I'm a long-time Tenere fan. Before the XTZ featured on the front of my 1990 book, Desert Biking (right, the book which evolved into the AMH) I owned the first-generation kickstart model and like everyone else of a certain age, in the 1980s adapted XT500s in the days when there was nothing better for desert travels.

The British biking press didn't get it with the new Tenere, but owners' impressions were better than expected, so I got one off ebay to finish researching a new book, Morocco Overland.

For my impressions of the bike on the trip and a few pictures, please click the link below.

early impressions & mods .... •. .. . tubeless.. ..•. . ..5000 mile report