Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid unveiled

The Yamaha Tenere 700 gets a brand-new, more hardcore version – the Tenere 700 World Raid – whose prototype we first saw at EICMA last year. It promises to be a more potent off-roader by going the extra mile and adding significant updates over the standard bike.

• Gets dual fuel tanks

• Claimed range of up to 500km

• Weighs 16kg over standard bike

The new Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid gets dual side-mounted fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 23 litres, capable of giving it a claimed range of up to 500km when compared to the single 16-litre tank on the standard Tenere 700 that has a claimed range of 350km. Yamaha claims that not only does the new tank design increase the bike's range but also helps with its overall agility. Simply put, the new tank design is located low on the chassis, which centralises the mass. Also, it being a dual-tank design means that fuel within it does not splash about as much as it would in a single-tank set-up, thus improving its stability. Although the World Raid weighs a whopping 16kg over the standard bike, it also gets a 5.0-inch colour TFT display with mobile connectivity, compared to the standard bike’s LCD display. However, even this iteration does not get navigation. 

The  Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid gets new KYB upside down front forks with 230mm of travel, furnished in a rather handsome-looking bronze Kashima coating, and an adjustable rear monoshock with 220mm travel. The standard bike gets a USD unit at the front with 210mm of travel and a monoshock with 200mm of travel at the rear. The new suspension components increase the World Raid’s ground clearance by 10mm, to 250mm. And this also translates to a seat height of 890mm on Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid when compared to the standard bike’s seat height of 875mm. It also gets an Ohlins adjustable steering damper and a rally-inspired two-piece seat that allows the rear section to be removed for accessories. 

The Tenere 700 World Raid gets three-mode switchable ABS, while braking responsibilities are handled by dual 282mm discs at the front and a 245mm disc at the rear. It gets the same 689cc, cross-plane twin cylinder engine that’s present on the standard bike. This engine produces 72hp at 9,000rpm and 68Nm of torque at 6,000rpm, and is paired to a 6-speed gearbox.

The World Raid comes in the same colour schemes as the standard bike, albeit with different graphics. It is priced at £11,600 (approx. Rs 11.82 lakh) whereas the standard T7 will cost you £9,700 (approx. Rs 9.88 lakh). For the extra cash, you do get quite a bit of extra kit over the standard bike.

Enthusiasm for ADVs is at an all-time high, with people wanting to go places, and Yamaha is not the only manufacturer looking to capitalise on this demand. This new variant of the Yamaha Tenere competes with the KTM 890 Adventure R and the BMW F 850 GS Adventure. The former makes 103hp and the latter makes 90hp.

Would the go-anywhere Tenere 700 World Raid deserve a spot in your garage? Let us know in the comments below.