6 Adventure Bike Alternatives To The Yamaha Ténéré 700

Motorcyclists are adventurous by nature — why else would we choose to be in the wind on two wheels when four often provides more safety and comfort? If you're a rider who loves getting off the pavement, you've probably already noticed adventure motorcycles. While there are larger, more powerful adventure bikes that might tempt you to trade in your current ride, the $10,799 2024 Yamaha Ténéré 700's mid-size approach makes it one of the coolest such bikes on the market.

The 452-pound Ténéré 700 features a 689cc liquid-cooled four-stroke two-cylinder engine that produces 72.3 horsepower and 50.1 lb-ft of torque, backed by a six-speed transmission. With a seat height of 34.4 inches, the Ténéré 700 provides up to 9.4 inches of ground clearance. The 43mm inverted front forks are fully adjustable and provide 8.3 inches of travel while the single rear shock offers adjustment for preload and rebound damping and 7.9 inches of travel.

Yamaha included its Y-Connect system that allows the Ténéré 700 to connect to your iOS or Android smartphone for free. Y-Connect allows phone notifications to display on the Ténéré's five-inch color screen. You can also track and record ride data and monitor some of the bike's technical data.

Overall, the Yamaha Tenere 700 strikes a good balance between price, features, and capability for an adventure bike. However, some models are less expensive, and others provide more adventure capability. We'll explore some Ténéré 700 alternatives sorted by MSRP.

The 2024 Kawasaki KLR 650 ABS lists for $7,199, with the non-ABS version priced lower at $6,899, about two-thirds the price of a Tenere 700. However, with the price savings, you'll lose some capability.

The KLR 650 not only gives up 37cc of displacement with its 652cc liquid-cooled four-stroke engine, but it also gives up an entire cylinder, using one instead of two like the Ténéré 700's engine. At 460 pounds, the KLR 650 is slightly heavier, and its smaller 41mm front forks deliver less travel at 7.9 inches while the rear shock provides a similarly reduced 8.0 inches. Ground clearance suffers as well at 8.3 inches — giving up 1.1 inches to the Ténéré 700 — while providing a seat height of 34.3 inches.

The Kawasaki KLR lags behind the Ténéré 700 in nearly every category. However, if the Ténéré 700's price keeps you from owning an adventure bike, the Kawasaki KLR 650 is a more budget-friendly option to get started.

Priced $1,100 lower than the Yamaha Ténéré 700, the $9,699 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 650XT leans more toward highway comfort while retaining some capability for off-road adventures. Like the KLR 650 above, the V-Strom 650XT gives up some performance aspects compared to the Ténéré 700.

The 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 650XT features a 645cc liquid-cooled four-stroke V-twin engine, a plus compared to the KLR 650's single cylinder. Shorter riders will jump for joy with less jumping required from the 32.9-inch seat height, 1.5 inches lower than the Ténéré 700's saddle. That still seems high given the V-Strom 650XT provides a scant 6.7 inches of ground clearance, or 2.7 inches less than the Ténéré . The extra depth under the seat is likely filled by the V-twin's rear cylinder.

Other V-Strom 650XT specs include its 476-pound curb weight, 5.9-inch front and rear suspension travel, and street-focused stock tires. Reddit reviewers agree that the V-Strom is a more comfortable street bike, and likely a better option if your adventures contain more pavement than dirt.

The 2024 Honda Transalp returns to the U.S. after taking Europe by storm for a few decades. With its MSRP starting at $9,999, the XL750 Transalp is about $800 more affordable than the Ténéré 700.

As the name implies, the XL750 Transalp features a 755cc engine. The liquid-cooled four-stroke uses a parallel-twin cylinder layout. Overall, the XL750 weighs 459 pounds with all fluids on board. It provides 8.3 inches of ground clearance like the Kawasaki KLR 650, and it has an option for two different seat heights. The stock seat sits 33.7 inches above the ground, while the optional lower seat is 1.1 inches shorter at 32.6 inches (the lowest of the adventure bikes we're considering here) without sacrificing ground clearance.

