American World Raid models will continue to be assembled in Yamaha's facility in Saint-Quentin, France, which produces most non-North American Tenere 700 models, or if some production will be shifted to their Iwata, Japan facilities. Just as with the original North American Tenere 700 release in 2020, Canada will get the bike 1st, followed shortly after by the USA with estimated delivery in June 2026 of limited stock in both countries. Price is $16,999 + $1,000 Freight & PDI = $17,999 equating to an estimated out the door price of $20,158.88 (as per Yamaha Canada website in Canadian dollars) via a non-refundable $1,000 pre-order deposit until March 02, 2026 or order allocation is filled. Update: as of Jan 30/26 the Canadian allotment for the early deposit program has already been filled.

The World Raid was 1st released to markets outside North America as a 2022 model & sits at the top of the current model range. Yamaha has endowed the 2026 World Raid with updates & tweaks over the previous version that can be viewed in the list, 9to5moto video & Yamaha Canada World Raid website links below, but still retains the low hanging exhaust with welded on hanger & rear subframe that one or the other could benefit from being a bolt on design. 

2026 World Raid Features

• revised, 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) lighter dual inter-connected aluminum tanks with 23 litres (5 UK or 6 US gallons) capacity for an advertised 500 km (310 mile) range, locking flush mount caps & lower positioning for improved centralized mass & lower center of gravity
• significantly upgraded/revised fully adjustable, including preload & revised spring & damping rates, KYB 46 mm 230 mm (9.0") travel Kashima coated forks & 220 mm (8.6") travel 106 mm (4.2") stroke rear shock & progressive linkage
• 240 mm (9.5") ground clearance (assuming with w/oem skidplate) as 955 mm (10") is also shown in Yamaha's specs
• improvements to the frame for less weight + optimized strength & rigidity
• 16 step adjustable steering damper
• strengthened exhaust mounting bracket & luggage mounting bosses
• redesigned more robust side stand switch
• upgraded 6.3" TFT colour display with 3 display layout themes & smart phone connectivity via Yamaha's MyRide app
• dash mounted USB-C port & ABS on/off button
• new electronics pkg with 6 axis IMU, ride modes & lean sensitive traction, slip & ABS/brake control
• cruise control & speed limiter
• ride by wire throttle
• EU5+ 689 cc 72 hp, 50 ft-lbs CP2 parallel twin motor
• revised 6 spd transmission via increasing the number of gearbox dogs in 1st-3rd gears and changing the dog angles in 4th-6th gears intended to result in smoother, more positive shifts vs the previous setup + optional quick-shifter
• improved quad rectangular LED headlight assembly incorporated on all 2025+ T7 models with single knob height adjustment
• LED turn/DRL & brake lights
• redesigned windscreen & side deflectors for improved wind management 
• steel braided front brake lines
• redesigned air intake for improved low rpm torque & throttle response
• slim design side panels & clutch cover for improved rider comfort, movement & control incorporated on all 2025+ T7 models
• aluminum skid plate
• adventure style foot pegs with removable rubber inserts
• built-in crash/tip over bars at bottom edge of fuel tanks
• colour matched handguard wind deflectors
• 890 mm (35") rally style 1 piece seat 
• 220 kg (485 lb) advertised weight weight 

 9to5moto Video Highlighting 2026 World Raid Features & Changes

Full details & specs can be viewed on the Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid Canadian Website

With only a $2,600 price increase of the 2026 World Raid ($17,999 incl PDI/Freight) vs the 2026 standard Tenere 700 ($15,399 incl PDI/Freight in Canadian dollars) Yamaha is offering very good value given the differences between the models, making for valid justification to choose it over the standard T7 & willing to pay the additional cost. Yamaha may maintain extremely limited pre-order only World Raid supply to ensure high demand & that it does not canibalize new standard T7 sales. 

However, for those of us with existing T7s (I paid $12,399 Canadian + PDI/Freight in 2020) &/or have significantly modified our bikes, including full suspension upgrades, the cost/benefit ratio & justification of the World Raid narrows considerably or evaporates depending on a few factors, making for a more pragmatic & measured descision.

  

The general concensus is that many standard Tenere 700 oem & aftermarket accessories will not transfer to the World Raid as some mounting bosses for the windscreen/side deflectors & on the frame have changed, believed to include the skidplate, center stand & crash bars because of the redesigned fuel tanks & panels...further exacerbating justification for switching to the World Raid. Hopefully the rear subframe & passenger peg bosses are the same allowing 1st gen T7 luggage racks, tail racks, tail tidies & high mount exhausts to fit.

Weight is a critical metric for adventure bikes & off-road riding with the 2026 World Raid being heavier than the standard T7, while being the same as the previous generation WR, with an advertised wet weight of 220 kg (485 lb) vs 208 kg (458 lb) for the 2026 standard T7 vs 204 kg (450 lb) for the 2019-23 T7s. However, the majority of that increase will be in the additional 7 litres (1.5 UK gal or 1.8 US gal) of fuel over the standard model's 16 Litre (3.5 UK gal or 4.2 US gal) capacity despite the new aluminum fuel tanks being a claimed 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) lighter & lower than the previous generation WR, resulting in a noticeably lower center of gravity vs my 2021 T7 in side to side movement.

I consider the 2026 World Raid to be the best T7 variant & both T7 models generational motorcycles & would have bought it over the standard if available when I bought my T7 in 2020 or would have considered upgrading when 1st released in 2022 or perhaps even in 2023 had it been available in Canada. However, in 2026 both models now compete in a more crowded, competitive genre & price point complicated by the emergence of well priced/spec'd/made Chinese bikes challenging the industry status quo on several levels & a well documented downward trend in new bike sales world wide that is likley to continue & foster an uptake in the used bike market that includes significantly depreciated & accessorized recent model year bikes...all of which may water down the appeal of the 2026 World Raid. 

Given Yamaha's 2022 original release of the World Raid model & the rapid growth of the adventure genre segment they may have missed capitalizing on an opportunity for expanding the Tenere 700 model range in North America by waiting until 2026. So, why now for the release? Had sales of the World Raid declined prompting or allowing Yamaha to redirect excess supply to North America (it seems that they felt improvements were warranted, perhaps in response to CF Moto's/Ibex's strikingly similar 2026 800MT-X upping the ante with a larger more powerful motor, tubless rims, TPMS & adjustable windscreen available elsewhere, but not in Canada & USA until 2027) or were they overly cautious in their time table for ramping up production to meet Yamaha Canada's & USA's request for it? 

Regardless, better late than never. I suspect that they will sell every 2026 World Raid destined for North America, in part because of a pent up demand by the faithful, it's unique feature set & Yamaha's time & supply limited pre-order marketing strategy. However, subsequent years & the quickly evolving market may motivate Yamaha to develop a larger & perhaps smaller displacement variant, if not already in the works, as the adventure/travel segment evolves & matures.