Yamaha have dropped a subtle teaser image, suggesting they could be about to reveal a long-anticipated three-cylinder Ténéré 900 adventure model .
Promising to ‘redefine the standard’ the teaser image shows a graphic with two pulses in close proximity, plus a third that’s spaced further apart – possibly suggesting a triple with an uneven firing order is on the cards.
According to the brand, we’ll find out more on Monday, November 2 at 5pm – the evening before the official start of the EICMA trade show in Milan – with the new model potentially borrowing from the 890cc CP3 platform already found in the R9 , Tracer 9 , MT-09 , and XSR900 families.
MCN asked Yamaha’s European Director of Land Mobility, Clément Villet about the possibility of a Ténéré 900 during last year’s Italian show, who said: “Engineers are working on this currently, but when we go there we don’t want to compromise.
“If we go to the CP3 engine one day for the Ténéré it has to have 18/21-inch wheels, it has to be a real off-road machine. So, the question is now, can we make something with the CP3 platform that doesn’t damage the DNA of the Ténéré name?”
Should the eventual bike feature an irregular firing order, it could sit somewhere close to Triumph ’s 888cc three-cylinder engine found in the current Tiger 900 family , which features a T-plane crank design introduced in 2020.
Here, the crankpins one and three sit 180 degrees apart, with the second sat at 90 degrees (forming a T shape) – giving it an almost V-twin rumble and said to improve off-road feel, as well as traction at lower revs.
Riders have been calling for a Ténéré 900 for years (in much the same way as they were with the R9 before it arrived for 2025). A punchy, big-spec three-cylinder adventure bike is exactly where the market is at the moment, and it could prove incredibly popular for the Japanese brand.
Dan is a fully-trained journalist, with a Gold Standard Level 3 Diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists. He has a passion for motorcycles of all capacities, but feels at home aboard a sportsbike. He's been working for MCN in print and digital for the best part of 10 years, with regular contributions to RiDE Magazine on the side.
News Editor, trackday fan, lover of 90s sportsbikes