Friends, as RideApart's Senior Yamaha Correspondent it's fallen to me to inform you that Yamaha's long-rumored Ténéré 700 ADV bike is finally A Thing. If this video is anything to go by, it's real and it's spectacular.
IT IS AWAITED
Way, way back in 2016, Team Blue unveiled its T7 concept at EICMA 2016. To say that it caused quite a stir is an understatement. Nothing really came of the T7 save for a handful of spy shots and a lot of wild rumors on the internet. Now, though, it looks like the T7 concept—known as the Ténéré 700 World Raid these days—is finally ready to hit the dirt.
Yamaha Europe dropped this teaser video on its YouTube channel on September 5, 2018. It features Nick Sanders, a guy who knows a thing or two about both Yamahas and long-distance riding, opening a crate marked "Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid". Inside is, you guessed it, a fully kitted out and ready to rock (as it were) Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid. Sanders then pulls on his helmet, saddles up, and goes for a leisurely ride through the European countryside. There's a killer overhead shot of a steam train, lovely winding roads, and an extremely chill ambient music soundtrack. You should definitely go watch it.
So, why World Raid? What's this all about? Well, apparently Yamaha is running an event that involves taking the Ténéré 700 World Raid on a worldwide tour. The video with Sanders was put together to promote the World Raid's European leg. We assume that this is a run-up to an official unveiling at Intermot and EICMA this year. You can learn more about it at the World Raid website, and I highly recommend you check it out.
Are we excited about the new Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid? Yes, yes we are. Stay tuned for more official info as we get it.
PS: Check out this extremely moody and delightfully overwrought intro video for the World Raid project. It, too, features the Ténéré 700 World Raid concept.
