Ténéré Runner: Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténere

’89 Yamaha XTZ750 “Ténéré Runner” from BCK Motorcycles…   

In 1989, Yamaha released their latest desert racer clone, the Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténere. Styled after the company’s Paris Dakar race bikes, the Super Ten boasted a five-valve parallel-twin that was said to be lighter and more compact than a V-twin, yet much more powerful than a big single at 70 horsepower. Though the Super Ténere 750 was no lightweight at 448 pounds dry, but it had ~9 inches of suspension travel at both ends, could cruise for hours at 90+ mph, and work as a tourer, commuter, and aspirant rally raider. 

Dutch moto enthusiast community THRYLLZ named the XTZ750 their “Classic Crush”:

“We think the 750 Super Ténére is perhaps the most handsome classic ever. Certainly of all the classics that stand tall on their legs. The design is sleeker than that of its great rival, the Honda XRV 750 Africa Twin. And it also beats the Honda slightly in terms of power. And no, looks and power aren’t everything. But they do say a lot. Especially in our book. We could lie about that, but there’s no point. We find it sexy, endearing and mischievous at the same time.” –THRYLLZ

Unfortunately, we never received this model in the US or Canada, and parts availability is difficult even in Europe. We’ve featured a trio of Super Ténere 750 restomods from Poland’s BIKE Factory, and now we this “Ténére Runner” from our old buddy Yann of Brittany’s BCK Motorcycles.

Yann, as you may recall, has quite a wide experience in the world of motorcycles, even running teams in World Superbike and designing the livery for BMW Motorrad’s return to Le Mans with the original S1000RR. 

“Drawing since I could hold a pencil, self-taught graphic designer, mechanic course, military helicopter repair crew, motorcycle race mechanic, race journalist, Team Coordinator and then Team Manager in world racing motorcycles series — let’s say that I did some work around two wheels before opening my own workshop back in 2010.”

The owner of this first-year Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténéré wanted to wanted to restore and aesthetically refresh his machine while preserving its original charm and mystique — not a full custom, but a bike that looked like it could roll out of a Yamaha showroom right now. An alternative, perhaps, to the Ténéré 700.

“Forget for two seconds about the new T7 and imagine this model would have lasted over the years: What would it look like? That was the point.” -Yann

This Super Tén looks all new, but it took a lot of work to get there.  Yann pulled the engine from the bike for a full check-up and coat of black paint. The fiberglass fairings were found in Greece and required significant modifications to work, but they truly look like a slightly updated version of the original design. (Of course, the OEM plastics — like many parts of the bike, Yann would learn — are no longer produced.)

The new plastics were painted in an original Yamaha candy white, and Yann had the graphics custom-made. Meanwhile, Nikau from @ncw_workshop upholstered a seat the works with the new narrower rear fender. Many other components were powder-coated, and the bike features a new set of Heidenau K60 Ranger tires, new LED headlights and indicators, and many other small parts. 

The result is a vintage yet fully refreshed Dakar-style machine that looks a mile better than the T7.

“It’s really amazing how this bike in those Yamaha original colors and that full LED lighting system can catch attention! I guess those early full body Dakar Rally style bikes are still big in most people’s minds.”

Well done, Yann! It’s always a pleasure to showcase your work, and we love the vision you bring to your builds, fusing functionality, nostalgia, and attention to detail. 

Yamaha Super Ténere 750 Restomod: Builder Interview

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

What?! People will start to think I must have a contract with BikeBound to get so many publications… ah ah! Once upon a time, there was this little boy of the X generation who was taken for a ride 50 years ago on a blue-smoking Suzuki GT125. He didn’t know then this would lead to an all life around motorcycles.

Black Ops Runner: Honda Dominator 650 Adventure Bike

Some decades have gone by and this man is still playing with two wheeled-toys all day long! For 15 years, I’ve been trying my best to build projects which match the owner’s dreams and expectations. Seventy builds later, I guess this has always matched.

Mushman Runner: Yamaha XS650 Desert Sled

Drawing since I could hold a pencil, self-taught graphic designer, mechanic course, military helicopter repair crew, motorcycle race mechanic, race journalist, Team Coordinator and then Team Manager in world racing motorcycles series — let’s say that I did some work around two wheels before opening my own workshop back in 2010.

Baja Runner: Suzuki DR650

First project, apart from my own XS650 low drag bobber, was to create the full graphic line-up for the BMW Motorsport France team for their return to Le Mans 24 Hours racing 15 years ago including official S1000RR paint scheme, rider leathers, trucks, inside garage panels, and team apparel. Not paid but was the game and the bet to get a step inside something bigger.

The Nomad: Suzuki DR650 Rally Bike

A guy ready to paint that BMW race bike called me to let me know there was a space left in the lower fairing so he could add my own logo. Not planning anything at that time, no logo prepared, I then had 30 minutes to give my workshop a name and provide that guy with a decent logo.

