Sonauto Edition: Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténéré

Dakar-inspired Super Ténéré 750 from BIKE Factory… 

In 1947, famed French racing driver Toto Veuillet founded Saône-Auto (Sonauto), which would become France’s first importer of Porsche cars and Yamaha motorcycles. Sonauto was involved in many forms of motorsport, from Grand Prix motorcycle racing to Le Mans to off-road endurance races like the Paris Dakar Rally.

Jean-Claude Olivier  — aka “JCO” and later “Mr. Yamaha” — joined Sonauto in 1965. Olivier would be instrumental to the company’s long-running relationship with Yamaha, and to the extensive commercial and competitive success of the Yamaha XT500 enduro.

“He would later become the president of Yamaha Motor France S.A. and help pioneer what came to be called the ‘Adventure’ category. Olivier’s eyes would shine as he looked at the 500cc big-single and thought of the vast, unknown expanses of the African continent, saying, ‘The time has come for the motorcycle to be a vehicle for adventure.'” –Yamaha

Sonauto fielded four XT500s in the inaugural Paris-Dakar Rally, winning seven of 11 stages between their riders, with Olivier himself taking two stage wins himself. He and Sonauto helped inspire Yamaha to create the original XT600Z Ténéré, one of the first and greatest single-cylinder adventure bikes of all time.

However, by the mid-1980s, Yamaha’s initial success in the Paris-Dakar Rally had been overcome by the likes of BMW and their R80G/S. The company needed a bike purpose-built for rally racing, and Olivier was determined to bring home a victory. In 1985 he finished 2nd on a specially-prepped Ténéré 600 with a 51-liter tank and countless modifications.

In 1986, in search of higher top speeds, Olivier used Yamaha’s four-cylinder FZ750 sportbike engine to create the FZ750 Ténéré. Unfortunately, it was just too heavy and Olivier only placed 12th.

“Nonetheless, his unwavering determination to win the Rally inspired the race machine development department at Yamaha headquarters to take action.” –Yamaha

In Japan, Yamaha’s racing division finally began work on a factory machine for the 1988 Rally. This would be the legendary “0W93” or YZE750 Ténéré, powered by a liquid-cooled 750cc single-cylinder five-valve engine. Both the Sonauto and Chesterfield-sponsored Belgarda (BYRD) teams received these machines for the ’88 Paris-Dakar. Of the YZE riders, Franco Picco, piloting the BYRD YZE750, came home with the best result, crossing the finish line in 2nd overall.

However, the Sonauto team would make Dakar history in ways beyond pure results. Olivier had brought 22-year-old French enduro champion Stéphane Peterhansel onto the team for his first Dakar Rally. Though an off-course tangent led to a disappointing 18th-place result, Peterhansel would go on to become “Mr. Dakar,” winning the race a record 14 times — six on motorcycles and eight in cars.

And then there was Olivier’s 7th place finish on the YZE750…with a broken arm! Peterhansel tells it best:

“I remember when I did my first Dakar. [Mr. Olivier] was a rider; it was in ’88. I started with a good race, but in the middle of the race I did a big mistake so I was not ever able to get a good result. And I remember that Jean-Claude Olivier crashed and broke bones in his arm and he [still] tried to finish. But for me, it was not possible. I said with an arm broken, it’s not possible. But in the end, he finished the race. It was not easy but after that I said, Mr. Olivier is really a strong man, not only with his speed when riding but also [mentally] because to finish the Dakar like that with an arm broken, for me it was not possible. It was during my first Dakar so I was really impressed about his [ability]; he was really strong, never [gave up] and was always [pushing his physical limits].” -Stéphane Peterhansel

Legends indeed. Last week we had the pleasure of featuring a Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténéré inspired by Franco Picco’s Chesterfield-sponsored Dakar bike, built by Mateusz Bukład and the team at Poland’s BIKE Factory — a workshop in Wzdów that does traditional repair and service as well as restorations and full-on custom transformations.

Chesterfield Edition: Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténéré

Today, we’re excited to bring you a second Super Ténéré 750 from BIKE Factory, this one based on the iconic Sonauto Dakar racers of the late 1980s.

The donor is an ’89 Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténéré, which was stripped down and rebuilt from the ground up. All consumables were replaced, all surfaces treated and refinished, and an array of modifications made: firmer front suspension, YSS rear suspension, full Arrow exhaust, custom crashbars fabricated in-house, Dakar windshield, fat bar with Polisport handguards, Dakar number fields, and that iconic Sonauto livery.

The bike looks absolutely incredible, and it’s a fitting homage to Jean-Claude Olivier (Mr. Yamaha), Stéphane Peterhansel (Mr. Dakar), and the Sonauto legacy in the world’s toughest race.

Below we talk to Mateusz Bukład of BIKE Factory for the full details on the build, with more photos courtesy of Fotoryzacja. (Editor’s Note: Has anyone else found themselves looking up used listings for a Yamaha XTZ750 after these features? Too bad they weren’t ever sold in the US!)

Sonauto Super Ténéré: Builder Interview

• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.

Our workshop is based in a small town in Poland. We have been running a motorcycle repair shop for 13 years. On a daily basis, we deal with traditional motorcycle servicing. We renovate vintage and classic motorcycles.

• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?

The motorcycle is a Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténéré from 1989.

• Why was this bike built?

We really like dual-sport motorcycles and the Paris-Dakar rally. We built this motorcycle with the intention of selling it. The motorcycle went to auction, where it was sold and became part of a private collection.

• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?

As always, the Paris-Dakar Rally. Color scheme inspired by the Sonauto team that raced the Yamaha YZE.

• What custom work was done to the bike?

The motorcycle was disassembled down to the last screw and reassembled. All surfaces received new varnish, galvanic coating and aquablasting. All consumables were replaced with new ones.

The front suspension has bushes that harden the springs.

At the rear, we installed a YSS central shock absorber.

Dakar windshield, fat bar handlebar + Polisport handguards. Dakar number fields added on the back. Full Arrow exhaust.

We also produce crash bars, which we made from start to finish.

• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?

The ride is very pleasant. The motorcycle drives confidently and stably. 70 horses allow you to use them. All motorcycle components are new, so the ride is very pleasant.

• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?

The color combination, I really like it.

• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?

www.fotoryzacja.pl for great photos.

Follow the Builder:

Builder: BIKE Factory
Photography: Fotoryzacja | @fotoryzacja.pl

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