2024 Yamaha Ténéré 700 Rally

The 2024 Ténéré 700 Rally was another ripper event for owners of Australia’s most popular ADV bike. The five day ride that started and finished in Coffs Harbour covered every imaginable type of terrain in all weather conditions. At one stage the route went from slick clay to dusty gravel within the hour… on the same road.

The event kicked off with a presentation and dinner on the Coffs coast which included prize giveaways from event co-sponsor Dunlop as well as a Yamaha goodie bag. The Dunlop team fitted the new Dunlop Trailmax Raid tyres to a selection of machines – their first test in Aussie conditions.

Rain had lashed the local area but day one started out bright and sunny as 30 Ténéré 700 owners picked up their GPS from event organisers RideADV and aimed for Evans Head the long way round. Several slippery red clay sections kept riders alert, then just before Brooms Head the trail disappeared under water… which meant plenty to bench race about over dinner.

• Day two took the group from Evans Head to Tenterfield – where a treacherous boghole provided some fun before rolling into the home town of entertainer Peter Allen.
• Day three saw the group ride from Tenterfield and back in a big loop… and then onto Inverell via the iconic Rocky River Road.
• Day four was the big one – a cruise way out west in the big farm country from Inverell to Walcha. The final stretch included a river crossing that caught out one unfortunate rider who took an early bath. But it was all smiles as riders lined up at the Apsley Arms for a final feed and prize giving, where people’s choice Steve Parrish who was on his 20th RideADV event was recognised for his frequent flyer status.
• The last day from Walcha to Coffs also copped a bit of weather which meant a longer stretch along the Oxley Highway than originally planned. But the group was not fazed by the detour and all arrived back with wide smiles. Wally the wombat was handed around in good humour – an award for the rider who does the dumbest thing each day.

“The 2024 Ténéré 700 Rally was super fun. The trails had a bit of everything to keep riders focused but best of all it was an opportunity to ride an awesome bike and hang out with a great group of riders over the five days. Can’t wait for the next one,” says YMA Marketing Manager Sean Goldhawk.

“We have now covered well over 500,000 accumulated kms on both standard and World Raid Ténérés,” says RideADV organiser Greg Yager.
“And we have not had any major mechanical issues. In fact we have not even had to adjust a shim or change a spark plug on any of our bikes. This model really has proven to be reliable, which makes our job as tour operators so much easier,” continues Yager.

Keep an eye out for the next Ténéré Rally in 2025 by checking out
www.yamaha-motor.com.au/ownership/blu-cru and www.rideadv.com.au