Yamaha’s Tenere 700 has been one of the most successful adventure motorcycles to come along in quite some time, and for 2025 it receives its most comprehensive update since the model launched in 2019. Yamaha refers to this as a new generation of Tenere, and while the overall silhouette may look practically identical, nearly every functional area of the bike has been revised. 

Starting with the lighting, four LED headlights retain a familiar layout but the lenses are all now rectangular in shape to cast a wider beam pattern along the sides of the trail. To address a common criticism of a top heavy feel, Yamaha has redesigned the fuel tank shape as well. Fuel capacity remains 4.2 gallons but more of its mass is shifted lower and forward. A new one‑piece seat continues this theme of refinements, replacing the previous two‑piece design while maintaining the same 34.4‑inch (874 mm) height. The saddle has also been reshaped with a higher front section to reduce sliding forward and it features a revised latch system that makes removal and replacement easier. Updated turn signals, beefed up hand guards, and two new color options continue the visual refresh.

More extensive updates have been applied to the powerplant and electronics. The 689cc parallel‑twin CP2 engine, which continues to produce a claimed max 72 horsepower and 50 lb‑ft of torque, now breathes through a shorter air intake duct that broadens the torque spread— particularly at lower rpm. The engine now meets all Euro 5+ emissions standards as well. 

Yamaha also introduces YCC‑T ride-by-wire throttle control to the platform for the first time, enabling two selectable throttle maps—Sport and Explorer. The new electronic package offers three ABS modes (Front/Rear, Front Only and Off), and both ABS and Traction Control systems can be turned off fully with a long press of the ABS button on the dash. A new 6.3‑inch vertical TFT touchscreen supports music, communication, navigation, and adds a USB‑C fast charging port.

Suspension changes include fully-adjustable 43mm inverted KYB forks, now with preload adjustment and revised damping settings, offering 8.3 inches (210 mm) of travel. At the rear, a new linkage and shock design provide an increase in stroke from 3.7 inches (94 mm) to 4.0 inches (101 mm) while maintaining the same 7.9 inches (200 mm) of wheel travel as before. The shock remains fully adjustable and uses a piggyback reservoir, but its remote preload adjuster can now be operated without tools. A larger rubber bump stop provides additional bottoming resistance and ground clearance hasn’t changed at 9.4 inches (240 mm). The bike still rolls on 21‑inch front and 18‑inch rear tube‑type spoked wheels, while curb weight sees a seven-pound increase, tipping the scale at a claimed 459 pounds.

Yamaha made additional chassis updates to address known stress points. The muffler bracket on the frame has been strengthened to prevent bending inward after a fall, and the mounting points for the accessory luggage rack have been reinforced. Yamaha also reinforced and relocated the side stand switch to reduce vulnerability on rocky trails. Other refinements include revised gearbox internals for smoother, more positive shifts, an optional quickshifter that now works for both up and down shifts, an updated clutch cover design that offers improved rider range of movement, and new footpegs that are 10 mm wider. 

Despite the broad list of refinements touching nearly every functional area of the bike, the 2025 Tenere 700 comes in only $200 higher than the previous model at $10,999 MSRP (note: tariff ‘supply chain surcharge’ may apply). With the full scope of changes in mind, we set out to see how these upgrades translate to the trail and on the road. Let’s take a look. 

On The Street

Not a whole lot has changed when it comes to the street for the Tenere. Ergos are similar aside from the reshaped seat that is a little taller near the tank junction. That also makes it less cramped in the knees when you are scooching forward for performance riding. Sitting at the mid-way point in the saddle the seat height hasn’t changed, so it still feels a bit low for taller riders like myself at 6 feet 2 inches. In that respect the taller ‘Rally Seat’ option, that brings the seat up by 1.6 inches, would be preferred. And speaking of options, this is the first time we’ve seen heated grips as a factory add-on, which would be a nice upgrade during these colder months.

On the highway, the CP2 engine remains glass smooth at speed. The reach to the bars is comfortable for longer rides and the wind protection is good for a smaller screen. The new seat feels a bit more plush than the old two-piece seat and proved relatively comfortable after a few hours of riding on the highway. Unfortunately, there is still no Cruise Control but hopefully that’s coming soon now that the bike is equipped with ride-by-wire throttle.

As far as the power delivery, I quickly noticed a bump in low to mid-range power. The powerplant feels much beefier than you would expect a 689cc twin to be. It pulls the front wheel right up with a little clutch action in first and accelerates hard through the gears, quickly reaching triple digits. The new power boost definitely gives the bike a much needed dose of attitude for aggressive riding and it sounds good doing it. 

