Yamaha 700 Ténéré édition Yamalube 2025 — Specifications

Buy a can of oil to win a motorcycle. The idea raises a smile, but when the motorcycle in question is one-of-a-kind and carries the visual signature of the R1 entered by the YART team at the 2024 Suzuka 8 Hours, that smile becomes genuinely interested. Yamaha France has decided to celebrate Yamalube, its in-house lubricant brand born in 1967, in a way that clearly steps outside the ordinary.

The base is the 2024 Ténéré 700 Explore, a machine that needs no introduction in the world of all-around adventure riding. The 689 cc parallel-twin, with its 270-degree firing order designed to mimic the feel of a single-cylinder, produces 73.4 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 68.6 Nm of torque from 6,500 rpm. Not enough to rival an Africa Twin on the motorway, but more than sufficient resources to swallow up dirt tracks and winding roads with disarming ease. All within a sensible package: 194 kg dry, an 860 mm seat height, and a 16-litre tank that enables serious stages. On this already solid foundation, Yamaha France has taken great care with the presentation.

The pearlescent metallic paint immediately catches the eye, with graphics directly inspired by the Suzuka racing livery. It's flashy, unapologetic, and coherent with the spirit of the operation. But the build doesn't stop at aesthetics. An Akrapovic exhaust replaces the stock silencer, bringing the expected sound enhancement and slight weight reduction. GYTR enduro footpegs improve grip when standing on the trails, a thicker skid plate reassures on technical terrain, and a radiator guard logically completes the package. The black wheels finish off giving this Ténéré a sharper look than the catalogue version. The only concession to pragmatism: the pannier mounts are removed, which limits grand touring ambitions but reinforces the machine's sporting coherence.

To become the owner, the process is an unusual one. Yamaha France is running a prize draw open to buyers of a can of Yamalube oil, with proof of purchase photo required and entry via a dedicated form. The closing date is 30 June 2025 at midnight. A single motorcycle will be handed to the winner, and this uniqueness is obviously the operation's main selling point. On the used market, a Ténéré 700 Explore trades at around 10,000 to 11,000 euros depending on condition. This special edition is valued at over 16,000 euros — the price of a new version plus the Akrapovic and GYTR accessories — which remains reasonable on paper, even if the sentimental value likely weighs heavier than the sum of its parts.

This is not a motorcycle for the overlander seeking a loadable, comfortable motorway cruiser, nor for the thrill-seeker chasing extreme sensations. It is a machine conceived for the rider who enjoys taking paths that don't appear on maps, with a reliable engine, a chassis that is precise on tarmac and playful on dirt, and now a look that will not go unnoticed. The Ténéré 700 remains one of the rare adventure bikes to maintain that difficult balance between everyday use and genuine adventure, at a time when certain competitors have opted for sanitised comfort or niche performance. The Yamalube edition doesn't improve that balance — it simply glorifies it.