Appreciate this. Can't think of another channel that would have went through all that effort due to feedback in the comments. Thanks for this. Shows that you value your product and want to give the highest integrity opinion possible. Well done! Though I've been waiting 3+ years for this bike, I have to accept it may have some negatives.
I think suspension is ok for 90% of the riders or more. I got this bike but i agree suspension is not that good but really it gets the job still done. Old tenere 660 was still very popular bike and this is so much better in many ways I think still. Many people cant afford new KTM or BMW or Africa Twin but they just might afford this. I know its the reason I got it and no regrets.
Just wanted to say that most reviewers wouldn't have even bothered with a follow-up video so kudos to DriveMag for this. The T700 isn't on my wishlist but the video was worth watching.
The way to go is 1. SAG measurement on front and rear, if its not fit, change the springs. One absolutely necessary factor for traction. 2. One way is to start with the basic settings from Yamaha and just ride 1000km to get a feeling and all damping components smooth. 3. Then start with the hardest or softest setting for the rebound and click it after every ride on the same track until it fits. The same afterwards with the compression. I rode the Yamaha just on bad tarmac, but it felt pretty plush. And kayaba suspension are quite nice. Of course an update will increase the performance, that's how it should be. But for me I'm sorry, you guys don't really know how suspension works and how it get adjusted. Where you can learn a lot is riding mtb full suspension bikes and try the possibilities. And watch the fox suspension channel from the worldcups.
I was wondering why sag didn't come up once in the discussion. Setting preload in the shock is the first thing you do before youb start in with the clickers.
What the guys did was more than what the average rider actually does. I know so many people who have the best bikes with suspensions that are fully adjustable but they never really use those features because they don't really feel what's going on and/or they are afraid to change the settings for some reason. Even though I am a fan of Yamaha I must admit that the other bikes do something better, when the suspension works right out of the box. Still got to keep the price tag in mind, whenever comparing a bike to the T700. The T700 is still kind of alone in its price category.
@@ChrisAkAxTr3Me yeah right, I don't know why people don't want to learn how to adjust their suspension, when it's possible. It changes the ride in so effective way, you can't believe it. Set it and forget it out of the box will never work for a range of people from 60 to 140kg:). Well, every body can choose by himself to change it...
@@Max-dj5qj, it is funny from a mtb-er perspective; if I gave them a lyrik rc2 or grip2 fox, some volume spacers and a float x2, I think they might lose it. 😁🙊 They need to understand what type of changes work on which type of terrain. It is also funny that most of ppl commenting here do not understand what adjustments you need to do in order to be able to ride fast in off-road. I always thought that mtb-ers are lazy and don't want to understand how the bike should work under them. It seems that motocyclists are even worse. Hahahahaha. They all want 'set and forget' type or to be electronically adjustable by the manufacturer so, they can just click a button and make it good for off-road(-ish); or click another button and make it good on the asphalt; that is unnecessary laziness on the brain.
Suspension is and always be a personal thing, what works for some will not necessary work for another, hence there are suspension gurus in the world to tailor the suspension to your needs and no doubt there are guys working on it right now. Even some KTM,s fitted with WP still needed some tweaking, not to mention the Africa twin suspension was criticised by many and a solution was found very quickly. Most people that buy motorcycles never touch the suspension and are happy because it does what they want it to do, sadly in this world of social media urban myths pop up very fast and not all are true.
Yamaha tenere owners manual does not give information how to set a bike for soft or hard feeling. It only gives information for standard out of factory setting. Other two given options are just informational ranges of the extent of adjustability in minimum or maximum damping for both rebound and compression. Never is a bike set up at fully tightened in or screwed out adjusters. On the other hand, these guys never played with preload only, as only 4 clicks more preload give a very different riding sensation and only when this is done, you can try to tune rebound and compression somewhere around factory settings, give or take a few clicks. Still won't be as plush as BMW, but much better overall.
Great channel! Good videos! But the shorter guy (Clarkson) needs to stop interrupting the taller pro guy (May). Keep going.. Not so scripted content, honest reviews.. Keep up the good work.
I normally like your videos, but seems to me this one is just trying to save face for bashing Yamaha. The first 20 seconds says it all, you found a way to walk away from the Yamaha and showcase the "plush" BMW suspension on a perfect slow speed bump. I get it, you like BMW and are aiming for some BMW sponsorship while still being polite and not bashing too much the rest. But if you are trying to be objective you would have done a simple straight forward suspension adjustment, instructing your viewers on proper way to adjust the suspension on a new bike. Seems to me you are not getting the most of the already existing suspension and settings. Reading the manual is good, but understanding how suspension work and in what order you need to adjust each setting is critical. You did not show us an any of that and you seem to struggle turning a knob or using a screwdriver. If you feel or want to make amends for the previous review then do it properly. At the end of this video you do a nice recap on what "you" think about Yamaha Tenere 700 suspension and how it compares to BMW, and I appreciated that. Thank you ! Maybe you should do a real suspension adjustment video where you start with proper sag to begin with and then move to the other settings related to the type of riding you plan doing. That would be one at a time adjustment for rebound then compression. Inform the viewers about rider weight with gear and provide recommendations based on what you think is best. The same bike will have different settings when doing different types of terrain. I do believe that the Yamaha rear is under-sprung if you weigh more than 75kg but it's an easy fix. And once the suspension is balanced for the type of riding you do, it's still going to be cheaper that most other bikes out there both at purchase and in the long run. Oh ... and please let the other guy complete a sentence before cutting him off. I am still subscribed and I am looking forward to you next video. Happy Holidays :)
I think they represent a typical motorcyclist who does not really know much about this kind of stuff. Even though I've never ridden this bike, I can understand what they mean, a "good" suspension makes itself felt immediately, even before proper adjustment. KTM does this very well for example. But of course I agree proper adjustment will make ANY suspension feel much better.
nope, unfortunately its not that simple. Proper suspension tune will be not only more comfortable, but also more bottoming resistant, aka hard when should be hard, compliant when should be compliant.
Thank you for making this follow up, this helps a lot. After I criticised you not trying different settings I cannot give enough thumps up after this video ;-) - next year I'll give the Tenere a try myself and if the suspension is the only negative thing I can find I know what to do first..
For adventure bike, lighter is better! No one to convince me that BMW - 230kg is better of T7 - 200kg. The weight is always matters. Sorry for my bad Еnglish
I have 2019 BMW F850GS and recently test rode the Yamaha T7. I was really impressed with the T7. Seat and riding position was very good and it felt good on the road. GS performance on the road is better but there is always a compromise. I believe the T7 is better off road especially with its weight advantage. I also love my gadgets but the simplicity of the T7 is the way to goes if you are serious about remote adventure. Value for money goes to T7.
Nice review now changing the suspensions settings. I personally love the Tenere 700 and I will get one as soon arrives to my country, Uruguay. I was a dirt bike rider and as far as I can see, at the adventure bikes market this is the one more similar to a dirt bike, but also allow you to go on road. The adjustable suspension need to be set up carefully and test it to find the best one. I'm a rider that like to feel the roads and paths so no problem if not a perfect suspension. Would be good a test fully on sand, as I believe that with the front bars so forward will be perfect for that. Also the price is ok for the bike quality, is a simple good torque engine bike and the most similar to a dirt bike. Merry Christmas and happy new year.
Sounds like you're having to turn up the damping to try to compensate for too-soft springs. On the Australasian launch a suspension expert said he would replace front and rear springs and re-valve the rear shock for rough offroad work, which isn't too expensive given the low purchase price. With love, Ken
All this talk of suspension is only good for TH-cam, when you buy a bike you live with it and it becomes the normal. Hardly anyone changes any settings.
As it appears in the videos, and at least for offroad riding, you need faster rebound on the fork and slower rebound on the shock. Plus setting the SAG is a must and its the first step on getting the correct setting... Then rebound, according to the spring/sag and finally the compression. The BMW looks plush and comfy, but just that, comfy. A suspension tuned to go fast, is a shit going slower. I dont think an unadjustable suspension is the way to go, not in a high price bike.... If you cant find the fine tune, just send the suspensions to retune internals, it will be no more than 300$ and you will still have the external adjustability.
An informative post, thanks for that. Is there a "better" way to set the rebound than just run the bike on a specific terrain/surface until you get happy? I've played with my 790R suspension that just right out of the door feels better than most or all I have ridden. My conclusion is that what you say different speeds and surfaces need different settings for perfection. And that takes alot more time than I think the average advrider takes in to it. Good base setting and a good understanding from playing around helps though.
