Editor’s Note:
The Yamaha Ténéré 700 has long been a benchmark in the middle-weight adventure segment, known for reliability, versatility, and off-road capability. In 2025, Yamaha made targeted updates to suspension, and electronics, enhancing an already capable platform. We put the new T7 through its paces on the Oregon Coast, covering a mix of wet hard-packed dirt and loose gravel roads to see how it performs in real-world conditions. This report covers our ride impressions, the improvements over previous models, and how the bike continues to meet the demands of serious riders.
Photos by Miguel Santana
2025 Yamaha Ténéré 700: Refined, Reliable, Ready for the Oregon Coast
There’s something about the Oregon Coast that feels made for adventure riding. One moment you’re carving along paved forest highway under towering evergreens, the next you’re sliding around the edges of hardback gravel roads. Much of our route followed a patchwork of old logging roads—some wide and smooth, others overgrown and littered with decades of weather and neglect. They twist and turn endlessly through the hills, connecting ridgelines and valleys in a way that feels like you could ride for hours without ever crossing the same spot, yet look at the map and realize you’ve barely made a dent in the distance. The terrain here is a true 50/50 mix of hard-packed dirt and gravel roads. It’s exactly the kind of environment where a bike’s character comes through. For our first ride on the updated 2025 Yamaha Ténéré 700, we set out to see how the refinements stack up against the much-loved earlier versions we’ve spent thousands of miles on.
A Familiar Feel, With Subtle Refinements
At first glance, the 2025 Ténéré 700 looks much like the outgoing model—and that’s a good thing. The rally-inspired bodywork, slim midsection, and no-nonsense cockpit are all still here. But Yamaha has made small, targeted updates where it counts. The ABS system remains switchable, but is now more intuitive to toggle, and the updated TFT display offers better readability in changing light. The bike now comes in Tech Titanium, an understated finish that pairs well with its rugged personality.
Suspension That Works Everywhere
Suspension settings have been subtly revised for 2025, and the difference is noticeable the moment you roll out. Compared to previous versions, the front and rear now offer a more controlled, planted feel on the road, soaking up sharp-edged bumps without the nervousness we occasionally felt on the earlier bikes. On rough dirt, the improvement is even more pronounced—square-edge hits and washboard sections that used to chatter through the bars are now muted, giving the rider more confidence to stay on the gas. It’s not a wholesale redesign, but the combination of compliance and stability makes the T7 feel more dialed-in across both pavement and challenging backcountry terrain.
Proven Workhorse for Our Travels
Over the years, the Ténéré 700 has been the backbone of countless Upshift Online travel stories. From remote mountain passes to high desert plateaus, it has proven itself reliable, tough, and perfectly suited to the way we explore. It’s a bike we’ve trusted to carry us—fully loaded—through weeks of unpredictable conditions without a hiccup. That history matters when we throw a leg over the latest model.
Dunlop Trailmax Raid – The Right Tire for the Coast
One of the first changes we make on nearly every Upshift/TMBR Moto project bike is swapping the OEM rubber for something that better suits our style of riding. For the Oregon Coast T7 test, we ditched the stock Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs in favor of Dunlop’s new Trailmax Raid tires. This isn’t just a habit—it’s a decision shaped by thousands of real-world miles on Dunlop ADV rubber. The Trailmax Raid is Dunlop’s most aggressive 50/50 tire yet, offering deep, open tread blocks for traction in sand and loose gravel while still holding its line on wet, winding pavement. Over the varied Oregon Coast terrain—a true 50/50 split of hard-packed dirt and loose gravel roads—the Raids were right at home. They dug in on the looser stuff, keeping the bike stable and composed, and delivered excellent control on hardpack sprinkled with loose rock, where many tires tend to skate. On pavement sections, they stayed planted without the howl or harshness some aggressive-pattern tires produce. We’ve long trusted Dunlop’s ADV line to take us deep into remote backcountry without second-guessing traction, and the Trailmax Raid only reinforces that trust.
Lots of Choices
When it comes to midweight adventure bikes, there are plenty of choices on the market—KTM, Husqvarna, CFMoto, and others all offer compelling machines. But for overall bang for your buck, we still think the Ténéré 700 is the smartest option out there. It strikes a balance of reliability, off-road capability, comfort, and simplicity that many competitors can’t match without adding significant cost or complexity. For riders who want a versatile, proven bike that performs equally well on gravel tracks, logging roads, and pavement, the T7 remains a standout in its class.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 Yamaha Ténéré 700 doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel—and it doesn’t need to. What it does is refine an already excellent platform, making it more comfortable, composed, and versatile for the kind of riding we love most. On the Oregon Coast’s endless maze of logging roads and backcountry connectors, it felt exactly at home. That’s why, five years after our first ride on the original T7, we’re still excited to throw a leg over the latest one and point it toward the horizon. At $10,999 MSRP you cant go wrong. Go to yamahamotorsports.com for more information.
Top Features
- Renowned 689cc liquid-cooled twin-cylinder CP2 engine
- New ride-by-wire Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) System
- New switchable Traction Control
- Redesigned air intake
- Refined fuel injection
- Compact stacked six-speed transmission
- New clutch cover design for improved legroom
- Lightweight double-cradle frame design
- Revised KYB suspension
- Dual wave-style front discs, single wave-style rear disc with switchable ABS
- Durable spoked wheels with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires
- New, larger 6.3-inch vertical TFT display
- Enhanced smartphone connectivity
- New switch gear and self-canceling indicators
- Rally-bred LED lighting including new quad-LED headlight nacelle
Specifications
Engine:
- Type: 689cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC inline twin-cylinder; 4 valves per cylinder
- Bore x Stroke: 80.0mm x 68.6mm
- Compression Ratio: 11.5:1
- Fuel Delivery: Fuel injection with YCC-T
- Ignition: TCI (Transistor Controlled Ignition)
- Transmission: 6-speed; wet multi-plate clutch
- Final Drive: Chain
- Fuel Capacity: 4.2 gal
Chassis
- Front Suspension: 43mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 8.3 in travel
- Rear Suspension: Single shock, adjustable preload (with remote adjuster) and rebound damping; 7.9 in travel
- Front Brakes: Dual 282mm hydraulic disc; selectable ABS
- Rear Brakes: 245mm hydraulic disc; selectable ABS
Front Tire:
- Stock: 90/90R21 Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR
- Upshift Added: 90/90R21 Dunlop Trailmax Raid
Rear Tire:
- Stock: 150/70R18 Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR
- Upshift Added: 150/70R18 Dunlop Trailmax Raid (Upshift Added)
Dimensions
- L x W x H: 93.3 in x 35.6 in x 57.3 in
- Seat Height: 34.4 in
- Wheelbase: 62.8 in
- Rake: 27°
- Trail: 4.1 in
- Max. Ground Clearance: 9.4 in
- Wet Weight: 459 lb
Colors
- Team Yamaha Blue
- Tech Titanium
