Yamaha XTZE 1200 Super Ténéré Raid Edition 2019 — Specifications

You've already felt that pull, the one that tugs at your sleeve when the paved road transforms into a track, then a trail? It’s towards that frontier that the Yamaha XTZ 1200 Super Ténéré Raid Edition takes you, without unnecessary embellishments. Yamaha took its already solid large touring bike and toughened it up for vast open spaces. The result is a 265 kg machine fully fueled that doesn’t joke around when it comes to adventure.

Under the 23-liter tank beats a 1199 cm3 twin-cylinder engine, delivering 112 horsepower and robust torque of 116.7 Nm. The power is there, linear and reliable, typical of Yamaha engines. It won't overwhelm you like the V-twin of a KTM 1290 Super Adventure, but it devours the kilometers with the serenity of a locomotive. Shaft drive is a major asset for those planning long journeys and minimal maintenance, even if it slightly weighs down the chassis. At €16,999, it positions itself as a direct competitor to entry-level models from BMW and KTM, with a striking argument: supposed reliability that can withstand anything.

Where the Raid Edition shows its teeth is in its equipment. Yamaha has grafted redesigned aluminum panniers, a tall screen, deflectors, and anti-fog lights. It’s serious stuff. Yet, you can’t help but raise an eyebrow at the absence of engine protection bars, a crucial piece of equipment on a dedicated trail bike. Beside it, a BMW R 1250 GS Adventure or a KTM 1290 Super Adventure R seem better armed for the inevitable fall. The electronically adjustable suspension, with 84 modes, is a jewel of technology that saves the day, brilliantly adapting to the terrain and the load.

This Ténéré clearly targets the globetrotting adventurer, who prioritizes travel to the ends of the earth over extreme trials. Its weight remains its main adversary on technical trails, where lighter and more aggressive models excel. But for those who see adventure as a succession of chaotic tracks, secondary roads, and endless highways, it constitutes a choice companion. It offers certain comfort, reassuring autonomy, and that peace of mind typical of Japanese bikes.

The Super Ténéré Raid Edition is not the most radical, nor the lightest, nor the most powerful in its category. But it possesses a certain character, a capacity to digest the unexpected with stoicism. It’s a machine for those who truly set off, with the idea that the best equipment is the one that won’t let you down. It doesn’t conquer the terrain, it traverses it with quiet determination. A reasonable, almost wise, choice in a world of often excessive adventures.