The business in the comments in the last video. I think you guys do good reviews and I am glad you tryied to address the issues for your views from the last video.
Great that you took the time and followed up. Can't argue with that! Sounds to me like Yamaha under-sprung the suspension. It could be as simple as getting the next stiffer spring rate f/r. Also, the sag is critical in proper suspension set up especially for a dirt bike. Funny, cause Yamaha is known for the best suspension on there dirt bikes right out of the box. Still not a deal breaker, adding stiffer springs is relatively easy and not too expensive. It could be made to work very well. Thanks for the great video's.
This is clearly sponsored by BMW ,No kidding!! Just look at the vids carefully and you will notice that even they tried to hide the BMW bad susp performance it looks just plain soft and simply dated, nothing more, so if you will go really slow it will feel plush as it should in that case... Merry Christmas everyone!!!
People now days, we wish for cheap light adventure no electronics. 2 months later suspension is not perfect it has no electronic. Happy new year people.
You guys have very good reviews, but in this video you should start with checking the sag settings first. Rear spring is to soft compared to the front on the T7. Otherwise the reviews gives a good comment on the T7 suspension. Best Regards and Merry Christmas from T7 owner in Norway.
Space Truckin' the seat is pretty decent from my experience so far you can easily ride a couple hours on it. But I am going for the taller/flatter rally seat in the future for more control. (But that’s personal ofc)
Great review as always....love this channel. Having wanted a T7 I have had one on test for a day. I have to say I wanted to love it BUT I have to agree with the comments about the suspension. Yamaha have a problem here, it isn’t about cost it is about set up. Yamaha had problems with the MT07 and 09 suspension and had to upgrade/alter it. An extra €200 euro at the factory would make a massive difference. By the time you spend €1000 on aftermarket suspension and €300 on auxiliary lights you might as well buy the KTM. So close but not developed enough for me. Wait a year and it will be sorted by Yamaha.
maybe then Yamaha fans realize that the KTM might be the better bang for the buck. Why spend 10k EUR for a bike with imperfections when there's a near perfect bike for 3000 extra..
This bike was not designed for weekend warriors. That belongs to the smaller bikes. You can get on and use it as a commuter, go on a breakfast run with your girlfriend, hit the country roads on a weekend, slap on some protection and travel the world WITHOUT breaking the bank. You need more you hit the custom parts section. This bike is very much like a jet fighter. The mission determines the ammo load. Yamaha created a beautiful platform for individuals to build on. In the end it all boils down to the size of your wallet.
From the video it looks like the BMW is using more of its suspension travel at the speed you are running it. I would expect that if you take the speed up a little you may find you are at the limit of the BMW suspension whereas the Tenere may have more travel in reserve.
3 easy steps for a serious realtionship with your T700: 1. Drain the swamp: Use a high quality fork oil; I use the one that starts with a M.... 2. Stiffness matters: Use 2 high quality front springs 3. Do it harder: If some pocket money left, install a quality aftermarket rear shocky
Chris Redfield Thanks. In Australia Yamaha offer the Tenere with various packs. Comes down to what people can afford. KTMs are very expensive. Yamaha is at a very reasonable price point like the Royal Enfield Himalayan- amazing what people do with those bikes. Love to see a review of a KTM 390 Adventure.
@@ksprr6856 Yeah, that's why they win all the Dakar races recently :) KTM is not affraid to build ground breaking, performance bikes. Yamaha has to built outdated cheap bike in order to sell anything sensible in the ADV segment :) Yeah. Get real man.
Your opinion is your opinion and was based on a bike as presented to you. This being a new product will improve over time and is a timely reminder to avoid/be wary of job one products. Feedback is a gift and debate is healthy.
Thankyou for revisiting the Yamaha suspension. I'd like to know how they got it wrong with all of the experience they have. I hope they do something about it. Maybe its not an adventure bike, but a big dualsport. Stiffen it up snd ride it like you stole it?
Towards the end, you hit the nail on the head. It's a great foundation at a reasonable price point. This leaves money on the table to customize/tailor its few shortfalls specifically to the owner's wants. Great strategy Yamaha! A lot of us don't want all that fancy crap being shovelled down our throats. Let the owner add or improve pieces based on what the owner decides. Excellent review guys. Excellent!
You are really trying to convert a failure into a win, aren't you? Customization is about personalization not about replacing parts that the factory skimmed off. Not giving this bike a better susspension is not building a "good foundataion" it's simply cutting costs and hoping most people won't notice.
RexDexPL oh look....it’s the greatest rider ever. Hi Rex....how is your fantasy KTM treating you...you know, the one you claim to have but actually don’t. Hahaha
@@dexio85have you priced suspension? Seriously go to your dealer and price a premium WP or Öhlins set. Your looking at $1500.00 to $4k US and up! Then look into it deeper. They are custom made for Rider size, weight and planned usage. Pillian, no pillian, luggage, no luggage. Etc. I'm glad Yamaha is not making me pay for premium suspension that they decided should be set up for the 6'2" 226 lb man riding with full gear and 60lbs of gear. Premium or not, that would suck for me being 5'8" 170lbs riding with 40 lbs of luggage and gear. Don't make me pay for someone else's idea of perfection. So no, I'm not trying to turn YOUR idea of a failure into a win. It's my idea of a win YOUR trying to turn into a failure. I disagree with you. You disagree with me. That's cool. Maybe we can agree on the Norden when it's released. But I guarantee you, no matter what bike you review, it's not going to work for everyone the same way.
@@brianmacdonald3292 I know. I also know that the WP suspension KTM puts in the 790R is great base for upgrade without the need to replace it. Mostly you just change the springs and maybe valving, maybe. That's 500-800 usd max. Better deal than getting Yamaha and throwing 4k at it for a second pair of suspension. Not to mention that tubed rims that dont make sense nowdays. You will have to cough up aditional 2k for tubeless. I feel sorry for people that bought T700 thinking they will save money that way.
@@dexio85 your perception is valid but I still don't agree. Yamaha wants to sell a lot of these and has decided to keep the price down at the lower end of it's competition. Of course it has to cut out the premium stuff to get down there. Toyota sells a ship load of Corollas with the same strategy. Build a high quality basic vehicle that's affordable and your average Joe will appreciate it's reliability, low cost to operate and will therefore buy one. Personally I have Öhlins on my RT and Wilbers on my GS because I can tell the difference between them and stock shocks and the upgrade is worth the money to ME. This is the fastest growing bike market in 2019. A lot of entry level people are going to buy into the midsize ADV catagory. This one is affordable and "good". By the way, visit your KTM dealer and see if they are an authorized WP dealer. 790R's do not have top of the line WP suspension on them. 790R is equipped with mid-line (still very high quality) suspension. You still have to pay $3-4K above sticker if you really want the top shelf suspension offerings.
Come on! At least ride the bikes a bit fast. It is so slow. I have the T7, and yeah the suspension is not perfect, to be expected at the price point. But it is balanced and you can ride it hard. The 850 is way too soft and you can not ride it even as close to the t7 speed wise. Why is it so hard to test and understand this? Plush is not good! Plush is what people want in the show room and riding slow. The T7 have a great suspension for its cost. Yes, the rear spring is too light for riders above 80kgs. Otherwise it is quite good. get the bikes screaming and then do a review again!
This guys really don't know - plush off road is crappier on road and really for slow riding. I also think they achieved good balance for up to 75 kg rider.....for all roads.
Hey mate, you so right with your comment. they ride very slow to compere suspension levels. can you tell me whats your click setups for front and rear rebound and compression? i ride hard too but sometimes lose traction on a softer ground such as sand and mud..
I’m more than ever convinced that I want the KTM 790 for my next bike. I live in Mongolia where everyday is off-road just going anywhere, except in the city but that’s not how I ride. Even the so-called “paved” roads are often in such a poor state that they qualify as an adventurer type scenario. Now, I just need the money which is my biggest problem. So, for now, my 93 Honda Transalp does the job.
Martin Foster Be very very careful about that choice... I’ve had a blood night mare with my 790r.. 8 months old 2,600 miles, on its 2nd full engine rebuild- no warranty from KTM covered... That’s why I’m on this site getting options on the T7 🙈
Good point. I’ve heard KTM’s can be unreliable. My other choice is a Honda AFRICA twin 2020 because of better reliability. Ideally, I’ll try them both before deciding because either one would be a major purchase for me.
