Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré - 2009 |
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 Today the name Ténéré conjures up a rugged, functional and stylish dual-purpose bike from Yamaha that has the capability to take you anywhere you want to go. It hints at adventure and an ability to circumnavigate the globe if you so wish with minimal attention and just a few additions. The original machine was first launched in the early 1980’s having been developed from Yamaha’s hugely successful Dakar race-winning factory bikes. It soon built up a huge following of fans and during the 1980’s and ‘90’s and became ‘the’ machine for numerous round-the-world travellers thanks to its ‘do-it all’ reputation and its simple rugged single cylinder and almost maintenance free powerplant. At the risk of sticking my neck out, I would think that more of these have been used for the ‘trip of a lifetime’ than even, the now fashionable, BMW GS range. Certainly for the average rider with no special skills it is more manageable in every respect and a whole lot cheaper! But, forgetting the adventure market for a second, it also found fame with the everyday commuting rider who wanted a bit of style and ‘street cred’.  Plus the fact that it was a true all-rounder that could perform well in almost any environment, even the concrete jungles, laughingly referred to as towns and cities. Simplicity and durability are words that most riders want to hear along with reasonable running costs. The Ténéré had all of these, plus strong on and off-road performance. Add in high levels of long-distance comfort, and the ability to handle serious off-road terrain if required and it is no wonder it did well in the sales charts, there was even a larger 750 version on offer at one stage. Then in the late 1990’s it was dropped despite the fact that its powerplant remained in production, gradually being refined and powering not only bikes in the Yamaha range, but also proving the motive power for other manufacturer’s machines including the Aprilia Pagaso, Derbi Mulhacen as well as their own MT-03, XT660 X and R models. No doubt spurred on by the interest and sales that were coming because of the ‘Long way to an expensive hotel’ type of programme Yamaha brought it back last year, so time now to take a detailed look. More modern and very stylish, it certainly drew its styling cues from those original machines and is definitely true to the original ‘go-anywhere’ design philosophy. Even standing still, the new version looks ready to encounter rugged terrain and fit to handle the most severe conditions straight out of the crate. A close-up and personal examination shows that there has been real thought put into this latest variant and it comes equipped with a range of factory-fitted lightweight protectors. At the front there are protectors on either side of the bodywork, which help prevent damage in the event of a spill, this being the first area to collide with terra firma! Moving down even the engine is also equipped with lightweight guards on either side of the cylinder and the engine cases are also fitted with compact guards for those off-road sessions. All of these protectors can be easily replaced if they are damaged, which  should mean the bike can remain is reasonably good condition even if used regularly away from tarmac roads.Style of course is lot to with things and this machine is tall, with a high seat and lots of ground clearance just like the Dakar bikes and even has a towing loop above the front mudguard. This is good for those who are long in the leg and want to use it on the dirt, but it does rule it out for those short in inside leg inches and or who suffer from vertigo! Staying with looks for a minute hitting you in the eye as you look at the bike side on is the large-capacity 22-litre fuel tank, which seems to blend seamlessly into the front cowl/fairing. Unlike earlier models, size of the tank is kept to a minimum by extending the fuel tank beneath the very comfortable long dual seat that easily accommodates a passenger when required. The front cowl itself is not just there for show and does a reasonable job of reducing rider fatigue by deflecting wind away from the upper part of your torso. Taller riders like myself though, would probably want to opt for the taller version that is available from the Yamaha catalogue, for that little extra protection. At the front of this distinctive assembly, a new dual-bulb headlamp  with a vertically stacked low and high beam is used to project a powerful beam that easily lights even the darkest lane at night.All of this bodywork is rigidly mounted to an all-new chassis. The light semi-double cradle frame is very compact and slim, while providing a rigid structure to stand the rigours of off-road travel. As you would expect this is supported at the front by long-travel forks which give 210mm of front wheel movement and help contribute to its height. At the rear and complementing this is a lightweight aluminium swinging arm to help reduce unsprung weight. This offers 200mm of rear wheel movement to match the front and