Most ‘proper’ offroad bikes use a single cylinder engine, because they offer the advantages of light weight, small size, and simplicity. The drawbacks of low peak power and vibration are less important off-road – where you can’t really use much more than about 40bhp unless you are a Dakar racer.
So Yamaha’s choice of a 660cc single-cylinder engine for its Tenere suggests it’s aimed more at dirt use than road use. That’s backed up by a tall seat height, long-travel suspension, and a large, 22-litre fuel tank. The wheels are wire-spoked dirtbike items, and the chunky tyres have large tread blocks for offroad use (although you’d want to change them for more specialised rubber if you were a committed trail rider).
That water-cooled, fuel-injected motor can find itself a little breathless on longer motorway rides though, and if you’re looking for an adventure bike that can also cross continents two-up, the Tenere may not be perfect. But for shorter trips, commuting and city work, the Tenere is a much better bet. Some riders will also like its committed, hardcore ‘Rally Raid’ styling, which can be accentuated further with Yamaha’s own aluminium luggage cases.
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