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, pricing in Canadian dollars) via a non-refundable $1,000 pre-order deposit until March 02, 2026 or order capacity is 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 link 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, lower, 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 for improved centralized center of gravity
• significantly upgraded/revised fully adjustable, including preload & revised spring 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 w/oem skidplate
• improvements to the frame with 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 smart phone connectivity
• 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 for smoother shifting in lower gears & 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
• 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 increase in price of the 2026 World Raid ($17,999 incl PDI/Freight) vs the 2026 standard Tenere 700 ($15,399 incl PDI/Freight - pricing 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 for those seeking the World Raid's unique features & can afford 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, like myself who paid $12,399 + PDI/Freight) in 2020 &/or have significantly modified our bikes, including full suspension upgrades, the cost/benefit ratio of the World Raid narrows considerably or evaporates depending on a few factors, making it a more difficult & measured descision to make the change.

  

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

Weight is a critical metric for adventure bikes & off-road riding with the 2026 World Raid being heavier than the standard T7 with an advertised weight 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 of fuel over the standard models despite the new fuel tanks being a claimed 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) lighter than the previous generation.

I consider the World Raid to be the best variant of the T7s & both models generational motorcycles & would have bought it over the standard if available when I bought my T7 in 2020 or would have upgraded when 1st released in 2022 or in 2023/24 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 recent model year bikes...all of which may water down the appeal of the 2026 World Raid for some. 

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) 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 & time & supply limited pre-order marketing strategy...but subsequent years & the quickly evolving market may motivate Yamaha to develop a larger & perhaps smaller discplacement variant, if it isn't already in the works.