Sorry man, the guy there is not me. I got the photos on the internet, but looking at the other people, that guy must be near 2m tall, so don't look at him to get an idea of the size of the bike
and it has some good extras available. I'm quite impatient about what the bike magazines will say about it. I read a few words in an article about the paris show and the only things they say is that the frame is the same as the XT, the suspensions have been taken a little bit higher and the engine has been touched to be softer, without taking power off. One interesting thing is the narrow tank (most of it goes under the seat). It will handle very well, I suppose (and hope). I have been waiting for a bike like this for a long time, and the new transalp does not get the philosophy of this tenere, I think (and has a shape not many will like, sorry for the Honda fans).

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Jules
Now Kawa KLE500 dirty-knobby tires, noisy Thunder exhaust.
Waiting for the new 2008 Yamaha XTZ660 Ténéré

Video of the bike here !!

XT660Z Ténéré sur le stand - Yamaha au Mondial du Deux Roues 2007

And better one here

XT660Z Ténéré au Maroc - Yamaha au Mondial du Deux Roues 2007

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Glad I haven't traded the XT in for a V-Strom just yet!
But this bike is hefty for off road - I'm still recovering from a knackered back after dropping the XT in July!! Doing approx 0 mph when I fell off, but trying to lift it really did my lower back in. I would not be able to lift this new bike if it went down in an awkward place. But it does look good - wish I could ride like the the guy on the video.
My wife will not be pleased to see this she prefers the look of the pillion seat on the V-Strom 1000.

Cheers - Dave.

I ride an older KLR and I don't really consider the new model enough to warrent the expence to 'upgrade'. The Teneree on the other hand,hmmmm.
I hope Yamaha America will realize not everyone here lusts after cruzer-bagger-custom types. But I have learned not to hold my breath.

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ride,smile,repeat as nessasary

The US 2008 Yamaha announcement will more than likely be like this:

"We regret to announce that the new Tenere wont be sold in the US but to make up for it we are releasing a new super chromed Dragstar cruiser with even more chrome, less handling and a bigger polluting engine than ever. For those who were really desperate for the Tenere, we will be putting a 21" front wheel on selected super chromed Dragstars and tasseled hill billy leather bags..... Aviator sunglasses and "yeeeeeeee haaaaaaa" hooters to be sold separately"

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

It will be a while before I can get an XTZ new, but in that time at least most of the early gremlins should have been ironed out. After a 1986 XT600Z and a TDR250 I've been a Honda man for the last 13 years (two 600 Transalps and currently an Africa Twin). This Yamaha is the first new model I have seen that really makes me want it.

Since Honda are apparently no longer interested in our part of the market (viz the new 'Transalp' with its 200 Kg dry weight, smaller tank, 19" front wheel and complex brakes (among other things)), I will be going back to Yamaha for sure. It's not as if Honda's adventure models have been particularly well built over the last nine years or so - the legendary build quality is just that these days, and reserved for their flagship sports bikes. It would take a return to the build quality my original 1989 Transalp had, and a return to the design that made that bike (and the Africa Twins) so useful to make me go back to Honda. I don't think that will happen any time soon; Honda is interested in taking some market share from the Versys and 650 V-Strom. Even in that the new Transalp falls short.

Weight issues aside, well done Yamaha for producing something close to what we want. The spirit goes on.

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Tall men see everyone else's bald patch but their own.......

Hey, people! I just heard at my Yamaha-dealer, that the new Tenere will be available in april/may 2008, instead of febr./march. Why, they couldn't tell me? Here in Holland it will cost 7999,- euro's, that's a fair price. I saw the Tenere in Paris and am anxious to testride one. Maybe I'll trade my XT600E for one, I'm hesistating. Time will tell!! XT-greetings, Hans van Langen.

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XT rules! XT660Z Tenere '08
make the world beautiful, get a tattoo!
http://dallastx.smugmug.com

Wow I really like the look of this bike. Could we finally have a Bike that can knock BMW off the top. I hope so. If Yamaha do this proper then it could worry KTM, BMW etc as it seem they are gonna price it around 5 grand in the UK which aint bad if it goes as good as it looks. I only wish i had the money to buy and prep one. I dont so I will buy a recent XT instead and hope the new Tenere is crap. But i will be pleased if its not as I can hope to buy one thats never seen dirt in 5 years time for a bargain price.

Yamaha Germany has now published recommended sale price of EUR 6995.- on their web site. This is actually somewhat less than expected.

That equates to £4,871.06 in the UK.. Which if fair, they will sell it for £4995...

But Sadly, the XT660R is £4,599 OTR so they will charge about £1000 more for the Tenere

I guarantee that in "rip off Britain", we will pay at least £5495 OTR for the Tenere



I think ill be buying one in Spain and riding it home

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

The equivalent website for the UK has no price.

2008 XT660Z Tenere

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Dave

Thats why I have no doubt they will bump up the price for the UK market..

They always do !

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Not a surprise, but the XT660R is not being pushed in the MCN "bikemart" at present: the normal lull in advertising at this time of year - sales quotas met (or not), everyone at the bike shows , etc

So, who will be the first UK dealer to provide a discounted price on the XT660Z??!!

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Dave

The 660R on the german site is 6050 EUR (£4215 GBP) so you can see the mark up that us Brits get hit with.

They have charged 1000 EUR more for the Tenere so I think its safe to assume they will charge us £1000 more for the Tenere over the 660R

I'd love to be wrong though !


Places like DK and other importers will probably do them for £5250.00 on a parrallel.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Looks like a lip-smacking year coming up for the AM-look with the 800GS, 690 KTM, the Tenere and dare I say it, even the 700cc Trannie which at 200kg for a lovely smooth V-twin engine is not so shabby over the new Tenere's 183kg. [actually I read Tran is now 214kg. that's more like it] TBM just rated the Tran, suspension wise, over the XT660, tho it was only a quick ride and Ride like it too. The BMW 800 twin claims 178kg dry...

The new Ten looks the part which initially makes me suspicious: striking looks, relatively heavy with the cat set up and probably cheap suspension. But 22 litres set low down with EFI ought to be good for 450kms. This and the screen are great features. I dont think that low mudguard will be any more of a knobbly problem than it is on KTM Advs.

I dont believe that these days excess weight adds up to a more durable bike as someone mentioned earlier - just a not very sophisticated or a penny-pinching design. What was the original k/s Tenere - 138kg? It didnt need 2 front discs. And as AMers we know that above all, weight is the thing that cramps our style out in the world when the roads get rough. It's the one thing trip reports come back to again and again with heavier bikes.

The Japs in particular have never built bikes for the likes of us - they build them for people who want to look like overlanders because there are a whole lot more of them, right now probably watching BBC on a Sunday night with their mouths agape in admiration!

Anyway, cant wait to find out how they all shape up.

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 pre-order for Xmas • Trans Morocco Trail