I have been an XT Rider since 1990 when I bought a 82 XT 550 at 13 years old. At 18 I drove that bike from Manitoba to Vancouver for University. Now 20 years later I am still driving XT's and now so is my 15 year old daughter. She just got her an XT 250.
+greg viens they are great bikes, I have a 2001125cc dt but now I'm planning to buy a 1988 xt600 and get the license for the big ones (up to 25kw) my dad had a xt500.
@minq i like the high seated positon of the tenere at high-speed, but at low speed, i find it makes it more difficult to control. but that's just me, maybe i'm not tall enough. i like the 'narrow' feel of the bike though, makes it feel more like a dirt bike. ps - would love to head up the beach, have been looking at the trip north from noosa (i live in brisbane, qld, australia) and should be good fun. need to get some time off work though - easeier said than done!! thanks for the comment!
@PlasticC4 The Tenere XT660Z is certainly a tall bike. At 5'6" I struggled a little and the Yamaha and it doesn't have a low seat option. I've found the F800GS with the low seat option easier to handle and I enjoyed the power of the 800 twin. I've just tested the Sertao with standard seat with ABS and heated grips options. I'm a big fan of the Tenere but I would check the Sertao before you buy. It was better than I expected.
@Amazigh4Tamazgha The bike is specifically named after the Dakar Rallye stage which passes through the Tenere region of the Sahara Desert between Niger and Western Chad. Not saying you are wrong, just that the bike is named more for the Dakar reference than the actual meaning of the word.
@steviezxr i have owned an 09' tenere for about 6 mths, i have only test-ridden a 650gs once. the tenere definetly has more power (or at least, more USEABLE power) but the 650gs has a much lower centre of gravity, and less overall weight. i am very happy with the tenere, but the gs has good aspects too. gs would probably be better on tighter and narrower trails, but across the desert, i love the tenere.
@chicane2k hi there.. good post. I personally find the tenere excellent on tight trails but i may b bias as i have yet to test ride a gs.. thats the thing about tenere.. you should try beach riding too! ride on the beach then picnic with the missus!
@chicane2k super cool.. im from singapore n i spent 2yrs of my adulthood studying at qut, bris.. tht was where i got my bike license too.. oh noosa heads.. fond memories! i miss tht place! would love to come visit brisbane again, n like u, if i could get time off work!!.. know any places where i could rent bikes at brisbane n ride up to sunshine coast? btw at low speed for tenere i prefer standing n try balancing the bike.. the foot rest r wide n comfy enough to stand for long periods.. cheers
@Amazigh4Tamazgha Wow, how fortunate you are to have such an intimate experience of the Dakar! Do you miss it now that they have moved it? Morocco is on my wish list of countries to ride around. Peace be upon you too Mate. :)
@leondenis00 I bought the Tenere XT660, pick it up this weekend.With a thorough lashing of all the Yamaha genuine bits and peices, and full set of Dririder rallycross pro 2 gear.
There are a couple of low seats out there. For example Kahedo makes one at -25mm less height. As for the sertao, well, i own a dakar which is pretty much the same thing, and while it is a great bike, it has very bad forks (there are cases of them breaking for no reason) and that skinny front wheel is just scary (u dont want to corner in the rain with that). And i won't even go into bmw servicing and parts costs. Going to trade the dakar for a tenere next spring, and i'm looking forward to it.
I'm Scottish......probably be half the cost to ship one to Argentina,and drive it north!Freight costs in the USA are frightening-it cheaper to ship a bike to New Zealand,than from NY to AZ,i know,i've done both!
I need some advices here. I am 172.5cm (5ft7 and a half), I am juggling with 4 bikes, tenere 660, BMW f650gs, g650gs sertao, or f800gs. I love those bikes but i am a bit short to ride comfortably on road and off-road. I have ridden f650gs and the g650gs (not sertao yet) but will get to them soon. I've sat om the tenere before and managed to get both feet on the ground but I am a bit awared of the safety on road and off-road ridding so not sure which bike to choose from. Any advice welcome
@Excelephant, we really miss Rallye Dakar but thanks to those empty minded in the deeop south of Mauriatni, now the Rallye is moved, i really hope that it will come back soon to africa. You are welcome my friend, there are many tourists bikers who travel around the country with thier bikes, you will love the diversity of nature here. Peace from Sahara.
