In the dynamic landscape of midsize adventure motorcycles, the Yamaha Tenere 700 has emerged as one of the most well-rounded and most sought after models in the segment, and for good reason. With its combination of smooth power, proven reliability, a compact off-road chassis, and an affordable price tag, it’s a package that’s hard to beat. While the T7’s core performance remains unchanged for the new year, the 2024 model for the American market introduces a range of tech upgrades focused on improving convenience and versatility.

Before diving into the recent enhancements, let’s take a look at what’s carried over from last year. The Tenere 700’s parallel-twin CP2 powerplant remains unchanged with a rating of 72 horsepower and 50 lb-ft of torque. The fully-adjustable suspension is still by Showa featuring a 43mm inverted fork with 8.3 inches of suspension travel along with a rear shock that has 7.9 inches of travel. Ground clearance is also generous at 9.5 inches contributing to a seat height of 34.4 inches. Wheels are a dirt-friendly 21″ in front and 18″ in the rear, while the bike comes equipped with a set of wide serrated footpegs, aluminum skid plate, effective windscreen, and a GPS mounting right out of the box. With all that going for it, it’s not surprising that the T7, according to Yamaha, is the sales leader in the 650 to 900 adventure category.

And while many on this side of the pond hope to see some of the variants currently offered in Europe, Yamaha has decided to stick with an updated version of the standard model in America for the new year. Having rigorously tested the bike a few years ago, you can find all the relevant performance analysis in our 2021 Yamaha Tenere 700 review or check out the video version of the review here.

Evaluating The Key Upgrades

Recently we got a chance to throw a leg over the latest Tenere 700 for a full day of testing both on and off-road in California’s Santa Ana mountains. Here’s a break-down of each of the key upgrades along with impressions on how they performed.

5″ Color TFT Display

The centerpiece of the 2024 Tenere 700’s upgrades is the 5″ Color TFT display with a vertical orientation. A new thumb controller simplifies navigation through menus, displaying essential information such as trip metrics, fuel economy, and ABS modes. The vertical layout not only enhances readability but also lends the bike a distinctive rally aesthetic.

Two theme options, one with a traditional analog look and the other exuding modern sleekness, provide riders with a personalized touch. After getting a quick rundown of how the new controls operate the new dash, everything was intuitive and simple to operate. 

Bluetooth Connectivity (Y-Connect App)

The addition of Bluetooth connectivity introduces a seamless connection between the Tenere 700 and riders’ smartphone through the Y-Connect app. This feature, though not exhaustively tested during this ride, promises a slew of new functions, including call notifications, ride tracking, maintenance alerts, and the ability to locate your parked motorcycle.

The app also proves useful in monitoring various ride metrics (e.g. fuel consumption, top speed, miles traveled, average throttle opening, average rpm), offering owners a detailed insight into their riding habits. There are no map navigation features, music or call controls, but it does notify you with an icon on the dash if someone is calling you or if you receive a text. Overall, it’s a nice new feature set that’s fairly easy to set up and operate for those who want to add a new level of tech to the bike.

New Off-Road ABS Mode

The Tenere 700’s safety aids are expanded with the introduction of a new Off-Road ABS mode (Rear ABS Off), which allows the rider to selectively disable the rear wheel’s ABS. This gives off-road riders the ability to maintain front-wheel ABS while enabling controlled rear-wheel skids for enhanced maneuverability in the dirt. Previously, the Tenere’s ABS system was either both wheels on or both off. This new ‘Rear ABS Off’ mode introduces a third mode designed to give newer off-road riders the ability to have a bit of a safety net while they increase their skill in the dirt.

Unlike some sophisticated off-road ABS systems, the Tenere’s front ABS sensitivity does not change between street and dirt modes. However, it does work fairly efficiently in the dirt. You definitely feel the front ABS chattering on loose steep descents, but it doesn’t completely freewheel. You just have to build some confidence with the system and understand that it will continue to slow you down, and that it’s more than likely doing a better job than your hand alone. 

