Yamaha Ténéré 700 - first impressions: high expectations and surprise

For more than two years, we have been anxiously awaiting the official launch of the Yamaha Ténéré 700 in Brazil. There was information that the previous generation didn't arrive here due to homologation issues, specifically because it didn't meet 100% standards. Promoters.

Now, with the new version of the Yamaha Ténéré 700 - the same one that debuted at last year's colossal EICMA - we had the chance to put the bike through its paces at the Interlagos Festival. A short test, it's true, but it put us on alert.

When you get on the bike, it's clear: the Ténéré 700 is light, tall, slender - a bike ready for the off-road. Every detail of it screams "off-road adventure". Anyone who knows the CP2 platform, which is so successful on the competent MT-07, obviously expects an explosive response from the engine, a rapid acceleration that often lifts the front wheel if you accelerate hard and let the revs rise.

The surprise came as soon as we left the pits. Warming up the tires from side to side, accelerating smoothly, everything was normal. But as I entered the opposite straight, in second, then third gear, and accelerated hard, I felt the engine revving and the speed rising slowly. I was surprised, thinking that perhaps it was a safety setting for the test ride, due to the track conditions.

However, the whole lap was like that. In first, second and third gears, the bike gained speed in a sluggish manner. It was only when I shifted into fourth gear that the acceleration approached that of the MT-07. The whole lap was an unknown, making me think: "It's not possible, there's a control on or an error with the bike".

Back in the pits, I went straight to a Yamaha executive, asking about safety adjustments for the test rides. To my surprise, the answer was negative. They said that the performance was due to the bike's adjustments to pass the Promot5 emissions and noise tests - and I believe mainly the noise tests.

Inevitably, I was very disappointed. A bike made for off-roading, with these characteristics of first and second gear with a slow and surprisingly weak upshift, makes me wonder: what will the consumers who buy it think? Was it designed to be "unlocked" after purchase? It can't be. Yamaha is a serious brand, and this would even go against the terms of the bike's warranty. The public's perception remains to be seen.

The bike is excellent in cycling terms, but with this configuration for Brazil, it's unfortunately a bit of a disappointment. Let's wait for the next steps.

After our battery of tests, Yamaha contacted us via the press office, informing us that the Ténéré 700 models made available for the ride at Interlagos were pre-production versions, which may, in a way, justify the unexpected performance. The brand reinforces that production of the Ténéré 700 will officially begin in August, with deliveries scheduled for September. It's undeniable that there's still time for course adjustments, but they need to be right. Otherwise...