@Excelephant i know aht you mean my friend, i just wanted to delight the others with the meaning of the word Tenere, am Amazigh from the south east Sahara of Morocco and Rallye Dakar passes through my village. Thank you anyway mt friend. PEACE
Hi offroadexplorer. I want to ask you one question, Im planning on buying a klr, but willing to go up the price for a tenere cause its awesome. I know there are better bikes for two up. But I want offroad capability before anything, so my question is, Is the yamaha comfortable enough for two up? and how does it compare to the klr. I haven't ridden any of them. Living in south america and doing what I do requires lots of offroad. But I want to take my gf and tent far away too. Please help me out.
I hope you have held the system changed the ecu electric bikes because these forbidding Tenere deixavaõ nimguem old not broken on the road, and best of all ~, it did not spend more than one third of the value of bike maintenance part, equal to 660 then that these this ... Hugs
I am 5ft8" (172.5cm or 1.725m), and my question is, would i be able to get on the bike with both feet on the ground??? Also, how come Aprilia pegaso 650 Trail isn't available in Australia??? I am trying to get a dual purpose bike, but I am a short arse. Any suggestions please feel free to hit me with it. Cheers.
TheOmnipotently: thank you for a cracking signpost. I’ve driven myself mad looking at the angle on all the different bikes I’ve owned. Try MT-01 SOLD FOR A Heritage Softail. Now that was a change in stance! Thank you so much Phil B
@madaraszattila Are you kidding?The 1200 S/T is about 4 Grand British overpriced,should be around V-Strom pricing.This is a far better buy for the likes of Central/Sth American,you try lifting a 1200 onto a yacht to cross the Darien Gap!For 13.000GBP,a BMW is the only way to go with high secondhand prices,Yamahas lose a fortune!
having ridden midsize TT/XT 350 for years....I see myself upgrading to a more comfortable bike like this , unless the xtz 700 twin ever gets created...😕
What would be the most suitable medium class motorcycle for long-distance adventure touring that is highly reliable, comfortable, easy to fix and has excellent mileage? - V-strom 650? - KLR 650? - Tiger 800? - Tenere 660?
+Minesplorer Easy to fix and have excellent mileage are the Honda Transalp or the Africa Twin. The new bikes should be nice too, but easy to fix are mostly the bikes with less electric and without incection. From the bikes above, i would not chose the Tiger. They are not know for great mileage or reliability. The others should be fine. But the V-strom isn't made for offroade. I would check out the KLR or the Tenere and chose then. Or a Transalp. The V2 runs very smoth, wich is nice to have on long rides. But you only get 300 km with one tank, unlike the Tenere, which can do 450 km. And sorry for my bad english, but its not my native language.
***** Yeah, I guess a brand new adventure motorcycle full with gear would attract unwanted attention. An older motorcycle might be more under the radar. Thanks for the input!
If your interested in a 650 Vstrom..you may as well get a tiger 800xcx but if your prefering a KLR650 you may as well get the xt660z. the extra power to weight is helpful
Hi there Off Road Explorer. Thanks for the video - great stuff BUT can you provide future reviews WITHOUT the CRAP MUSIC please?. We come here to see & hear the bikes, The thrash metal commotion does nothing positive for the experience. Thanks.
the engine is low on power but its high on reliability. the more HP an engine puts out the less reliable it soon becomes. I'm sure Yamaha could have made it as powerful as bikes like the KTM, but you can bet the KTM breaks before the Yamaha does.
to plasticc4 this bike is too high for 5'8" I've just tried it, 'm 5'11" and it's quite good for me, maybe even a bit too high (and this was on tle lowest suspension setting ;) take care m8
João Fernandes Yeah but people probably don't want the normal tenere here, probably because they think the engine displacement is too small or something. I really don't see why Yamaha don't sell it here. Maybe it's a safety thing, the US has different vehicle safety regulations than Europe.