Changing the ABS modes can take some time though, since it’s buried a few levels down in the menu. The previous system had a simple button on the dash to turn ABS on or off. There is however a new ABS ‘On’ button on the dash that quickly returns the bike to its full ABS ‘On’ mode. I think making that a toggle button for the three different ABS modes would have been a more user-friendly solution. Another point of frustration is that the system resets itself back to full ‘ABS On’ every time you key the ignition or hit the kill switch. While you can stall the bike in gear to retain settings, I would have liked to see it keep its setting if you use the kill switch to take a break on the trail. However, I was pleased that you can still turn ABS off completely on both the front and rear wheel, which isn’t an option on many adventure bikes these days. 

Streamlined LED Turn Signals

Addressing a previous design quirk, the 2024 model incorporates streamlined LED turn signals that appear to be attached more solidly. The big round ‘DOT-approved’ blinkers of the old T7, with their flexy stalks, had a tendency to detach from the rear fender in bumpy terrain. These new turn signals not only adhere to DOT standards but also offer the sleek, modern appearance European T7 customers have enjoyed for years. While the new stalks aren’t flexible like the old ones, they do have a break-away design that looks like it will protect them from a fall or accidental kick from a boot.

12-Volt Power Port To USB

A notable convenience upgrade comes in the form of replacing the 12-volt cigarette lighter-style charging port with a standard USB port. This upgrade aligns with the typical charging cables of modern electronic devices, eliminating the need for a separate USB adapter and ensuring riders can easily charge their devices on the go.

Pre-wiring for a Quickshifter

The 2024 Tenere 700 introduces pre-wiring for a Quickshifter, offering riders the option to enhance their shifting experience. But surprisingly, Yamaha just offers an “upshift-only” Quickshifter ($199.99 upgrade) and no downshift option.

Test bikes were outfitted with this feature during our ride, which proved valuable for clutchless shifts while accelerating on the street or through rough terrain. However, the absence of a downshift Quickshifter left me feeling a bit unsatisfied and sometimes confused about when to clutch, and when not to, while selecting gears in varied off-road terrain. The addition of a downshifting Quickshifter would aid riders on difficult hill climbs or rocky trails by allowing you to focus more attention on maintaining proper technique and balance, rather than pulling in the clutch.

The Bottom Line

One of the key benefits of the Tenere 700 for many riders when it first arrived was the pure simplicity of the machine. It didn’t have a lot of electronics that could potentially go wrong and you didn’t have to go through an elaborate routine on the settings menu to get going in the morning. That’s still the case for the most part. 

Updates to the 2024 Yamaha Tenere 700 represent a thoughtful evolution that still keeps things pretty simple with a basic TFT, no ride modes or traction control settings, no lean angle sensing ABS or other advanced tech. Overall, Yamaha was able to incorporate a few new modern conveniences without compromising the core performance or simple nature of the machine, which should help the T7 maintain its status as one of the top options among adventure riders. 

Despite a modest price bump of $300, it’s still a great value at $10,799, especially considering the improved feature set. There’s also a range of factory options to customize it to your taste such as a higher or low seat, lowering links, various guards, heavy-duty skid plate, and the aforementioned quickshifter, although, there’s no cruise control option yet. And while there’s still room for improvement in certain areas, we expect the T7’s balanced blend of power, reliability, capability and affordability will continue to draw in both new and experienced riders alike.

2024 Yamaha Tenere 700 Specs

Photos by Joseph Agustin Photography and Rob Dabney

Author: Rob Dabney

Rob Dabney started a lifelong obsession with motorcycles at the age of 15 when he purchased his first bike – a 1982 Honda MB5. Through his 20’s and 30’s he competed in off-road desert races, including the Baja 250, 500 and 1000. Eventually, his proclivity for exploration led him to dual sport and adventure riding. Rob’s never-ending quest to discover what’s around the next bend has taken him on Adventures in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.