Playing around with the settings, there wasn’t a stark difference between PWR-1 (Sport) and PWR-2 (Explore) power maps. Sport is a little punchier down low, making it easier to loft the front wheel. Explore delays the power delivery a bit, smoothing out any jerky throttle action, which is nice for slick roads or riding with a passenger. Still the difference is fairly subtle and both modes offer a smooth throttle response.

Shifting is even smoother now with the updated gearbox. A softer shift makes ‘flip-flop rides’ much more doable now, and there is a more precise feel changing gears between first thru third. No more sloppy shifts or crunchy gear changes when you are getting on it banging through gears, which happened from time to time on the older models. 

In the twisties, the off-road biased machine feels right at home leaning deep into turns. The nimble chassis changes lines easily and it feels less twitchy than the old T7 now with the revised fuel tank shape. Getting that weight lower and forward over the front tire gives it some additional front end confidence at the limit.

Twin Brembo two-piston calipers on 282mm disc up front and a single-piston Brembo caliper in the rear on a 245mm disc don’t offer sharp sportbike-like performance, but they do give a solid feel and adequate bite. Unless you’re the type that does track days on your ADV or hits the canyons every weekend, they are most likely good enough. The vague rear brake feel that plagued earlier T7 models seems to be resolved as well.

Night riding is now a little easier too with the help of the new headlight design. I rode a previous-gen T7 and the 2025 back to back on the same terrain and It adds a couple of feet of light to either side of the road, lighting up those ditches where deer like to hide. The beam pattern is more gradually dispersed as well, rather than a hard cut off. One lighting change I wasn’t that fond of though was the new turn signal switch. It’s not exactly intuitive. If you want to signal left, push it left. Then to turn your signal off, you would normally push right. Nope. You need to push the button left again to deactivate the blinker. I’m sure it’s something that would eventually become intuitive but it takes some retraining.

In The Dirt

Exiting the tarmac for the trail, the Tenere 700 feels even more in its element. Here’s where many of the 2025 updates have been focused on making improvements. The ergos are primarily the same compared to the 2024 model, but they’ve made a couple of nice upgrades. For starters, the new seat is a plus; it holds you in place better without sliding forward. And when you do get your weight slid all the way forward, it doesn’t pin you against the tank. The new tank shape with its lower height and more forward weight distribution is less imposing in front of you as well.

One improvement I didn’t realize I had a problem with until they fixed it is the revised right-side engine case design. They moved the clutch actuation lever forward several inches so that it does not interfere with your boot when standing up on the trail. On the old T7, your boot tended to touch it in the standing position, which hindered your ability to get your weight all the way forward. Now that whole area is opened up so there’s plenty of room to get up over the bars in aggressive riding situations. Speaking of the clutch, it has a soft pull and excellent feel when modulating the power in slow-speed technical situations.

Probably the biggest ergo change though has to be the footpegs. The new wider pegs offer excellent grip, improved leverage for steering with your feet and a bigger platform to stand on that keeps you balanced, helping you conserve energy on longer days. The vibration damping inserts also fit inside the pegs rather than on top, so if you want to keep them installed for a smoother ride, you won’t sacrifice stability as much.

The handlebars seem lower than the 2021-2023 models, but the bend may have changed in 2024. Overall, it’s a roomy cockpit for standing with a commanding position for getting in the attack stance. The bars and more forward weight distribution does give the front end a more planted feel and the front end offers more grip feedback on the edge.

Handling is crisp and agile for the 450-pound machine that it is. It encourages an aggressive riding style on dirt roads whether seated or standing. Maneuvering at slow speeds, it doesn’t feel nearly as top heavy either. You can turn it around on a tight trail with a full tank and you won’t get that feeling like it wants to fall over. It’s easier to keep balanced in technical rocky sections too. While the tank shape change may be subtle to the eye, it’s definitely a difference you can feel. Not quite the low-CG feel of the KTM 890 Adventure but it’s enough of an improvement that it no longer feels tippy.

For sliding around on fireroads, the stock Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR’s are fine but they aren’t my favorite in sand or loose rocky conditions. When we went to ride Death Valley’s toughest trails, we made sure to spoon on a proper set of DOT knobbies in the form of the Dunlop Geomax EN91. This ensured we could get the most out of the T7 and see what it could do in some challenging terrain that included everything from rocky step-ups to deep sand and even some snow-covered trails.

Speaking of tires, the Tenere still runs tube-type spoked wheels, which may be an asset for those who ride primarily off road. However, I understand how many riders want tubeless rims because they are so much more convenient to patch a puncture. Hopefully, we’ll see this as an option for those riders who want them in the next year or two.

Getting back to how the updates performed, the suspension upgrades were clearly noticeable on the fork. It now takes a bigger hit to bottom it out and it clunks a lot less on sharp-edged bumps. There’s definitely better hold up on high-speed hits and it feels plusher over the smaller rocks. I didn’t play around with the new preload setting, but it is nice to know the front end height can now be customized for your weight and riding style.