allow some degree of rider comfort even when the going gets tough. This is controlled by a single shock as you might imagine. Stopping power is provided by dual 298mm discs gripped by 2-pot calipers at the front and a single 245mm disc at the rear to give an overall well balanced system. It all rolls along on a 21-inch spoked front and 17- inch rear wheel shod with dual-purpose tyres. As with any bike the heart of the matter and the thing that often attracts buyers is the engine. Yamaha has of course a lot of experience in the design of reliable large-capacity 4-stroke single-cylinder engines dating back the now iconic XT 500 from the 1970’s. Providing the motive power in this new XT660Z Ténéré is a 46 bhp 660cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke single cylinder SOHC engine, which has been tuned to deliver strong low to mid-range power. A 4-valve cylinder head with a 10:1 compression ratio sits on top of the single cylinder featuring bore x stroke dimensions of 100mm x 84mm. Given things like Euro 3 and other restrictions it goes without saying that it is fuel injected and has a Cat in the twin pipe exhaust that exits high above the rear wheel. This spoked item is driven via a five-speed gearbox and chain to the nearside.   If the standard specification is not enough for you and you really do intend to go on the big trip, Yamaha have a whole range of accessories available, so it’s easy to adapt your Ténéré 660 to suit individual needs. Luggage carrying capacity can be increased by fitting genuine Yamaha side cases or a top case, as well as a tank bag, although there are lots of these available on the open market. Hand guards, engine guards and a skid plate are available from stock as is an optional main stand to facilitate tasks such as wheel removal. Lastly there is even a slip-on Akrapovic muffler if you want am meatier exhaust note!  So having gone through what it is, what is it like to ride? Well you have to say it cannot disguise its height and even tall riders like myself notice this when throwing a leg over the 895mm seat. Once on board you do appreciate the view that you get, which makes it a real doddle to pick your route through congested streets in town.The bike has excellent lock to lock characteristics as you might expect and thanks to its neutral well-balanced feel makes feet up negotiation of tight traffic gaps a breeze. No doubt the fact that some of the 22 litres of fuel is carried beneath the seat keeping the weight in the centre of the bike helps. Certainly the brief foray I had on the hard packed lanes in Buckinghamshire showed that this neutral feel made the bike easy to ride standing in the saddle and allowing the long travel to absorb the bumps. Yamaha definitely seem to have got the balance between road and track well sussed and you do not notice the 206kg weight, unless I suppose you have to pick it up! However, the suspension will dive hard at the front of the front brakes are given much more than a caress. Powerful and useful on the road, they need to be treated proportionally off –road if the crash protection pads are not to be tested!  Likewise the rear will squat little if hard acceleration is used at any time, although this is to be expected, it needs to be remembered if giving the throttle a quick twist to take a gap in traffic especially if you are canted over from the vertical.Some early models generated complaints of a jerky throttle response and general fuelling issues. There is nothing to criticise this latest model on in that area at all. The engine accelerates cleanly from a closed throttle and pulls evenly well above the legal limits. It is not until you get above 5,000rpm that you notice any vibration from the single cylinder, which is good. Let’s face it you don’t buy this type of bike to take part in the traffic light GP races! On the same theme, the rider position is well thought out although the wide bars do leave you exposed to elements, hence my earlier comment about wanting the larger screen. However, at all legal speeds there is little to complain about, it is not a tiring bike to ride. The seat is certainly comfortable and the bike handles well on the tarmac despite its dual purpose tyres. Normally I would say these lose out when the rain comes, but given the test was conducted in a remarkably rain-free period I cannot comment on this, other than to say they worked well on all types of medium off road going. There is very little to criticise this latest version of a bike that has  quite long dynasty. The engine is solid and dependable and thanks to the time spent on the detail of the Ténéré there is likely to be little to go wrong or break, even is used for that world tour.So the bottom line is that the latest Ténéré is like many of its forbears an impressive blend of on and off-road ability that will allow it to easily perform a duplicity of roles at a very affordable price especially when viewed against the opposition. Certainly it is the one to seriously consider if that wanderlust is getting stronger. Review by Ian Kerr
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