The Adventure Bike That Quietly Gives The Tenere 700 Serious Competition
The adventure bike segment is broadly divided into two categories—well-rounded options and off-roading hooligans. The latter is good on the tarmac, too, but they tend to outclass every other tall-riding ADV with specific design features that uphold their off-roading capabilities. These include a slimmer body, lower curb weight, lower center of gravity, super-durable underpinnings, and longer suspension travel.
The Yamaha Tenere 700 has been the definitive off-roading ADV for nearly five years. But now, the undisputed middleweight ADV is finally locking horns with equally potent and even better rivals. The Aprilia Tuareg 660 is a worthy rival. But there is an even wilder underdog rival to the Yamaha Tenere 700. It is a Chinese ADV that is more powerful, lighter, and features greater ground clearance, longer-travel suspension, and advanced electronics.
The Yamaha Tenere 700 Takes The Spotlight Because Of Its Middleweight Packaging
The Yamaha Tenere 700 single-handedly proves that flagship ADVs are not necessarily better. Top-spec offerings like the BMW R 1300 GS and the Ducati Multistrada offer the best in performance, technology, and underpinnings. But these additions also dial up the heft, complexity, and price of an adventure bike whose core appeal has always been a balance of on-road and off-road capabilities. While entry-level ADVs offer impressive value, they are too bare-bones to deliver a well-rounded riding experience.
Hitting the sweet spot are middleweight ADVs that are neither as complex nor as heavy as flagship models nor as bare-bones as entry-level offerings. Even off-road-focused ADVs in this segment, like the Yamaha Tenere 700, offer a well-rounded package that can take on the highway heat, be composed on urban runs, and slide flawlessly through challenging trails. The dimensions are not intimidating, and the technological features are just right.
The Tenere 700’s 72-HP Twin And Long-Travel Suspension Set The Middleweight Benchmark
Powering the 2026 Yamaha Tenere 700 is the popular CP2 parallel-twin engine. The 689 cc mill produces 72 horsepower at 9,000 RPM and 50 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 RPM. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a six-speed manual gearbox. Upholding its off-roading finesse is a rugged high-strength tubular steel frame that is specifically reinforced at high-stress zones to handle heavy off-road abuse. This ADV offers 9.4 inches of ground clearance and rides on premium long-travel suspension.
It gets fully adjustable 43 mm inverted forks up front with 8.3 inches of travel. The rear gets a preload- and rebound-damping adjustable monoshock with 7.9 inches of travel. Grip duties are taken care of by 90/90 front and 150/70 rear Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires wrapped around 21-inch front and 18-inch rear laced wheels. The dimensions are slim, and the Tenere 700 weighs just 452 pounds to help with nimble riding dynamics. But a closer look reveals cracks in that benchmark armor — specifically in power output and suspension travel — that two rivals are now ready to exploit.
The Aprilia Tuareg 660 Edges The Tenere — But Costs $1,500 More
While the Yamaha Tenere 700 has remained undisputed for a long time, things are changing for the better. The first taste of its worthy rival is the Aprilia Tuareg 660. It mimics the Tenere 700’s benchmark formula but edges ahead in certain aspects to garner attention.
Producing 80 horsepower and 51.6 pound-feet of torque, the Tuareg 660 makes more power and torque from a smaller 659 cc parallel-twin engine. At 449.7 pounds, it is lighter than the Tenere too. This translates to an even better power-to-weight ratio that should help with its off-roading capabilities.
Furthermore, it gets superior Kayaba suspension at both ends with full adjustability and more travel (9.44 inches at both ends). Technology features are also better, with a more extensive standard electronic suite, including cruise control, four riding modes, three dual-channel ABS maps, rear wheel lift-up mitigation, and engine maps. It also gets a crisp five-inch TFT dashboard.
However, all of this does come at a notable price bump over the $10,999 Yamaha Tenere 700, as the 2026 Aprilia Tuareg 660 is priced at $12,499. But what if there is an even better arch-rival to the Yamaha Tenere 700 that offers a more enticing package than the Aprilia Tuareg 660? A lesser-known Chinese middleweight ADV does exactly that for only a $300 premium, and it has gone largely unnoticed.