@@BillCairns these reviews of the T7 are a bit miss leading , as i own a T7 there is nothing wrong with suspention, they are just doing this for views, they do better vids traveling round the world. this is a side line they are not good at. t7 is a better bike than you think. i have had a lot of ktm 790 rider saying that they are going to sell there ktm 790 as they have had a lot of problems with them.
If you want plush, just take the compression out of it and increase the rebound to keep the suspension under control still but you'll lose traction on bumpy ground. Personnally, I don't like plush, I want to feel the road.
Thanks for taking the time to make the video very interesting, an the only way the manufacturers can improve is by honest journalism and feedback from owners as well, one bike I'd be curious to see against the T7 is the 650xt V-Strom especially for some of us that are maybe 80% on road long distance to 20% off road. Similar price point as well in the uk anyways. T7, Himalayan, vstrom an a classic 500 that would be a crazy selection but different review
Subtle difference in suspension doesn't really matter for most riders. I would go for T7 because of its simplicity. I would train myself to fill the gap between perfect and adequate.
a fix-up bash-the-cheaper-bike video after a phone call from BMW-EU haha. imo the BMW is over-weight over-tech, and over-priced (like KTM) in AU and 850 is a flop. The Yamaha is attacking all the others with the price point, and easy to adjust at a pro shop. Go Yamaha - ! Sales figures will talk. Riders? - Both you guys need to do some off-road training with Chris Birch, btw. On the flip side Christian, your video-production skillz are top-notch - a stroke of brilliance to film the suspension in HFR from a parallel road and slow it back down - do that more. Happy Xmas, happy life.
Excellent video Gentlemen! Your English is fantastic, as is your charisma on camera. The grass in your backyard is also amazing! I suppose you would say the suspension is the biggest critique of the T7? How was the seat? Brakes? Greetings from South Carolina. Subscribed.
The suspension was just not right for us. Maybe other riders, as seen in the comments, are finding it better, and we're glad to hear that. The seat is not that comfortable and it's not an option if you want to rode with a passenger. The brakes are fine.
@@DriveMagRiders Appreciate your honest evaluation. What do you think of the possibility of an aftermarket seat to provide passenger comfort? Do you think the bike would carry the weight of two people (under 300 lbs) and their travel gear (under 100 lbs) acceptably well?
I've been looking at the T7 as an entry bike into the ADV world. My question is how is the suspension for someone like me entering the market. I'm sure the very experienced riders and people with Motocross/Enduro backgrounds push this bike to it's limits and I think that's where they find the limits of the suspension. Is it just experienced riders that find the limits so fast or am I as a beginner, going to find them right away also... I ride Harley Davidsons, and I have changed the suspension in all my bikes - but it was well after I had them for awhile and became more experienced and wanted more performance from them. That's what I was hoping for from the T7
Thnaks for your comprehensive videos and testing. You are doing a great Job! What can you expect from a 10k € bike like the Tenere? To be as good as other bikes wich are much more expensive? The first and best thing you can change on a bike is the suspension and not the exhaust! As I bought my BMW F800GS in 2011, I first of all invested money in a Wilbers suspension. And what can I say? It was the best invest of my life in a bike! The Tenere would even be less expensive with a Wilbers suspension than the KTM 790 and BMW 850. I personally would never expect a 10k € bike to be as good as a bike wich is far more expensive. Thanks guys for doing a great job 👍🏻😀
Change the SAE to a lower more fluid type in the forks and and adjust to less rebound in the back on the Yamaha and move the body weight to get a feel for it.
Salutare. Te urmaresc de ceva timp si ....bv. tine-o tot asa. Daca ar fi sa alegi dintre tenere 700 si africa twin 1000L ambele sa zicem an 2019 ,ce ai alege ? Diferenta de capacitate e considerabila stiu .Fara sa explici stii aia e asa dar si cealalta e nu stiu cum. Doar un raspuns din partea ta ca si cum ar trebui sa cumperi una chiar in acest moment. Mersi!
Hello, great videos guys. I'm not a super experienced rider, but on my Hornet if the road has bumps and holes - no offroad with that bike lol - like pretty all the smaller roads in Italy, then stiffer & more preloaded suspensions do the trick. Softer is nice if there's only very small bumps but when you get something worse ... ouch. No adjustable suspensions on the BMW? WTF?!
I would say you could upgrade the suspension, but then you get into KTM 790 price territory with no electronics. Don't know why they didn't add traction control and off road ABS (rear wheel disable).
Hi Guys, great channel and probably one the few channels that addresses the average weekend warrior riders needs!! 👌🏻 I recently took this Yamaha out on a trail and agree with your comments, must be at least updated with new springs in the front. While I was riding this it hit me that it’s very similar to a Ducati Desert Sled I rode a few years ago. Of course not on same trail etc but is there really anything more than a Ducati Sled in this bike?? I compared the specification sheet and most things of value match! So question is are there really more value here? Yes Ducati is a bit more expensive and costly to maintain and doesn’t have the wind shield and gets warmer....but it’s also has more character and to me performed very similar to the Tenere 700. So what the big deal? Has Yamaha really invented something that didn’t exists almost 4 years ago? A review or analysis by you would be highly appreciated!! Thanks again!
So you only tried soft, standard and hard not really a fair adjustment evaluation for a fully adjustable suspension, why didn't you try to adjust it to get it dialed in. I tried all of these settings and had to get it just right for my size and weight.
Thanks for your bikes reviews! I just traded my bmw f700 gs for the f850 gs adventure! Awesome machine! So far I am extremely happy with the bike !Your opinion about this bmw bike is spot on! Happy Holidays and keep the good work!👍
This is abit of a pointless video. No bike is going to be comfortable going fast over bumps off road, and you wouldn't expect it to be. You're forgetting the yamaha is 8.5k. That's ridiculously cheap. And it's an amazing bike for that money
As I suspected, we saw it in the previous video. It will be difficult to dial in this suspension. Still it does not seem to get even close to the 790 Adv "s" nonadjustable suspension... that is somewhat surprising. Did You DriveMag guys work out the sag? It always start with that, but I doubt it will do much. Good job with your videos guys!
I heard in another video that the *Yamaha Tenere* - T700 falls / crashes noticeably more than other off road bikes in the same conditions. Something to check out if you are "seriously" planning on buying one. BUT... The 2020 Yamaha T700 (Tenere) is a good basic bike. *_I strongly suggest_* you avoid the temptations by the industry & dealers making their videos on the T700. Never, ever buy a brand new design i.e. 1.0. WAIT about two to three years for the: - fixes to the design bugs & issues - improvements/modernizations like on the Honda Africa Twin & now Adventure Sport version - aftermarket parts & accessories to be available - for other folks not wise enough to wait, to buy it and spend their money not yours Something to think about that I am sure the video maker agrees with.
there are a couple of negative reviews of T7. ıts just because those who have released negative reviews do not know what an adventure bike should be like.
The fork is already stiff from the original, you have to find the settings that suit each driver and terrain mud sand pebbles and comfort or if it is a trip alone or in duo. the shock absorbers are adjustable which is not the case of the 790 ADV or other motorcycles There is no perfect motorcycle, you have to adapt it according to the riding you have and the places you go. it is not a competition motorbike or a prepared motorbike, you have an original T 700 Tenèré with its qualities and its defects free to each of the improved according to his vision.
Hello mag team Your blogs are just amazing love your videos ,, the way you are speaking keep uploaded Videos Plz visit Northern areas of Pakistan this summer ....
You guys are enamored with the words BMW and plush. The past thing I want in my adventure is plush. Plush: adj, richly luxurious and expensive. I don't want my adv bike richly luxurious or expensive. I want it work in all places and situations without all the BS that BMW adds to the equation causing many of its reliability issues. What would you rather have in the middle of nowhere? A plush bike that doesn't run or a solid performer with a bit less sophisticated suspension that is still running? The thing that so many people ignore in all these reviews is the solid reliability that comes with simple good engineering.
Would you guys take the T700 over a BMW f800gs Adventure, equipped with Olin shock and fork cartridges. I may have to make that decision when the T700 comes to the US in June.
