My Yamaha Super Tenere has very good running lights with a nice spread on the road in front and excellent high beams projecting far on the road ahead. I also like that the headlights consists of two side by side bulbs offering redundancy if one bulb goes out. Some motorcycles use one light as running light and the second as a high beam. I'm happy and confident I will be seen during the day with this setup and if ever caught riding at night I have enough light to turn the night into day ahead of me.
As it came from the factory
The problem with motorcycles for cage drivers is that most see right through the one headlight at cars coming further down the road and often cut in front of motorcycles. The usual response after an accident is that they never saw the motorcycle coming. The best way to enhance the front of the motorcycle is to create a triangle of light. There are various ways to mount lights, some riders mount them up high almost next to the headlight, others mount them at the bottom by the front wheel hub but both options do not create a good triangle. I decided to mount mine on the crash bars but in a way that if I drop the bike it won't damage them. They are set up through a relay to be ON all the time when the engine is running but I wired them through a switch on the console so I can turn them off if needed.
Under the headlights I also mounted a set of Rigid Industries quad LED lights connected to the high beams through a relay and fuse just to be on the safe side. The Rigid are extremely bright and project a spot far down the road. I can't use the Rigid when following other cars but since they are connected with the high beam they are usually off. The four extra sets of lights are all LED and even when all are switched ON they draw a negligible amount of power. The two running lights are very bright and I have had to switch them off at night when in slow traffic and following another car closely.
Last year Yamaha teased us with the T7 Ténéré concept and the media went crazy. Every website and magazine article talked about the possibilities a smaller Ténéré could bring to the "adventure" crowd. The competition already had smaller adventure motorcycles in the 700/800 class but Yamaha was still pushing the very old 660cc Ténéré. Another year has gone by and while everyone expected Yamaha to announce a production model for 2018, a new concept was announced instead. What a disappointment at least on my part. This time we get the Ténéré 700 World Raid.
Courtesy of Yamaha
Don't get me wrong, the World Raid is a beautiful concept and I think Yamaha is going in the right direction but, come one Yamaha, by the time you finally release this model the competition will have taken over the market in this range. Maybe Yamaha is just waiting to sell all the Super Ténéré before they announce the new model but I believe there's a market for both models and the wait will do more harm than good to Yamaha.
Using the rugged rally-inspired character of the original T7 concept bike and using the information gained from intensive testing of the T7 during 2017, Yamaha developed this prototype model which is being used to develop the final specification of the production model.
The 700 World Raid prototype uses the same highly acclaimed 689cc 2-cylinder crossplane concept engine that has been used in the popular MT-07.
Test riders will be riding the Ténéré 700 World Raid around the world throughout 2018 as part of a “World Raid Tour but there's still no word on a production bike in sight.
As everyone that follows my blog knows, I'm a big fan of Yamaha motorcycles. I started my riding life with a Yamaha XT250 in the early 80's and since then Yamaha has been in my heart. My second choice would be Suzuki and then Kawasaki. I have never been a fan of any other motorcycles. Yes, there are lots of motorcycles out there that are beautiful and powerful that I wouldn't mind having but I tend to gravitate to equivalent Japanese motorcycles. Before I bought the Yamaha Super Tenere, my motorcycle of choice to ride to Alaska was the 650cc Suzuki V-Strom which would have been ideal for my size. Yamaha had made the Super Tenere available in other countries almost a year before they announced it for the USA and I had been reading about it. The Tenere looked really good and had a great sounding unique 270° crank 1200cc engine but I also knew it was going to be a big motorcycle at 575lbs. Yamaha was following the success of the BMW GS with the big engine and the Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman adventure series success. Had Yamaha brought the smaller 660cc Tenere to the USA I would have bought it instead.
When they announced the Super Tenere for the USA I ran to the dealer and put a deposit down. I'm extremely happy with my Super Tenere but I like to adventure off-road and a lighter version of the Tenere would have been better for me.
Last year at the EICMA show Yamaha previewed the Yamaha T7 Tenere Concept and the media went crazy. It looked like Yamaha had finally woken up to the smaller and lighter middleweight adventure concept and was getting ready to announce a smaller Tenere to replace the very old and outdated 660 but now with a slightly bigger parallel-twin engine most likely taken from the very popular FZ-07. The concept was developed in conjunction with its official rayy team in France and European headquarters and featured an 18-inch rear and 21-inch front tire. The T7 concept is a beauty.
Like most people, I have been hoping for a 660 Tenere replacement for some time so you can imagine my excitement when a few weeks ago Yamaha alerted us to expect a big announcement on September 6th. There had been talk in the media about the announcement being about the smaller Tenere and the excitement had been growing among fans. The 6th came and I was ready, refreshed the webpage at exactly 10.30am EDT and to my surprise the announcement was for the new "Star Eluder". What does it even mean?
"Eludes" evade or escape from (a danger, enemy, or pursuer), typically in a skillful or cunning way
To say I was disappointed is an understatement. The new "Eluder" is a bagger to complement the previously announced "Star Venture". I guess Yamaha needed a motorcycle to compete with the Harley-Davidson Street Glide, Indian Chieftain, BMW K 1600 B and the Honda F6B Goldwing.