CockatooDude Most likely because it's more of a cheap bike and from what I've gathered over the years, most americans like big, expensive, petrol-hungy vehicles. I may be wrong though...
Another one who doesn't know what model he's got....That's a XT660Z.... And before some mug says "so what ?" you wait till you order parts and you've got the wrong bits..
GRANDE GRANDE GRANDE YAMAHA. POR FIN VOLVIMOS A LO QUE ES UNA TRAIL. Bravo!!!
The legend return!
Great video. Good Yamaha advert. Good job!
I have been an XT Rider since 1990 when I bought a 82 XT 550 at 13 years old.
At 18 I drove that bike from Manitoba to Vancouver for University.
Now 20 years later I am still driving XT's and now so is my 15 year old daughter. She just got her an XT 250.
+greg viens they are great bikes, I have a 2001125cc dt but now I'm planning to buy a 1988 xt600 and get the license for the big ones (up to 25kw) my dad had a xt500.
Awesone test, thank you!
@minq i like the high seated positon of the tenere at high-speed, but at low speed, i find it makes it more difficult to control. but that's just me, maybe i'm not tall enough. i like the 'narrow' feel of the bike though, makes it feel more like a dirt bike. ps - would love to head up the beach, have been looking at the trip north from noosa (i live in brisbane, qld, australia) and should be good fun. need to get some time off work though - easeier said than done!! thanks for the comment!
I love my Tenere too.
I LOVE THIS BIKE!!!
@PlasticC4 The Tenere XT660Z is certainly a tall bike. At 5'6" I struggled a little and the Yamaha and it doesn't have a low seat option. I've found the F800GS with the low seat option easier to handle and I enjoyed the power of the 800 twin. I've just tested the Sertao with standard seat with ABS and heated grips options. I'm a big fan of the Tenere but I would check the Sertao before you buy. It was better than I expected.
@Amazigh4Tamazgha The bike is specifically named after the Dakar Rallye stage which passes through the Tenere region of the Sahara Desert between Niger and Western Chad. Not saying you are wrong, just that the bike is named more for the Dakar reference than the actual meaning of the word.
The bike is very good voor offroad, onroad en voor long trips. Its a very good bike, and the best part is........ I have one and I love it.
RIDE ON!! 🤙🏼
@steviezxr i have owned an 09' tenere for about 6 mths, i have only test-ridden a 650gs once. the tenere definetly has more power (or at least, more USEABLE power) but the 650gs has a much lower centre of gravity, and less overall weight. i am very happy with the tenere, but the gs has good aspects too. gs would probably be better on tighter and narrower trails, but across the desert, i love the tenere.
@chicane2k hi there.. good post. I personally find the tenere excellent on tight trails but i may b bias as i have yet to test ride a gs.. thats the thing about tenere.. you should try beach riding too! ride on the beach then picnic with the missus!
@chicane2k super cool.. im from singapore n i spent 2yrs of my adulthood studying at qut, bris.. tht was where i got my bike license too.. oh noosa heads.. fond memories! i miss tht place! would love to come visit brisbane again, n like u, if i could get time off work!!.. know any places where i could rent bikes at brisbane n ride up to sunshine coast? btw at low speed for tenere i prefer standing n try balancing the bike.. the foot rest r wide n comfy enough to stand for long periods.. cheers
@Amazigh4Tamazgha Wow, how fortunate you are to have such an intimate experience of the Dakar! Do you miss it now that they have moved it? Morocco is on my wish list of countries to ride around. Peace be upon you too Mate. :)
@leondenis00 I bought the Tenere XT660, pick it up this weekend.With a thorough lashing of all the Yamaha genuine bits and peices, and full set of Dririder rallycross pro 2 gear.