Bill Scott Depends on what you want to do with the bike. If going a lot offroad, the Tenere should be better. If you want to focus on touring and long trips, mostly off road, then it's the F850. But go for the GS Adventure. The basic is not that comfortable due to the lack of the weather protection.
Very interesting information. Just say something about the front mudguard lower metal securing screws on the Tenere 700. A few people have had offs, and the screws being metal have broken the lower black cover on the stantions. Better to replace them with plastic screws, which in a fall will break before doing more damage (see them on the UK Rally Raid website, they send free with any order :)
the big killer for me is the fuel tank size, they duplicated the orig f800gs problem. its too small and when the fuel level gets low the pump has reduced cooling in addition to limited range out west . Ive never had a suspension problem with my ktm's the suspen issues with the yammie are easily fixed cheaply, and I have a tenere thats stone reliable so thats a big plus for yamaha.
In some people's minds "adjustable" is always better than "unadjustable" even if they never adjust it ;) I think that Yamaha tried to make the suspenssion there look better than it is.
@@dexio85 for the same price point non adjustable will be better than adjustable. As cheap adjustable will probably cost about the same as the best non adjustable. I think you have to go top end WP or ohlins if you want fully adjustable.
Very good review, was glad you showed adjusting the suspension and now Yamaha fix it before you release it to the United States. I won't be interested until this is fixed.
Nothing wrong with it and nothing to be fixed. If you are 75 kg or 165 lbs. bike is set for that average weight. BTW guys have no clue how to adjust suspension. If you are more weight - than you have health problem ( obesity ) and you should fix it yourself.....
@@istra70 No obesity here, but they know damn well to add in for passengers luggage and aggressive riding, better to add a soft cushion for your ass if suspension is to harsh. 165 is anorexic
Japanese bikes in general are undersprung for us heavier Americans and Europeans. Step 1) adjust your preload and get your sag set or at least as close as possible for ur weight and using only the factory suspension to start with 2) stiffen your front compression at least if you are heavier. 3) ride it 4) adjust rear compression and rebound in small 1-2 click increments if current setting doesn't work for you 5) chances are the factory suspension will work just fine for 95% of the people who ride it since most people are not pushing their bike or riding Dakar 6) if it still isn't tolerable for your type of riding THEN start with a rear spring for your weight for probably $175, just my 2 cents before we go dogging a bike because we haven't taken the time to adjust it for our weight and type of riding
@@rickvann3489 165 lbs or 75 kg is also average weight of a passenger calculated in airline industry..... For riding a bike two up plus small luggage - it changes everything drastically.....but suspension should be designed to cope with that extreme too.....
You guys never spoke about sag, which is going to be the first thing a suspension expert will do with you. BTW, every adventure rider is putting money on their bike, this is not a T700 specific fact. You sound like apologising and so you should because neither your initial review was credible, nor is this one. Merry Christmass to you to.
Ohh, salty salty comment. Not happy that T700 was not "the best" as in the other, paid or misguided reviews out there ? :) Funny how people first praise T700 for being "the biggest bang for a buck" and then, when they realize they need to spend few thusands to get it to a usable spec they say "it's normal to spend money on the adv bike". Of course they don't notice the contradiction in they thinking :)
Just because they didn't speak of the sag doesn't mean the review is not credible. And if you give it some thought, these guys look like they're easily going to fall within the weight range of the factory-set sag. The showing of the suspension operation from the side in slow motion was creative and very telling. Their opinion about what felt better was just that: opinion. Personal preference. Another critic may feel it differently. It looked like on a bit more bumpy terrain and/or a faster speed on that same terrain, the beemer would have been bottoming but the T7 not. But they didn't go there so that's pure speculation on my part. We have to compare the contenders ourselves to find the better fit for each of us. After all, it's what we can do with the bike ourselves that counts most, not what somebody else can do with it. Cheers.
@@elgringoec Yes sir. I could show you a tube where the pro motocross rider gives it heck if a ride on a track and he is happy with the stock suspension.
Don’t get me wrong I love your videos, but are you guys reviewing the suspensions of bikes you can’t properly tune ? You don’t tune by the manual, it’s a custom fit for every rider ...
@@dexio85 Gotcha, but so is the BMW. The T7 is always going to be the bullet proof, simple and good bang for buck option. Still the BMW is not. It's the flagship and to to compare that to anything except KTMs flagship in the same class is not quite fair. But I get how the regular Adventure model is a more fair comparison to the T7
I appreciate that you try, but this review is pathetic at best. Learning to use/tune the suspension of a bike is maybe the best way to improve your offroad skills. It's all starting with sag.
Photo2015 the Hondas are also rubbish when it comes to LED lights. Even the Africa Twin. The only one that makes enough light is the GoldWing. Our test ride Yamaha was rubbish too, when talking about lights, in our opinion :)
@@DriveMagRiders Fair enough😉 The opinions about the lighting comes mostly from my favourite moto reviewer, but he compares all of this new led lights motorcycles to his 2015 Suzuki V-Strom 650 with traditional lighting..
How far are we from dissing motorcycle suspension if it feels different from what we felt whilst watching a Easy Rider when sat on our lay-z-boys? We're already talking about bluetooth connectivity, whilst running away from road connectivity..... What's next, weather protection?
Appreciate this. Can't think of another channel that would have went through all that effort due to feedback in the comments. Thanks for this. Shows that you value your product and want to give the highest integrity opinion possible. Well done! Though I've been waiting 3+ years for this bike, I have to accept it may have some negatives.
I think suspension is ok for 90% of the riders or more. I got this bike but i agree suspension is not that good but really it gets the job still done. Old tenere 660 was still very popular bike and this is so much better in many ways I think still. Many people cant afford new KTM or BMW or Africa Twin but they just might afford this. I know its the reason I got it and no regrets.
Just wanted to say that most reviewers wouldn't have even bothered with a follow-up video so kudos to DriveMag for this. The T700 isn't on my wishlist but the video was worth watching.
The way to go is
1. SAG measurement on front and rear, if its not fit, change the springs. One absolutely necessary factor for traction.
2. One way is to start with the basic settings from Yamaha and just ride 1000km to get a feeling and all damping components smooth.
3. Then start with the hardest or softest setting for the rebound and click it after every ride on the same track until it fits. The same afterwards with the compression. I rode the Yamaha just on bad tarmac, but it felt pretty plush. And kayaba suspension are quite nice. Of course an update will increase the performance, that's how it should be. But for me I'm sorry, you guys don't really know how suspension works and how it get adjusted. Where you can learn a lot is riding mtb full suspension bikes and try the possibilities. And watch the fox suspension channel from the worldcups.
I was wondering why sag didn't come up once in the discussion. Setting preload in the shock is the first thing you do before youb start in with the clickers.
What the guys did was more than what the average rider actually does. I know so many people who have the best bikes with suspensions that are fully adjustable but they never really use those features because they don't really feel what's going on and/or they are afraid to change the settings for some reason. Even though I am a fan of Yamaha I must admit that the other bikes do something better, when the suspension works right out of the box. Still got to keep the price tag in mind, whenever comparing a bike to the T700. The T700 is still kind of alone in its price category.
@@ChrisAkAxTr3Me yeah right, I don't know why people don't want to learn how to adjust their suspension, when it's possible. It changes the ride in so effective way, you can't believe it. Set it and forget it out of the box will never work for a range of people from 60 to 140kg:). Well, every body can choose by himself to change it...
@@Max-dj5qj, it is funny from a mtb-er perspective; if I gave them a lyrik rc2 or grip2 fox, some volume spacers and a float x2, I think they might lose it. 😁🙊
They need to understand what type of changes work on which type of terrain.
It is also funny that most of ppl commenting here do not understand what adjustments you need to do in order to be able to ride fast in off-road. I always thought that mtb-ers are lazy and don't want to understand how the bike should work under them. It seems that motocyclists are even worse. Hahahahaha. They all want 'set and forget' type or to be electronically adjustable by the manufacturer so, they can just click a button and make it good for off-road(-ish); or click another button and make it good on the asphalt; that is unnecessary laziness on the brain.
Suspension is and always be a personal thing, what works for some will not necessary work for another, hence there are suspension gurus in the world to tailor the suspension to your needs and no doubt there are guys working on it right now.
Even some KTM,s fitted with WP still needed some tweaking, not to mention the Africa twin suspension was criticised by many and a solution was found very quickly.