The Kove 800X Pro Is An Underdog That Gives The Tenere Serious Competition
At $11,299, The Kove 800X Pro Gives You More Power And Features For $300 More Than The Tenere 700
Kove is a fairly new Chinese motorcycle maker that is still making its mark around the world. But in its short time in international markets, Kove has some incredible feats under its belt. The brand first hit the headlines in 2023 when a three-rider Kove 450 Rally team completed the Dakar Rally. Then Kove also competed in the Supersport 300 class at the World Superbike Championship and did well.
Pushing up the displacement ladder, the 800X Pro clearly targets popular middleweight ADV models, and it has serious brawn to back things up. It also gets proven KTM-derived hardware to punch above its weight both on and off the roads. For $11,299, the Kove 800X Pro is an impressive bang-for-buck ADV.
A Rally-Style Cockpit, Quickshifter, And Crash Bars
The Kove 800X Pro’s portrait-style TFT screen mimics a rally-bike cockpit. The Tenere 700 also gets a similar setup. The 800X Pro gets three power maps—Eco, Sport, and Rain. On the safety and assistive front, it gets features like a bi-directional quickshifter, traction control, switchable ABS, and cruise control. Off-road stability and safety are further strengthened with features like a steering stabilizer, high-output LED headlights, crash bars, and a metal skid plate.
Packs A Powerful KTM-Derived Parallel-Twin
Powering the Kove 800X Pro is a KTM-derived 799 cc parallel-twin engine. This liquid-cooled mill has an impressive price-to-power ratio with 95 horsepower and 59 pound-feet of torque. Only the likes of the Ducati DesertX V2 and the KTM 890 Adventure R produce more power among the middleweight bunch, but they are also very expensive at over $16,000. Power is sent to the rear wheel on the 800X Pro via a six-speed manual gearbox. However, not everything is sunshine and roses with this powerplant.
This Engine Has A Checkered Past
The KTM LC8c parallel-twin from which Kove derives its engine is one of the least reliable engines out there. This is mainly because of its notorious cam failure issues even at low mileage. CFMoto engines derived from this KTM mill are also riddled with cam failure issues. It is unclear whether Kove applied any fixes during the adaptation phase, but if you are in the market and are considering this Kove, this is a risk worth being aware of.
Complemented With Underpinnings Designed To Take A Serious Beating
Underpinning the Kove 800X Pro is a steel perimeter frame that balances sturdiness and light weight. It is suspended on long-travel KYB suspension hardware. The front gets 48 mm inverted forks with adjustable compression and rebound and 9.5 inches of travel. The rear gets a piggyback monoshock with adjustable rebound and compression, with 9.5 inches of travel. Braking duties are taken care of by 310 mm dual discs coupled to four-piston calipers up front. The rear gets a 240 mm disc coupled to a single-piston caliper. As mentioned earlier, this Chinese ADV is impressively lightweight at under 408 pounds.
Furthermore, it is compact with a rally-style design focusing on a slim form factor. It is 88.1 inches long, 34.7 inches wide, and 55.1 inches high. It is well contained with a wheelbase of 59.5 inches, which is further complemented by a rake angle of 26.15 degrees. The Kove 800X Pro has a seat height of 34.5 inches and ground clearance of 10.8 inches. Its five-gallon fuel tank (which Kove claims is good for up to 250 miles of riding range) is placed low in the subframe for a lower center of gravity, which in turn helps with more stable riding dynamics.
The Kove 800X Pro Deserves More Attention
Kove has priced the 800X Pro right. It offers a lot more in terms of performance, capabilities, and features than its established rivals. The only downside for now is Kove’s limited exposure and long-term practicality. But only time can tell how it fares on that front. For now, based on what is available on paper, the Kove 800X Pro truly deserves a chance, as it is the underdog that can still shake up the middleweight ADV segment and claim the Yamaha Tenere 700’s crown.
Sources: Kove USA, Yamaha Motorsports, Aprilia, and KTM
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