Yamaha celebrates four decades of the Tenere adventure motorcycle
40 years on from the launch of the XT600Z, Yamaha celebrates the birthday of the Tenere adventure bike
YAMAHA is celebrating four decades since the birth of an adventure motorcycle legend, as the Yamaha Tenere 40th Anniversary tour begins.
The original Tenere, the XT600Z launched in 2023, is the official start of the adventure. However, the timeline of the Tenere can be traced back to 1979 when Cyril Neveu claimed back-to-back wins in the ‘79 and ‘80 editions of the Paris Dakar Rally.
These first wins in the most demanding off-road race on the planet were just the pre-curser though, going on to lay the foundations for a domination of the event. Today the Tenere still dominates in off-road competitions, with Yamaha and riders like Pol Tarres pushing the latest generation Tenere 700 even further from the beaten track.
To celebrate this journey, Yamaha is embarking on the Tenere 40th Anniversary tour, bringing together a host of famous bikes and the latest versions of the machine. A collection of historic Tenere models will be on display (from 1983 to 2010) alongside some of the famous machines that raced in the Dakar across the years. The latest generation bike will also be available to test ride, and the event will also serve as the launch pad for the Tenere 700 World Rally, the most relly-ready version of the model to date.
The Tenere 40th Anniversary has already made one stop at the Adventure Bike Rider Festival, and will now be calling Spain, Germany, and France.
Yamaha Tenere 40th Anniversary Tour dates and locations
Ténéré Spirit Aguilar de Campoo | 31 June – 1 July | Spain
MaxlRIDE Motofestival | 25-27 August | Germany
Alpes Aventure Motofestival | 8-10 September | France
2022 Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid review
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