The Honda XL750 Transalp features selectable riding modes to tailor its power delivery, engine braking, and ABS to levels best suited for the terrain and conditions. The modes include Sport, Standard, Rain, Gravel, and User, a customizable setting. The full-color 5.0-inch LCD display provides four options to present useful information like speed, rpm, fuel level, trip meter, selected gear, and engine braking levels.

Unlike the other adventure motorcycles that we've listed so far, you should know that KTM motorcycles are built by a company with Austrian roots rather than Japanese. KTM claims its "2024 KTM 790 Adventure is designed to make 2-wheeled adventure travel easier." At $10,990 MSRP, it's on par with the Yamaha Ténéré 700.

The 790 Adventure features a four-stroke liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine with a 101cc advantage over the Ténéré 700. However, its 43mm front fork suspension only provides 7.9 of travel, and its 447.5-pound dry weight makes it at least 30 pounds heavier than the Ténéré 700 when full of fluids. While the KTM 790 Adventure seat height is 0.6 inches lower at 33.8, ground clearance is reduced by a full 1.5 inches to 7.9, the lowest of any of these adventure bikes except the admittedly off-road-impaired Suzuki V-Strom 650XT.

The KTM 790 Adventure features selectable riding modes including "Offroad" and "Rally." These modes turn off the ABS feature to the rear wheel, allowing riders to brake-slide into a corner when desired, and reduce its impact on front wheel braking for greater control.

The Italian 2024 Aprilia Tuareg 660's MSRP starts at $12,699, or $1,900 more than the Ténéré 700. With 659cc, the Tuareg gives up 30cc to the Ténéré 700 but provides substantially more horsepower at 79 and almost one additional lb-ft of torque at 51 at 6,500 rpm.

In addition, the Tuareg 660 has more suspension travel than the Yamaha Ténéré 700, with 9.4 inches front and rear, and weighs 2.3 pounds less. Ground clearance is roughly the same on both bikes at 9.4 inches, but Aprilia claims the Tuareg 660 ground clearance exceeds 240 millimeters. Finally, the Tuareg 660 seat height is 33.85 inches, or about 0.55 inches shorter than the Ténéré 700.

Aprilia's APRC system features four riding modes, traction control, cruise control, engine mapping, and engine brake control. Two of the riding modes are customizable, allowing one tailored for street riding and the other dedicated to off-road and accessible through the 5.0-inch color display screen. Selectable ABS controls allow deactivation to the rear wheel only or both front and rear when desired.

If you don't already know about Husqvarna motorcycles, you might be surprised to find out that the 2024 Husqvarna 701 Enduro is the most expensive adventure bike on our list with an MSRP of $12,999. While it's considerably pricier than the Yamaha Ténéré 700, it might be worth the investment if you'll exceed the Yamaha Tenere 700's limits while riding off-road.

With a liquid-cooled 693cc single-cylinder engine, the 701 Enduro makes roughly the same horsepower and torque as the Ténéré 700. That's not surprising given the displacements only differ by 4cc. What is surprising is the Husqvarna's 9.8-inch front and rear suspension travel, besting most of our models by at least 1.9 inches. Only the Aprilia Tuareg 660 comes close with 9.4 inches, and the Ténéré 700 pales in comparison with its 8.3-inch maximum front fork travel.

The Husqvarna 701 Enduro continues to shine as we run through the specs. Its 322-pound dry weight is the lightest on our list, and its 10.6-inch ground clearance is the only one in double digits. However, its 36.4-inch seat height could cause problems for shorter riders, especially during stops on uneven terrain.

The two ride modes are selected by a handlebar-mounted switch. The first is optimized for street use, controlling traction and throttle response to limit wheelies and tire slippage. The second is more useful off-road and allows lifting the front tire and throwing roost on those behind you.