We have wanted to compare these two Trail for many months, but the continuous events or lack of availability of the bikes have caused this confrontation to be delayed. It was more than clear that the Yamaha Ténéré, as a sales phenomenon since its appearance in 2019 (See proof here), would have to face a large number of opponents. Already at the time we compared it with the KTM 790 Adventure R (see link in this link).
This 2021 a serious rival for the Ténéré arrived on the market, it is the Aprilia Tuareg 660 that has quickly been postulated as a serious contender for the light Trail segment. But to know if it really lives up to it, you had to compare them.
Since the day we tried the Aprilia Tuareg 660 (See test in this link) we knew that we had to face it against the Ténéré, since it gave us the feeling that it was a product very similar to the Japanese one, but with some peculiarities. While one is committed to robustness and reliability, the other tries to offer technology and versatility. Therefore today we will compare many of the common points of these two light Trail and we will also see their main differences.
each in its own styleThe Aprilia Tuareg 660 and the Yamaha Ténéré Rally Edition are the most interesting medium trail bikes on the market
Possibly the secret of success of the Ténéré is its simplicity, since it is an easy bike mechanically speaking. Not too much electronics or too many things to break in a fall. A good cycle part, with an easy-to-handle engine and also very versatile. Of course, a very attractive aesthetic, the fame of the robustness of Japanese products and a contained price are some of its assets.
The Ténéré has become so popular that there are currently three representatives of this model in the catalogue: The basic Ténére (€10,499)the Rally Edition version (€12,099) which is the one we are comparing today, and the one recently presented and already tested by us, the World Ride (€12,799) (See video at this link).
The Yamaha Ténéré Rally Edition is gorgeous in the white and red livery
The Tuareg, on the other hand, is a motorcycle that has opted to offer something more. Electronics, for example, with many more devices and aids that allow you to play with more parameters, but according to some user groups “more things can also break”, always in intensive off-road use, of course.
Really and as it always happens, we will have to pay attention to what we use the motorcycle for, what use is going to be given to it and what performance we expect from it. As It is not the same to use the motorcycle every day to commute from home to work, travel by road and step on the occasional path, to give it an almost exclusive weekend or intensive use in the field.
With the Aprilia Tuareg 660 or with Yamaha Ténéré you can travel to the end of the world
They have many things in common, to begin with the size of the wheels, 21 inches at the front and 18 at the rear, without a doubt the quintessential hardwearing measures since they allow obstacles to be overcome with a perfect balance between asphalt and field. Interestingly, both mount the same Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires that turn out to be mixed tires despite their tough aesthetics. Curiously, these tires work better on asphalt than on the field, but in both scenarios they allow you to enjoy driving.
Cycle and habitability
With the Aprilia Tuareg 660 you get to the ground much better
The cycle parts of the two are similar, since they have opted for tubular steel chassis. These types of chassis allow for greater strength for field use, as well as being cheaper to produce than aluminum. In the brakes we find many similarities as well. Both mount two 298mm front discs on the Yamaha and 300mm on the Aprilia. Both mount the same twin-piston floating Brembo calipers, so braking is quite on par.
In the suspension section they coincide, they mount adjustable inverted forks in both models, but in the Aprilia it has a travel of 240 mm while in the Yamaha it is 210 mm, no less than 3 cm difference. And with the rear shock there is even more, since the Ténéré is 200 against 240 mm. This difference will especially affect off-road driving which requires more travel on jumps.
The Aprilia Tuareg 660 is very comfortable
Curiously, the Tuareg, having more suspension travel, has a lower seat than the Ténéré. They are 880mm from the Japanese against the 860mm from the Italian, they are only two centimeters, but I assure you that it shows and that I am 1.80m tall, if I were 10 centimeters shorter it would already be an insurmountable height without modifying the linkages or lowering Forks.
Also the size of the handlebars is different. On the Aprilia we have a somewhat more generous handlebar width than on the Japanese and the riding position is much more comfortable on the Italian. The Ténéré is not that it is an uncomfortable motorcycle, but the dynamism in the field has been prioritized, not the comfort of the trips. This is especially noticeable in the softness of the seat, which is much more comfortable in the Italian than in the Rally version of the Ténéré.
