Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme Buyer's Guide

The Machine's Character

The Extreme takes the Ténéré 700 idea and pushes it further into the dirt. Power comes from Yamaha's 689 cc CP2 parallel twin, 73 hp at 9,000 rpm and 50 lb-ft at 6,500, running through a six-speed box and a chain. What actually defines this trim is the chassis wrapped around it: fully adjustable KYB suspension with 9.1 inches of front travel and 8.7 inches at the rear, 10.2 inches of ground clearance, a 21-inch front wheel and an 18-inch rear. The electronics list stays short on purpose. ABS, a TFT dash with phone pairing, USB power, LED lighting, and that is it.

This is a machine built for riders who measure a good day in trail miles, not highway miles. At 452 lb wet with that much travel underneath it, the Extreme feels like a serious dirt tool that happens to wear a plate, and the simplicity pays off over years: reliability is its strongest asset, running costs stay genuinely low, and aftermarket support runs deep enough to spec the bike almost any way you want. The honest part: 35.8 inches of seat height rules out a lot of riders, the 4.2-gallon tank writes your day's plan for you, and there is no cruise control, no heated grips, no center stand.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	73 hp (54 kW) @ 9,000 rpm
Torque	50 lb-ft (68 Nm) @ 6,500 rpm
Displacement	689 cc
Engine	Parallel twin
Cooling	Liquid-cooled
Gearbox	6-speed
Final drive	Chain
Fork	Upside-down (USD)
Front tire	90/90-21
Rear tire	150/70-18
Ground clearance	10.2 in (260 mm)
Front travel	9.1 in (230 mm)
Rear travel	8.7 in (220 mm)
Seat height	35.8 in (910 mm)
Wet weight	452 lb (205 kg)Adventure Bikes Under 500 Pounds Wet →
Fuel capacity	4.2 gal (16 L)

Equipment check

Chassis

Manually Adjustable Front Suspension Standard
Manually Adjustable Rear Suspension Standard

Connectivity

TFT Display Standard
Smartphone Connectivity Standard
USB Charging Port Standard

Drivetrain

Quickshifter Motorcycles With a Quickshifter → Optional

Lighting

LED Headlight Standard

Safety

ABS Standard

Known issues

Clutch recall – dragging and potential unintended motion

drivetrain occasional Recall

Yamaha recalled certain 2023–2024 CP2-powered models, including the Ténéré 700, to replace clutch steel and friction discs. Symptoms include clutch dragging, squealing when cold, and in extreme cases unintentional forward movement, posing a safety risk.

The Expert Benchmark

Where this Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.

What kind of bike this is — character vs. the class

Long-Range Trust

Offroad Credibility

Suspension Range & Load Control

Luggage-Ready Escape Value

Low-Speed Balance

Rider Command While Standing

Torque in the Dirt

This bike Class average

The shape of the Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme — numbers and character vs. the average Adventure

Head-to-head: Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme vs. its rivals

Power

73 hp This bike 76 hp Moto Guzzi V85 TT Evocative Graphics 67 hp CFMOTO 700MT 80 hp Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally 83 hp Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE

Torque

50 lb-ft This bike 59 lb-ft Moto Guzzi V85 TT Evocative Graphics 44 lb-ft CFMOTO 700MT 52 lb-ft Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally 58 lb-ft Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE

Displacement

689 cc This bike 853 cc Moto Guzzi V85 TT Evocative Graphics 693 cc CFMOTO 700MT 659 cc Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally 776 cc Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE

Wet weight

452 lb This bike 505 lb Moto Guzzi V85 TT Evocative Graphics 529 lb CFMOTO 700MT 439 lb Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally 507 lb Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE

Seat height

35.8 in This bike 32.7 in Moto Guzzi V85 TT Evocative Graphics 31.5 in CFMOTO 700MT 35.9 in Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally 33.7 in Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE

The Long-Haul Verdict

Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Tenere 700 Extreme is actually built for.

Aerial view of a winding asphalt road cutting through volcanic terrain on La Gomera, Canary Islands. The road curves through sparse green vegetation with rocky volcanic peaks visible in the background and a settled valley to the left. Clear lane markings, dry climate, partly cloudy sky.

Best motorcycle for Moab?

This is the closest thing to a plated enduro that still gets you home on pavement. Long travel, a 21-inch front, and 10.2 in of clearance let you ride Moab-grade terrain to your skill ceiling.

Made for Kane Creek Recreation Area · Moab · Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area

Best motorcycle for BDR routes?

Built for exactly this. Reliability and low running costs make multi-day BDR sections a logistics problem, not a gamble. Plan around the 4.2 gal tank and you will not be the one waiting for a truck.

Made for Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route · Southern California Backcountry Discovery Route · Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route

Best motorcycle for Highway 1?

It will hold a highway line and cover scenic days, but no cruise control and a 35.8 in seat make pure pavement touring work. Worth it only if your favorite routes include dirt detours.

Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway

Alternatives to the Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme

If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.

Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.