Most people that buy motorcycles never touch the suspension and are happy because it does what they want it to do, sadly in this world of social media urban myths pop up very fast and not all are true.
Yamaha tenere owners manual does not give information how to set a bike for soft or hard feeling. It only gives information for standard out of factory setting. Other two given options are just informational ranges of the extent of adjustability in minimum or maximum damping for both rebound and compression. Never is a bike set up at fully tightened in or screwed out adjusters. On the other hand, these guys never played with preload only, as only 4 clicks more preload give a very different riding sensation and only when this is done, you can try to tune rebound and compression somewhere around factory settings, give or take a few clicks. Still won't be as plush as BMW, but much better overall.
Fair play guys for playing with the settings. A lot of reviewers don’t bother but that’s what the adjusters are there for!
Great channel! Good videos! But the shorter guy (Clarkson) needs to stop interrupting the taller pro guy (May). Keep going.. Not so scripted content, honest reviews.. Keep up the good work.
I normally like your videos, but seems to me this one is just trying to save face for bashing Yamaha.
The first 20 seconds says it all, you found a way to walk away from the Yamaha and showcase the "plush" BMW suspension on a perfect slow speed bump. I get it, you like BMW and are aiming for some BMW sponsorship while still being polite and not bashing too much the rest. But if you are trying to be objective you would have done a simple straight forward suspension adjustment, instructing your viewers on proper way to adjust the suspension on a new bike. Seems to me you are not getting the most of the already existing suspension and settings.
Reading the manual is good, but understanding how suspension work and in what order you need to adjust each setting is critical. You did not show us an any of that and you seem to struggle turning a knob or using a screwdriver. If you feel or want to make amends for the previous review then do it properly. At the end of this video you do a nice recap on what "you" think about Yamaha Tenere 700 suspension and how it compares to BMW, and I appreciated that. Thank you !
Maybe you should do a real suspension adjustment video where you start with proper sag to begin with and then move to the other settings related to the type of riding you plan doing. That would be one at a time adjustment for rebound then compression. Inform the viewers about rider weight with gear and provide recommendations based on what you think is best. The same bike will have different settings when doing different types of terrain.
I do believe that the Yamaha rear is under-sprung if you weigh more than 75kg but it's an easy fix. And once the suspension is balanced for the type of riding you do, it's still going to be cheaper that most other bikes out there both at purchase and in the long run.
Oh ... and please let the other guy complete a sentence before cutting him off.
I am still subscribed and I am looking forward to you next video.
Happy Holidays :)
Exactly!
I think they represent a typical motorcyclist who does not really know much about this kind of stuff. Even though I've never ridden this bike, I can understand what they mean, a "good" suspension makes itself felt immediately, even before proper adjustment. KTM does this very well for example. But of course I agree proper adjustment will make ANY suspension feel much better.
@Vuk Uros now what does that tell us about the suspension? 😑
Thanks for reacting to user feedback, guys. You guys are the best! I wish you all (and KTM Bogdan, too) a merry christmas and a happy new year.
Soft and plush is for easy riding, stiffer is to prevent bottoming and deal with more aggressive riding.
nope, unfortunately its not that simple. Proper suspension tune will be not only more comfortable, but also more bottoming resistant, aka hard when should be hard, compliant when should be compliant.
I agree with PJS, you should have made adjustments to the SAG before making the other adjustments.
Merry Christmas from Canada.
Thank you for making this follow up, this helps a lot. After I criticised you not trying different settings I cannot give enough thumps up after this video ;-) - next year I'll give the Tenere a try myself and if the suspension is the only negative thing I can find I know what to do first..
Have revalved if you find necessary.
For adventure bike, lighter is better! No one to convince me that BMW - 230kg is better of T7 - 200kg. The weight is always matters. Sorry for my bad Еnglish
Yamaha T7 - 205kg!
I have 2019 BMW F850GS and recently test rode the Yamaha T7. I was really impressed with the T7. Seat and riding position was very good and it felt good on the road. GS performance on the road is better but there is always a compromise. I believe the T7 is better off road especially with its weight advantage. I also love my gadgets but the simplicity of the T7 is the way to goes if you are serious about remote adventure. Value for money goes to T7.
Nice review now changing the suspensions settings. I personally love the Tenere 700 and I will get one as soon arrives to my country, Uruguay. I was a dirt bike rider and as far as I can see, at the adventure bikes market this is the one more similar to a dirt bike, but also allow you to go on road. The adjustable suspension need to be set up carefully and test it to find the best one. I'm a rider that like to feel the roads and paths so no problem if not a perfect suspension. Would be good a test fully on sand, as I believe that with the front bars so forward will be perfect for that. Also the price is ok for the bike quality, is a simple good torque engine bike and the most similar to a dirt bike. Merry Christmas and happy new year.
This Yamaha tenere will take you around the world, and save you lots lots of money.
Danilo Capellan - Sounds like you took the T700 already on a RTW ride, like a thousand of further yam aficionados.
Sounds like you're having to turn up the damping to try to compensate for too-soft springs. On the Australasian launch a suspension expert said he would replace front and rear springs and re-valve the rear shock for rough offroad work, which isn't too expensive given the low purchase price. With love, Ken
Thank you guys for responding to user requests and doing this video. Keep up the good work!
Much love guys, you are fantastic reviewers and one of the few I trust.
All this talk of suspension is only good for TH-cam, when you buy a bike you live with it and it becomes the normal. Hardly anyone changes any settings.
You’re becoming one of my favorite motorbike channel on TH-cam. Honest opinions on motorcycles, clothing and travel. Wish the best for 2020!
HATS OFF for DriveMag Riders!
Great video.
Merry Christmas, guys.
As it appears in the videos, and at least for offroad riding, you need faster rebound on the fork and slower rebound on the shock. Plus setting the SAG is a must and its the first step on getting the correct setting... Then rebound, according to the spring/sag and finally the compression. The BMW looks plush and comfy, but just that, comfy. A suspension tuned to go fast, is a shit going slower. I dont think an unadjustable suspension is the way to go, not in a high price bike.... If you cant find the fine tune, just send the suspensions to retune internals, it will be no more than 300$ and you will still have the external adjustability.
An informative post, thanks for that. Is there a "better" way to set the rebound than just run the bike on a specific terrain/surface until you get happy? I've played with my 790R suspension that just right out of the door feels better than most or all I have ridden. My conclusion is that what you say different speeds and surfaces need different settings for perfection. And that takes alot more time than I think the average advrider takes in to it. Good base setting and a good understanding from playing around helps though.
Ai THOR n
The business in the comments in the last video. I think you guys do good reviews and I am glad you tryied to address the issues for your views from the last video.
Great that you took the time and followed up. Can't argue with that! Sounds to me like Yamaha under-sprung the suspension.
It could be as simple as getting the next stiffer spring rate f/r. Also, the sag is critical in proper suspension set up especially
for a dirt bike. Funny, cause Yamaha is known for the best suspension on there dirt bikes right out of the box.
Still not a deal breaker, adding stiffer springs is relatively easy and not too expensive. It could be made to work very well.
Thanks for the great video's.
theres nothing wrong with suspension no problem with my T7 this bike is made to take two people with luggage springs are good,
This is clearly sponsored by BMW ,No kidding!!
Just look at the vids carefully and you will notice that even they tried to hide the BMW bad susp performance it looks just plain soft and simply dated, nothing more, so if you will go really slow it will feel plush as it should in that case... Merry Christmas everyone!!!
People now days, we wish for cheap light adventure no electronics. 2 months later suspension is not perfect it has no electronic. Happy new year people.
yep, I hear ya! So fickle
You guys have very good reviews, but in this video you should start with checking the sag settings first. Rear spring is to soft compared to the front on the T7. Otherwise the reviews gives a good comment on the T7 suspension. Best Regards and Merry Christmas from T7 owner in Norway.
How is the seat? Greetings from South Carolina.
Space Truckin' the seat is pretty decent from my experience so far you can easily ride a couple hours on it. But I am going for the taller/flatter rally seat in the future for more control. (But that’s personal ofc)
@@spacetruckin6555 I found the stock seat kinda hard. If you're tall or you don't mind, opt for the taller one which has more padding.
so you get a revalve and you're set to go. Big deal,
Great review as always....love this channel. Having wanted a T7 I have had one on test for a day. I have to say I wanted to love it BUT I have to agree with the comments about the suspension. Yamaha have a problem here, it isn’t about cost it is about set up. Yamaha had problems with the MT07 and 09 suspension and had to upgrade/alter it. An extra €200 euro at the factory would make a massive difference.
