Yamaha Tenere 700 Does Its First-Ever Backflip, Here's What It Takes

A successful backflip, naturally, has to end in a landing that doesn't ruin the bike and injure the rider.
Performing backflips requires a lot of training, an assortment of protective gear, just in case, and, naturally the proper bike. And by proper bike I mean something that's light and small enough to make the stunt easier to perform.

The Yamaha Tenere 700 does not necessarily fit that description. Tipping the scales at 459 pounds (208 kg) and roughly twice the size of the motocross bikes usually used for such stunts, it was never on the list of bikes that have performed backflips. Until now, that is.

I don't know how many of you knew the name Jérémy Rouanet until today. The Frenchman, a professional FMX rider by trade, retired from the competition back in 2019, but seems to have held on to the skills he gained during his career, which took him on the complicated courses of competitions such as the Red Bull X-Fighters, XGames, Nitro Circus, Night of the Jumps, and Freestyle des Nations.

Currently doing his thing in the Minerve FMX, Rouanet climbed on the back of a specially-prepped Tenere 700 and set out to perform the world's first backflip on this kind of motorcycle. You can see how the entire stunt went in the video attached below, but before getting to it I suggest reading on to learn a thing or two about what it really took to make the stunt a successful one.

I said the bike was specially prepped for the run, and tasked with getting it in shape was the Tenere Yamaha Rally Team. These guys used a wealth of GYTR accessories and parts sourced from third parties to soup-up the 700 to the point that it could successfully complete the mission.

The base bike used for the project was a 700 Rally Edition that received from the GYTR catalogue things like titanium footrests, a clutch cover, a kit and case for the air filter, and a crown handle kit. The suspension system chosen for the stunt included KYB 48 mm front forks and a TracTive shock absorber, supporting KYTE wheels shod in Michelin Desert tires.

A special ECU Stage 1 was installed, the seat foam was carved by 0.6 inches (1.5 cm), and the sides of the fairings were opened up. Yamaha also grouped the electronics of the bike under the seat in a bid to clear up space and allow the rider to perform the seat grab maneuver required during backflips, and installed an Akrapovic exhaust system.

While it added a lot of gear and performed a number of modifications, the bike maker also removed many of the Tenere's original gear. The bike used for the stunt was stripped of mirrors, indicators, license plate holder, hand guards, plates and rear passenger footrests, kickstand circuit breaker, kickstand, and the ABS control unit – all in a bid to save some weight and make the vehicle simpler in design.

We're not told how much the Tenere ended up weighing after losing all this hardware, but what we do know that the changes made it illegal to use on public roads.

The rider, Rouanet, had to undergo special training that took weeks, as per Yamaha. Once ready to go at it, the Frenchman had to don special clothing to keep him safe. Sourced from Yamaha Alpinestars, the list of apparel included a jersey, pants, gloves, a special helmet, and dedicated boots.

It's unclear if Yamaha aims to gain from this anything other than exposure. The Tenere 700 and its Tenere 700 Rally variant we're just announced for the 2025 model year back at the beginning of November, and they are already shaping up as incredible machines.

Built around a double cradle tubular steel frame rocking a gravity-cast aluminum swingarm, the bikes are powered by the 690cc CP2 parallel-twin engine we already know, but now equipped with the Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) system, which for the first time in this range will allow for switchable throttle maps.

The Rally version that can now claim a backflip to its name comes for the 2025 model year with an improved suspension system, off-road bodywork in the form of the high front fender, and a heavy-duty skid plate.

In the basic configuration the Tenere 700 is selling off Yamaha's shelves for $10,999, which is just around $200 over the price of the previous version. The sticker, naturally, does not include the $600 destination charge and grows higher if you choose to go for the Rally-spec variant.