There are a couple of low seats out there.
For example Kahedo makes one at -25mm less height.
As for the sertao, well, i own a dakar which is pretty much the same thing,
and while it is a great bike, it has very bad forks (there are cases of them breaking for no reason) and that skinny front wheel is just scary (u dont want to corner in the rain with that).
And i won't even go into bmw servicing and parts costs.
Going to trade the dakar for a tenere next spring, and i'm looking forward to it.
Fantastica trail, yamaha rule !!
hell yeah, if the guys can do it on a posty, then this will be awesome!
This motorbike is good for curve like XT 660R?
I'm Scottish......probably be half the cost to ship one to Argentina,and drive it north!Freight costs in the USA are frightening-it cheaper to ship a bike to New Zealand,than from NY to AZ,i know,i've done both!
I need some advices here. I am 172.5cm (5ft7 and a half), I am juggling with 4 bikes, tenere 660, BMW f650gs, g650gs sertao, or f800gs. I love those bikes but i am a bit short to ride comfortably on road and off-road. I have ridden f650gs and the g650gs (not sertao yet) but will get to them soon. I've sat om the tenere before and managed to get both feet on the ground but I am a bit awared of the safety on road and off-road ridding so not sure which bike to choose from. Any advice welcome
2:45mins - time to lupe your chain - I hope I'm still on time ;-). Nice vid.
2:43 omg the chain ! are you serious ?
If you had to pick would have the tenere or the sertao?
how does it compare to bmw f650 gs dakar?
Yamaha XTZ660 was 1991-99 model!!
This is XT660Z 2008-on!!
@Excelephant, we really miss Rallye Dakar but thanks to those empty minded in the deeop south of Mauriatni, now the Rallye is moved, i really hope that it will come back soon to africa. You are welcome my friend, there are many tourists bikers who travel around the country with thier bikes, you will love the diversity of nature here. Peace from Sahara.
@Excelephant i know aht you mean my friend, i just wanted to delight the others with the meaning of the word Tenere, am Amazigh from the south east Sahara of Morocco and Rallye Dakar passes through my village. Thank you anyway mt friend. PEACE
Looks like just the thing for an ouround Australia adventure
Good
Hi offroadexplorer. I want to ask you one question, Im planning on buying a klr, but willing to go up the price for a tenere cause its awesome. I know there are better bikes for two up. But I want offroad capability before anything, so my question is, Is the yamaha comfortable enough for two up? and how does it compare to the klr. I haven't ridden any of them. Living in south america and doing what I do requires lots of offroad. But I want to take my gf and tent far away too. Please help me out.
Two flaws I've read on these bikes are; the exhausts overheat and the engine has no power. What is your response to this?
really waiting for my too come home soon
This is XT660Z can you use it properly...
Still doubting..xt660z of xrv750..
I had a 1984 XT600 Tenere - What a bike!!!
Too much plastic and a silly price tag on this one!!!
here in brasil they sell a 250cc ténéré, 21HP :(
My misty blue is just too deadly
want
Tenere means The Desert in amazigh language thats why they named it like that.
I hope you have held the system changed the ecu electric bikes because these forbidding Tenere deixavaõ nimguem old not broken on the road, and best of all ~, it did not spend more than one third of the value of bike maintenance part, equal to 660 then that these this ... Hugs
I am 5ft8" (172.5cm or 1.725m), and my question is, would i be able to get on the bike with both feet on the ground??? Also, how come Aprilia pegaso 650 Trail isn't available in Australia??? I am trying to get a dual purpose bike, but I am a short arse. Any suggestions please feel free to hit me with it.
Cheers.
Never too late only 9 years later for an answer ^^ just go here and see if you fit on any bike cycle-ergo.com/
TheOmnipotently: thank you for a cracking signpost. I’ve driven myself mad looking at the angle on all the different bikes I’ve owned. Try MT-01 SOLD FOR A Heritage Softail. Now that was a change in stance! Thank you so much Phil B
@madaraszattila Are you kidding?The 1200 S/T is about 4 Grand British overpriced,should be around V-Strom pricing.This is a far better buy for the likes of Central/Sth American,you try lifting a 1200 onto a yacht to cross the Darien Gap!For 13.000GBP,a BMW is the only way to go with high secondhand prices,Yamahas lose a fortune!
