" YOU CAN EASILY
MODULATE THE THROTTLE
AND ARE REWARDED
WITH SEEMINGLY THE
RIGHT AMOUNT OF
POWER EVERY TIME
it’s not hard to see why there’s no traction
control in the mix. You can easily modulate
the throttle and are rewarded with seemingly
the right amount of power every time.
The RideADV guys leading the ride didn’t mess
about when it came to planning an adventurous
route. Within the first 5km we left the sealed
roads of Port Macquarie and hit the gravel and
created a roaring dust storm in the process.
Within the first day we were navigating
through tight bush tracks that I personally
thought were more the domain of proper
enduro bikes. The Tenere took them all in
its stride and was incredibly confidence
inspiring. From the suspension soaking up
all the punishment including jumps over
erosion mounds, to the bike feeling incredibly
light under most circumstances. With the
Tenere weighing 204kg, you’d think that’d
hold it back, but I only noticed it when you
have to pick it up out of the dirt when you
run out of talent… which I eventually did.
Even then, the bike took it in its stride,
with the worst damage coming when I
rode over a crest only to be thrown from
the bike as I hit the muddy rut hidden on
the other side. The damage? A couple
of bruises and bruised ego for me and a
broken factory handguard for the Tenere.
Exactly what you want to happen if you’re
building your adventure skills. So, if you’re
looking for a bike that you can grow into
the adventure riding lifestyle with at a price
that won’t make your wallet melt (it’s $6k
cheaper than the Euro competition), then
the Tenere 700 is well worth your attention.
KIWI RIDER 47