A Match Made in Heaven

Many of us have multiple motorcycles in our garages. It’s not that we’re hoarders, we just need specific weapons for specific types of riding. But when faced with the prospect of thinning the herd, choosing just one is a decision that’s seldom easy.

When I began making plans to ride the California Backcountry Discovery Route—South (CABDR) last year, I had a KTM 1090 Adventure R. With the ride set for late March and a new Yamaha Tenere 700 (T7) not due to arrive until June, the decision of which bike to use was easy, but not without hesitation. Not to disparage the 1090, its power and handling are legendary. But I was a little anxious about wrestling its weight through the deep sand for which this route is famous.

When COVID hit in March, plans for the CABDR were scrapped, and I rescheduled for late fall. This meant the baby Tenere would be in my hot little hands for the assault on SoCal. After successfully navigating the bike through 1,000 miles of the Mid-Atlantic BDR that summer, my mind was made up. The Little T would be my choice for getting through the CABDR’s sand, rock, steep elevation changes, and water crossings. I hoped that Yamaha’s newest mid-size adventure machine would be up to the challenge, with its lower weight, nimble handling, and ample torque.

Hotel arrangements were made, flights scheduled, and the bike dropped off at HaulBikes in Milwaukee for an early October shipment to Vegas. My friend James did the same with his DRZ 400 from Carlisle, PA, and we met in Sin City at the end of the month. After riding 300 miles to the official start of the CABDR in Yuma, AZ, we joined Mark and Yoni (Honda CB500X and KTM 1290 Adventure R, respectively), who’d traveled from Los Angeles. The last member of the group, Phil (KTM 690 Rally), would meet us the following day in Blythe, CA.

Section 1 of the CABDR is notorious for one thing… sand, and lots of it. Eight miles to be exact, along Indian Pass Road. There are other sections of deep sand along the route but nothing as prolonged as Indian Pass. And it’s not just ordinary sand, like what I’m accustomed to in areas like the New Jersey Pine Barrens or forest roads in the upper peninsula of Michigan. This is more like riding a beach. Deep and relentless. But the T7 handled it like a champ, fitted with a MotoZ Desert H/T in the rear and a MotoZ Adventure in the front.

The next big CABDR challenge was found in Section 4. Soon after leaving Primm, NV, we had the choice of an easier route up to the Colosseum Mine or the challenge of a steep, rocky uphill to the plateau. We gave the expert section a go. I was accustomed to the power of the KTM 1090; it could go from a dead stop to a steep uphill with little concern. The baby Tenere has slightly more than half the horsepower than the 1090, but Yamaha’s engineers found a way to put every ounce of it to the ground with a bucket of torque. I could pick the way through a boulder field while managing to maintain momentum on the climb. And I had a similar experience later, getting up to Cerro Gordo Mine via the very long, steep, gravel-strewn option.

I had been concerned with reports that the Tenere’s suspension was too soft, limiting high-speed maneuvering through rough terrain. My concern turned out to be well-founded. The stock rear spring could not support my weight (215 lb.) and the packed Mosko Moto Reckless 80 system. The real test came in a section of the Mojave Desert that featured long stretches of high-speed, sandy whoops and some square-edged drop-offs. At speed, the stock clicker settings proved problematic, as I frequently bottomed out. But dialing in a bit more damping and rebound front and rear made all the difference. While some T7 owners upgrade their suspensions with aftermarket alternatives, those who are only human in riding abilities will find that playing with the suspension settings will provide much-needed improvement in the bike’s manners.

We logged an abundance of blacktop getting to the start of the CABDR and then back to Vegas from the end of the ride in Benton Hot Springs, allowing for an assessment of the Yamaha’s highway behavior. Even with the aggressive nature of the MotoZ tires, the bike handled high speeds well. I did struggle somewhat with buffeting 50-mph wind gusts on the stretch from Beatty, NV to Vegas, but I’m sure that any motorcycle would have behaved about the same.

At speed, the brakes and managing the steep rocky descents on the CABDR were a bit of a concern. While the dual-rotor Brembos were more than adequate up front, the Brembo system in the rear could use some attention. Stopping power was soft, transmitting a mushy feel to the rear brake pedal. One possible correction would be to swap the soft rubber brake lines for braided steel, thus allowing the brake fluid to be more efficiently delivered to the calipers. I’ve also heard that cleaning the brake rotor and replacing the pads with a sintered variety helps.

The Tenere community has developed numerous aftermarket upgrades. The three changes I believe are absolutely necessary are as follows:

1. Upgraded skid plate, as the stock one is paper thin and would not hold up under even minor abuse.
2. Center stand, a must for tire changes and chain care.
3. Handguards to replace the flimsy units that come stock.

I finished the CABDR by taking on the expert option of Section 7. Rocky elevation changes, deep sand, and water crossings posed the route’s final challenges. The nimbleness of the T7 got me through these obstacles with enough confidence to enjoy the splash of green this part of the Sierras has to offer. Multiple creeks not only provide nutrients for the trees but also gave me the chance for a little aquatic fun. There were no issues getting through the rockier water crossings or navigating the deeper sections with water rising to mid-calf depth.

The final section of the CABDR, Section 8, is the reward for getting through the challenges of Section 7. Smooth, fast, and beautiful is the best description of the route from Bishop to the Hot Springs of Benton. A relatively easy 40-mile stretch winds through colorful Chidago Canyon and past some ancient petroglyphs. The final night was spent in glorious hot springs at the historic Benton Hot Springs Inn. A grilled steak dinner put a welcome cap on a truly memorable trip with a truly memorable motorcycle.

All in all, the Yamaha Tenere 700 took on and conquered what many consider the most difficult BDR of the 10 developed so far. Yamaha has created an affordable and capable package that has the potential to be the workhorse in the garage of many ADV riders. I know it will be in mine.

John Ciribassi lives in the western suburbs of Chicago and the mountains of north central Pennsylvania. He has been riding since he was 10 years old, beginning on a Rupp mini-bike. After many years and many different bikes, he focuses on adventure riding on his KTM 1090 Adventure and Yamaha Tenere 700. He is the owner and guide of Emmaus MotoTours (EmmausMotoTours.com), focusing on introducing new riders to the sport of adventure motorcycling. Emmaus features tours on many of the BDRs and local adventure routes in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.