By the time you spend €1000 on aftermarket suspension and €300 on auxiliary lights you might as well buy the KTM. So close but not developed enough for me. Wait a year and it will be sorted by Yamaha.
I am certain newer models will have upgraded suspension but by then it will cost 2 thousand more.....
maybe then Yamaha fans realize that the KTM might be the better bang for the buck. Why spend 10k EUR for a bike with imperfections when there's a near perfect bike for 3000 extra..
@@kloppskalli check out MAD tvs channel about the suspension on the t7. It's an easy fix. Don't need to break the bank to sort the suspension out.
This bike was not designed for weekend warriors. That belongs to the smaller bikes. You can get on and use it as a commuter, go on a breakfast run with your girlfriend, hit the country roads on a weekend, slap on some protection and travel the world WITHOUT breaking the bank. You need more you hit the custom parts section. This bike is very much like a jet fighter. The mission determines the ammo load. Yamaha created a beautiful platform for individuals to build on. In the end it all boils down to the size of your wallet.
From the video it looks like the BMW is using more of its suspension travel at the speed you are running it. I would expect that if you take the speed up a little you may find you are at the limit of the BMW suspension whereas the Tenere may have more travel in reserve.
Exactly!!
When you say hard is 0 click? there are more possibilities to adjust that you can use with much better results
3 easy steps for a serious realtionship with your T700:
1. Drain the swamp: Use a high quality fork oil; I use the one that starts with a M....
2. Stiffness matters: Use 2 high quality front springs
3. Do it harder: If some pocket money left, install a quality aftermarket rear shocky
word, got a 2008 tenere... eibach front springs, ohlins oil, racetech gold valves, ohlins rear shock. another bike since i did the supension upgrades.
If you can’t afford a KTM Adventure R , get the Yamaha with an OHLINS rear shock, maybe stiffer front spring, heavier fork oil.
Around the $1089 mark for the ohlins rear shock money well spent if you ask me.
Chris Redfield Thanks. In Australia Yamaha offer the Tenere with various packs. Comes down to what people can afford. KTMs are very expensive. Yamaha is at a very reasonable price point like the Royal Enfield Himalayan- amazing what people do with those bikes. Love to see a review of a KTM 390 Adventure.
@@ksprr6856 very creative thought, you come up with that all on your own?
@@ksprr6856 Yeah, that's why they win all the Dakar races recently :) KTM is not affraid to build ground breaking, performance bikes. Yamaha has to built outdated cheap bike in order to sell anything sensible in the ADV segment :) Yeah. Get real man.
@@dexio85 Just buy one and you will see why people talks about poor reliability...
Your opinion is your opinion and was based on a bike as presented to you. This being a new product will improve over time and is a timely reminder to avoid/be wary of job one products. Feedback is a gift and debate is healthy.
Thankyou for revisiting the Yamaha suspension. I'd like to know how they got it wrong with all of the experience they have. I hope they do something about it. Maybe its not an adventure bike, but a big dualsport. Stiffen it up snd ride it like you stole it?
The T7 (like many other new bikes) definitely needs a higher quality fork oil!
Towards the end, you hit the nail on the head. It's a great foundation at a reasonable price point. This leaves money on the table to customize/tailor its few shortfalls specifically to the owner's wants. Great strategy Yamaha! A lot of us don't want all that fancy crap being shovelled down our throats. Let the owner add or improve pieces based on what the owner decides. Excellent review guys. Excellent!
You are really trying to convert a failure into a win, aren't you? Customization is about personalization not about replacing parts that the factory skimmed off. Not giving this bike a better susspension is not building a "good foundataion" it's simply cutting costs and hoping most people won't notice.
RexDexPL oh look....it’s the greatest rider ever. Hi Rex....how is your fantasy KTM treating you...you know, the one you claim to have but actually don’t. Hahaha
@@dexio85have you priced suspension? Seriously go to your dealer and price a premium WP or Öhlins set. Your looking at $1500.00 to $4k US and up! Then look into it deeper. They are custom made for Rider size, weight and planned usage. Pillian, no pillian, luggage, no luggage. Etc. I'm glad Yamaha is not making me pay for premium suspension that they decided should be set up for the 6'2" 226 lb man riding with full gear and 60lbs of gear. Premium or not, that would suck for me being 5'8" 170lbs riding with 40 lbs of luggage and gear. Don't make me pay for someone else's idea of perfection. So no, I'm not trying to turn YOUR idea of a failure into a win. It's my idea of a win YOUR trying to turn into a failure. I disagree with you. You disagree with me. That's cool. Maybe we can agree on the Norden when it's released. But I guarantee you, no matter what bike you review, it's not going to work for everyone the same way.
@@brianmacdonald3292 I know. I also know that the WP suspension KTM puts in the 790R is great base for upgrade without the need to replace it. Mostly you just change the springs and maybe valving, maybe. That's 500-800 usd max. Better deal than getting Yamaha and throwing 4k at it for a second pair of suspension. Not to mention that tubed rims that dont make sense nowdays. You will have to cough up aditional 2k for tubeless. I feel sorry for people that bought T700 thinking they will save money that way.
@@dexio85 your perception is valid but I still don't agree. Yamaha wants to sell a lot of these and has decided to keep the price down at the lower end of it's competition. Of course it has to cut out the premium stuff to get down there. Toyota sells a ship load of Corollas with the same strategy. Build a high quality basic vehicle that's affordable and your average Joe will appreciate it's reliability, low cost to operate and will therefore buy one. Personally I have Öhlins on my RT and Wilbers on my GS because I can tell the difference between them and stock shocks and the upgrade is worth the money to ME. This is the fastest growing bike market in 2019. A lot of entry level people are going to buy into the midsize ADV catagory. This one is affordable and "good". By the way, visit your KTM dealer and see if they are an authorized WP dealer. 790R's do not have top of the line WP suspension on them. 790R is equipped with mid-line (still very high quality) suspension. You still have to pay $3-4K above sticker if you really want the top shelf suspension offerings.
Merry Christmas and happy new year to you.
Great video, good work boys. Looking forward to the next video.
Oh god these two need to learn about suspension before reviewing it 😂 didn't set the sag at all before they started random adjustments .
High-speed compression looks to stuff. Is it adjustable on rear? Too much rebound damping on stiff setting.
Come on! At least ride the bikes a bit fast. It is so slow. I have the T7, and yeah the suspension is not perfect, to be expected at the price point. But it is balanced and you can ride it hard. The 850 is way too soft and you can not ride it even as close to the t7 speed wise. Why is it so hard to test and understand this? Plush is not good! Plush is what people want in the show room and riding slow. The T7 have a great suspension for its cost. Yes, the rear spring is too light for riders above 80kgs. Otherwise it is quite good.
get the bikes screaming and then do a review again!
This guys really don't know - plush off road is crappier on road and really for slow riding. I also think they achieved good balance for up to 75 kg rider.....for all roads.
Hey mate, you so right with your comment. they ride very slow to compere suspension levels.
can you tell me whats your click setups for front and rear rebound and compression? i ride hard too but sometimes lose traction on a softer ground such as sand and mud..
I’m more than ever convinced that I want the KTM 790 for my next bike. I live in Mongolia where everyday is off-road just going anywhere, except in the city but that’s not how I ride. Even the so-called “paved” roads are often in such a poor state that they qualify as an adventurer type scenario. Now, I just need the money which is my biggest problem. So, for now, my 93 Honda Transalp does the job.
Martin Foster
Be very very careful about that choice... I’ve had a blood night mare with my 790r.. 8 months old 2,600 miles, on its 2nd full engine rebuild- no warranty from KTM covered...
That’s why I’m on this site getting options on the T7 🙈
Good point. I’ve heard KTM’s can be unreliable. My other choice is a Honda AFRICA twin 2020 because of better reliability. Ideally, I’ll try them both before deciding because either one would be a major purchase for me.
@@BillCairns these reviews of the T7 are a bit miss leading , as i own a T7 there is nothing wrong with suspention, they are just doing this for views, they do better vids traveling round the world. this is a side line they are not good at. t7 is a better bike than you think. i have had a lot of ktm 790 rider saying that they are going to sell there ktm 790 as they have had a lot of problems with them.