These two lightweight trail bikes are more alike than you might think
The aerodynamic protections are sufficient in both, despite the fact that in neither of them can the height of their domes be adjusted. But they would also benefit from 5 or 10 cm more dome height in both. On the Aprilia, when sitting lower, the screen covers a little more, while on the Yamaha it lacks a bit of distance, which in the Ténéré World Ride version (see test in this link) has already been improved.
Details that make the difference
Continuing with the cycle part, there is a point where the Aprilia is better equipped. It is about the rims since the Italian has tubeless cross-spoke rims, while the Japanese has conventional tires with a tube. Yes, it is true that the gold color of the rims of this Rally version of the Ténéré give it a most elegant touch, but the crossed spokes of its rival are much more modern and effective.
The instrumentation of the Aprilia Tuareg 660 is clearly better
Instrumentation is also a point where the Italian wins by a landslide… The Japanese bets on a monochrome LCD instrumentation, with the right and necessary information, yes, you can go through the different menus with a button on the handlebar. But her rival makes a technological show with an impressive 5-inch TFT full color screen, with connectivity and the possibility of linking with our mobile.
From this we control the driving modes, cruise control, incoming calls etc… In the World Ride version of the Ténéré this technological difference has already been cut and despite the fact that it does not have driving modes or traction control like the Italian, the screen is TFT of very high quality.
The engines of our protagonists have many things in common, at a mechanical level the two use twin-cylinder engines in parallel. The Tenere 700 has a cubic capacity of 689 cc and has a power of 73CV while the Aprilia has 660 cc with a power of 80CV. This difference of 7 hp may seem like a lot, but in practice it is not too much. It is especially noticeable in the upper part of the rev counter where the Aprilia is somewhat sportier.
By clues, the two behaved really well
The Yamaha has sacrificed the final power in exchange for impressive lows and mids, but beware, it is not lacking in highs either. The Yamaha CP2 engine is precisely one of the best twin-cylinder engines currently on the market.
The Tuareg’s drivetrain is very smooth and the power and torque come through quickly and generously. Just like the Yamaha and its MT-07 or R7 sisters, this engine is inherited from the RS660 and Tuono 660 model, but with some modifications and a power reduction. As in the Italian 660 sports cars, many electronic aids manage the power in each situation, since everything is assisted by an electronic accelerator, while in the Ténéré it is by the usual cable.
The Ténéré Rally Edition is clearly more prepared for field use
The truth is that the touches of both engines are most appreciated and perfectly valid to go to the ends of the earth. For road use, its generous torque and, above all, great elasticity do not make you yearn for more power, and when driving offroad, it is plenty everywhere.
Curiously, where there is a technical tie is in the empty weight, since the two stop the scale at 187 kg. It is a low weight for us, but the truth is that if it is compared with other Trails, the 20, 30 or even 40 kilos of reduction compared to some maxi-trails are greatly appreciated.
Prices and finishes
The illuminations in both are by LED and they fulfill their mission very well.
In terms of prices and finishes, our market often marks the success or failure of some models due to their price. It is no longer so much whether the motorcycle is worth what it costs or not, but simply going beyond certain economic limits can sometimes represent a significant reduction in the number of sales.
But the same happens with models that are very tight in terms of quality-price. The Ténéré, for example, has entered the market very well with a fairly contained price for its basic model, which is €10,499. In this comparison we have had the Rally Edition model that sets its price at €12,099, which is very close to the €11,999 of the Tuareg.
Jaume Gustems liked the Tuareg a lot but found the Ténéré engine more exciting
Really, if we look at the €12,000 that each of the units that we compare today cost, the Aprilia is better equipped in general thanks to its electronic management. On the contrary, the Ténéré has more accessories such as the akrapovic exhaust, underbody and radiator protectors, etc.
If it is true that if we want that extra plus in the Ténéré, we will have to go to the recently released model and already tested by us, Yamaha Ténéré World Ride (Read the test here) that costs €12,799. Therefore, it is time to take stock and above all to test them.
