What makes the Yamaha Ténéré 700 such a well-rounded bike is its capability on any surface. (Photos by Kevin Wing)

When the Yamaha Ténéré 700 was introduced in the summer of 2020, it was a rare bright spot during the dark time of lockdowns, masks, and toilet paper shortages. It was a new entry in the middleweight adventure bike class, slotting between Yamaha?s WR250R and 1,200cc Super Ténéré. Unlike midsized ADV models from BMW, KTM, and Triumph, Yamaha took a ?less is more? approach with the Ténéré 700 ? aka the T7 ? eschewing electronic rider aids and other costly features and pricing it well below the competition at $9,999.

Contributing photographer Kevin Wing attended the T7?s debut in Tennessee, and he took a shine to it. ?As someone who spends most of his time on lightweight dirtbikes without any electronic interventions, I felt immediately comfortable on the Ténéré 700 with its light clutch, smooth shifting, and excellent fueling,? he wrote in his test for the August 2020 issue (see Wing’s 2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700 review here).
With test rider Thad Wolff at the controls, the Yamaha Ténéré 700 easily jumps tall berms in a single bound. Few adventure bikes are as capable off-road as the tenacious T7.

When long-time contributor and dual-sport aficionado Arden Kysley got his hands on our Ténéré 700 test bike in California that same year, he added some factory luggage and other accessories and hit the road for 3,000 miles. ?In my loc...