Hmmh, written "XTZ 660", presented XT660Z...a slight but important difference... :-( The XTZ660 ended long before 2009...
You sir are the first person i have found who knows this
having ridden midsize TT/XT 350 for years....I see myself upgrading to a more comfortable bike like this , unless the xtz 700 twin ever gets created...😕
I think your dream could happen. If you didnt seen it yet look up T7 concept from yamaha
Well it took a few years.... have you tried the tenere 700 yet?
What would be the most suitable medium class motorcycle for long-distance adventure touring that is highly reliable, comfortable, easy to fix and has excellent mileage?
- V-strom 650?
- KLR 650?
- Tiger 800?
- Tenere 660?
+Minesplorer Easy to fix and have excellent mileage are the Honda Transalp or the Africa Twin. The new bikes should be nice too, but easy to fix are mostly the bikes with less electric and without incection. From the bikes above, i would not chose the Tiger. They are not know for great mileage or reliability. The others should be fine. But the V-strom isn't made for offroade. I would check out the KLR or the Tenere and chose then. Or a Transalp. The V2 runs very smoth, wich is nice to have on long rides. But you only get 300 km with one tank, unlike the Tenere, which can do 450 km. And sorry for my bad english, but its not my native language.
Berger Niklas
Thanks for the informative reply!
*****
Yeah, I guess a brand new adventure motorcycle full with gear would attract unwanted attention.
An older motorcycle might be more under the radar.
Thanks for the input!
If your interested in a 650 Vstrom..you may as well get a tiger 800xcx but if your prefering a KLR650 you may as well get the xt660z. the extra power to weight is helpful
Hi there Off Road Explorer. Thanks for the video - great stuff BUT can you provide future reviews WITHOUT the CRAP MUSIC please?. We come here to see & hear the bikes, The thrash metal commotion does nothing positive for the experience.
Thanks.
My dad has it :D I often drive this bike, its so fucking amazing :) I beg him, to give it to me when I reach 18 years old :D (16 now) ENDURO FOR EVER
way more reliable than KTM
the engine is low on power but its high on reliability. the more HP an engine puts out the less reliable it soon becomes.
I'm sure Yamaha could have made it as powerful as bikes like the KTM, but you can bet the KTM breaks before the Yamaha does.
Tenere is one. Bike must be adventure bike or trial bike other way is's not a bike.. is's traffic vehicle.
to plasticc4
this bike is too high for 5'8"
I've just tried it, 'm 5'11" and it's quite good for me, maybe even a bit too high (and this was on tle lowest suspension setting ;)
take care m8
So sad you can't get these in the USA.
why can't you?
João Fernandes Yamaha only sells the 1200cc Super Tenere here. Don't know why. Maybe they don't think there is a market for it.
CockatooDude If your theory is correct that is stupid. I live in Portugal and it's available. The USA are much, much bigger!
João Fernandes Yeah but people probably don't want the normal tenere here, probably because they think the engine displacement is too small or something. I really don't see why Yamaha don't sell it here. Maybe it's a safety thing, the US has different vehicle safety regulations than Europe.
CockatooDude Most likely because it's more of a cheap bike and from what I've gathered over the years, most americans like big, expensive, petrol-hungy vehicles. I may be wrong though...
Another one who doesn't know what model he's got....That's a XT660Z.... And before some mug says "so what ?" you wait till you order parts and you've got the wrong bits..
too bad you misnamed the video. Its xt660z!!!!! You can correct the title or keep getting comments pointing out your ignorance.
@ermhc what legend??Its bike is a piece of shit compared to the orig. Tenere.The new super Tenere is great, but this is just a bad joke.