AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 59Y AMAHA XT 660 TÉNÉRÉ
are very handy to protect your levers
bending and snapping off in a crash.
As for the transmission, the fi ve-speed
gearbox has a couple of short gears
which are great in the technical stuff and
stretch out to a tall fi h gear that allows
you to comfortably ride at highway
speeds at 3500 revs and just roll on the
thro le for overtaking. If you were doing
more highway duties, you might want todrop a tooth on the rear.
I fi nd I feel far more confi dent on the
dirt on an inexpensive bike than on an
expensive one simply because you don’t
have as much at stake in a crash. It’s
one of the key a ractions of a smaller
adventure bike like this. Even so, Yamaha
has added a very sturdy bash plate and
engine bars. I overbalanced when trying
to mount bicycle-style and the bike fell
over, but didn’t cop any damage at all.
A highlight feature of this bike’s
performance is the standard brakes
with Brembo calipers. No need for
modifi cations here. The twin disc front
has brute force with so initial bite and
great progression, while the back brake
also has good feel, even when wearing
chunky off -road boots.
The instruments are set high and are
easily visible in all lighting conditions.
Information provided includes an
analogue tacho, plus a digital screen
with odometer, fuel gauge, clock and two
trip meters. A GPS mount was added to
the handlebars, but no GPS. You could
also a ach one on the bar above the
instruments.
The dashboard is very neat and
there is plenty of space for a steering
stabiliser, which I would recommend.The steering fl icks into corners with
a light and de touch but it can feel a
li le fl ighty on the highway and over
lateral ruts. A damper would be a must,
especially if you are going to be riding
through mud and sand.
My only other complaint is with the
windscreen, which is set so far forward
it creates an enormous amount of tiring
wind buff eting. Smaller riders might
not get as much buff eting, but I would
either remove the windscreen, fi t a larger
a ermarket unit or an extender. I chose to
fi t a Wunderlich extension for our trip and
it worked just fi ne. Best of all, this bike
is learner-approved which means novice
riders can enjoy this vast land of ours
without having to sacrifi ce a quality ride.
If you are concerned with how much
you may need to spend to get the Ténéré
up to par, remember it cost $15,565 ride
away when it was released and now costs
only $13,999.
My history with adventure bikes is
literally up and down. I started with a
Honda XR650, then a BMW R 1150 GS,
then a KTM 640 Adventure, R 1200 GSA,
BMW F 800 GS and now an R 1200 GS.
If that yo-yo trend continues, my next
move will be down again and I think I
could easily become a Ténéré tragic. ARRARR112_054-059_Yamaha Tenere.indd 59ARR112_054-059_Yamaha Tenere.indd 59 2/5/2015 12:12:29 PM2/5/2015 12:12:29 PM