@@BillCairns KTM has been and actually is full of issues in the MX segment, cant be better on road bikes.... Unreliable 100%
Ai THOR
I know, 4 friends ride T7 👍
If you want plush, just take the compression out of it and increase the rebound to keep the suspension under control still but you'll lose traction on bumpy ground. Personnally, I don't like plush, I want to feel the road.
Another great review!! Thanks guys. Have a great festive period 👍
Thank you for the update. Now we have to find the best upgrade for the suspension. ;-)
now you have done this can you put some proper off road tyres on it and get the ktm 790 out again off road. as last time ktm was on proper tyres.
Thanks for taking the time to make the video very interesting, an the only way the manufacturers can improve is by honest journalism and feedback from owners as well, one bike I'd be curious to see against the T7 is the 650xt V-Strom especially for some of us that are maybe 80% on road long distance to 20% off road. Similar price point as well in the uk anyways. T7, Himalayan, vstrom an a classic 500 that would be a crazy selection but different review
Subtle difference in suspension doesn't really matter for most riders. I would go for T7 because of its simplicity. I would train myself to fill the gap between perfect and adequate.
I have a very good amplituner YAMAHA. Good sound. I didn't know they making motorcycles.
Make great piano's also
and a boat ,,,😁
Oh, how very clever - u didn't know Yam makes other stuff, ah, ha, ha.
Opportunity for aftermarket shock
manufacturers 👍
Happy Holidays! Keep up the good work.
a fix-up bash-the-cheaper-bike video after a phone call from BMW-EU haha. imo the BMW is over-weight over-tech, and over-priced (like KTM) in AU and 850 is a flop. The Yamaha is attacking all the others with the price point, and easy to adjust at a pro shop. Go Yamaha - ! Sales figures will talk. Riders? - Both you guys need to do some off-road training with Chris Birch, btw. On the flip side Christian, your video-production skillz are top-notch - a stroke of brilliance to film the suspension in HFR from a parallel road and slow it back down - do that more. Happy Xmas, happy life.
Excellent video Gentlemen! Your English is fantastic, as is your charisma on camera. The grass in your backyard is also amazing! I suppose you would say the suspension is the biggest critique of the T7? How was the seat? Brakes? Greetings from South Carolina. Subscribed.
I saw that too, wondered if it might be AstroTurf! Got a golf ball sitting there, and the fences have a concrete runner under them.
The suspension was just not right for us. Maybe other riders, as seen in the comments, are finding it better, and we're glad to hear that. The seat is not that comfortable and it's not an option if you want to rode with a passenger. The brakes are fine.
@@DriveMagRiders
Appreciate your honest evaluation.
What do you think of the possibility of an aftermarket seat to provide passenger comfort? Do you think the bike would carry the weight of two people (under 300 lbs) and their travel gear (under 100 lbs) acceptably well?
I like your attitude and presentation - great work. Thanks!🖒
I've been looking at the T7 as an entry bike into the ADV world. My question is how is the suspension for someone like me entering the market. I'm sure the very experienced riders and people with Motocross/Enduro backgrounds push this bike to it's limits and I think that's where they find the limits of the suspension. Is it just experienced riders that find the limits so fast or am I as a beginner, going to find them right away also...
I ride Harley Davidsons, and I have changed the suspension in all my bikes - but it was well after I had them for awhile and became more experienced and wanted more performance from them. That's what I was hoping for from the T7
Thnaks for your comprehensive videos and testing. You are doing a great Job! What can you expect from a 10k € bike like the Tenere? To be as good as other bikes wich are much more expensive? The first and best thing you can change on a bike is the suspension and not the exhaust! As I bought my BMW F800GS in 2011, I first of all invested money in a Wilbers suspension. And what can I say? It was the best invest of my life in a bike! The Tenere would even be less expensive with a Wilbers suspension than the KTM 790 and BMW 850. I personally would never expect a 10k € bike to be as good as a bike wich is far more expensive. Thanks guys for doing a great job 👍🏻😀
Change the SAE to a lower more fluid type in the forks and and adjust to less rebound in the back on the Yamaha and move the body weight to get a feel for it.
Awesome video and a great bike 🤜🤛
Have a great weekend
Hey, it's 2 wild and crazy guys...
Salutare. Te urmaresc de ceva timp si ....bv. tine-o tot asa. Daca ar fi sa alegi dintre tenere 700 si africa twin 1000L ambele sa zicem an 2019 ,ce ai alege ? Diferenta de capacitate e considerabila stiu .Fara sa explici stii aia e asa dar si cealalta e nu stiu cum. Doar un raspuns din partea ta ca si cum ar trebui sa cumperi una chiar in acest moment. Mersi!
Hello, great videos guys. I'm not a super experienced rider, but on my Hornet if the road has bumps and holes - no offroad with that bike lol - like pretty all the smaller roads in Italy, then stiffer & more preloaded suspensions do the trick. Softer is nice if there's only very small bumps but when you get something worse ... ouch. No adjustable suspensions on the BMW? WTF?!
great job guys, thank you very much!
Thanks for your honest evaluation. I was thinking seriously about purchasing one, but if I have to spend well over $1k to upgrade it, I think not.
Quit interrupting the dude after asking him a question
Yes, not very civilized and quite rude, but you need to consider where are they from ( it could be normal there ).
I would say you could upgrade the suspension, but then you get into KTM 790 price territory with no electronics. Don't know why they didn't add traction control and off road ABS (rear wheel disable).
Hi Guys, great channel and probably one the few channels that addresses the average weekend warrior riders needs!! 👌🏻
I recently took this Yamaha out on a trail and agree with your comments, must be at least updated with new springs in the front. While I was riding this it hit me that it’s very similar to a Ducati Desert Sled I rode a few years ago. Of course not on same trail etc but is there really anything more than a Ducati Sled in this bike?? I compared the specification sheet and most things of value match! So question is are there really more value here? Yes Ducati is a bit more expensive and costly to maintain and doesn’t have the wind shield and gets warmer....but it’s also has more character and to me performed very similar to the Tenere 700. So what the big deal? Has Yamaha really invented something that didn’t exists almost 4 years ago? A review or analysis by you would be highly appreciated!! Thanks again!
Also depends on your load. Great videos by the way
Hey guys great video, can't wait to try out the T7 next year here in Canada. Check the rear sag? Maybe needs to be re-sprung...
So you only tried soft, standard and hard not really a fair adjustment evaluation for a fully adjustable suspension, why didn't you try to adjust it to get it dialed in. I tried all of these settings and had to get it just right for my size and weight.
Great follow up video!
Thanks for your bikes reviews!
I just traded my bmw f700 gs for the f850 gs adventure! Awesome machine!
So far I am extremely happy with the bike !Your opinion about this bmw bike is spot on! Happy Holidays and keep the good work!👍
They will release this in 🇵🇭 reduced price so maybe there will be a few changes
Nice video guys
Philippines? {Probably will remove the heated grips.
Hey guys can you pls share your equipment (jackat, boots etc.)?
This is abit of a pointless video. No bike is going to be comfortable going fast over bumps off road, and you wouldn't expect it to be. You're forgetting the yamaha is 8.5k. That's ridiculously cheap. And it's an amazing bike for that money
As I suspected, we saw it in the previous video. It will be difficult to dial in this suspension. Still it does not seem to get even close to the 790 Adv "s" nonadjustable suspension... that is somewhat surprising. Did You DriveMag guys work out the sag? It always start with that, but I doubt it will do much. Good job with your videos guys!
I heard in another video that the *Yamaha Tenere* - T700 falls / crashes noticeably more than other off road bikes in the same conditions.
Something to check out if you are "seriously" planning on buying one.
BUT...
The 2020 Yamaha T700 (Tenere) is a good basic bike. *_I strongly suggest_* you avoid the temptations by the industry &
dealers making their videos on the T700. Never, ever buy a brand new design i.e. 1.0. WAIT about two to three years for the:
- fixes to the design bugs & issues
- improvements/modernizations like on the Honda Africa Twin & now Adventure Sport version
- aftermarket parts & accessories to be available
- for other folks not wise enough to wait, to buy it and spend their money not yours
Something to think about that I am sure the video maker agrees with.
there are a couple of negative reviews of T7. ıts just because those who have released negative reviews do not know what an adventure bike should be like.
