Tag Archives: MY 24

Review: Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid

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It’s already been five years since I attended the Belgian launch of the Yamaha Ténéré 700. In a short time, the T7 established itself as the reference within the mid-range adventure segment. The most common criticisms of the standard model were its somewhat limited range and the suspension, which was considered too soft for more serious off-road work. Yamaha addressed this by introducing four additional Ténéré models, offering something for everyone.

The Ténéré 700 Extreme has longer suspension travel and lightweight components, while the Ténéré 700 Explore offers shorter suspension travel and more comfort than the standard model. The World Raid is a T7 with a 23-liter tank and better suspension, and the latest addition to the line-up is the World Rally: a World Raid with a nice retro color scheme and goodies like an Akrapovic exhaust.


Electronics

When it comes to the equipment of the T7 models, we can be brief. The World Raid was the first one to feature a Continue reading →

Review: Ducati Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour

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Those folks at Ducati are something else. If you were considering a Multistrada not too long ago, you would have had to choose between six models (V2, V2 S, V4, V4 S, V4 S Rally, and V4 S Pikes Peak). But hey, the more, the merrier, right? So, Ducati added two extra models in 2023: the V4 S Grand Tour and the V4 S RS.

Let me help you identify the different family members. The V2 is the twin-cylinder, with the V2 S as its more luxuriously equipped counterpart. On the other hand, the V4 is the standard four-cylinder. Wheelie control, cornering ABS and traction control come standard on the “regular” V4, while the V4 S offers more options, including electronic suspension, a larger display with smartphone connectivity, a quickshifter and cruise control. The V4 S Rally is geared towards off-road enthusiasts, the Grand Tour for the travel-hungry, the Pikes Peak for the sporty riders, and the RS for the even sportier ones.

I had the chance to test whether the Ducati Multistrada V4 S Grand Tour truly lives up to its promise as a touring bike and took it for a weekend ride all the way to Normandy.


The Grand Tour comes with a bundle of options on top of the V4 S equipment: side panniers, heated seats for both rider and pillion, heated grips, fog lights, adaptive cruise control (instead of non-adaptive), blind-spot warning, tire pressure monitoring and a center stand. These options can also be ordered on other Multistradas too, but on the Grand Tour, Continue reading →

Travel test: Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

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The Triumph Tiger has always held a special place in my motorcycling heart. When I tested the Tiger 800 XCA in 2015, I immediately ordered one. And even though I traded in that Tiger five years later for a big twin, my love for the three-cylinders from Hinckley is still strong. My Street Triple RS doesn’t rack up nearly as many miles as it deserves, yet it never fails to put a broad smile on my face every time I ride it. I’m curious to see if the same holds true for the new Tigers. That’s why I was eagerly anticipating taking the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro on a week-long trip to the Picos de Europa.


New generation

In 2020, Jean tested the Tiger 900 Rally Pro in the Moselle region. For the 2024 model year, Triumph has refreshed its 900 lineup. The changes compared to the previous model may seem subtle, but they are far from it.

To start with, the number of Tigers (and specifically the 900 series) has been reduced from an overwhelming seven models to just three. Because it turned out that the vast majority of buyers opted for the lavishly equipped top versions. From this year on, there are Continue reading →

Travel test: BMW R 1300 GS

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2023 must have been a very anticipatory year for BMW Motorrad. Because when you replace the most popular steed in your stable, you obviously don’t want to make a poor impression. Moreover, BMW didn’t settle for a cautious facelift and a few small technical tweaks, but pushed itself to a major makeover. I had the opportunity to test the new 2024 BMW R 1300 GS for a week during a trip to Spain with two friends. The report of that trip will follow. For now: my findings of the GS after 4300 km in the seat.


To illustrate the importance of the GS for BMW’s business figures: in 2023, BMW sold a little more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. More than 60,000 of those were accounted for by the ‘big GS club,’ namely the 1250 GS, the 1250 GS Adventure, and the new 1300 GS (which has been on the market since the fall of 2023). You can safely say it’s BMW Motorrad’s cash cow.

I also want to mention upfront that I’m not a member of the GS Haters Club. Okay, it seems like everyone has a GS, making it feel somewhat ubiquitous. But after testing the 1200 GS Rallye and “needing” a new motorcycle myself, I almost bought a second-hand blue 1200 Rallye. Yes, I chose Continue reading →