Yamaha has just thrown the wraps off the new Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Rally, an upgraded version of the immensely popular Ténéré 700 adventure bike, that pays homage to their illustrious Dakar Rally history. Since they won the inaugural Paris-Dakar Rally in 1979, the Japanese marque has logged 9 Dakar victories to their name. That makes them the second-winningest manufacturer in the Dakar (next to KTM).

The Ténéré 700 World Rally celebrates this heritage with a special livery, and a slew of upgrades over the base model T7. Drawing its inspiration from Stéphane Peterhansel’s 1993 Dakar race bike, the World Rally’s livery sure is eye-popping.

Peterhansel is synonymous with Yamaha when it comes to motorcycle rally racing. He bagged six of the brand’s nine titles, before switching from bikes to cars.

The color scheme is a true replication of his 93 bike, starting with its bold blue, almost metallic, base coat. Pink and silvery-blue stripes run down the side, tracing the same line as the original, but manipulated to fit the T7’s sharper contours. All that’s missing is a bunch of sponsor logos.

The Ténéré 700 World Rally is pitched as a premium adventure bike, so it’s more than just a repainted base model. It wears a number of top-shelf components, like premium long-travel KYB suspension components with a generous 230/220 mm of travel, front and rear. An adjustable steering damper from Öhlins adds extra stability.

Dual 23 l [6.1 gal] side-mounted fuel tanks offer decent range, while carrying most of their fuel low. Yamaha say that their design was derived from their actual Dakar race bikes. Sitting up top is an enduro-like bench seat, and the cockpit features a 5” TFT display, with smartphone connectivity and three-mode switchable ABS.

The T7’s 690 cc ‘CP2’ motor is an absolute peach; on the World Rally, it benefits from an appropriately fruity soundtrack, courtesy of a titanium Akrapovič muffler.

Most of the rest of the bike matches the base model, but that’s no bad thing. The Ténéré 700’s been turning heads since it hit the scene—not only for its capability, but also for its modern rally raid aesthetic. This upgraded spec, and Peterhansel’s livery, dials the World Rally model’s rally vibe up to 11.

Yamaha say it’ll hit European dealers sometime in the near future, but there’s no news on if or when it’ll be available in the US. In the meantime, Yamaha off-road riders Alessandro Botturi and Pol Tarrés will also sport these colors during the 2023 race season. So at least we’ll get to see it ridden in anger.

Images courtest of Yamaha Europe