A_R_R_2015_04

58 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

for travelling much further on the

highways and byways so luggage capacity

may be a consideration. Yamaha has

opted for a 4mm-thick aluminium rear

rack from B&B Off road Engineers. It’s a

solid, fl at surface with plenty of slots for

tie-downs. The thick rear steel subframe

means it will be strong enough to

support heavy luggage without sagging

or fracturing. Another solid feature of the

Ténéré is the steel sidestand. It is very

straight and upright, but it’s robust and

if you fi nd the bike too tall to throw a leg

over, you can use it to mount without

fear of bending it.

The riding position is ideal for the long

haul with one of the most comfortable

seats on any dual sport bike, so there

is no need to change the suede-look

seat. However, Yamaha has opted for

handlebar risers to make tall riders even

more comfortable when standing. The

slim tank allows riders to get their heads

right over the triple clamp for optimum

weight balance and control.

Yamaha has also thankfully replaced

the far-too-narrow rubber footpegs with

wide metal Pivot Pegs. I was originally

sceptical as I thought they would aff ect

lever control, but I fi nd they vastly

improve comfort for long standing duties

and don’t interfere with pedal use.

The brake lever has a cable protector,

but there wasn’t one on the gear shi er,

which may have been an oversight. These

“In its standard form, the

Ténéré feels too plush for off-

road riding, although it has

long enough travel to avoid

bottoming out in all but the

biggest hits”

■ The overall design is tight

and compact, improving the

bike’s balance

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