“Bone Destroyer” Honda XL600R Flat Tracker

American West Coast and Discovery shows inspired, Breizh Coast Kustoms was born. Breizh means Brittany in Breton. Tired of spelling it every time after years, it turned into BCKustoms and now you know why it’s named BCK Motorcycles.

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

This one’s an ’89 Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténéré, full stock except the full stainless exhaust from Laser, a German manufacturer back in the days.

• Why was this bike built?

A good pal bought this bike for long trips and duo rides. The bike was in its original condition, never restored and with cracked fairings after some crashes over the last 30 years.

I never worked on that type of XTZ before, so it was challenging with only some knowledge from a previous TRX road race project and my 660 XTZ “Iceland Runner.” Seems like Yamaha loves to create strange things which are really looking too complicated like the oil sump over the gearbox on the TRX, which shares a big part of the engine with the Super Tén.

Plus, if you’ve ever tried to get this XTZ’s airbox into place, you know what I’m talking about… The soft pipes between carbs and airbox are not sold anymore and, when cooked after 30 years over a boiling engine, those are now a bit too short. Need to leave them in boiling water to recover some length and hurry up to replace the parts before returning to ambient temperature.

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

Vince asked me what would be the coolest solution to replacing damaged fairings and maybe doing some refresh of the bike overall. He didn’t want to go full custom, preferring the original white-blue design and a project that would look like it rolled out of the Yamaha dealer if the XTZ750 was on sale now. Forget for two seconds about the new T7 and imagine this model would have lasted over the years: What would it look like? That was the point.

• What custom work was done to the bike?

Big overhaul to leave the engine naked on the stand for a complete check-up. All parts inspected, suspension refurbished, and the whole chassis rebuilt with black powder coated parts to go with the modern design of the fiberglass fairings found in Greece. That big engine was turned black too for the same reason.

Original stainless header has been brushed to recover its original aspect and the Yamaha skid plate got hammered to remove all dents before being brushed to give it back a nice neat surface.

• Does the bike have a nickname?

Here comes a new Runner! As you may know, all BCK off-road projects are nicknamed Runner. As this one takes its roots in the Ténéré dunes on the road to Dakar, I think ‘Ténéré Runner’ suits this project.

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

With those new parts and this set of K60 Ranger tires from Heidenau, the bike sits higher, which is better for off-road tracks. Second point is the bike lost quite some weight with fiberglass front and rear fairings, lighter headlights and blinkers. But it remains a bike I don’t feel comfortable with as it easily exceeds 400 lbs, which is for me a limit not to exceed for really dirty tracks.

It’s really amazing how this bike in those Yamaha original colors and that full LED lighting system can catch attention! I guess those early full body Dakar Rally style bikes are still big in most people’s minds. For the eldest, it also reminds a lot of memories which are feeling reactivated with some new-age accessories including modern tires, aero brake lines, big bar, good grips and pegs.

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

There’s not been so much work from me apart from rebuilding the bike. OK, it’s quite some work but normal routine let’s say.

It’s been quite strange to chase some details like precise bike colors and give the painter the good code to reproduce that candy white and that Yamaha blue to match the fuel tank, which just needed some light polishing work. Looks like those details have disappeared with time.

The fiberglass kit also required some heavy adjustments as the shapes around the dashboard were too tight in some places and too wide in others and the original headlight fixing bolts had to be rebuilt. Also, and I guess this would be the part I’m the most proud of, the seat needed a serious reshape to match the new narrow rear fender. The width difference between both parts is really huge. Let’s say those parts do not fit together. Once I got the foam and the original seat base modified, Nikau from @ncw_workshop did once again a great job reproducing a seat close to the original but with all modifications I gave him to adapt. When you have such an upholstery workshop nearby, you’re quiet.

Original parts are of course no more available from your local Yamaha dealer. So it’s been quite a treasure hunt to find a new alloy water pipe to go over the engine to replace the original, which broke into the cylinder head… Sucks… Just that little leaking tube gave me much more work after the bike got its first check rides — also because no company is able to provide correct engine gaskets. I had to order the cylinder head cover’s gasket twice to have one not leaking. So it sucks twice more.

Did I speak about stickers? I love stickers. Last point was to find the right set with the correct logos to put one the bike, knowing some were really special with that candy white color. The most approximate kit available from eBay was just too expensive for a kit “looking like” OEM logos. So I decided to take some time to redraw all logos and have it printed in the local workshop I’ve been working with since I started in 2010.

• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?

Special Thanks to all locals helpers and craftsmen who I worked with on this one:

Upholstery by Nikau at @NCW_Workshop
3D printing by @recreaju
Stainless welding Master @jefracfrac at @t2xc.creation
Sandblasting and powdercoating by Patrick at SARL LE PAGE

And big thanks to the companies collaborating all year long:

Best motorcycle luggage from @moskomoto
All lubricants by @iponelube
Restoration products issued by @wd40_france
All finishing products from @noline.france
Enduro LED headlights from @doenduro
Bluetooth GPS app controller from @7solid_
Chains and sprockets from @supersproxusa

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