The increased stroke length on the rear shock definitely gives it a more refined damping feel. It seems like the wheel travel has increased because the shock now has more time to dampen the bumps. It doesn’t bottom out as easily as before on drop offs or flat-landing jumps and the new bump stop makes those hard landings a little softer. It also handles the high-speed hits better than before with better hold up. Although, it could still use a stiffer spring for a rider my size (210 pounds). As with the previous T7’s, I maxed out the preload and still couldn’t get the sag set to the correct range.

Overall, the suspension changes are noticeable and appreciated but it still can get overwhelmed quickly on bigger hits with a heavier rider. It’s more of an incremental improvement, not a big step. But it is fairly plush, reactive and now even more customizable. 

As far as the new electronics, the modes offer more flexibility in the dirt and are easy to switch with the mode button on the right side of the handlebar. If you want to maximize traction on a slippery section, PWR-2 works best. If you want to be able to pop the wheel up over ruts and rocks or you are hammering it out in the desert, PWR-1 is your mode. Again, the differences are subtle on a bike that only makes 70ish horsepower.

The new traction control system has just two settings, on or off, without any slip adjustment. I think it’s good that they kept it simple because this engine is already very tractable in the dirt and doesn’t really need any extra tech. That’s not to say the TC isn’t finely tuned. You can still take a leisurely trail ride without turning it off. Unless you are hitting some loose soil or sand, you probably won’t notice it kicking in. You probably want to turn it off though as soon as you get to the trail, unless you want to be extremely cautious. Turning it off is made easy with the ABS button on the dash that deactivates both ABS (front and rear) and TC in one fell swoop with a two-second hold.. No need to thumb through multiple menus on the TFT each time. Unless you cycle the key or hit the ABS button again, it stays off too. 

If you want to customize settings in a more detailed way, the new 6.3” TFT has a simple menu system that is controlled through a left-side handlebar joystick. Here you can toggle through the ABS, TC and Power Map settings and fine tune them as needed. There are three ABS options available but off-road you typically want front ABS only or both front and rear off. The front ABS worked pretty good but would occasionally get confused trying to stop in choppy terrain or loose dirt. It worked well enough that I didn’t mind leaving it on in fairly technical situations or steep declines. For riders that are still building their confidence or more intermediate terrain, it’s good to keep it on in front. 

The Bottom Line

While Yamaha labels the 2025 Tenere 700 a new‑generation model, the updates are more evolutionary than revolutionary. It gets a round of smart improvements and several fixes that clean up previous shortcomings in an already solid platform. No single update is a game‑changer, yet the combined tweaks to power delivery, handling, suspension, and ergonomics add up to a bike that feels noticeably more dialed‑in..

The addition of Traction control and ride modes are probably the biggest change. When the T7 first launched, it was a simple machine with a black and white LCD display and no rider aids other than a basic on/off ABS system. Many riders applauded Yamaha for this low‑tech approach, just as others are likely to lament the advanced electronics now making their way onto the current machine. While the bike now sports a large color-TFT display, traction control, along with multiple power maps and ABS settings, Yamaha still keeps the tech user friendly. It’s there if you want it and easy to disable if you don’t.

Keeping the tech relatively simple and the MSRP low seems like a smart play in a segment that can’t seem to stop layering on new advanced rider aids that often intrude with the ride experience. Although, I do think Yamaha could make the T7 a lot more adaptable by providing more access to optional accessories. Over in Europe there is a full range of GYTR factory performance add-ons available (developed in conjunction with Pol Tarres) that we don’t get here in the states. These include longer-travel suspension components, heavy-duty wheels, engine performance upgrades, protection pieces, and more. We’d love to see these options in the US accessories catalog, as well as cruise control and tubeless wheels. For 2026, the overseas-only Tenere 700 World Raid does get cruise control, so perhaps we’ll see it on the standard model or as an accessory soon (details for the 2026 Tenere 700 are still to be announced).

Considering this recent batch of improvements, the Tenere is still one of the best performing middleweight adventure bikes you can buy. The suspension upgrades haven’t put it on par off-road with the likes of the Tuareg 660 ($12,499) or KTM 890 Adventure R ($15,799) off-road but considering what you get for the T7’s $10,999 MSRP, it’s quite a bargain. It’s no slouch on asphalt either with that smooth, reliable CP2 engine that doesn’t mind knocking down miles of slab, and with enough power and nimble handling to make twisties a blast to ride as well. On value, one of its biggest rivals is probably the Honda Transalp XL750 ($9,999). And although the Honda has a more sophisticated electronics package, more power, and a nice price tag, it can’t match the Tenere’s off-road performance.

2025 Tenere 700 Specs

Photos by Ely Woody 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.