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/1488797
COMPARISON I HONDA AFRICA TWIN & YAMAHA TENERE 700 P46 investing in a final drive gearing change on the Africa Twin is advised. It's simply pulling too much gearing for slow going. The bike is constantly in first gear, wanting to roll faster than the pilot in the most technical areas. At the same time and in the same place, the cool-looking fuel tank shape starts pushing your legs away from the bike. This is where the AT hits its off- road comfort limit—slow-going and steep expert-level terrain. The bike handles it, but it's not as easy as it could be. Aggres- sive downhill off-road is surpris- ingly good for more advanced riders, but the ergonomics and overall size and height of the Afri- ca Twin make it more intimidating for novice pilots, for sure. The Yamaha Tenere 700 is, not surprisingly, on the opposite end of the spectrum. This bike is very comfortable all around with a softer edge. From straight- lining it on highways to arcing two-track turns, it's hard to fault a T7 ride. It's simply easy. Its build quality is more utilitar- ian and analog, with total perfor- mance to match. It shines in the steeper, tighter stuff and inspires confidence in all areas except outright power delivery to get you up and over a ledge or obstacle. At elevation (we rode upwards of 9000 feet regularly), the power output gets anemic, and lofting the front wheel at all seems like a faraway dream. Traction is nice, but overall, grunt starts to miss. Still, the lower stature, softer suspension and power delivery all bring an easier bike for begin- ners—even if it's a bit boring for advanced riders. The gearbox on the T7 is also on the flip side. Here, you're shifting at speed, up to sixth quickly, as the gearing catches up to each space in a hurry. And the quality of shifts isn't at Africa Twin level. It feels clunky in comparison. This shows its ugly head primarily on-road Between the bare-bones Tenere 700 and the more premium Africa Twin, the value you get out of your purchase will depend entirely on what you feel you need.