OUR BIKES
start flashing at around the 200-250km mark , when you know you still have , at the very least , another 50km left in the tank – and possibly as much as 130km . The range anxiety this causes is real and I find myself freaking out for no reason . I also find it disappointing that Yamaha chose to put the toggle switch for the ODO , trip , fuel consumption readout on the right hand switch gear . It makes it ever so slightly more difficult to use , and the buttons on the instrumentation tower are just a little too far away to be easily accessible . Yes , it ’ s a small thing , but if they had chosen to put the switch on the left , then it would be much more accessible . And the ugly ? Ah , yes , the muffler and hanger . You see , the hanger is welded to the rear frame . It ’ s not a bolt on or replaceable part . Meaning if you drop the bike on the right hand side , the muffler will be bent in , possibly gouging into the swingarm . The hanger should be replaceable , a sacrificial part . On my first
outing I managed to bend it in towards the swingarm a little after dropping the T7 on its right hand side at the bottom of a steep , muddy and sandy climb on the 42nd Traverse . So , for me there are only three things wrong with the bike , which just goes to show how good the bike .
MUTANT LOVE CHILD In trying to describe the Tenere , I ’ d say it ’ s like taking the ergonomics of a great dirt bike , refining them , and coupling them with the engine of a torquey , snappy road bike . Think the mutant love child of the MT-07 and DR650 . Boom – Tenere 700 . Now , I ’ m not saying the Tenere 700 is the best bike in the world . I have a young family , so don ’ t have the opportunity to own more than one bike , so as a compromise the T7 does everything well for me . Don ’ t get me wrong , I do occasionally look at hard-core road bikes and get a bit envious . So , all that taken into account , is the love affair still alive ? Looking back , would I still buy the Yamaha Tenere 700 ? 100 %, yes , I would .
104 KIWI RIDER