2021 YAMAHA TENERE 700 PROJECT BIKE BUILD

February 01 2022

The Yamaha Tenere 700 has taken the ADV world by storm, so we were excited to build one up! We are setting ours up for adventure touring and off-road exploration, so we will modifying the already reliable T700 with new luggage, lighting, and protection.

Protection

The very first thing we’ve added to our Tenere 700 is protection. When choosing protection pieces for your bike, you want to consider the most likely things to get damaged or broken if it falls over. Critical components of the motorcycle include the engine, radiators, and the brake/clutch levers. If you were to damage any of these components, there is a possibility you may not make it off the trail or to the nearest town. As adventure riders, we know that great routes often take us far away from any help, so being prepared is important!

We installed a set of Barkbuster Jet handguards to protect the hands and levers. We also added a set of the SW-Motech upper and lower crash bars to protect the engine, radiator, and fairings. Finally, we upgraded to the SW-Motech skid plate to give more rugged protection to the lower portion of the engine and exhaust header.

[SW-Motech skid plate is large enough to protect the lower engine as well as the exhaust header. Plenty of ventilation holes means your engine stays cool despite the large size of the plate.]

[SW-Motech upper and lower crash bars are a necessary protection part for any serious ADV rider.]

Lighting

[The stock headlight on the T7 is one of the best on the market, and looks great too. DENALI LED DRIVING LIGHTS add to the versatility and visibility of this great machine]

The stock headlights on the Tenere 700 are actually pretty good, but we believe the first step to being seen out on the road is by adding auxiliary lighting. We installed a set of DENALI D7 Driving Lights to the upper crash bars using crash bar mounts. The DENALI D7’s are wired to be single intensity, and the on/off switch is mounted to the handlebars. These lights are BRIGHT so we recommend using the DataDim Dual Intensity Controller so you can dim the lights for oncoming traffic at night.

[The DENALI T3 Switchback Signal Pods feature super bright white running lights that switch to amber when your turn signal is activated]

Attached to the Barkbuster Jet handguards are the brand new DENALI T3 Switchback Front Signal Pods. When tied into the turn signal circuit, the T3’s will not only function as white running lights, but also amber turn signals. T3 Switchback Rear Signal Pods function similarly on the rear of the bike and provide rear running, brake, and turn signal lights.

Luggage

For luggage, we wanted an option that was as tough as the bike, so we went with the DrySpec H35 side cases. These military spec side cases are crush proof and completely waterproof. The cases are side loading, but we added the top load liners which make it really easy to get your things in and out without spilling them all over the ground. You can also add the external molle panels which give you more space to strap small organizer bags or extra fuel bottles to the outside. The cases are mounted using an A frame adapter onto the SW-Motech side carriers. We also added the SW-Motech ADV top rack along with the soft luggage adapter so we could strap the DrySpec D38 dry bag on for extra storage. With this set up you will be able to carry everything you need for your next adventure!

[DrySpec H35 side cases are the toughest hard case on the market, made for the gnarliest of adventure riders.]

It’s an exciting time for adventure riders, with so many bikes on the market to choose from, and the 2021 Yamaha Tenere 700 is definitely a top contender! We are constantly adding new products for the T700, so make sure to subscribe to our email newsletter and follow us on social media to be the first to know when a new product is released!