Ténéré 700

The Ténéré 700 pairs the CP2 twin with a steel double-cradle frame, a 43 mm KYB fork with 210 mm of travel, and a shock with 200 mm. The 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels are spoked with tubes, and the tank is 16 L. Brakes are twin 282 mm front discs with Brembo calipers.

The 2025 update finally added a 6.3-inch TFT, ride modes, switchable traction control, a ride-by-wire throttle, and a slightly lower seat. The bones are unchanged because they did not need to be.

On a dirt road, the Ténéré is the most natural-feeling adventure bike short of a proper enduro. The CP2 is torquey and predictable, the suspension is long and plush, and the bike is narrow enough to stand on comfortably. On the road it is slower than the KTM 890 and buzzier than the BMW, and the tall seat is real.

It is a bike that makes you a better off-road rider because it does not hide anything.

The CP2 has 42,000 km valve intervals and a legendary reputation. Everything is exposed, the air filter is easy, and the oil filter is on the front of the engine. Tube-type wheels mean roadside puncture repair is slower but possible anywhere on earth.

This is the machine I would use to teach adventure maintenance, because it is simple in a way most modern bikes are not.

The rider who does real off-road riding, the round-the-world traveller who prioritises fixability, and the rider who wants adventure ability without adventure-bike electronics.