Cycle News

Cycle News 2019 Issue 21 May 28

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1122949

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YAMAHA TENERE 700 FIRST REVIEW P100 less change. The brake lines may be flex- ing, robbing some hydraulic power, or other factors may be at play. Whatever it is, adding some power up front overall wouldn't hurt our feelings. On the rear, the brake just needs some pro- gression. As it rides now, the rear brake feels wooden, with no bite at all and then suddenly locks up after quite the pedal throw. It goes from very little slowing power to shuddering the UNFORTUNATELY, THE TENERE 700 WON'T BE GALLIVANTING AROUND THE COUNTRYSIDE IN NORTH AMERICA ANYTIME SOON. ______ KYB COMPONENTS HANDLES SUSPENSION DUTIES. FORKS ARE FULLY ADJUSTABLE. more famous for how much crap you can add to a motorcycle than for how well the bike performs on its own, it's sort of refreshing not having to worry about what mode you're riding in. However, all of the journalists I rode with and spoke to mention how they are clearly taking electronic rider aids for granted and not having them on the Tenere was sort of an odd feeling. There is a standard on-road ABS system, and the bike is obviously fuel injected, but that's about it for electronic gizmos running the show of go here. Yamaha Tenere 700 Brakes Since we're talking about things that keep you out of trouble, now is a good time to get on the stoppers. The Yamaha is one of few Japanese machines we've ridden from the factory with Brembo brake components. Commonplace on Austrian models, the Brembo units are usually class leaders in power, feel and durability of consistent brak- ing performance. Unfortunately, the brakes are one of the few things on the Tenere 700 we're not thrilled about. The front dual-caliper setup has good feel initially but lacks the uptick in progression that gives us the confidence to brake late or get over-confident in must-stop off-road situations. We're used to making small movements with the lever to make notice- able changes in speed, and the setup on the Yamaha requires more movement with to-peg, simply stomp on the pegs and lean, the bike readily reacts. Add a little front-wheel traction, possibly a rear-shock spring-rate upgrade, and a bit more progression in its resistance to bot- toming out, and this suspension/chassis package will be one of the best going on an adventure rig. Traction Control and ABS We already mentioned it, but it's worth calling out again. There is no traction con- trol or anything like it on the Yamaha Tenere 700. Nothing to learn here. No fancy ab- breviations or engineering lingo or traction- power-torque-vectoring-spin algorithms on this ride. It simply doesn't exist. Traction control is self-imposed, self-regulated and, failures of traction will be undeniably self- inflicted with the Yamaha Tenere 700. To Yamaha, adding rider aids is unneces- sary. It adds complication to a simple-by-na- ture machine. And for a motorcycling niche

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