You are wrong again. Everyone else loves the ride noting that if you want to go hard - make suspension upgrades. You guys just don't get it.
The fork is already stiff from the original, you have to find the settings that suit each driver and terrain mud sand pebbles and comfort or if it is a trip alone or in duo. the shock absorbers are adjustable which is not the case of the 790 ADV or other motorcycles
There is no perfect motorcycle, you have to adapt it according to the riding you have and the places you go. it is not a competition motorbike or a prepared motorbike, you have an original T 700 Tenèré with its qualities and its defects free to each of the improved according to his vision.
Hello mag team
Your blogs are just amazing love your videos ,, the way you are speaking keep uploaded Videos
Plz visit Northern areas of Pakistan this summer ....
You guys are enamored with the words BMW and plush. The past thing I want in my adventure is plush. Plush: adj, richly luxurious and expensive. I don't want my adv bike richly luxurious or expensive. I want it work in all places and situations without all the BS that BMW adds to the equation causing many of its reliability issues. What would you rather have in the middle of nowhere? A plush bike that doesn't run or a solid performer with a bit less sophisticated suspension that is still running? The thing that so many people ignore in all these reviews is the solid reliability that comes with simple good engineering.
Would you guys take the T700 over a BMW f800gs Adventure, equipped with Olin shock and fork cartridges. I may have to make that decision when the T700 comes to the US in June.
Bill Scott Depends on what you want to do with the bike. If going a lot offroad, the Tenere should be better. If you want to focus on touring and long trips, mostly off road, then it's the F850. But go for the GS Adventure. The basic is not that comfortable due to the lack of the weather protection.
2 people riding a bike on grass judging the suspension...pretty useless
Very interesting information. Just say something about the front mudguard lower metal securing screws on the Tenere 700. A few people have had offs, and the screws being metal have broken the lower black cover on the stantions. Better to replace them with plastic screws, which in a fall will break before doing more damage (see them on the UK Rally Raid website, they send free with any order :)
Fake news. Not possible, nothing ever breaks on Yamahas :) They must have been KTMs painted blue :P
@@dexio85 I didn't think of that 😂😂👍
the big killer for me is the fuel tank size, they duplicated the orig f800gs problem. its too small and when the fuel level gets low the pump has reduced cooling in addition to limited range out west . Ive never had a suspension problem with my ktm's the suspen issues with the yammie are easily fixed cheaply, and I have a tenere thats stone reliable so thats a big plus for yamaha.
Yeah, but it is t hard to ride at well under 4L/ 100km either....
Please make a track review of Honda cbr1000rr-r & compare it with Yamaha R1M & other 1000cc motorcycles
So the suspension on the bmw is non adjustable but still better. Maybe yamaha should have just fitted non adjustable forks.
In some people's minds "adjustable" is always better than "unadjustable" even if they never adjust it ;) I think that Yamaha tried to make the suspenssion there look better than it is.
@@dexio85 IF YOU CANT ADJUST IT DONT BUY IT,
@@dexio85 for the same price point non adjustable will be better than adjustable. As cheap adjustable will probably cost about the same as the best non adjustable. I think you have to go top end WP or ohlins if you want fully adjustable.
Very good review, was glad you showed adjusting the suspension and now Yamaha fix it before you release it to the United States. I won't be interested until this is fixed.
Nothing wrong with it and nothing to be fixed. If you are 75 kg or 165 lbs. bike is set for that average weight. BTW guys have no clue how to adjust suspension.
If you are more weight - than you have health problem ( obesity ) and you should fix it yourself.....
@@istra70
No obesity here, but they know damn well to add in for passengers luggage and aggressive riding, better to add a soft cushion for your ass if suspension is to harsh. 165 is anorexic
Japanese bikes in general are undersprung for us heavier Americans and Europeans. Step 1) adjust your preload and get your sag set or at least as close as possible for ur weight and using only the factory suspension to start with 2) stiffen your front compression at least if you are heavier. 3) ride it 4) adjust rear compression and rebound in small 1-2 click increments if current setting doesn't work for you 5) chances are the factory suspension will work just fine for 95% of the people who ride it since most people are not pushing their bike or riding Dakar 6) if it still isn't tolerable for your type of riding THEN start with a rear spring for your weight for probably $175, just my 2 cents before we go dogging a bike because we haven't taken the time to adjust it for our weight and type of riding
@@rickvann3489 165 lbs or 75 kg is also average weight of a passenger calculated in airline industry.....
For riding a bike two up plus small luggage - it changes everything drastically.....but suspension should be designed to cope with that extreme too.....
nice to see FPSRussia alive and well.
Great video test,thks.
You guys never spoke about sag, which is going to be the first thing a suspension expert will do with you. BTW, every adventure rider is putting money on their bike, this is not a T700 specific fact. You sound like apologising and so you should because neither your initial review was credible, nor is this one. Merry Christmass to you to.
Ohh, salty salty comment. Not happy that T700 was not "the best" as in the other, paid or misguided reviews out there ? :) Funny how people first praise T700 for being "the biggest bang for a buck" and then, when they realize they need to spend few thusands to get it to a usable spec they say "it's normal to spend money on the adv bike". Of course they don't notice the contradiction in they thinking :)
@@dexio85 Not wanting the T700 to be the best, just saying what many other viewers are saying more diplomatically. Sorry.
Just because they didn't speak of the sag doesn't mean the review is not credible. And if you give it some thought, these guys look like they're easily going to fall within the weight range of the factory-set sag.
The showing of the suspension operation from the side in slow motion was creative and very telling.
Their opinion about what felt better was just that: opinion. Personal preference. Another critic may feel it differently.
It looked like on a bit more bumpy terrain and/or a faster speed on that same terrain, the beemer would have been bottoming but the T7 not. But they didn't go there so that's pure speculation on my part.
We have to compare the contenders ourselves to find the better fit for each of us. After all, it's what we can do with the bike ourselves that counts most, not what somebody else can do with it.
Cheers.
@@elgringoec Yes sir. I could show you a tube where the pro motocross rider gives it heck if a ride on a track and he is happy with the stock suspension.
@@elgringoec what the side shots showed is that the BMW was the only one that bottomed out in the run.......
Don’t get me wrong I love your videos, but are you guys reviewing the suspensions of bikes you can’t properly tune ? You don’t tune by the manual, it’s a custom fit for every rider ...
Still not sure why you guys didn't compare the KTM 790 R to these bikes.
It would outclass both bikes offroad but most of the people would complain that it's much more expensive than T700.
@@dexio85 Gotcha, but so is the BMW. The T7 is always going to be the bullet proof, simple and good bang for buck option. Still the BMW is not. It's the flagship and to to compare that to anything except KTMs flagship in the same class is not quite fair. But I get how the regular Adventure model is a more fair comparison to the T7
I WANT THEM TO PUT OFF ROAD TYRES ON THE T7 LIKE WAS ON THE KTM790, AND DO A OFF ROAD TEST AGAIN,
Sounds like the bmw has better dampering. Also the front rack is different on the yammie.
I appreciate that you try, but this review is pathetic at best. Learning to use/tune the suspension of a bike is maybe the best way to improve your offroad skills. It's all starting with sag.
Merry Christmas from Beijing China :)
Thank you this video....is the headlight not so good?
P S I would consider some auxiliary lights.
P S From what I know is very good, better than led lights in most Honda's like CB 500X ,NX750 DCT etc
Photo2015 the Hondas are also rubbish when it comes to LED lights. Even the Africa Twin. The only one that makes enough light is the GoldWing. Our test ride Yamaha was rubbish too, when talking about lights, in our opinion :)
@@DriveMagRiders Fair enough😉 The opinions about the lighting comes mostly from my favourite moto reviewer, but he compares all of this new led lights motorcycles to his 2015 Suzuki V-Strom 650 with traditional lighting..
Photo2015 to be honest, I often regret traditional lightning. Most LED headlight on today's bikes are cheap and you can't get enough light.
How far are we from dissing motorcycle suspension if it feels different from what we felt whilst watching a Easy Rider when sat on our lay-z-boys? We're already talking about bluetooth connectivity, whilst running away from road connectivity..... What's next, weather protection?
@@acidcold5819 twoje Wigry 3 Janusz, gurom
@@acidcold5819 jak się dasz karnąć i pozwolisz wrzucić na fejsa, to może... póki co, marzę by kiedyś być taki jak ty, Janusz