The "Star Eluder" is a beautiful bagger and has a modern air-cooled 113 cubic inch (1854cc) V-twin fuel-injected engine. The Venture and the Eluder are mechanically identical and feature “Drive Mode” settings that adjust throttle response, traction control, a heated seat for the rider and passenger and a fully-featured infotainment system. They are belt-driven touring bikes but unlike the much lighter T7, the Venture weighs 957lbs and the Eluder 875lbs. To keep up with the 7-inch infotainment system with Bluetooth and all the other electronic gizmos like navigation, SiriusXM, CB radio, security alarm, heated seats as well as all the lighting, they have paired alternators mounted low and forward in the engine cases providing a total of 750 watts, enough for the bike and rider's accessories like heated apparel.
The Venture is shown below.
Now I await the next announcement which I hope will be for the smaller Tenere. The talk is that the new bike won't release before late next year in any case, which will be too late even if I wanted to entertain thoughts of buying one for my next trip. Maybe one day when I'm done adventuring off-road and decide to cruise down the highways and paved twisties I will consider a motorcycle like the Eluder, specially if I can convince my wife to ride pillion, but for now my beloved Super Tenere will continue to ride on for the foreseeable future.
Below is the video announcing the Star Eluder for your enjoyment.
Every "adventure" starts with a plan and with enough patience everything is possible if you work on it. I keep reminding myself everyday to stay on track and to carry the plan to execution.
Yamaha has released images of its new XSR700, a retro-styled production model based on the FZ-07 and designed in collaboration with bike builder Shinya Kimura. The XSR700 pays tribute to the classic XS650 but with modern technology, including the 689cc Twin engine and uses the same motor and frame as the FZ-07, one of the best bikes in Yamaha’s stable.
The parallel-Twin engine has an uneven firing interval and 270-degree crank, part of Yamaha’s “Crossplane Philosophy”. Yamaha claims a maximum output of 73.8 hp at 9000 rpm and 50.2 lb-ft. at 6500 rpm, and with fuel consumption at 54.7 mpg it should provide a range of about 200 miles.
The XSR700 has the same 10-spoke aluminum wheels of the FZ-07 with four-piston calipers stopping the 282mm wave-style dual front disc brake while the rear brake uses a 245mm disc. Yamaha claims a dry weight of 410 pounds and ABS is offered as standard.
A two-texture leather seat, headlight brackets, an aluminum fender and fuel tank, mesh side panels, a short exhaust and a host of manufacturer accessories complete this retro model. The digital speedometer is a masterpiece of simplicity and beauty while offering all needed information in a modern motorcycle.
The XSR700 will go on sale this November in both Forest Green and Garage Silver and though the price hasn't been announced, expect to pay a little over the $6,990 FZ-07 price.
I have dreamed about customizing a motorcycle and do my own interpretation of a Cafe Racer for a long time. I purchased a Suzuki GS850 a while back as the starting point, it's a 4 cylinder carburetor fed engine with a shaft drive. The bike has the stocky look I want in my project. Unfortunately finances didn't go the way I wanted and with my son graduating from college and my daughter soon going to college I had to put everything on hold.
This is my Suzuki GS850
Yamaha Europe sells the Sports Heritage Range which includes the XJR1300, the model is not sold in the USA. I think it's a mistake for Yamaha not to offer this model here. I think it would appeal to a large group of young and old riders that are into customizing motorcycles. The XJR1300’s slim racer-style fuel tank shows off the aggressive large displacement air-cooled muscular engine. I love the look of the XJR with it's black 4-2-1 exhaust.
Yamaha created the XJR1300 with the intention of having it customized by the owners. To help jump start the market for custom parts, Yamaha challenged custom builders from around the world to provide inspirational ideas on how to transform modern Yamaha models into what Yamaha calls ‘Yard Built specials.’ Each builder is then given the opportunity to produce and sell custom aftermarket kits to sell to Yamaha customers.
Various garages around the world took up the challenge and came up with wonderful takes on the XJR design. Below are some of the offerings.
The Yamaha XJR1300 Monkeefist by the Wrenchmonkeesin Denmark
When I was a kid my dad used to take me to the track to see car and motorcycle races and to this day I still love anything with speed. My heart would race, my adrenalin would shoot up at the screaming sound of the late 60's and early 70's motorcycles. It was an amazing feeling to be around all these privateers and their smoking 2-strokes machines. I was born in Mozambique, we never had any major championship compete there, all racers were privates and races consisted of a plethora of different motorcycles.
Last year I attended an event at the New Jersey Motorsport Park and these are some of the motorcycles at the track.
My dad had a BSA before I was born, I never got to see it but have heard lots of stories about his adventures.
I have a large collection of diecast model cars and will be posting pictures of some of them on another post but a few years ago, just before my son left for college, we were cleaning his room and found a stash of toys. In between all the toys there were a few diecast cars which I kept and a few plastic motorcycles. I couldn't throw them away so now they sit on a shelf in my office.
